Tomorrow morning the forecast calls for a temperature in the upper teens, rising to maybe 40. But it will be sunny, and a little sun can make up for a lot of cold.

North Carolina has, on average, 28 clear days every winter; only seven states see more cloudless days, according to data compiled from two climate agencies. Virginia averages 25 clear days. In short, you could live in much worse places to avoid feeling SAD

SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a type of depression that can set in when the days are short and the sun sets early in the day. Once this mood-altering disorder takes hold, according to the Mayo Clinic, it can be hard to shake; it’s best to fight it off before it has a chance to make itself at home, leaving you hibernating in a stupor of despair.

One way to combat SAD, says the Mayo Clinic, is to go outside and move—the more regularly, the better. Even when it’s cold, a brisk walk in outdoor light can help. Another way to lift your mood is to be with other people; socializing with a dose of laughter helps you connect with others, an opportunity in short supply these days. Hiking regularly also can reduce levels of stress, which can contribute to SAD symptoms. According to psychiatry.org, 5 percent of Americans experience SAD, with the most severe bouts occurring in January and February.

Frankly, all of us could stand to reduce our stress levels. So even if SAD doesn’t get you down, brisk movement and being with others is a great way to keep stress at bay by releasing endorphins and elevating mood.

So while the benefits of being out in the sun are beneficial year round, they are even more so in the short days of winter. But because of the cold, you sometimes need a little extra motivation to drag yourself outside and make it happen. And the best motivation? you ask. 

Hike with a group. 

It’s one time when peer pressure is a good thing. You wake up, you see it’s 28 degrees, you pull the covers back over your head and reach blindly for the snooze button. But then you remember the group waiting for you at the trailhead. You remember that Sue was supposed to hear about that promotion this week, that Jack was on the verge of adopting a shelter dog, that last week when Elliot failed to show he was the topic of discussion. You also remember that, once you’re 5 minutes down the trail and starting to warm up, you really love hiking this time of year. 

The obvious current caveat about hiking in a group: while being outdoors is still considered safe, you want to make doubly sure the group you’re hiking with is safe. With any group you join, be it a hiking-related Meetup or a group from work, find out what their policy is and see if it’s one you’re comfortable with.

It may take a hike or two to find the group that’s right for you. That’s fine. Because once you do find a group that works, you’ll find yourself spending a lot more time on the trail at a time of year when it will do you the most good.

* * *

Speaking of groups … 

As of Monday, GetHiking! has nearly 25,000 members in its six hiking groups in Virginia and North Carolina. At least one, Charlottesville, has multiple hikes every week. And if your local group doesn’t have a hike scheduled, lead one yourself! Here are links to our six groups:

• GetHiking! Charlotte
• GetHiking! Charlottesville
• GetExploring! Greenville
• GetHiking! Triad
• GetHiking! Triangle

The post Don’t let the cold make you SAD appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

We love winter hiking. Why? We’ll refer you to this post from two years ago to explain why. Today, as we do every year at this time, we trot out our tips for how you can take the perceived discomfort out of winter hiking, making it possible to better appreciate what to many hikers is the sport’s lost season.

These tips from our GetBackpacking! Winter Camp tips sheet, which also covers cold-weather camping. (See below for how you can get a copy of the full 8-page guide.)

Gearing up

Preparation is huge for any hike. It’s huger still when it’s cold.

• Layering up top Quickly, here’s how to dress for a cold-weather hike:

• • Base layer The base layer is the layer of clothing next to your skin. Your base layer should be thin and made of a synthetic or high-tech wool that wicks the moisture from your body. Dry skin = warmer skin. It should not, under any circumstances, be cotton. Sweat sticks to cotton, the sweaty cotton sticks to your skin, your body expends lots of energy trying to warm your cold, sweaty skin, and you run the risk of hypothermia.
  • Insulating layer Generally a slightly heavier layer that helps create a pocket of air warmed by your body between it and the base layer. Synthetic is preferable, wool is again preferred.
  • Outer shell This is especially important when the weather gets cold (30s and lower) and there’s wind. An outer shell is a slick fabric that will shed rain and wind. A good outer shell will have some sort of vent system to keep condensation from building inside. Zippers in the armpits is one popular option as is mesh under the arms and along the side of the torso.
• Pants. Nylon pants that break the wind and retain your body heat are good. Our legs typically don’t sweat as much, so having pants that don’t “breath” isn’t as crucial as it is with your outer shell. Convertible pants — with zip-off legs — are great for those days when the mid-day sun heats things up.
• Gloves. On the trail, thin polyester gloves, even glove liners, are good at keeping heat from leaking out our fingertips while you hike along. If you’re expecting wet weather, invest in a pair of waterproof, or at least water-resistant, gloves.

