Posted by Kirsten Chaisson on 2022 Jan 17th
3 Simple Rules to Winter Hiking Trail Etiquette
In this post, we are going to cover winter trail etiquette when hiking. Since many of the trails in our area are multi-use, following these simple rules help keep the trails enjoyable for all users.
- Be cool. Wear Snowshoes
- Know the Intended use of the Trail
- Be aware of who has the right of way
We’ll break the down in this blog, but first, let’s imagine a scenario.
Photo caption: We don’t need to hibernate all winter long. You can live out your rom-com, snow globe fantasy.
An unexpected foot of snow fell while you were dreaming of soaking in hot springs on top of a snowy mountain after an epic hike. When you wake and peek outside, you decide to recreate the magic of your dream, in real life. You dress in layers and tie up your favourite winter hikers. You skip outside to live your snowglobe fantasy. It takes some effort to put one foot in front of the other but with light and fluffy powder, you blaze ahead. Along your path, a biker pedals past you, almost in slow motion. You lock eyes and give a subtle nod; silently agreeing that winter is the best season of them all. Upon returning home, you sip on some freshly made hot cocoa - blissfully unaware of all the damage you caused.
Wait - what damage?
You see, soon after you went for your winter wonderland jaunt, it rained a bit (Hello Maritime weather) and then the temperatures dropped causing the path to freeze. The same beautiful, powder covered trail is now a treacherous, bumpy, aint-nobody-gonna-have-fun-walking-on-that kind of trail. In retrospect, you may have misread the biker’s facial expression.
I am not saying you can’t go galavanting along forest pathways. In fact, I encourage you to do exactly that, and often - but there is a way to venture outside that is fun for you and those who follow.
Photo caption: Snowshoes make winter hiking more enjoyable for you and those that follow. Plus, you can show your 5 year old nibling all the “dinosaur” tracks on the trail. True story.
Let's Talk about it.
Be cool. Wear Snowshoes.
Snowshoes aren’t only for your enjoyment in navigating deep snow. They also help to maintain and create safer trails. Without snowshoes, your feet are likely to sink deeper into the snow and leave behind a treacherous path of holes for others to begrudgingly navigate. This is especially key amidst fluctuating temperatures. Unless a trail is well packed down from previous traffic, snowshoes are the way to go.
“If trail users have a back-up plan of bringing snowshoes you can still enjoy the outdoors while preserving the groomed trail.” - Marci Webb
Photo caption: A general rule is if you are sinking 1 inch or more, use snowshoes or step off the trail.
Know the intended use of a trail
There are many multi-use trails but some are designed and maintained for a specific purpose. If a trail is groomed, this generally means it’s intended for winter sports. They are packed down for fat bikes to float on top, or carved for cross country skis. Whether you are hiking or snowshoeing, it’s best to avoid groomed trails, or walk alongside them whenever possible. It’s more than a courtesy - it’s about safety. A hole or frozen rut caused by a snowshoe indent or footstep puts skiers and bikers at risk of falling and injury. The same goes for your four legged friends. It’s best to keep them on leash when using a groomed trail to help maintain the quality of the tracks as well.
Photo caption: Here are examples of trail conditions. On the left, you see footsteps left behind in fresh snow. In the middle, a groomed trail with cross country trails. On the right, a groomed trail for biking.
Who has the right of way?
There is a slight debate on this one. One expression says “Wheels yield to heels” but this isn’t always the case. When hiking, faster users have the right of way. We’re not saying you aren’t an elite athlete with super speed but generally speaking, hikers heading downhill, skiers, fat bikes and snowmobiles are going to be faster and therefore, you should yield to them. At the same time, if you are reaching top speeds through the trees, know what might be around the corner so you can react accordingly. When you are hiking downhill, let bikers slogging it uphill go by. It is way more difficult for them to get started again if they have to stop. Essentially, the best approach is to be aware of your surroundings so you can make the best judgement call in the moment.
Photo caption: These trails don’t groom themselves. Some of the coolest people we know are out there maintaining them for the rest of us.
Volunteers are the real MVPs
The trails we are privileged to utilize are almost always maintained by volunteers. They go out of their way to groom the trail systems in our community and it’s important to respect that.
In conclusion
Some trail organizations have a website or social media profiles that they update regularly. (Need to include Links!) It’s worth checking there first in case they are advising the public to avoid the trails.
And please, please, please - leave no trace. Carry out what you carried in. As magical as the snow is, it does not make trash disappear.
Now, get out there and enjoy the trails!
References:
https://www.snowshoemag.com/2019/10/18/trail-etiquette-for-snowshoeing-and-winter-hiking/
https://ridesphereblog.com/winter-fat-bike-etiquette-the-basics/