BigLoad
Trail Wise!
Pancakes!
Posts: 12,994
|
Post by BigLoad on Nov 28, 2016 15:12:09 GMT -8
Day hike, XC ski if there's enough snow, snowshoe on rare occasions. If I get a chance, I backpack in snow-free parts of AZ.
|
|
toejam
Trail Wise!
Hiking to raise awareness
Posts: 1,795
|
Post by toejam on Nov 28, 2016 19:58:33 GMT -8
Winter is the best season for hiking & backpacking locally - no snow, plenty of water, usually warm days. Got some trailwork trips on the calendar.
Hope I get to ski this year. Won't happen if I don't make a plan.
|
|
tarol
Trail Wise!
Redding, CA
Posts: 582
|
Post by tarol on Nov 28, 2016 20:05:00 GMT -8
Go to the desert or coastal areas that are devoid of snow and hike. I own snowshoes, but they have only been out once since I left Wyoming. WY was also the only place where I've skied, downhill and XCountry.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2016 10:44:05 GMT -8
Winter is often a pleasant season for backpacking here in Texas.
|
|
whistlepunk
Trail Wise!
I was an award winning honor student once. I have no idea what happened...
Posts: 1,446
|
Post by whistlepunk on Nov 29, 2016 11:38:35 GMT -8
Part of the problem with backpacking in winter is the amount of daylight. Or more specifically, the amount of nighttime. When there is only 9 hours of day and 15 hours of dark that is a lot of tent time.
|
|
BigLoad
Trail Wise!
Pancakes!
Posts: 12,994
|
Post by BigLoad on Nov 29, 2016 13:05:35 GMT -8
Part of the problem with backpacking in winter is the amount of daylight. Or more specifically, the amount of nighttime. When there is only 9 hours of day and 15 hours of dark that is a lot of tent time. Yes, that's a big challenge. Since at least 2/3 of my backpacking happens between late November and mid-March, the sun's habits have a big effect on mine. One change I've grudgingly adopted is not setting up camp until twilight and cooking dinner in the dark. Darkness is fine for cooking, but not so great for site selection. I feel the anxiety building as daylight wanes if I don't know for certain where I'll be stopping. That's why I'm more comfortable hiking late in places I've already seen. Maybe it's less of a problem in other types of landscape, but good campsites aren't too uniformly sprinkled about where I tend to roam.
|
|
tarol
Trail Wise!
Redding, CA
Posts: 582
|
Post by tarol on Nov 29, 2016 15:15:23 GMT -8
Part of the problem with backpacking in winter is the amount of daylight. Or more specifically, the amount of nighttime. When there is only 9 hours of day and 15 hours of dark that is a lot of tent time. just bring a good book and/or somebody whom you like to talk to
|
|
|
Post by Campfires&Concierges on Nov 29, 2016 18:26:18 GMT -8
Part of the problem with backpacking in winter is the amount of daylight. Or more specifically, the amount of nighttime. When there is only 9 hours of day and 15 hours of dark that is a lot of tent time. just bring a good book and/or somebody whom you like to talk to Yep!I have no problem sleeping 12 hours and catching up on my reading that I never seem to do when I'm in wifi range, lol
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,709
|
Post by rebeccad on Nov 29, 2016 21:09:47 GMT -8
just bring a good book and/or somebody whom you like to talk to Yep!I have no problem sleeping 12 hours and catching up on my reading that I never seem to do when I'm in wifi range, lol I can spend a lot of time reading, but not 12 hours sleeping. And too much time lying in bed, or even hunkered down in the thermalounger, can make a lot of joints ache.
|
|
tarol
Trail Wise!
