Winter hiking question

Hi, people
I have been thinking about maybe trying some winter hiking this season, something that I have never done before.
Aside from the obvious cold weather stuff, are crampons the usual add-on for your boots? Is the idea of the crampon to only use them in a slippery situation and be able to add and remove them as needed? Are snowshoes more useful than crampons?
I have a nice pair of Asolo hiking boots that I will use. Can anyone tell me what to look for in a crampon, and what brand?
I am only a casual hiker. But, I would like to extend my season and give the winter season a try.
Thanks for any help, Eric

redcloud said:

Hi, people
I have been thinking about maybe trying some winter hiking this season, something that I have never done before.
Aside from the obvious cold weather stuff, are crampons the usual add-on for your boots? Is the idea of the crampon to only use them in a slippery situation and be able to add and remove them as needed? Are snowshoes more useful than crampons?
I have a nice pair of Asolo hiking boots that I will use. Can anyone tell me what to look for in a crampon, and what brand?
I am only a casual hiker. But, I would like to extend my season and give the winter season a try.
Thanks for any help, Eric

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It depends on where you are going. A lot of hiking in the Catskills and ADKs can be done only with snowshoes. Today's snowshoes have very good built in crampons. Standalone crampons are definitely useful, but only in places where there is a LOT of ice. This can occur in very steep places, or above tree line.

On many hikes, I bring both, because I never know what to expect.

I don't have a lot of winter experience, but you may want to consider "Stabilicers" rather than crampons. They are less expensive, easier to put on and take off, more comfortable to wear. They are not as durable, nor do they have long spikes, they have metal studs. I had a pair of "YakTracs" that I destroyed in one hike, they are not durable at all. Snow shoes also.

You should have a GPS. If the weather turns foul and visibility drops to a few feet you still have "eyes" to get back down.

I know a few who own stabilicers, and the concensus is that they are good on flat to medium steepness. But, they in now way replace your crampons (those front points have been a blessing on numerous occasions.) In the Whites crampons are pretty much a must, especially late season when the old hardpack starts to freeze and thaw over and over again. Some people hate to put them on so much they avoid using them except at only the most necessary of times. Others, like my sister, use them whenever there is even the slightest amount of ice . You do not need to get fancy. 10 point crampons are fine, 12 better, anything more just icing on the cake.

Brian

P.S. I would suggest the Black Diamond contact strap crampons. They will adjust to fit the majority of boot styles......and you are still going to need snowshoes also. Sorry.

A decent snow shoe with an aggressive crampon will cover most winter hiking requirements.
Hikes where crampons are actually required can normally be avoided by staying below tree line.
I own and carry both in the winter. Heck, we can all use a little more cool gear, no ?

Overboots

I'm not from back East, but from everything I read here, it gets damn cold where you are-not that it doesn't get cold in the Sierra Nevadas but I've only been out in about 20F so far. Anyway, you might want to consider heavy gaiters or even overboots to go over your hiking boots. You'll definitely want to keep your feet warm. I have a pair of Sorels I got off eBay just for winter hiking and snowshoeing, but I think a boot with an overboot would work just as well. I wear Asolos as well. I have an old full leather pair and a pair of Fusion 95s I have yet to break in, but I don't think of either pair as winter boots.

REI has a lot of gaiters and overboots online. Overboots can cost as much as a pair of decent boots, so maybe just an insulated gaiter would work. Just make sure that whatever you get will work with both crampons and your snowshoes. I had a pair of Atlas 1025s-only used them a couple of times, but they are nice. The new ones have a sort of step in binding that is simpler to use than mine were with just the straps.

Ah yes, crampons. Love to be taken for a ride and for a hike. Rarely get out of the pack.

***BUT, you should have them because you never know what conditions you may come across***

If your thinking of acquiring something that'll take you where MSR's won't, then get good 10 point crampons and nothing else. It's always fun trying to decide whether to bring them on a given hike or not. The cramps are most practical in early and late winter, the so-called shoulder seasons.

Crampons have their place, and so do snowshoes. Depending on where you hike you might need to only use one or the other more. Stabilicers are also nice to have. It all depends on what kind of terrain you hike in.
If you only hike in below treeline trails that might have an ice patch here or there and if you slip it won't be that dangerous then Stabilicers might be all you need.
If you are going steeper and/or above treeline with longer sections of ice then crampons are nice.
If you are going to see lots of deep snowed trails and like hitting fresh snow then snowshoes are it.
If you are to see all conditions then crampons and snowshoes should be there (FYI - the ADKs require snowshoes in winter time)

Please note - crampons used incorrectly can be dangerous - learn the techniques and practice.

What kind of Asolos are they and are they insulated? If they are not insulated then I'd try to get some insulated boots.

As for which crampons to get: get the ones that fit your boots. Camp and Climb High make some nice entry level 10-point crampons. Best thing to do is to go to a store with your boots and get help getting some crampons fitted for them.

