Hiking in Winter with Kids
Or Just Playing in the Snow
Don’t let yourself get into a situation where you have to spend a night in a makeshift snow cave! Before you go hiking in winter, check the weather twice, take the right gear, and check your gear again, hit the trail early, watch the weather, get off the trail early, and get home safe.
Winter Hiking – There’s nothing quite like hiking through the woods when all the leaves are off the trees and almost everything is in a shade of brown. You glimpse landscapes that you would other wise not see hiking in warmer seasons. And snow on the trails adds a new challenge to otherwise ordinary hikes. The kids will love getting out onto the trail because the trails are not crowded, they won’t be sweating, and there are not bugs.
The major focus when you are preparing to go hiking in the cold is to stay dry and stay warm. Wet and cold is a sure way for you to get hypothermia.
Here are my tips to for staying cool and dry when hiking in the woods in the winter:
Dress in Layers: Notice I said staying dry and cool and not warm. The idea in dressing for winter hikes is to stay dry and cool, not warm. When yours on the trail, you are going to get hot and sweat. Wear layers of clothing that you can take off and put back on separately. I found that four layers works for me. Ideally, your first layer, the layer that touches your skin, should be a T-shirt made of polypropylene or some other moisture wicking synthetic material and not cotton. I like long sleeved instead of short sleeved. Next, I like to put on a turtleneck, again, make of something other than cotton. My third layer could be a wool sweater, or a half-zippered long sleeved fleece jacket, or a fleece vest, depending on the temperature. My outer layer would be a hooded parka, with plenty of pockets, that is made from lightweight wind blocking and water resistant material. For my legs, I usually just wear jeans (not good). Depending on the weather, I sometimes wear my biking tights under the jeans. If you don’t like tights, wear long johns made from polypropylene under a pair of wool pants or pants made of a lightweight, waterproof and breathable material.
My younger son does not like turtlenecks and both of my sons don’t like wearing cloths. Instead of insisting that they wear this or that, I just carry what I think they would need if they got cold and wet on the trail.
I always bring extra socks, gloves, sunglasses, balaclavas or hats with ear flips, scarves, shirts and windbreakers.
Wear the Right Shoes: Now where did I put those hiking boots? I haven’t had a pair of “hiking boots” for many years. My kids don’t have hiking boots because they are still growing and the boots are expensive. I don’t want to spend the money buying them new boots every year. We don’t hike enough in the winter to justify the expense.
I usually wear sneakers type outdoor shoes with thick wool socks and avoid water whenever possible while I am on the trail. I also bring a couple of extra socks and bags incase I get my shoes wet and I need to separate the cold wet shoes from my feet.
If you can afford it and you don’t already have a pair, waterproof boots are a must for hiking in winter.
I didn’t mention crampons, ice axes, gaiters or snowshoes. If I think a trail requires these equipments to navigate, I would not take my 9 and 12 old sons on the trail.
That is how I dress for a winter hike. If you have any suggestion on how to keep dry in sneakers, please share it.
Don’t forget the basic safety rules for going into the wilderness.