Redding, CA
Posts: 582
|
Post by tarol on Nov 30, 2016 4:37:41 GMT -8
Well, unless there's a storm outside, you don't have to stay inside your tent. I've taken many a night hike, especially enjoyable when the moon is full or nearly so. No need to go far, just a short walk around camp in the dark can yield some interesting sights. Star gazing and, everyone's favorite, poking a campfire are other options that make long nights doable. I remember a time when HikinMike, Windwalker and I overnighted near the Needles Fire Lookout in the winter and we were up way late tending to a campfire and chatting. I also remember many a desert night with Serpicorabbit and others chatting, stargazing, and looking for night-time critters.
|
|
|
Post by Grizzly James on Nov 30, 2016 14:00:09 GMT -8
Rain falls from a gray November sky as I type now. So much rain, in point of fact, that all my beloved snow has went way of the storm sewers now, and I and my captive urban populous are left prostrate with the soggy remains of a once snowy land. And so I tarry here now in the soft glow of the monitor, wondering to myself what indeed are my winter time hobbies when there is no snow to be had. I like the snow. And usually I am proud of my minnesota winters. I snow shoe and cross country ski like many of you. And that's lots of fun. Winter camping has long been my thing. Here last winter tho, in a attempt to become more civilized, I took up the hobby of hockey, as per my wife's request. She loves hockey. She once played on a high school team with a former Olympian. In other words, shes good at it. I however, well, I am not. Grizzly James in ice skates is about as fluid an experience as a monkey baking a bannock. Even so, I like to try new things, so last winter, I tried.
We were at a little rink patron to the neighborhood, and I was clambering onto the ice there in my new ice skates, hockey stick in hand. It had been a few presidental adminstrations since I've last laced up. I eased out onto the slippery plain with all matter of awkward. My wife zips past me, then circles me two or three times, before skidding to a stop and spraying ice up against my pants. Shes smiling. A little kid knee high to a fire hydrant skates up next to us. Friendly little bloke, tho I do not know who he was.
"Do do you play hockey mister? He queried.
At this point I had the good fortune of ignorance, and enigma, and I knew, like any little kid, just because I was bigger than him, and older, that he would assume I'm awesome at hockey.
"Well I try, young one" I croaked
"Cool!" he countered "What position to you play?"
I puffed up my chest and was about to launch into a good hockey story about my innate but palpable abilities to erect havoc on the ice, when I noted "the look" boring from my wife's eyes.
"Well, my position is usually on my back over there." I said, pointing to the corner of the ice rink.
"Oh" responded the little boy.
We both went our separate ways and played hockey, if that's what you can call it.
-GJ
|
|
climbmda
Trail Ready!
Feelin' good is good enough.
Posts: 14
|
Post by climbmda on Dec 1, 2016 6:57:53 GMT -8
I run outside a few days a week all winter. Now that we are in Duluth, MN, and I have a huge array of trails close by, I want to start cross country skiing again. Also, I see a fat bike in my future. Living in a IMBA Gold Level Ride Center means I have to MTB year round, right?
I also downhill ski and do a lot of ice fishing.
|
|
davesenesac
Trail Wise!
Our precious life is short within eternity, don't waste it!
Posts: 1,710
|
Post by davesenesac on Dec 1, 2016 10:06:52 GMT -8
Well indeed got my first day of snow skiing in yesterday and there were snow showers.And a smartphone selfie while resting on a slope. With the snow showers, temps a bit below freezing, was dressed warmly. Have custom installed Senheiser speakers in helmet so classic rock all day.Just skied 4 hours that was half groomers and half moguls. About all I could handle without micro tearing muscle in this old body more than would be beneficial. Likely drive back up Saturday for round two.
|
|
|
Post by hikerjer on Dec 1, 2016 20:18:43 GMT -8
Like you, I limited myself to just few a hours the first time out - 5 hours to be specific. That was enough. And like you, I was a bit sore afterward. After the hour drive home, it was a little tough straightening up to get out of the car. Getting old can be tough. On the other hand, I don't have to get up and go to work.
|
|
|
Post by snowman626 on Dec 1, 2016 20:27:46 GMT -8
Winter is actually my favorite season to hike because I love cold weather and snow. I also love snowboarding and I typically go about 30-40 days a year.
|
|