If you’re sad that you don’t have a hike in winter, it’s time to fix it. Imagine the enchanting fairy tale of the winter forest, the crunch of snow under your feet, and the warmth of your company …… Winter hiking gives you ten reasons not to put off hiking until summer. You will learn more about 10 Reasons for Winter Hiking by lcnoutdoors.com article.
See Wonderful Scenery
In winter, traditional landscapes become unrecognizable. There are no words to describe the beauty of winter mountains and forests. In the snow, even small peaks often look like Himalayan giants, and snow-covered trees look great. In the sunlight, everything sparkles glitters, and glitter and snow crystals form strange patterns. Even familiar landscapes look very different in winter.
Go Where Summer is Impossible
In winter, you can easily go where you couldn’t go in summer. Lakes and bogs freeze over and turn into flat roads, and bushes and chaparral are covered with snow. Forests become brighter and easier to pass through, and mosquitoes don’t get in the way of our enjoyment of nature. Many places change in winter: you can admire frozen waterfalls in the mountains or walk along the bottom of canyons where, in summer, fierce streams run.
Experience the Feeling of Lightness and Gliding
Hiking on mountain skis or skates will give you an incredibly relaxing and gliding feeling. The snowy slopes are exciting, just like going to an amusement park. On flat terrain, you can go farther on skis or skates than you can on foot. For example, you can walk about 30 miles (48 km) in a day on skates in the American Alps.
Breathing Clean Air
In winter, the air in the countryside is exceptionally fresh, so you can breathe easily and freely. And in the mountains, it’s also exceptionally clear – you can enjoy the scenery for dozens of kilometers around you. For example, on the slopes of the American Alps, water is clearly visible in winter.
Feel the Power of the Team
Teamwork is especially important in winter camping. It becomes apparent when camping friends come together to carve ski trails through deep snow, stretch tents in the wind, and saw driftwood into logs for a big campfire. A team can do what one person can’t do.
Take Amazing Photos!
In the winter months, daylight hours are short, which has its advantages for photographers. The sun goes low on the horizon, long shadows adorn any landscape, and early sunsets and late dawns are especially beautiful. In the north, the chances of seeing the aurora borealis are high.
Play the Role of a Pioneer
Many different animal footprints were left on the snow. In the woods, it is easy to find deer hoof prints, hare footprints, or bird wing prints. In remote areas, there are wolf and bear tracks. Once, on a ski trip in the Pamirs, a group of us walked on the tracks of a snow leopard for two days. Despite our fear of this rare and predatory animal, we shared the snowy “road” along the riverbed with it.
Building a Snow Fort or Igloo
In bad weather, you can’t be in the mountains without a windbreak: it protects your tent from the wind and helps you stay warm. And in good weather, you can simply enjoy building a snow fort. Or build an igloo – a comfortable, windproof shelter made of snow bricks. Snow saws, a must-have for hiking in the tundra, will help you prepare for them.
Understand That Winter Hiking is Easy
It may seem that winter hiking is tough and complicated. In fact, it is not. For example, skiing is physically one of the easiest hikes. There is not as much elevation gain as there is in the mountains. Using a Volga sled takes the weight of your pack off your back, and sliding reduces the shock load on your joints. This is largely why seasoned hikers continue to hike in the winter even at a very advanced age.
Get a Better Taste of Life
The warmth and comfort of winter camping are something to strive for and organize. But you appreciate it more and get a brighter taste of life. It’s a special treat for you and your friends to pitch your tent, fire up the camping stove, and pass the time chatting in your own cozy little world when the weather is bad.
We hope we’ve inspired you to go hiking in the winter. Read our blog and watch themed videos on our YouTube channel to learn more about the topic of winter hiking.
