Walking and mountaineering in winter conditions is very different than at other times of year. The things that you might be able ‘to get away with’ in a less harsh environment need more attention – your kit, your clothing, your navigation skills.
This is the second in a short series of Winter Walking Top Tips.
The days are shorter. The temperature is way colder. Not to mention the wind chill, the effect of which makes you even colder. You may encounter hail and snow on a driving wind. All these factors can turn straightforward winter walking into a big challenge.
My goal is to stay as warm and dry as a I can, especially in extreme conditions. If I’m comfortable, the other stuff is less challenging…
This is a typical Scottish Winter day out, a throwback to my Winter Mountain Leader Training #goodtimes
Clothing for Winter Walking
You need to take your clothing quite seriously if you’re going to enjoy winter walking, even in harsh conditions. And that’s what it’s all about right? I don’t mind having a few epic days but being fundamentally too cold to operate a compass, stop for a wee and even think straight does not make for a grand day out.
Cotton is best totally avoided (jeans, hoodies, etc), as once wet it stays wet and cold. We’re looking for nice synthetic layers here and a several of them. The balance is to be comfortable enough when working hard so that you’re not sweating your socks off but able to layer up and stay warm when you’re not working hard.
If you sweat too much the risk is that when you stop for a break, that sweat gets very cold and uncomfortable and will not dry out. If you then don’t have enough additional warm layers, you will remain cold and uncomfortable.
Base Layers
I always wear a long sleeved base layer in winter, and if it’s set to be sub zero, cloudy and windy I’ll always put on some merino long johns too.
I’m a huge fan of merino – it’s very comfortable and very warm. It also doesn’t hold smells. It used to be super expensive (still can be – I only ever buy merino when it’s discounted) but there are some budget options available these days which are not bad at all.
On your legs you want some wicking trousers that allow good freedom of movement. Depending on the temperatures forecast, and the wind chill I’ll either wear a regular pair of walking trousers over the top of my long johns or if it’s going to be really cold I’ll go heavy weight. These are thicker and have a thin fleecy lining. It’s worth looking for heavy weight trousers that have good venting so you can air out a little if you’re working hard.
Mid layers
These next layers don’t want to be too thick either. I switch between a primaloft gilet – great for keeping my core warm but not overheating, a thin pertex and fleece zip up, a really lightweight, thin windproof smock and a cosy fleece jumper with a deep zip for venting. I might wear one of these over my base layer, two or even all of them.
Insulating jacket
These are a total lifeline, an essential part of any winter hikers kit. Usually synthetic, these add a huge amount of warmth for a relatively light weight. They also still perform when wet, so for Scottish Winter they are a far better choice than down. You can throw this on over the top of everything when you stop for lunch, to take photos or just if it’s absolutely freezing. They are easy to repair – a bit of gaffer, a goretex patch or a blob of glue and it will just keep on going. There are always bargains to be had with these so shop around.
Waterproofs
Your waterproofs are a really important layer here. They need to be wind proof as well as water resistant. You may want to wear them to protect you from the wind chill, even if the weather is dry. I always buy my winter waterproof jacket one size up so I can get it over absolutely everything if I need to, including my insulating jacket. This jacket also needs to have a hood – if the weather turns grim you want to be able to batten down the hatches fully.
Extremities and other things
A warm hat makes such a difference and is a quick way to regulate your temperature. Put it on when you’re cold, take it off if you’re hot.
A buff can keep cold air out of your mouth and nose and also stop the draft getting down your neck – a useful bit of kit.
A fleece balaclava can be an excellent bit of kit as it also protects your lovely face – keeping it warm but also keeping the wind off it. Windburn is a real thing!
You’ll need more gloves than you think. I usually take 3 pairs – a thinnie, a mid weight pair and a pair of synthetic mitts that can fit over the others of necessary. If your hands get too cold, simple tasks get difficult and you’ll be miserable pretty quickly.
Socks – I have invested in a few pairs of lovely merino socks, they’re very cosy but I will still get cold feet if I stop for any length of time. I suffer from really poor circulation in my feet and I have some nerve damage to my toes too so cold feet when winter walking is a real issue for me. Keeping my boots dry, wearing gaiters, keeping fuelled up and not staying still for too long help with this.
Goggles are a really important bit of kit. If you are out and about and it’s hailing straight into your eyes, it becomes impossible to see. You just can’t do it. Goggles resolve this but be mindful that you need double layer lenses so they don’t steam up and once you put them on, I would recommend keeping them on until you’re sure you no longer need them. If you keep taking them on and off they get water in them, are more liable to steam up and then you still can’t see. Also, go for orange tint, the world looks radiant in them!
Check the mountain weather forecast (UK) before you go with the
Mountain Weather Information Service
