Winter Hiking

[o3jeff]

Anyone do it on here? Looking to do some hiking up in the Whites over the winter. Any tips other than pack as if you might have to spend the night in the mountains? Boot suggestions?

 

[deadheadskier]

Warm ones

 

[o3jeff]

Warm ones

Should they be comfortable too?

 

[deadheadskier]

Yup. And waterproof

 

[o3jeff]

Yup. And waterproof

That eliminates my Uggs....

 

[wtcobb]

I picked up a pair of Lowa Cevedale Pro GTX this year. Took a while to break in, but rock solid. Waterproof, sturdy but not completely immobile, good traction on bare rock. Crampon compatible if it comes to it.

 

[wtcobb]

Tips: dress in layers. The same base/mid/shell approach you'd use for skiing works great for hiking. It may be freezing cold but you'll still work up a sweat hiking up a steep ascent. Sweat = big trouble, so shed down to the midlayer and cool off.

 

[wtcobb]

Don't post holes! Snow shoes for your safety and the preservation of the trail. MSRs are great, lightweight, and have built-in teeth like microspikes that grip the most bulletproof of surfaces.

 

[wtcobb]

Pack a backpacking stove. In a pinch you can melt snow for water. If nothing else, a warm meal feels better. Be sure to buy the four season mix of gas and wrap the tin in duct tape (it will get cold enough to give you frostbite if left bare) and keep a lighter on a necklace under your shirt or use a flint. Butane and cold don't mix well.

 

[o3jeff]

Thanks wtcobb.

I already have the MSR snow shoes and like them so far on some local stuff over the past few years. A lot of the clothing I know can cross over from ski to hiking, I'm still debating on insulated boots, if so is 200 or 400 thinsulate needed. I don't plan on doing any overnights out there, just day hiking.

 

[wtcobb]

I went uninsulated as well with the Lowas. If I need to I can upgrade the Goretex liner, but right now I won't be overnighting (at least not where insulated boots would be required). For day hikes a sturdy, waterproof boot with good socks will be sufficient. Good call on the MSRs - if you have the televator heel they are an Achilles savior on the steeps.

 

[Bumpsis]

There will be plenty of times when you really will need to switch from snow shoes to traction devices. On steeper ice, nothing beats a real crampon but microspikes or Hillside trail crampons work just fine on most trails in the Whites. I don't do overnights because I like to go light and don't want to carry a lot of stuff, but I pick the weather conditions really carefully and take it really easy (safety is #1) out there since I solo most of the time.
As to boots, I use uninsulated ones that can take a bit thicker wool sock. Winter hiking is great!

 

[bigbog]

There will be plenty of times when you really will need to switch from snow shoes to traction devices. On steeper ice, nothing beats a real crampon but microspikes or Hillside trail crampons work just fine on most trails in the Whites. I don't do overnights because I like to go light and don't want to carry a lot of stuff, but I pick the weather conditions really carefully and take it really easy (safety is #1) out there since I solo most of the time.
As to boots, I use uninsulated ones that can take a bit thicker wool sock. Winter hiking is great!

+1 on the snowshoes(local wood/cane) + crampons work well....but I'll never say never to something new...
Mid-Layer(skiing/hiking): Patagonia's Rn or [Merino](sp?) wool breathe well.
A solid performing wicking-layer and a highly-breatheable mid-layer gives one more choices in shells......the "ultimate" in breatheability isn't always needed...fwiw...but it is nice.

>>EDIT: I used to wear fleece for the mid-layer for a while and always experienced a little cold perspiration...years ago. Now shaking my head...lol.

 

[wtcobb]

I picked up Hillsounds last year - big fan. I know many have the Katahoolas too. Only place I wished for an actual crampon was Lion's Head. But then I haven't gone for King or Lincoln's Throat yet...