• 

  Hat. Heat can escape through your noggin (especially if you don’t have a thick natural covering), so cover up. In less cold weather, and if you’re the type who hikes at a good clip, ear warmers may be all you need. But for colder weather, a slower pace and standing around at camp, you can’t beat a close-fitting wool beanie.

• Socks. Wool hiking socks come in three weights: light for summer hiking, mid for the shoulder seasons, heavy for winter camping. Some folks like to improve their insulation potential (and reduce their blister potential) with liner socks. Note that wearing two or more pairs of socks can   result in a tight boot, reducing circulation: among other things, that will make your feet even colder. Pack an extra pair of socks: even a little sweat can cool you rapidly in winter. Switch when you break for lunch.
• Sunglasses: Earth is closer to the sun in our winter than in our summer. Thus, don’t underestimate the force of its glare. Even if there’s no snow, a bright winter sun can still damage your eyes.
• When in doubt … If you’re undecided between a lighter fleece and heavier fleece, pack both. And pack more snacks (see “Food & Drink,” below) than you might in warmer weather; you burn more calories in the cold.

Food & drink

• Food. In addition to the calories you burn hiking, your body will burn extra calories trying to keep you warm in the cold. It’s recommended that you derive 60-65 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 20-25 percent from proteins, 10-15 percent from fats. The nutrition facts on the packaging should help you see how well a meal meets those requirements. Above all, though, pack something you’ll look forward to eating; if it’s something blech that simply meets nutritional requirements, there’s a good chance you won’t eat it.
• Snacks. Snacking on the trail is important in cold weather because your stores run down more quickly. Keep whatever you choose — GORP, nuts, a trail bar — handy, in your pack’s hip belt, for instance. And remember the carb/protein/fats mix.

On the trail

• Regulate your thermostat with hat & gloves. An easy and efficient way to regulate body heat is with hat and gloves. You can quickly lose heat through your head and hands. Start your hike with a wool cap and gloves to keep heat from escaping. Once you warm up, try shedding one or the other. Give it a few minutes to see what effect the change is having
• Layer up at breaks. When you stop for a snack, add a layer before you grab your gorp. You’ll want to retain the heat you built up hiking, and this will do it.

• 

  Hike in the sun. On an especially cold day you can up your odds of staying warm by choosing a trail that lets in a bit more light. That can mean picking a trail that you know has more hardwoods, which have shed their umbrella of leaves for winter, rather than hiking under evergreen pines. That can mean looking for trails that are double-track, which are wider and thus have a wider opening in the canopy, rather than narrower single-track. A couple ways to distinguish between the two on a map: a wider double-track may be marked with parallel dashed lines, and trails marked as “multiuse,” especially if they allow horses, are more likely double-track.

• Hike in the sun II. Pick a trail with a southern exposure. You’ll need to know how to read a topo map to pick a south-facing trail. Or have the number for the local ranger station handy.
• Hike early. You’ll want to take advantage of the sun as much as possible. So start early, when the trail is still be in shadows, and finish while the sun is at its brightest and warmest, rather than finishing as the sun is setting and the air is cooling.
• Hike early II. Remember that the sun sets early this time of year and that the temperature can drop like a rock once the sun sets.
• Start cool. Too many folks start a hike all bundled up: five minutes down the trail they’re sweating. Instead, right before heading out, strip off that outer layer. You’ll be cool for a minute or two, but should warm up quickly.
• Drink! In cold weather, you may not feel thirsty. But you need to drink for these reasons: breathing cold, dry air drains the body of liquid; we do sweat, although the cold quickly turns it to vapor, so we don’t realize it; you may feel less thirsty but your active body needs fluids to operate.

When you finish

Don’t linger at the trailhead when you finish. The heat your body has built up hiking will dissipate quickly, causing a chill to set in. And the last memory you want from a wonderful winter day on the trail is being cold at the end.

Besides, isn’t there a beer with your name on it waiting at home?

* * *

Guide to banishing the brrr

Our 8-page GetBackpacking! Winter Camp tips guide includes additional insights into staying warm on the trail as well thoughts on staying warm on a winter camping trip. Find it here.

The post Warm up to Winter Hiking appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Today, we address the practical, offering eight tips to help you deal with winter’s unique challenges. Who knows, they might just change your thoughts about hanging up the hiking boots ’til March.

