Getting Started with Winter Hiking

[RR6288]

Hi,

This is a great group with lots of experts.

I've been doing a lot of summer hiking in the Whites, have done some of the difficult stuff like Huntington, Tripyramid N.Slide, around 20/48 peaks etc, but nothing in the Winter - and I want to start this year.

So, what's the best way to learn winter mountaineering properly ? Are the EMS or IME-conway courses worth it (they seem expensive) ? Or should I go with AMC ? Or any other suggestions. I don't have any equipment like plastic boots, crampons etc.

thanks in advance,

RR

 

[percious]

Personally I would start by reading. There are several good books on winter camping. You may also consider Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, since you will likely be elevation crazed like most of us here.

I have heard good things about EMS's courses, but they are expensive. My buds and I just started out with Walmart equipment and have worked our way up. (We have much better stuff now.) Last year we finally summited Mt. Marcy in the dead of January.

Experience is paramount. Start out small and work from there. Know the signs of Hypothermia, set turn-around times, and stick to them. Above all, be careful. The winter wilderness is no place to find yourself in a sticky situation.

-percious

 

[sapblatt]

Personally I would start by reading. There are several good books on winter camping. You may also consider Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, since you will likely be elevation crazed like most of us here.

This book is available used at Amazon for well under half list price.

A lot of people at VFTT have learned a great deal about winter hiking and climbing by attending the winter gathering. People go out and hike with others during the day on varied terrain and a lot of people could teach us a lot of new things.

 

[hockeycrew]

A lot can be said for experienced hiking partners as well. A lot of what I've learned (and continue to learn) comes from people who have been hiking a lot longer than I have. So join trips with experienced leaders when you want to go winter hiking. It's not like a winter hiking novice would ever want to go solo anyways

 

[sli74]

I did the unconventional thing and learned by going. My first 2 years of winter hiking/backpacking were largely solo trips. I read up on winter travel at the library and read posts on VFTT. But, in the end I didn't have anyone to go with (too shy to go with a stranger from VFTT) and so I went alone. I chose easier, more well traveled hikes and just went. Since then I have learned a lot, through trial and error and from the hiking partners I have had since I started actually hiking with people from VFTT. I have hiked 35 of the 48 in Winter and done countless backpacking trips and lower peaks in Winter and I continue to learn . . .

I would suggest as others already have that you come to the Winter Gathering and also just join in on the many trips that are posted under Trips and Events. No better or more fun way to learn than going with those in the know . . . Have fun and welcome to wonderful winter adventures.

sli74

 

[dr_wu002]

Snowshoe Hikes in the White Mountains by Steve Smith might be a good place to start in terms of reading, what equipment to buy and whatnot.

I would say, don't be a stranger here. You'll learn a lot from VFTT and maybe even join some of us on some hikes. People tend to post regular hikes in 'Trips & Events' more in the winter than in the other seasons.

-Dr. Wu

 

[DougPaul]

I started winter hiking with my college outing club's 3-week winter school. It gave me a good start under the tutilage of some very experienced winter hikers. I presume the AMC program would be comparable.

Winter is far less forgiving of rookie mistakes than is summer. By all means, read what you can find (the AMC's "Winter Camping" by Cliff Gorman was recommened by my winter school--there is probably a new version available), but a competent instructor can help get you through the rookie period without making any serious mistakes.

Doug

 

[Chip]

Hi,
Are the EMS or IME-conway courses worth it (they seem expensive) ? Or should I go with AMC ? Or any other suggestions. I don't have any equipment like plastic boots, crampons etc.
RR

EMS and IME seem to be the same type of programs and costs. Check out
Acadia Mountain Guides, they have a 2 day on Washington and a 2 day on Katahdin for $160. I'm going to do their 2 day Washington in Dec. and the 2 day Katahdin in Jan. These classes are 1/2 to full day instruction and then a summit attempt. Gear is provided or rented if you don't have it.

 

[dr_wu002]

I did the unconventional thing and learned by going.
sli74

I'm with Seema on this but I think that everyone's experience will be individual. A lot of the winter hiking in NE is fairly non-technical. I read up on stuff in some books and on Dave Metsky's site, bought shoes, crampons and whatnot and just went hiking. Some of the stuff that I bought turned out to be superfluous. Sometimes I needed more stuff. I tried to avoid going out on really nasty days at first.

More technical things such as how to properly use and ice axe or a rope you should probably learn from an expert. Good luck and have fun and be safe!

-Dr. Wu

 

[bobandgeri]

Show up on a hike this Summer/Fall and ask a lot of questions! You will find that most everyone on VFTT will gladly share their knowledge. For your first few winter hikes, join others - start out with peaks that are below tree line adn work into the longer, more exposed hikes.

 

[giggy]

agree with WU here - it depends on what you want to do.

for the hiking aspect - learn by going on small easy trails and before you know it - you will be getting better real soon. most winter trails don't even need an ice axe.

If your goals are more in the 5000 footers - then my advice would be to check out a class.

I took an IME 3 day class when I was first starting out and it helps with the overall process, how to dress, how to cook, how to set up camp, how to use crampons properly, rest step, ice axe etc... but I was more interested in this - rather than strictly winter hiking.

I see loads of people using the ice axe wrong, etc.. not a big deal whatever works - I am not one for the right or wrong way - but proper technique from the start really helps and its tough to self arrest when axe is in the downhill hand!! all joking aside - the classes are pricey.

everyones time is limited and a 3 days class will get you pretty much self suffcient quick and learn from people with really good skills.

Little bit of correction on the rainier thing. Many of us had some sort of guided (class) training (rock/ice/mountaineering/glacier, etc..) prior to trip and then a RMI glacier travel class when we got there.

you ask are guides worth it - when starting out and - I have to say yes.

ok - this was wayyyyyy.. too long winded

just my 2 cents.

