Hiking in Colder Temps

[spfleisig]

I will be hiking the whole NJ portion of the AT starting tomorrow. I've never hiked during colder temps. Other than the obvious gear one needs in the cold, what things should I consider that newbies don't normally consider bringing?

[Slo-go'en]

The important thing is not to overdress when you start out in the morning. It doesn't take long to warm up. It has to be in the teens and the wind howling before I put much on while I hike. It takes real will power to put back on the wet or damp shirts in the morning. If you make the mistake of starting out in your nice warm, dry clothes, they will also be wet or damp in short order. Then your in trouble.

Since it gets dark so early, having a couple of candles is nice. Better ambiance then LED flashlight and saves your batteries for when you really need them. If you drink go easy on the nips, alcohol can make you colder.

Be careful of your footing - it can be a lot more slippy then your used to in the summer. Try to time the trip for a good weather window. That's easier said then done, but if a big storm is predicted think twice about going. Oops, your leaving tomorrow and a big storm is coming for the weekend. Better have good rain gear, looks like it will be a cold rain followed by a cold front. That should be interesting.

[Feral Bill]

Socks. Many pairs of wool socks. Some plastic bags to cover them in very wet weather, too. Also a wool or fleece scarf.

[HooKooDooKu]

The important thing is not to overdress when you start out in the morning. It doesn't take long to warm up. It has to be in the teens and the wind howling before I put much on while I hike. It takes real will power to put back on the wet or damp shirts in the morning. If you make the mistake of starting out in your nice warm, dry clothes, they will also be wet or damp in short order. Then your in trouble.

Yes... when hiking in the cold, don't allow yourself to sweat.

I find that with a pack on my back, I can usually hike in just shorts and a t-shirt if temperatures are above freezing.

I usually start the morning in shorts, t-shirt, rain jacket, and hat. Additional layers are added if the temperatures warrant (such as a fleece pull-over and rain pants).
The moment I start to feel I'm about to start sweating, I start taking layers off. I start with any additional layers and put them back in my pack. Next, I take of the rain jacket and keep it in an external pocket so that I can quickly put it back on when ever I take a 'pack-off' break (and because you usually start cooling off very quickly when you pause for a break... unless I'm sweating in the t-shirt, I immediately place the rain coat back on even if I'm not cold... then take it back off when I'm ready to pickup my pack).

The last thing to take off is your hat. When temps are near 40, I usually find that my hat is all I need to regulate my temperature while I keep hiking. Simply stick it in your pocket when you start to feel warm, pull it out and back on when you start to feel cold.

If you do sweat in your t-shirt, try to leave it on when you stop for the day to try to get your body temperature to dry it out. You can try to keep warm in the mean time by putting on a hat and possibly pants. If your rain jacket is a breathable jacket, espeically if it doesn't have a liner, you can put the jacket on over your sweaty t-shirt. As the moisture evaporates from your shirt, it should pass thru the jacket if it is a dry day.

[rocketsocks]

Overmitts.

[spfleisig]

I should say I will also be sleeping, not just hiking. So things to consider when u r done for the day.

[egilbe]

You realize how long the night is in the Winter.

[gbolt]

As mentioned, head covering is a key hiking, camping, and sleeping. A buff is a wonderful piece of equipment to hike and sleep in, especially if using a quilt vs a mummy hooded sleeping bag. I find hiking and sleeping is easier to regulate body temp. I tend to suffer the most in camp. But that is probably the area that gets the least practice during long winter evenings. I make sure I have books on kindle to read when sheltered.

[TwoSpirits]

Protect your water filter from freezing. Or, be aware that Aqua Mira takes longer to work with colder water. I personally use a Steri-pen, so I'm mindful to keep it in a pocket next to my body to keep the batteries from the cold.

[Slo-go'en]

Yep, looks like it will be cold and wet until Monday. 100% chance of rain Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Lows 40's during the day, high 20's at night. Icy trails in the morning/north facing slopes are very likely. This is ideal hypothermia weather. Being able to get dry and stay warm after sunset will be imperative. The weather improves later in the week. If you can delay the hike a few days, it would make it much more pleasant. If not, hope you have good rain gear.

[saltysack]

I’ve found a wind jacket works great over a syn or wool T shirt for a wide temperature range while on the move. Shorts with wind pants over them also work well for the legs... If it’s really cold in morning start with the rain shell over the wind shell but normally within 15 minutes it’s to hot but the wind shell alone is perfect on the move from about 20-60 degrees...