• Know your pace. Do you know how fast you hike? Do you have any idea? Knowing how fast you hike can be valuable information in any number of situations. For example, it’s late afternoon, you want to take a 5-mile hike. The sun sets in 2 hours and you’re not a fan of hiking in the dark. Do you have time for the hike? If you don’t know your pace, it’s pretty easy to figure out. Go to a trail with a known distance. Set your watch, hike. When you get back, take the time it took you to hike (using total minutes is probably easiest) and divide it by the mileage. So if it took you an hour (60 minutes) to hike three miles, divide 60 by 3 and there’s your pace: 20 minutes per mile (not a bad pace, fyi). Keep in mind that your pace will vary based on various factors, including the type of terrain you’re hiking (mountains will be slower) and how much weight you’re packing. Knowing your pace can keep you from getting caught by surprise in the dark, especially important when the temperature can drop a good 10 degrees within minutes of sunset.
• Speaking of sunset … . Knowing when the sun sets is especially important on a winter hike (for reasons noted above). Before heading out, check sunset (and sunrise) times at sunrise-sunset.org.
• Dress appropriately. A lot of folks hang up their hiking boots come winter because they simply don’t know how to dress. When it comes to exercising in winter your comfort comes down to two things: 1) avoid cotton clothes: cotton gets wet, it stays wet, you get cold, and; 2) wear layers. Wear a lightweight wool or synthetic layer next to your skin, cover it with a slightly heavier wool/synthetic layer. If it gets colder, you may need to add a third layer, a shell, perhaps. Wool hats and gloves help you regulate your body temperature: Too hot? Off they go. Too cold? Put ‘em back on. Wear a thicker sock in winter. The basics of layering are just that that. To get a better grip on the subject, check out this piece we wrote for our friends at Great Outdoor Provision Co.
• Snacks. Your body burns more calories in winter in an effort to keep the body warm — this is true even if you’re an expert at layering. High calorie snacks — a few mini-Snickers tucked into your hip-belt pocket, say — will keep you moving and keep you warm. Give yourself permission to eat on the trail, even if it’s a relatively short hike.
• Hydration. Even though you aren’t sweating as much in cold weather, you’re still sweating and you need to replace that sweat. According to an article in Runner’s World by William O. Roberts, MD, “Fluid replacement is easily accomplished in the cold by drinking to thirst … then resuming your usual post-activity fluid intake.” So, when you get thirsty, drink.
• Know your route. You should always take a map when you hike, but you should also go over the map beforehand and get a feel for a few things, including: 1) Topography. If the topo lines are close together and the trail is squiggly, be advised that this 6-mile hike may take you longer than it does to hike 6 miles on the local greenway; 2) Look for stream crossings (the wiggly blue lines) that cross your trail. Maybe they have bridges, maybe they don’t. If you’re hiking in the shadow of a big rainstorm, keep in mind that those streams might be difficult to cross, that you might want to bring an extra pair of socks and use trekking poles, at the least; 3) Bailout routes and nearby roads. A few years ago we had a hiker who needed evacuating from one of the worst spots imaginable, Linville Gorge. Fortunately, we were near one of the few spots that I knew was close to a road, and we were able to get her out with little trouble.
• Use trekking poles. I’m an advocate of trekking poles year round, but especially in winter. They make those dicey stream crossings easier by helping your balance, they help you better navigate icy patches, and because they engage your core and arms, they help keep your upper body toasty, too.
• Don’t hike alone. Yes, I confess: I hike alone year-round. But in winter, when I go solo I try to hike trails that see some traffic. You sprain an ankle — or worse — and can’t move, you could be in for a long, cold, dangerous night if no one happens along. For this reason, too, be sure to tell someone where you’ll be hiking and when you expect to be back.

Embrace the winter hike. Prepare for it and you’ll be amply rewarded.

The post Embrace Winter Hiking; Here’s How appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Normally, we celebrate this occurrence with getting to sleep an extra hour. But it’s true import? Instead of the sun rising at 7:42 a.m., it will be up at 6:42 a.m. Meaning … ? 

Meaning that if you’re a clock-puncher, you’ll now have time to get in a little quality trail time before work! 

Why hike first thing? 

In addition to the obvious “Why not?”, here’s why:

• You get to see sunrise. It’s like sunset, only in reverse.
• You get to hear the day come to life. Even on a cold morning, there’s a good deal of woodland chatter as the natural world wakes up.
• Start cool, end less cool. There’s something about knowing you’ll likely get warmer as the hike progresses that makes heading out at dawn less daunting.
• It gets your motor revved for the day. You know how some mornings it can be 10:30, 11 by the time you’re fully engaged? A brisk hike in brisk weather will get your juices flowing pronto (and you can tell your boss that!).
• It sets an upbeat tone for your day. 

Tips for an early hike

A few quick things to keep in mind on an early hike.

