Earlier in 2020, Explorer intern Zach Lawrence wrote a series of articles that aim to help beginners get started with winter hiking.

Here they are, for a reference, as we gear up for the start of snow season:

Food essentials: Packing the proper—and right amount—of food for your backcountry winter excursions can be overwhelming when you’re first starting out. You can get ideas online, but the bottom line is you have to find out what works best for you.

Everyone’s dietary preferences and needs are different, but there are items everyone should include. This guide provides a baseline. READ MORE

Footwear: In the winter, there are several pieces of footwear that will be necessary depending on the activity you are interested in as well as the conditions of the trail you want to explore. What you put on your feet will be dependent on variables such as snow depth, ice, and the difficulty of your planned excursion. READ MORE

The importance of layering: Proper clothing in any season is essential for staying comfortable, but in the winter it is also essential to keeping you safe. Being cold and wet are obvious concerns in winter, and the clothing you wear needs to be designed to mitigate those hazards. Getting too hot will also lead to issues since sweating a lot when it’s cold out can be dangerous. To keep your body temperature regulated, bring along plenty of the necessary layers. READ MORE

Essential gear: An overall look at what you need in the backcountry during the winter. READ MORE.

Winter camping: From our own Almanack archive, check out this recent article about preparing for winter camping. READ MORE