-Doug

Snowshoes and crampons are basic winter gear. Stabilicers, instep crampons etc are for transitional conditions--easy crusty/icy surfaces.

Overboots cannot be worn by themselves--they cover the boot sole with a smooth surface and must be used with crampons or snowshoes (not a good combo for exposed rock). Get a decent pair of winter boots and wear high gaiters or super-gaiters.

There is a lot more to winter than just the foot gear--a number of aspects are much more critical than in summer and mistakes are far more likely to have serious consequences. There are a whole range of new skills required--thermal management, moisture management, clothing, hydration, food, travel, navigation, new tools, etc. I suggest you take a course (eg AMC or ADK winter school), hire a guide for your first several trips, or apprentice yourself to a knowledgable individual.

Doug

DougPaul said:

There is a lot more to winter than just the foot gear--a number of aspects are much more critical than in summer and mistakes are far more likely to have serious consequences. There are a whole range of new skills required--thermal management, moisture management, clothing, hydration, food, travel, navigation, new tools, etc. I suggest you take a course (eg AMC or ADK winter school), hire a guide for your first several trips, or apprentice yourself to a knowledgable individual.

Doug

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Like he said.

Winter hiking is a whole new field of research. You have to look into staying warm, dry, fed, hydrated and found while you enjoy the mountains in winter conditions.

I bet all you need to know has already been said on this site. To find the answers to your questions use Google's advanced search and restrict your search to this website.

Neil said:

I bet all you need to know has already been said on this site. To find the answers to your questions use Google's advanced search and restrict your search to this website.

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Probably so, but the problem is finding it all and knowing what to search for. Search and Q&A are ok for specific issues, but not a good way to get good coverage of an entire field.

Note too that there is more than one way to deal many issues and much of what one will find on a discussion website is everyone's pet way of dealing with each issue. A beginner might be better off with advice for one or two methods of dealing with each issue and worrying about refinement later.

A book or two might be a good intro. (Books can make a good start, but much will have to be learned by experience. A good leader can help to keep you safe until you gain said experience.) The ADK used to publish "Winter Hiking and Camping" by John A. Danielsen, but it seems to be out of print. There is a newer book of the same title by Michael Lanza that is probably ok. "Mountaineering, The Freedom of the Hills" has a number of sections that will be helpful.

A couple of links which might be useful:
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/winter/wintcamp.shtml
http://www.winterschool.org/WMS Student Handbook.pdf

Doug

It depends on where you hike and when you plan to hike (after fresh snow or cold rain etc). I think stabalizers/yak trex, crampons and snowshoes all have their place.

I second Doug's suggestion to take a workshop. If you're AMC member, check out this issue of the Outdoors (Instruction section), they have posted 2 Winter workshops, one hosted by our very own Mohamed.

Feel free to PM me if you're not AMC member, I'm more than happy to give you the detail.

7summits said:

I second Doug's suggestion to take a workshop. If you're AMC member, check out this issue of the Outdoors (Instruction section), they have posted 2 Winter workshops, one hosted by our very own Mohamed.

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You can probably find info on the AMC website, too.

Doug

Arhh... here you go:
http://trips.outdoors.org/index.cfm/method/Chapter_Trips.fullview/tripid/4081/preview/preview

Can't find the one hosted by Mohamed thou. But a keyword search of "winter" yield many results. check them out.

Thank you all very much for taking the time to type out you responses to me. I appreciate it.
I am from MA and the most I can see myself doing is Mt Greylock, which is where I go most of the time. I am only about two hours from there. I usually hit it a couple of times in the fall, but was thinking about trying it in the winter as well.
I will look into some of the suggestions that have been brought up.
Thanks again, Eric

redcloud said:

Thank you all very much for taking the time to type out you responses to me. I appreciate it.
I am from MA and the most I can see myself doing is Mt Greylock, which is where I go most of the time. I am only about two hours from there. I usually hit it a couple of times in the fall, but was thinking about trying it in the winter as well.
I will look into some of the suggestions that have been brought up.
Thanks again, Eric

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For Mt. Greylock, stabilicers would be your best bet. The only spot you'll really need them is the top of the Hopper trail before the snow gets deep.

jfb said:

For Mt. Greylock, stabilicers would be your best bet. The only spot you'll really need them is the top of the Hopper trail before the snow gets deep.

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I don't own Stabilicers, but I know alot of people like them and that they have their uses. Having said that, if the goal is to get into winter hiking then snowshoes and crampons are probably inevitable. Greylock is a great mountain to get used to new equipment and clothing options, especially on trails you're already familiar with. Try to head out in various conditions.
Every winter I make a point of getting out in the fields around my house in snowshoes and skis in snow storms, cold spells and after sunset just to see how I do in different weather, clothing and equipment combos. Things like fogged goggles can really mess you up if you haven't thought about it/experienced it ahead of a "real" outing.