Overcoming a Fair Weather Hiking Mentality

OVERCOMING A FAIR WEATHER HIKING MENTALITY: LEARNING TO LOVE WINTER HIKING & TIPS FOR CHANGING YOUR ATTITUDE WITH THE SEASONS

by Christine Reed

Winter is coming. And if you’re like me, you might have visions of cozy fireplaces and steaming cups of tea in your head. Maybe you’re at the beginning of your hiking career or maybe you’ve been a summer sportsman for many years. Does the idea of stepping out into the woods or onto a mountain with (gasp) snow on the ground strike you as unfathomable? Me too. Until recently in my mind, winter was a time for reading books, running on treadmills, and taking tropical vacations. When I moved to Colorado in 2015, I noticed that everywhere I looked, people were mindbogglingly stoked on winter. Skiing and snowboarding, ice climbing and mountaineering. But the barrier to entry for all those sports can feel significant. Expensive gear, critical safety training and advanced technical skills are daunting. And don’t even get me started on traffic up I-70.

Finally, last year, I got it out of my head that I had to invest in an ice axe or a pair of backcountry skis to have fun in winter. Upon layering up and stepping into the unknown, I learned that some of my hesitancy was valid. It is, in fact, cold outside in winter. Yuck. And also, the ground is somehow, hard and slippery and slushy and wet and crunchy and soft all at once. Confusing. And dangerous. However, these are manageable obstacles. As it turns out, there are enough clothes in most closets to stay warm on a beautiful 40-degree winter day in Colorado. And micro spikes and trekking poles are sufficient to prevent slipping and sliding on an icy trail. The biggest obstacle facing us isn’t gear or weather. It’s our can’t do attitude.

As with most things that are difficult, scary or intimidating, the idea we build up in our heads can be far worse than the truth of the experience. Sometimes, we even discover a surprising upside to the things we feared. Last winter, I saw how stunningly beautiful the rugged peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park can be when draped in snow. I learned that you could spend hours in line with the nearly one million visitors waiting to enter the park in July, but you can breeze right in and find excellent parking at trailheads in January.

At the beginning of the season, I hiked to Gem Lake—an easy and accessible hike in summer, which I would generally avoid due to overcrowding. I saw only a dozen other hikers on the trail, some with snowshoes, some in tennis shoes. I moved more slowly than I usually would, admiring the naked aspens and crystalline icicles hanging from boulders along the way. Just over an hour from the trailhead, I stood alone in the middle of the frozen lake with feather-light snowflakes catching on my eyelashes. Silence enveloped me like a thick blanket and the snow dazzled with the light of a thousand diamonds. It wasn’t a big epic—it wasn’t meant to be. It was simple, easy-going, serene. I felt a freedom from that day forward. I set a new expectation. We don’t have to hide away from the bitter cold of winter, just waiting for it to end. We can still play. And explore. And push ourselves to new heights.

Winter is coming. And for the first time, I’m not dreading it. I can’t wait to discover my favorite trails again, painted in snow. I still look forward to cozy fireplaces and steaming cups of tea, but after a long walk in the woods not instead of. Enjoying winter outdoors is a golden ticket. The key to never having to take a break from the things I love most. From now on, hiking knows no season.

TIPS FOR CHANGING YOUR ATTITUDE:

Start small – Don’t expect yourself to perform to your summer athletic standards. Choose hikes that you would consider short and easy, give yourself time to frolic in a winter wonderland, without the pressure of a huge ascent or too many miles.

Stay warm – Layer appropriately, but especially focus on keeping your hands, feet, and head warm. Carry hand warmers (I almost never use them, but it makes me feel good to know I can.)

Research – Travel medium popular trails, that have been packed down since the last snow. Many online trail resources allow for hikers to leave trip reports, this is a great way to know what to expect.

Watch the forecast – Hike in good weather, choose days when it’s not actively snowing to experience the beauty of a snow covered landscape, without the challenges of cutting trail and navigating low visibility.

Plan your post-adventure – Decide what cozy treats you’ll be coming home to. Stack the wood for your fire, set out the marshmallows for your hot chocolate or put your fuzziest socks by the heater to warm them while you’re out.

Get psyched with your hiking partners – Talk about the safety precautions and the gear, but don’t forget to bring the stoke.

Leave the existential dread behind – Did your love of hiking sneak out the back window at some point between October and December? Probably not! You love the outdoors, you love hiking, you probably love lakes and mountains and wondering if you’re going to see a bear on the trail. Winter doesn’t take any of those joys away. It adds another element to the adventure. You might just love that too.

Christine Reed is an avid amateur outdoors woman. Her upbringing as a military brat taught her to see everywhere and nowhere as home. She didn't start hiking until after college, when she realized she wasn't sure where her life was headed and sought out a defined path on the Appalachian Trail. She's currently living in a converted Ford Transit, hiking, rock climbing and kicking around the US, and working on a debut memoir about life, hiking, and human connection.