Winter Hiking: Adirondacks

Taken from the top of Cascade Mountain.

This winter I decided to try some real winter hiking for the first time. I have been to the Adirondacks a bunch of times in the spring and summer, but with a few days off at the end of December I figured I’d buy some snow shoes and head up for a few days to give winter hiking a try. As someone who has been an avid three season hiker for awhile now, snowshoeing up mountains for the first time has opened up a whole new world to me. Winter hiking can require a bit more planning, as well as more gear, to fully enjoy it. So here’s a quick guide to getting started for winter hiking, alongside some of my favorite photos from the trip.

Not sure what mountain that is, but was taken from the top of Porter Mountain.

GEAR:

While there is a lot of gear you can use for summer hiking, to make your hiking more comfortable, besides a water bottle, backpack, some decent shoes and maybe a few layers, you don’t need much else for a typical day hike. However, hiking in the winter is a whole nother thing, especially when there’s lots of snow and/or ice around. Without going too much into detail, definitely familiarize yourself with snow shoes, micro spikes and crampons, and at least know what they are and when and if you’ll need to use them. Make sure to research trail conditions so you don’t get yourself into a situation where you don’t have the gear you need to safely complete the hike you set out to do. And remember that turning around is always an option. Better to be safe than to get stuck in a dangerous situation.

DON’T FORGET THE MITTENS:

Figuring out what to wear while winter hiking can be a bit tricky to figure out. There’s obviously a big difference between hiking when it’s 25 degrees F vs -20 degrees F, so the first thing to think about is how cold it will be. And don’t forget to factor in wind chill, especially if you’re hiking up mountains! Dressing in layers, as you would in the summer, is definitely the way to go in winter as well. You may get hot and sweater while exerting yourself on a steep climb, but you’ll be thankful for a nice fleece and insulated jacket once you reach the top. And don’t forget the mittens! After hiking up my first winter 46er in the Adirondacks I took my lightweight gloves off for a minute to take some pictures. They didn’t feel that cold, but once I put my gloves back on and started hiking down I very quickly started to lose feeling in my hands. I had some insulated full finger gloves that I put on but they didn’t seem to help. I started to panic a little bit, but went back to the top where some people were and asked for some help. A very nice stranger lent me his mittens which immediately warmed my hands up. I will never winter hike again without mittens, and will probably have some hand warmers too just in case.

A snowshoer starting their decent on the top of Cascade Mountain

Water:

Incase you weren’t aware, water freezes. Even if you brought it to drink and don’t want it to freeze. On my first hike out with my new snowshoes I brought my water bladder with me without really thinking about it, as I normally would on any other hike. Within 20 minutes, when I went for my first sip, the tube was frozen. I luckily had some water in a water bottle as well, and of course there was plenty of delicious snow all around me. I’ve never used insulated water bottles because of the added weight and lower water capacity, and I don’t really care too much about keeping water cold in the summer, but I’m actually considering getting one to use in the winter to keep my water warm. Trying to drink a bunch of water after a particularly strenuous section can be difficult with really cold water, and is a recipe for a brutal brain freeze.

Taken from the top of St. Regis Mountain. It warmed up a lot this day so you don’t see much snow on the trees.

Bring Your Camera!

As a photographer one of my favorite things about hiking in the winter was the access to a whole new landscape to photograph. The snow covered trees and mountains create amazing looking contrast even in the middle of the day. I just need to remember to always keep my gloves on. I will definitely be back to the Adirondacks in the winter, and hopefully to some other winter hiking destinations, and will no longer see winter as a time to go south towards the warm weather, but as a time to seek out mountains to explore just as I would any other time of the year. These few days I spent in the Adirondacks were a quick crash course in exploring in the winter, and I see many more winter hikes in my future.