Winter Hiking for Beginners?

[JWise]

I’m pretty new to the hiking scene (as in, I hiked a bit last summer, including one 14er, and have been hiking and snowshoeing around the Mt. Evans wilderness the last few weekends). For all intents and purposes, I’m a noob-- particularly with regards to winter hiking. I'd really like to get some more experience, and I've recently set a goal to hike a 14'er before the end of winter.

After doing some research and reading these forums, I realize ascents can be much more challenging in the winter than in the summer, and that there’s more to them than just simply throwing on a backpack, slapping on some boots and snowshoes, and going for it alone. However, my issue is that I know very few people who are into hiking, let alone doing it in the winter. I am also not keen on going with someone who I would end up slowing down… Like I said, this is a relatively new endeavor for me, and I’m not in as great of shape as I imagine some of the folks are on here.

So, would it be advisable/ feasible for me to hike a mountain solo this winter? If not, is there somewhere I might be able to meet up with people who don’t mind “taking it easy”?

Any suggestions or advice would be most welcome.
- JWise

[thurs]

So, would it be advisable/ feasible for me to hike a mountain solo this winter?

Depends on your propensity for getting lost, and the weather. My first 14er was Quandary, solo, in winter, and it wasn't considerably harder than doing it in summer (solid bootpack). It was a beautiful day, and I knew exactly where I was, and there were tons of other people on the mountain, I was down by 1 or 2pm and always within view of at least several other people. If you set out on a nice bootpack on Quandary at 7am on a nice weekend day you should have it in the bag if you have your essentials and make decent time (and turn around at a reasonable time if it's not going so well).

As a newbie, just try to avoid going the few days after a big snowstorm or going when the weather is iffy. But you might as well try to get a partner or two. I say this specifically for Quandary as it's one of the safest routes for avy danger, and one of the hardest to get lost on. Also, as a caveat, I was in fairly decent shape.

If not, is there somewhere I might be able to meet up with people who don’t mind “taking it easy”?

14ers.com! Just make a connections post asking for partners. You should get a response. There are plenty of other folks on this site that enjoy taking it easy as well. In fact you'll probably get replies directly below mine indicating that exact thing.

[BenfromtheEast]

JWise, welcome! Check out these helpful articles from our very own SurfNTurf. You should have good luck rounding up partners by posting here or keeping an eye out for others who are already looking.

http://iceandtrail.com/2014/11/11/10-th ... -the-snow/
http://iceandtrail.com/2015/11/11/5-win ... beginners/

[JWise]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!
- JWise

[mtree]

I've climbed my fair share of 14ers in the winter/snow...all solo.
My outlook if you're going solo - your margin for error is greatly reduced. Be prepared with proper equipment. Let someone know where you're going, when, the route, and when you expect to return. Don't be shy about turning around for any number of reasons. Know the weather forecast. Stay away from anything with even a remote avalanche danger. If you're not sure, don't do it. And most importantly, STAY ON ROUTE. Oh, and have fun. I think that about sums it up.

[Jay521]

You also need to consider your car - good battery, jump box, can handle snowy conditions.

As one who goes solo probably 90% of the time, I would add a few more items to your vehicle - a couple shovels, a couple tow straps, a come-a-long and a saw. Trees CAN come down on the road behind you while you are out on your trek. Ask me how I know.... Also, always have as full a tank of gas as you can before venturing off the main roads.

[Turtle Boy]

You also need to consider your car - good battery, jump box, can handle snowy conditions.

As one who goes solo probably 90% of the time, I would add a few more items to your vehicle - a couple shovels, a couple tow straps, a come-a-long and a saw. Trees CAN come down on the road behind you while you are out on your trek. Ask me how I know.... Also, always have as full a tank of gas as you can before venturing off the main roads.

+1

I've had the tree thing happen. I also carry a couple of rough cut planks about 4ft long for helping both with snow or sand in a stuck situation.

[youngk2844]

Excellent recommendations turtle boy and jay521. My car kit just got better. Thanks.

[Jay521]

Happy to help. As the saying goes "Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement." I learn from every mistake I've made - hence the items I carry in my FJ

[mtree]

A saw?! Whodathunk!!! I've just added another tool to my kit. Thanks for the heads up.

[peter303]

Trees CAN come down on the road behind you while you are out on your trek. Ask me how I know.....

I heard the forest service had closed some roads during the peak of pine beetle kill for this reason.

[Giddy Up]

If you're fitness level is a concern, don't go; winter ascents often require even tighter time-frames than summer ascents to keep the conditions in your favor. The good news is, you still have a lot of time to get in shape because "winter" conditions on a 14er can last well into spring. Once you are feeling confident, I'd recommend Quandary.

I did Quandary last March as my first winter 14er on the standard route and would recommend starting with that one. I had experience going into it having climbed lots of class 3 routes and was in pretty good shape at the time. It was "solo" in that I didn't set out with anyone, but there were plenty other people on the mountain. I was able to do the whole thing with just crampons and they worked great. Other than some extra cold weather gear (basically my ski gear plus snowshoes, just in case), my pack wasn't much different than it is during summer 14er. It was really enjoyable and by stick to the trail, I didn't encounter anything that gave me pause about my safety.

The weather/conditions can make a HUGE difference though, so the biggest thing is to plan ahead. I would wait for a stretch of a few days without snow (and none in the forecast, of course) and then head out. Hit the trail before sun-up; the snow will be packed down from previous hikers and limit your post-holing, as long as you make it up and down before the sun has a chance to soften it much. There's no formula for the timing, but just remember that the hotter it's supposed to be, the earlier you should go. Check recent reports on this site to pin it down.