Hiking and Running on snow and Ice…

Are your favorite trails covered with snow and ice this time of year? Mine sure are, but with beautiful weather this past weekend, there was no reason to stay inside. However while hiking up my favorite local mountain, I was aware of the similarities between Springtime mud and Winter snow and ice. All too often folks innocently step around these areas to avoid the mud or avoid slipping. Unfortunately this quickly leads to widening of the trails, or worse, parallel trails forming.

What if you didn’t have to step around the snow and ice? Here are my favorite tricks to stay upright in the winter:

Good shoes are a must. I have a pair of gortex trail runners that are my dedicated Winter shoes. Dry feet equals warm feet for me. Many folks then add something like Yak Trax for traction. My personal favorite however is a far cheaper option, but requires dedicated shoes. See an excellent summary on using sheet metal screws written by Matt Carpenter.

Lastly, if you are out for hike, consider taking a pair of hiking or trekking poles with you. Happy Solstice and happy trails!