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[egilbe]

Slow down if you starttoget too warm. The idea is to avoid soaking your clothes with sweat. Moving quickly raises your body temp, moving slowly balances it out. It takes practice to balance your layers and hiking speed to avoid overheating and sweating throughyour insulating layers.

[Coffee]

Bring foods for dinner that are easy to prepare inside your tent or in the vestibule in case of bad weather. My favorite for cold hikes is Idahoan mashed potatoes. Something about warming up and heating a package of Idahoans while ensconced in my sleeping bad warms me up and allows me to get to sleep easily shortly after dinner. If I'm already cold when I get into my bag, this is especially important in order to warm up. Very important to have a hot dinner with plenty of calories before going to bed in order to stay warm all night. Oh, also, while I no longer use pee bottles during most of my hikes I make an exception if I expect temps to be below freezing overnight. If I get up to pee, I find it hard to warm up again. And as I progress through middle age, peeing at night is becoming the norm... Your mileage may vary on the last point ...

[Game Warden]

Don't eat breakfast in camp. Wake up, pack up, and hit the trail. Walk for a half hour or more, then stop and enjoy a good breakfast in a sunny, comfy spot. You'll be warm from walking, the drudgery of breaking camp will be behind you. Try it, you'll see what I mean.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Throw an extra garbage bag around your sleeping bag and sleep clothes, these are your insurance policy when hiking in cold rain. No matter how miserable the hiking is, you have sufficient insulations to sleep in inside a decent tent, then you should be okay.

Check the "R-value" insulation rating of your sleeping pad, if you have a particularly low R-value then consider getting an extra foam pad to put underneath it and keep you warm from the cold ground.

Use waterproof footware, or goretex liner socks over normal socks.

Look up the definition of "Type II fun" and understand that it is both very real and very fun.

[u.w.]

As others have said, hat, rain jacket, shirt, and shorts - if it's cold. Throw in gloves if your hands get cold easily.
Also, that water filter. Don't let it freeze. A pint freezer bag, or the like, to keep it in so you can throw it in the sleeping bag/quilt with you and not worry about it getting water on your stuff. Plus that same bag works very well as a water scoop if ya need to.
One I didn't see mentioned is knots. When it gets cold, your hands/fingers can stop working so well for you sometimes. Don't tie hard knots in cold weather.

And,, Enjoy your hike.

u.w.

[QuietStorm]

I hike the AT through the winter. I always bring a merino Wool buff, wear a merino Wool t-shirt, and have a fleece jacket and puffy when it’s really cold I bring fleece pants and down booties to sleep in. I sleep in a hammock, so the extra warmth with little extra weight is much appreciated.


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[Stone1984]

Things I learned hiking in the low 20's

Dry clothes were a life saver
You would be surprised how hard it is to get out of your UGQ Outdoors Top quilt in the morning.
Start off very cold, you will warm up fast even though it is miserable the first 5-10 min.
A good down jacket is a must.
If you can afford the weight 1 hot hands per night turns a cold night into a very tolerable one.

The views were better, the clearing of the trees is a different view and it is amazing.

[Leo L.]

One tiny trick I learned, during the camp chores I wear a down jacket. This jacket is the last piece I take off when already being half buried into the sleeping bag. and then I stuff it into the empty bag of the Thermarest, to use it as a pillow.
In the morning, the first thing I do is to put on the down jacket, which is still warm from my body. And as soon as everything is packed and I'm ready to leave camp, the jacket is the last item I take off and stuff into the backpack.

[DownEaster]

A good night's sleep is very important. To sleep well in the cold, start out warm. Eat a hot meal and drink a hot beverage just beforehand, giving your body fuel to burn through the night. When you're mostly inside your sleeping bag, if your body isn't toasty warm do a few push-ups and crunches until you've elevated your temperature sufficiently, then zip up all the way. And if your insulation isn't quite adequate for the cold, keep a Snickers bar or other snack handy so you can refuel and do a few more exercises if you wake up shivering. You almost certainly won't feel like performing calisthenics on a cold night, but forcing yourself to warm up your body through exercise can give you a good couple hours of comfortable sleep, whereas waiting for your inactive body to slowly warm up your frigid bag will make that time miserable.