How to keep WARM while winter hiking
I prefer summer hiking to winter, but don’t let that keep me inside all winter. I want to share the tricks I have learned over the past few years that keep me comfortable in any type of frigid weather. The absolute worst conditions I have hiked through were on Mount Sherman a few winters ago for my friend Kelly’s birthday hike. -30F with wind chill plus a blizzard on the summit ridge. Only me and 2 others out of 7 made the summit. I was wearing fleece lined jeans by the way lol. Here are a list of essentials for winter hiking.
- ski mask or beanie with neck gaiter (ideally both are handy)
- goggles with tint to improve visibility and reduce risk of snow blindness or at minimum sunglasses
- chapstick
- sweat wicking base layer, you want to prevent wet clothes as much as possible
- down or synthetic lightweight puffy jacket layer
- main waterproof windproof heavy winter jacket
- waterproof /wind proof winter hiking pants (ski pants usually do the trick)
- insulated/waterproof winter hiking boots with smartwool moisture wicking socks (backup pair is smart)
- heavy duty insulated mittens with glove liners (ideally have a backup pair in case you lose one) hot hands are great as well
- insulated water hose if using a hydration bladder, be sure to also tuck the hose into your shirt to keep warm
- if using water bottles, turn them upside down in your pack because the top will freeze first
- hiking poles with snow baskets come in handy
- microspikes and/or snowshoes depending on snow depth and trail traffic
- SUNSCREEN: can’t emphasize this enough, the sun will reflect vigorously off the mirror like snow
- headlamp, with that sun going down extra early you just never know if you will be out there after sundown
- mobile gps with SOS feature (not required but worth the peace of mind especially if solo)
Below are some links to gear I use, keep in mind I’m not rich so these are budget conscious