Winter Whites

My first winter hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

Mount Washington and several of the other white-capped presidential peaks loom in the distance as I sit for lunch on Mount Jackson. How cool is that cloud?

I started hiking and running the Appalachian Mountains of New England a few years ago. It’s a terribly cheesy thing to say, but John Muir’s “The mountains are calling and I must go,” resonates with me to a degree I can’t explain. I’d been on many trails and a few mountains in my years, but the White Mountains keep me coming back.

The long drive is a slight obstacle to getting to the Whites as much as I’d like. Still, I consider myself fortunate they’re within driving distance. When I first started, the more significant obstacle was my lack of knowledge.

“It’s just a hike,” someone might say, or “It’s not like you’re in the middle of nowhere.” Those statements might be true, but at the same time, these aren’t hikes at your nearby suburban park with a snack bar, water fountain, and flushable toilets. Not reading up before a hike in any mountains could result in becoming lost, overheated, hypothermic, dehydrated, or injured and waiting/hoping for someone to help. And while you aren’t really in the middle of nowhere, two miles into a trail of rock, root, forest, and mountain presents a special kind of isolation just as challenging to reach as the middle of nowhere.

Learning what to bring, when to hike, and the nuances of the different seasons all presented a steep learning curve. I read, researched, and talked to others. With each hike, it got easier and, in my mind, presented less risk.

I started with little hikes (like Mount Wachusett) and worked up to the bigger ones (like Franconia Ridge). Overall, I felt pretty good about summer, spring, and fall hiking. But, to me, winter hiking was a whole other animal I wasn’t ready for yet.

When researching some of the trails and peaks in the Presidential Range, I came across the book “Where You’ll Find Me” by Ty Gagne. An incredible read—I finished it in a day I was so enthralled by it. “Where You’ll Find Me,” and many other cautionary tales that resulted in SAR being called and or someone’s death, made me think twice about hiking in the winter (though the mountains can be deadly year-round). You could get lost in the snow. You could freeze to death. You could slip on all the ice from the freeze-thaw cycles and fall off an edge. And all the gear you’re supposed to have—boots, microspikes, crampons, snowshoes, poles, all the layers, a pack to hold everything. The $ is enough to keep a lot of people away.

But in the end, the mountains were still calling. I recall that risk is everywhere; it’s just how you manage it. And, yes, there’s definitely gear you must have, but it’s amazing what you might already own that will be perfect for winter hiking.

Comfort With Risk

Not everyone approaches risk the same way. I’m more likely to take baby steps to start than go all-in. For instance, after the first snow of the season, I’ll drive and test the brakes, drive a little faster, and check again. Or like when trying a hot cup of coffee/tea—little sips before the big gulp. One exception—when it comes to a pool of water, I might just take the plunge.

Like the other three seasons, I did my research, then started with small trails on the smaller mountains, Mount Wachusett and Mount Monadnock. Both are much closer to where I live and have shorter trails with less severe inclines. But they were more than enough to test my gear and comfort in different winter scenarios like ice under snow on steep slopes, melting, or melted ice bridges, freeze-thaw cycles that have left solid ice, slush, and strong winds. With each footfall, I learned more about what I could expect and how to react.

Gear

I thought I would need to buy tons of gear to do any winter hiking. At a minimum, I would need the super windproof jacket to stay warm with negative twenty degree (F) temps and sixty mph winds. And I’d have to have the waterproof boots with super lugs, right? Not exactly. Most of the items I needed, I already had.

