Places to Buy Clothing and Gear (Take advantage of sales of winter related clothing and gear. Please let the Hiking Chair know if you have a resource not on the list. The list requires updating every year.) Chemical Heat Packs and Smartphones (Everyone should check this one out since we depend so much on our phones for photo taking and for some, navigation. But most phones are not designed to operate in cold temps. Can heat packs help?) Frostbite and Frostnip (This describes the frostnip condition as well as the more serious one: frostbite and its symptoms and prevention.) General Winter Day Hiking List (This is a general winter day hiking checklist. It includes the ten essentials.) Hypothermia (This condition can happen any time of year. Its symptoms are insidious with a person not always realizing they have it. More than a few solo hikers have perished from it. TAKE NOTE OF THE PREVENTION paragraph.) Vapor Barriers (People who have cold hands, cold feet, or have feet that perspire a lot should check this one out.) Winter Hiking Resources (A collection of various links including weather forecast sites, trail conditions and road closures, intro to winter hiking websites, navigation apps, and books.) Winter Hiking Tips (A collection of winter hiking tips from various sources and from a hike leader's experience.) Winter Weather in the NH White Mountains (Information about weather forecasts with links to several weather sites. Causes of some whiteout conditions above treeline. Be sure to check out the link to the AVSAR’s one minute video clip showing harsh above treeline conditions.) Surgeon's Shoelace Knot (People often have to stop and re-tie their boots on the trail. This is a big inconvenience when winter hiking. If you already use a knot that doesn’t loosen up that’s great. You can skip this document.)
Staying Warm in Winter (This lengthy article explores the WISE layering system in detail plus how to manage your layers to stay warm and not perspire.) Footwear for Winter Hiking (Much colder temperatures in winter require robust insulation and temperature ratings.) Group Management (An informed winter hiking participant is a better participant for the leaders and for the group as a whole!) Winter Hiking Gear (Gear is important but knowledge and experience are more important!) Winter Hiking Nutrition (A winter hike burns 2-4,000 more calories than a summer hike!)