 

[Bumpsis]

I picked up Hillsounds last year - big fan. I know many have the Katahoolas too. Only place I wished for an actual crampon was Lion's Head. But then I haven't gone for King or Lincoln's Throat yet...

I am tempted to do some of the steeper routs (ex. Lion's Head) but I have limited experience on steeper ice. I currently don't have an ice ax and really have been holding off on that. Would I need it on Lion's Head?
My wife gave me a bit grief about the full crampons already. She's afraid that I'll get over my head (partly true). King's Ravine or Lincoln's Throat are a bit too ambitious for me.
But I did find some double fall line ice on steeper trails where I discovered the limitations of the katahoolas, thus the purchase of full crampons.
There was also one time in Tuckerman's when I sort of wished I had them. Sun disappeared from a side of the ravine where I was and in almost no time, nice soft snow iced up. That was a bit scary how quickly the surface changed.

 

[ScottySkis]

I thinking of hiking this weekend one day but not really winter conditions.

 

[Krikaya]

I am tempted to do some of the steeper routs (ex. Lion's Head) but I have limited experience on steeper ice. I currently don't have an ice ax and really have been holding off on that. Would I need it on Lion's Head?
My wife gave me a bit grief about the full crampons already. She's afraid that I'll get over my head (partly true). King's Ravine or Lincoln's Throat are a bit too ambitious for me.

I soloed Lion's Head a few years ago late winter temps were in the teens, NO wind, pea soup whiteouts on the way up which cleared at the summit and I wouldn't have made it without an ice axe. If you're using crampons you should ALWAYS have an axe. Lion's head winter trail is pure ice climbing in sections. I only had one ax which I regretted but handholds were possible on roots and rocks. Learning how to use an ice ax is important. Read up on proper technique and practice. Slide down moderate slopes and practice self arresting.

And I'm sure your wife loves you and cares about your safety but all my friends who are married get flak from their wives when they hike. If most women had their way, men would never be allowed to leave the couch. Crampons and axes are safety gear. When I got to the top of Washington, there was a corpse of a skier strapped onto a snow cat. He had died the day before in one of the ravines. It was a sobering sight and made me concentrate much more on the descent. Slow and careful.

 

[Bumpsis]

I soloed Lion's Head a few years ago late winter temps were in the teens, NO wind, pea soup whiteouts on the way up which cleared at the summit and I wouldn't have made it without an ice axe. If you're using crampons you should ALWAYS have an axe. Lion's head winter trail is pure ice climbing in sections. I only had one ax which I regretted but handholds were possible on roots and rocks. Learning how to use an ice ax is important. Read up on proper technique and practice. Slide down moderate slopes and practice self arresting.

And I'm sure your wife loves you and cares about your safety but all my friends who are married get flak from their wives when they hike. If most women had their way, men would never be allowed to leave the couch. Crampons and axes are safety gear. When I got to the top of Washington, there was a corpse of a skier strapped onto a snow cat. He had died the day before in one of the ravines. It was a sobering sight and made me concentrate much more on the descent. Slow and careful.

Thanks for answering my question about Lion's Head. I suspected that this is also a fairly serious mountaineering route. Not something I would solo. My hat's off to you for doing it.

I do have some training with proper use of the ice ax - I climbed Mt. Rainier on a guided tour. I got quite a bit of training in self arrest and rope work. But for my solo hikes, I'll stick to something less vertical.
I certainly don't want to take a ride like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjTmE4nMjJ4

 

[Krikaya]

Lion's Head has just a few short vertical sections. I wouldn't call it really technical. Nobody was using ropes. It was pretty exciting. Of course, if you're solo and you fall.... Skiing Tuckerman's looks like suicide. A crapshoot. No way to self arrest. Just pure survival skiing. No thanks.

 

[bigbog]

Wow...looks like great snow in that YouTube footage Bumpsis... Sure wish I could time it right and get that stuff. I always seem to have to stomp like heck thru a frozen crust.
Ranier must've bumped your climbin' skills up in no time...