Winter Hiking Tips for Shelton

Sounds like a lot of people are going to try and keep using the trails this winter due to the Coronavirus. Great! Winter hiking is great for your mental and physical health. 

Here's are Teresa's recommendations for winter gear.

Snowshoes?  I have a pair and occasionally get to use them in Shelton, but not often. You need the right kind of snow. If it's too powdery, modern snowshoes sink right through it. A heavier snow works great. But after a few days and some compaction it's likely to ice up, at which point microspikes work better. And most years there just isn't enough snow in the first place. I use my microspikes a lot more...

Microspikes!!  A heavy-duty set of serious trail microspikes allows you to easily walk down icy trails as if you were walking down a sidewalk.  When Shelton has snowcover, the trails are usually packed down by other trail users. The snowpack melts during the afternoon, and refreezes every night, so the trails get pretty icy. Kahtoola is a great brand that I use. I've heard some say you can get a pretty good pair at Ocean State Job Lot for a fraction of the price, but can't verify that. The one time spikes are not recommended is when snow is really sticky (warm afternoons), because the snow balls up under your feet. Microspikes can also be used in a pinch when hiking on thick oak leaves on some of the steeper Connecticut trails in the northwest corner. 

Headlamp. It gets dark so early. Some trail headlamps are designed for night hiking. I have this Black Diamond headlamp. Any flashlight will do, however. Just remember to bring one if you head out in the afternoon. 

Trekking Poles are not absolutely necessary, but are helpful when hiking on hills covered with fresh leaves, ice, or snow, and for crossing streams that tend to run higher during the winter (and are icier). Trekking poles have a sharp grip at the bottom that is less likely to slip than a hiking stick. I have some high-end Black Diamond trekking poles because I use them a lot for all-day hikes, and these are significantly lighter than something you would find at Walmart. I typically only use two poles when I'm backpacking, and just use one pole for day-hiking. 

Clothing: Lots of layers, and no cotton. I have a packable down winter coat that was a game-changer for me. It weighs nothing, compresses into a tiny ball in my pack, and is really warm. 

WHEN TO HIKE: During winter months, the trail conditions are often much better in the morning when everything is frozen solid. This is true whether there is snowcover or not. On warm, sunny afternoons, snow and ice turn into slippery slush. Super wet snow will ball up in microspikes, making them useless. When there is no snow, the top layer of dirt thaws out into a slick, poorly drained layer of mud that sits on top of the frozen dirt below. This is especially true for trails like the Paugussett at Indian Well and Birchbank. As a bonus, the morning trails are more peaceful. 

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:  Winter trail conditions change drastically from day to day and hour to hour. Be prepared for anything and try to be flexible.