Early last spring I remember eagerly awaiting the days when night-time temperatures would rise far enough above freezing that I would be able to entice a hiking partner to embark on the first trip of the season with me. The sleeping bag I was using then was an extremely budget friendly one that packed down to be tiny, but had little to offer in terms of warmth on any but the most balmy summer nights, so planning any trips much earlier than April was out of the question. Even that could be pushing it.
But after a number of successful trips last summer and this fall, I was no longer satisfied to call it quits when things got chilly. I invested in a down sleeping bag and some thermals, and broached the idea to a couple of friends who had also expressed an interest in a winter hike. None of us had ever done any winter backpacking, but we all had more or less warm enough sleeping bags at least for the comparatively mild winter we are experiencing here in Virgina at the moment.
We first planned a 2 night, 20.6 mile loop off of the AT in the southern part of SNP, but when Friday’s weather forecast got dicier and dicier (a slight chance of rain eventually evolved into a likelihood of rain, snow, and sleet for half the day and most of the night), we cut our trip in half and decided to ease into winter camping with a more moderate distance and better weather. In retrospect, it was a smart decision, and I am now a big fan of winter backpacking. I will add the caveat that this was a short trip in chilly but otherwise nice weather. For people from cooler climates, this trip might not count as a true winter trip, but I’m from Alabama so it’s good enough for me. Over the course of the trip, I came to some surprising conclusions about the pros and cons of hiking and camping in the winter.
I’ll start with the obvious ones – the cons:
1. It’s cold. This is the main con, but it brings a few things along with it. For one, you can’t enjoy a nice long rest break during a cold hike. You’re warm as long as you’re moving, but you are likely to get chilled as soon as you stop, so rest breaks tend to be shorter and less enjoyable. Cold nights mean you need a tent and a sleeping bag that can keep you warm and dry, which may mean renting or investing in more gear. It takes more calories to stay warm, so you may nee to carry more food, which added to the heavier tent, clothing, and sleeping bag, means a heavier load over all. Winter hazards like frostbite and hypothermia mean than winter trips need to be well planned and prepared for.
2. Short days, long nights. On this trip it got dark at about 4:50 PM, and the sun didn’t rise until about 7:30 AM. That’s more than 14 hours of darkness. It’s too cold to do much at that point except layer up in the tent and play cards. Short days mean less mileage as well.
And now on to the pros!
1. Solitude. I don’t mind meeting other hikers, but it is a nice feeling to have the forest to yourself. On this trip we saw one other person in the parking lot, and one other backpacker much more hardcore than us on the AT. The rest of the trip we had the place to ourselves. This has happened to me in the summer as well, in less popular areas, but this makes winter a great time to do popular hikes without the crowds.
2. Views.If breathtaking vistas are your primary motive for getting out into the wilderness, winter is the obvious season of choice. With no leaves on the trees, the traditional summit views are even broader, and there are even more views to be had along the way. On this hike, I feel like 70% of the time, we had a fantastic mountainscape in view through the bare tree limbs, and during ridgeline sections we often had stunning views in both directions.
3. It’s cold! Once you get moving, you can stay quite toasty in cold weather just by exerting yourself, but you don’t get that same sweat-drenched, parched, exhausted feeling after making a long ascent that you do in the summer, especially if you are wearing the appropriate amount of layers. For me, that was thermal sleevless tank, longsleeve base layer, and very light fleece. The trip high was 36, but it felt like it was 60 while we were moving. If you over layer for the cold, you sweat more and get even more chilled when you stop moving.
4. Fewer bugs. No mosquitoes, no gnats, and ticks don’t seem to be a problem below freezing either.
5. Fewer bear encounters. Bears are usually hibernating this time of year, so you are less likely to have them come sniff around your tent, which has a big effect on sleep quality (for me anyway). You still have to take all the same bear precautions, though, because they can still be disturbed or interrupt their hibernation and decide to snack on your provisions.
6. Stars. They look brighter in the winter, and with no leaves on the trees, you are almost guaranteed to have a spectacular view of them even if a campsite in an open clearing isn’t available. It’s worth leaving your warm tent to have look. And since it’s going to be getting dark so early, you won’t have to stay up late, either.
The absences of leafy trees makes other plant life stand out.
7. Winterscapes are different. Hiking in a different season gives you a totally different experience, even in areas you’ve visited before. The trees are leafless and the birds are quieter, but there is still a lot to notice. On this trip, I was intrigued by all the life that persists in winter, like the mosses, lichens, ferns,grasses, and other plants that add a little green to the winter path. It’s also a good time to pay more attention to evergreens.
8. More time outdoors. The last and greatest advantage of winter hiking and camping is that it gives you the possibility of year round enjoyment of the great outdoors.
Hiking Virginia 