Boots This you have to have, but you can use the same hiking boots from the other three seasons as long as you have the right socks and enough room for your toes. I hike/run in trail runners, so I had to get a pair of winter hiking boots. I mostly wear Altras for running (wide toe box), so I was immediately sold when I tried Xero’s Alpine model. Lots of room, very light, and even though they are only “water-resistant,” I haven’t had any problems with frozen feet.
Microspikes This is also a must. Imagine walking up a sledding hill that’s totally packed from a day of use. Slippery, right? Mountain slopes are much steeper. Microspikes (I used Katoola) are a huge help. I have Yaktrax (the ones with the wrapped wire), and they work great on flat surfaces with ice, but I wouldn’t bring them to a mountain. The ICEtrax version of Yaktrax looks promising, though.
Crampons I do not have these. Most people I talked to and articles I read said that unless you are taking on some serious hiking and or a lot of ice, this is more than you need. Plus, if I need crampons for the trail, it’s probably not a good trail for me to start on. Maybe a purchase down the road.
Snowshoes You should have them. But there’s more to it. If you follow any winter hiking forum, you’ll see the rash of crap people get for post-holing, i.e., walking a trail with newly fallen snow, packing it unevenly, and leaving giant holes for others to fall into (twisted ankles) when the snow starts to pack down. There are a few reasons people don’t use them: they are expensive, can be a pain in the butt to walk in, and an even a bigger pain in the butt to carry in case you need them later. However, when you get to a section with three or more feet of snow, you are so much better off with them. It’s like the difference in effort between walking at a zero incline and max on a treadmill. I haven’t bought a pair yet, electing to rent so I could see what was out there. I’m ready to buy now and know exactly what I want. If you’re in the Whites, plenty of local shops can hook you up. Bottom line: You don’t need them on packed snow, i.e. a well traveled trail. Plan accordingly.
Poles A must-have. Not all spring, summer, fall hikers have these, but many do. Poles help distribute stress on the steeper ascents/descents, keep good posture, and can help with one of the many water crossings. During the summer, it’s not as big a deal if you get wet, and when you’re scrambling and need three points of contact, there are roots and rocks to grab onto. Some might even argue that you’re better off without poles in those cases. But, in the winter, many of the places where you would grab onto a rock or boulder to pull yourself up, there’s now a smooth snowpack or sheet of ice inches thick. In these cases, it’s nice to have poles with sharp tips to help you gain leverage and keep your balance. If you’re using snowshoes, they’re a must.
Baskets Snow baskets are a must if you are going to be anywhere with more than a couple inches of soft snow. They grab onto the snow, keeping your poles from going straight to the ground, allowing you to keep your balance. My Leki poles have baskets that are super easy to change up.
Jackets/Coats. Maybe? Turned out I had everything I needed already. I knew it was all about layering, but I still thought I had to have a special coat. But, when breaking down many of the fancy all-weather coats, they’re just a combination of things you probably already have if you live in a cold climate: fleece lining, puffy jacket, and wind/waterproof or resistant jacket. Put those together, and you have a $250 dollar coat! Not to mention this system is much easier to adjust with changing winds and temps.
Butt pad Not necessary, but it was nice to have so I could sit to eat lunch and not freeze my tookus off. Plus, it’s super lightweight.
Socks A good pair of wool socks is a must. And an extra in case your feet get sopping wet. The ones I wore I got as a present when I moved to New England. For some reason, people love to give me socks as gifts.
Pants I wore my regular winter running tights with fleece lining. I had the windproof running tights just in case, but the only time I’ve ever used them is when I’m shoveling snow during a storm. Any kind of windproof/resistant pants will work.
Gloves Again, if you live in a cold climate, you probably have all you need. On these beginning hikes, I’ve been bringing my ratty wool mittens (the beige ones you can get just about anywhere), my ragged wool gloves with the mitten pullover, and cheap cotton gloves. Switching between them during the hike worked for me.
Pack Need to have. Does it have to be a hiking back pack? No. But you might want to look into it for the each of storing gear like snowshoes and poles. Worst case, you use a back pack and either bungie chords or rope to attach your gear (definitely practice this ahead of time).
Water Bottle Because you can’t drink frozen water, I brought a Nalgene bottle, wrapped in aluminum foil, and stuffed in a sock. I figured this was pretty close to an insultated sleeve. I filled it with near boiling water. While I was never in sub-zero temps, this water never froze and even after six hours in freezing temps it was lukewarm.

Did I have to be cautious?

Some might read this and think I was overly cautious, while others might think I wasn’t cautious enough. Nevertheless, every season in the mountains carries risk, and it’s worth the extra time to prepare for it.

One thing I do that others would suggest not doing is hiking solo. Hiking with a friend or a group adds an additional layer of comfort and safety no matter the season, not to mention it’s a great way to pass the time with your friends. To make up for that missing layer, I bring deterrents. There are also location services worth looking into if you feel like you will be a regular soloist (InReach). If nothing else, it will help your loved ones feel at ease knowing that if anything happens to you in the wilderness, there’s a better chance you’ll be found.

While I didn’t break the bank on my gear and clothing, if money is burning a hole in your pocket, there are so many cool things you can get. From super-insulated lightweight jackets to pants you don’t have to take off to go to the bathroom (this is more for the ladies). If there’s a need, there’s a product.

For more info check out this awesome winter hiking gear list from section hiker.