Winter Backpacking Part 1: Snow Chains and Snowshoes

[The links in this post will take you to the products at Amazon where, if you buy things, it supports me. Thanks!]

I recently returned from my first winter backpacking trip. It was equal parts brutal and beautiful. The snow and the extreme cold at 9,000+ ft. in January is extreme. To help others considering a similar trip, I decided to write up a series of guides. I am not an expert by any means. In fact, I made several dumb mistakes you'd never even imagine if you're use to backpacking trips in the summer.

Getting There

Road Closures
Before you leave for any type of winter camping or backpacking, you must plan your route carefully. Many mountain roads are closed in the winter. In California, the road into Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, Mammoth, and Lake Tahoe are open, but most mountain roads outside of these are closed.

Car Care

Performance cars (like my old BMW) often have rear wheel
drive. Notice the chains on the back tires.

It's important to take care of your car, first. If it has been a long time since you've had your radiator serviced, the coolant may have too much water and not enough antifreeze. If this happens, it could freeze in extremely cold weather. This will ruin your day, so sort it out first!

Any time you travel in the mountains in Fall / Winter / Spring, you need to carry snow chains. In the winter, you will almost certainly need them! They come in many different sizes, so pick the right ones! Use the sizing guide and select the proper size from the drop down menu on the Amazon page. (I should know, I spent this last trip with chains that were too big.)

Installing snow chains

• Never install snow chains before you have to. They make your car sound and feel like it's going to rattle apart!
• There is really no way to easily install snow chains. It's messier than pig wrestling, so bring an old towel or a bunch of wipes.
• Snow chains go on the wheels that get power. If you have front wheel drive, they go on the front. For rear wheel drive and 4-wheel drive, put them on the back.
• Try to keep your cursing to a minimum.

Snowshoes

Choosing snowshoes

A picture of the bottom of my snowshoes. Notice how the
metal ridges bite into the snow in both directions.

Here are a couple of points to look out for when shopping for snowshoes for a winter backpacking trip:

• Vertical and horizontal grip: Unless you are on a perfectly flat nature trail, you will find snow remarkably slippery. Get a snow shoe with ridges that bite into the snow for added grip.
• Tons of float: Float, as near as I can tell, just talks about the surface area of the snowshoe, and, really, float is important whenever you're walking on water--even if it's frozen. When you're backpacking, you have quite a lot of extra weight on your back. This weight causes you to sink deeper into the snow, so unless you want to reenact the Titanic, choose snowshoes on the larger side.
• Straps: Take a look at how easy the snowshoes are to get on and off. Remember, they will be covered in snow and ice, it will be freezing, and you will be wearing gloves...

I have a pair of MSR Lightning Snow Shoes, and I can say they are awesome. I've had them for several years now and logged many miles on them. They grip very well and keep me afloat even in powder.

Clothing for Snowshoeing

• Waterproof boots: It helps if they are also insulated as your feet will still be covered in snow and ice most of the time.
• Gaiters: These are waterproof and fit tightly around your boots and lower pants. They're not necessary, but they are nice. They help keep the snow out of your shoes.
• Thick wool socks: Your feet will probably be cold and damp. These socks help keep them warm and are absolutely essential!

That's about it. Snowshoeing is hard work, so don't think you'll prance through 20 miles of trail a day. Other than that, there's nothing especially tricky about snowshoeing. Just balance safety and fun.

Useful Links

•  Snowshoes: How to Choose by REI. A very detailed, informative resource with all the technical information you need to choose your snowshoes.
• A Beginner's Guide to Snowshoeing by SectionHiker has some great tips for getting started. He also describes what it is like to snowshoe along with a few techniques.