 

[snowbird]

I highly recommend the New Hampshire winter workshop at Cardigan. Usually held twice a year in January and again in February. And before that you might check out the New Hampshire chapter's winter hiking series. They usually start in October and hike right through to winter.

Good luck and have fun. Soon you too will know why many of us hike April-November so as to stay in shape for the real hiking season.

 

[Seeker]

I'll second the recommendation for the AMC courses. I've taken the Boston chapter's Winter Hiking/Backpacking Workshop and followed that up with the Above Treeline Workshop they run afterward at Harvard Cabin and felt very prepared by both courses. Much cheaper than IME for example and well-focused on essentials you need to NE hiking. It's also a great way to meet like-minded people to hike with. I believe the AMC courses will be listed in the October Outdoors and on their Web site.

 

[jfb]

The "best" way to learn winter mountaineering? Probably with a professional guide. I'd go with this one: Guide

 

[GlennS]

I took the Winter Hiking workshop put on by the AMC New Hampshire chapter. The course consisted of a one day classroom instruction followed by a series of hikes that progressed in exposure. We finished our workshop hikes with the classic Franconia Loop over Lincoln and Lafayette on December 18th. Although technically it wasn't a winter hike, the conditions said otherwise. It was definitely not a hike that I would like to solo on.

I highly recommend you consider this course if you're interested in experiencing winter hiking. I learned alot and more importantly had a great time. They're taking applications now, see http://www.amc-nh.org/ Just be careful with the Visa card. Winter hiking can get very expensive.

Glenn

 

[HikerBob]

I am another product of the "go out and do it" school of learning winter hiking.

Asked a *lot* of questions and learned a much from the feedback. I also bought and read Freedom of the Hills - a must have in my opinion.

Winter is my favorite season. No bugs, smoother trails and crystal clear air for 100 mile views!

Downsides are shorter days and a much smaller margin of error.

For basic heat management and snowshoe skills you can safely learn a lot by heading out in a local park.

I second the suggestion of joining in on a VFTT hike. You are guaranteed a great time and will learn a lot.

Bob

 

[darren]

Welcome to the site.

As just about everyone has said, read up on the subject before heading out. Then I would suggest joining VFTT or AMC group hikes. Check out the Trips & Events forum here and look for peopel doing smaller peaks. I wouldn't advise going out by yourself and learning by trial and error. The margin of error in the winter is just too small.

If you really do have/want to go out by yourself or with a novice friend, then stick to popular short routes like going up to Lonesome Lake or stuff like that. Any of the trails that lead to the huts that are open in the winter should be packed out and well traveled. Having the hut as a destination adds to your safety factor.

The bottom line is to start off small. Don't be greedy and bite off more than you can chew. You can get your butt handed to you in a hurry in the Whites in winter.

Routes that are easy in summer like the Welch - Dickey loop can be more difficult that you think in Winter. You will need crampons for the icy slabs and you can get cold quickly due to the exposure. Stick to stuff like Willard, Avalon, Tom, Liberty, etc where you are in the trees all the way up and then you get to stick your head out of the trees on top to see what it is like.

Your best bet is to join people here or from other groups. At our last winter hiker gathering, some of the members led intro hikes. On trips like that, you will learn a lot faster than you will by trial and error on your own.

- darren

 

[MattC]

About this time one year ago I became a "frequent" hiker. (I don't want to say "serious hiker", it's just so... serious). By the fall I was in the Catskills every single week bagging peaks. I had just joined this site and was a frequent participant. Around October I was starting to meet, hike and communicate with other hikers and I was starting to buy winter gear. I was looking forward to winter, but whenever winter was discussed on this site, there was this... buzz in the air. I remember thinking "These people really, really seem to be anxious for winter."

The snow took forever and my first hikes in calendar winter just felt like slightly colder fall hikes. By January there was some decent snow on the ground and I was beginning to appreciate the beauty of the hills in winter. Around the middle of January I did my first hike where snowshoes were really needed, and also my first hike w/ VFTTers. It was Hunter Mt. w/ Dr. Wu and Halite. We had a blast! By spring I had finished the Catskill 35 and had done 20 of them in winter as well. I was totallly hooked. I hiked w/ VFTT friends, I hiked w/ the Catskill 3500 Club, and I hiked alone. I should add that there were things I would do alone in the summer that I wouldn't do alone in winter.

Sorry I haven't added any real advice, I think it's been pretty much covered. I just wanted to express how the folks on this site and in the larger hikng community have been infinitely informative and inspiring.
The advice they've given above is great, as usual-heed it wisely. Any mountain/backcountry travel in winter is a serious undertaking and the Whites obviously are much more so than the Catskills. Be careful, but by all means, get out in winter. I can't begin to descibe how fun it is. All the winter freaks on this site are on to something...

Matt

 

[Toe Cozy]

I farted around too long last year and never got properly equipped for winter. Snowshoes and crampons and lots of hand and feet warmers (to keep my poor circulation going) are on my list and I'm gonna be out there this year...I swear!

 

[HockeyPuck]

Learn from experience

Learn from experience and start with the small hills close to home. I (almost always) hike solo and didn't know what to expect when hiking in winter. My first hike was the Morgan / percival loop and I made notes on hiking time / distance and what additional equipment I should pack. (Extra gloves in-case my first pair get wet). I gradually worked my way up to higher elevations (Kearsarge, Cardigan, Webster) and then started the shorter 4Kers (Cabot, Field, Whiteface) , then above tree-line (Jackson, Eisenhower).

enjoy yourself and your time in the woods.