• Check not only sunrise, but also the start of twilight. As we mentioned earlier, sunrise today was at 7:03 p.m., but twilight — first light — began at 6:36 a.m. Use sunrise as your ultimate guide for being on the trail, but keep in mind it will start getting light about 25 minutes before that. Unless … 
• It’s cloudy. Thus, you’ll want to do the same thing you do for an evening hike: take a headlamp.
• Check the hours of the trail you’ll be hiking. Nearly all municipal and county parks have hours, ditto state parks and national parks, as well as land trust preserves. Some of them have nebulous “dawn-to-dusk” hours, most employ actual hours. Some have gates, some do not. National forests and game lands are about the only public lands that generally don’t have posted hours. Technically, you are trespassing if you are on a trail beyond its posted hours.
• Be content with a shorter hike. Odds are if you’re hitting the trail early it’s because you need to be somewhere in the morning — like work or school. Be realistic about your morning hike.
• Know your pace. Part of being realistic about how far you can hike is knowing how fast you hike. Let’s put that 8th grade algebra to the test: If it takes you 25 minutes to hike a mile and you need to be to be off the trail by 8 so you can get to work by 9, starting at sunrise, how far can you hike if you start at 6:50 a.m. (Answer: 3.)
• Eat breakfast first! It’s likely been at least 8 hours since you last ate. Even if you’re not a breakfast person, you need some fuel on board for the hike.

One last thought for those of you who still mope about not having sunlight after work. The winter solstice this year occurs on Dec. 21 (at 10:03 a.m. EST). That’s the day we have the least amount of sunlight (9 hours, 42 minutes, 59 seconds). However, through a quirk of astrosomethingorother, the sun will actually start setting later beginning Dec. 7 (at 5:04:54 p.m. as opposed to 5:04:52 the day before). By Dec. 21 it will be setting 3 minutes and 57 seconds later, and come the last day of the year, sunset won’t be until 5:15:12 p.m. 

You’ll be hiking after work again before you know it.

The post Fall back — and hike in the AM appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Tonight, the sun sets at 6:34 p.m. A week from tonight it drops below the horizon at 6:26 p.m. And in 10 days, on Nov. 2, the sun will have called it a day at 5:23 p.m. Whereas today you have enough evening sunlight for at least a quick passeggiata, in a week and a half, you won’t.

What to do?

Take a night hike!

Hiking at night offers some special rewards not found during the day. This type of hiking calls for different levels of concentration, as you focus on a close world circumscribed by an orb of light as you scan for footing; this problem-solving aspect of hiking is one of the things that improves not only body but also mind. You can tune in to the sounds of night life, which is not the same as the sounds of daytime critters (more owls than warblers, more raccoons than squirrels). And if you pause and look up, you can see the glories of the night sky (pausing is key; we have tried to hike while looking up at the stars and it ended badly). It’s a special place, the night world, and it is one well worth exploring.

We get that night hiking isn’t for everyone. If you’re hopelessly scared of the dark or have very poor night vision, for instance, you might want to pass. But for the rest of you open to the concept, we have some tips for you.

• A headlamp. This is a must. Flashlights, work, sure, but you really want to keep your hands free. You can get a decent one for as little as $15; note that LEDs cast a more hike-friendly light. Be sure to pack both extra batteries and a spare light (a little pen light will do, so you can see to change out your batteries).
• Pick short hikes to start. Night hiking takes some getting used to. Your world is confined to the glow of your headlamp, and it takes some concentration to focus on such a limited portion of the trail. Surprisingly, it can be a sensory overload, as your other senses tune in to the world beyond the scope of your light. So don’t overstay on your first outing.
• Hike trails you’ve hiked in daylight. Even though it’s dark, familiarity is a huge plus. You’ll be amazed at how things you didn’t think you noticed during the day will pop out as key markers of where you are on the trail.
• Hike by your feet. It takes a bit more effort to scout out the blazes at night rather than in the day. The best way to tell whether you’ve wandered off the beaten path is if your boots are suddenly sinking into soft, untrodden leaf litter. Backtrack and seek out firm footing.
• Bundle up. Nighttime is cooler than day, of course. Counter the chill with one more layer than you think you’ll need; you can always shed a layer later.
• Don’t hike alone. I do a lot of soloing, but not at night.
• Again, take extra batteries. If your light goes out, you’re really in the dark.
• Again, take a backup light. Even a $5 keychain light can be a lifesaver if your main torch goes out. (Ever try to change batteries in the dark?)
• Take a map and compass.* You should already have these in your daypack, but make extra sure you have them at night.
• Take water and snacks. Just because it’s dark doesn’t mean you can’t get dehydrated. And  hiking in the cool air while concentrating on the trail will burn some calories; you’ll be glad to have the extra fuel.
• Appreciate the night sky. Because that’s one reason you’re hiking at night!
• Take a cell phone, just in case. Besides, most phones have a flashlight function that could save you in a pinch.

Note that most trails on public lands are closed from dusk until dawn. That includes state parks and nearly all municipal and county trails. National forests typically don’t have hours, nor do lands managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Do a little scouting and you shouldn’t have to trespass.

You’ve got more than four months of night hiking opportunity ahead of you. Embrace the dark.

The post Don’t let the sun set on your evening hike appeared first on GetGoing NC!.