| Did you check the weather report when you last | | | | prevent frostbitten toes, and are a good idea even |
| went winter backpacking? You probably did, but I am | | | | for a day hike. Down coats and vests are the best - |
| sure there are some who are thinking "Weather | | | | if you can keep them dry. |
| report? How about cold and snowy - it's winter!" | | | | Bring enough water. Eating snow is an extremely |
| However, cold and snow are not the only aspects of | | | | inefficient way to get water into your system. Bring |
| the weather. You may actually be in more danger if | | | | water and keep it from freezing. This might mean |
| there will be a warming trend while you are out in the | | | | keeping your water bottle inside your coat, or next |
| wilderness. | | | | to you in your sleeping bag at night. One of the |
| Getting wet when the temperature is just over | | | | primary problems that climbers of Mount Everest |
| freezing is far more likely than when it is far below | | | | have is dehydration, by the way, and it can |
| freezing. Getting wet, and then cold because of it, is | | | | contribute to hypothermia. |
| one of the primary reasons people die in the | | | | Bring a heat source. Many of us get by backpacking |
| wilderness in winter. A down coat might keep you | | | | with no stove in the warmer months, eating cold |
| warm down to zero, but it might also become almost | | | | foods only, but in winter a cooking stove is a |
| worthless in a steady freezing rain. You need to be | | | | necessity. It isn't just that you will appreciate having |
| prepared for the specific weather you are likely to | | | | hot food. You will need a way to melt snow and ice |
| see. | | | | for water. Always have enough matches, and a |
| More Winter Hiking Tips | | | | lighter too. A fire can easily be a lifesaver if you fall |
| Stay as dry as you can. Getting wet is what kills you | | | | into a stream of lake and need to get warm and dry. |
| in the winter wilds. Proper preparation means more | | | | Learn some basic principles of cold weather survival. |
| than just bringing a rain jacket, though. You also have | | | | Maybe you won't remember that you can turn a light |
| to avoid letting too much snow melt into your | | | | jacket into a winter coat by stuffing it full of cattail |
| clothing. Jeans are the worst for this, and should | | | | fluff from the nearest swamp. However, if you |
| never be worn when backpacking in snow. You also | | | | understand how dead air space insulates, it will seem |
| need to monitor your perspiration. It's easy to get | | | | obvious to you that you can use a pile of dry leaves |
| wet from sweating during a hard hike. This sweat will | | | | or grass as an emergency blanket. Once, while |
| chill you fast once you stop moving. Remove those | | | | backpacking along the Manistee River in Michigan, |
| layers as you warm up, to prevent sweating. | | | | setting up my tent on a pile of dry bracken ferns |
| Have proper clothing. What should you have with you | | | | allowed me to stay warm with no sleeping bag when |
| when hiking? Avoid cotton, for starters. Synthetic | | | | it was almost freezing. |
| underwear, like polypropylene, is a great invention, in | | | | Think about these things before you are out there. |
| all it's newest forms. "Wicking" pants and tops work | | | | Proper preparation is what will make your winter |
| well. Always have a hat and gloves. Dry socks can | | | | backpacking trip a safe one. |