What tracks tell us about the animals that made them

A newly made track in the snow typically is larger than the actual foot or paw.
Photo courtesy of holder / Photoree.

With winter’s arrival, day hikers have a great opportunity to teach children accompanying them about the animals that live near the trail. This can be done via the tracks those animals make.

For example, a newly made track in the snow is larger than the actual foot or paw size. Snow compresses and better maintains its shape than sand or mud does, so the track itself actually shows a little of the animal’s movement as it steps. The animal that made the track probably is smaller than the track would lead children to believe.

In addition, the older a track is, the more likely that its size is far different from the actual foot. Thawing and refreezing can enlarge the track while blowing snow can fill it in and decrease the size. If the weather has changed over the past couple of days, children with this knowledge might be able to tell if the animal’s actual foot is smaller or larger than the track.

Further, the track’s depth indicates the animal’s size and weight. The smaller the animal, the less likely it is to sink into the snow when walking or running. Heavier and larger animals, of course, usually sink more deeply.

Whether or not the animal is two- or four-legged also can be determined (Birds, of course, are two-legged). Tracks that match a human’s gait are two-legged. Have your child walk alongside the track and compare how the feet fall into the snow.

Tracks also can give clues about where the animal might live. Follow the tracks around. They may lead to a tree or a burrow hole beneath a bush or near a rock. Especially during winter, you may even be able to spot strands of the animal’s hair or bits of it food.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Guidelines for providing first aid during cold weather

Should you need to provide first aid while hiking in cold weather, you’ll want to follow some basic guidelines to ensure that you don’t exacerbate the injury – or put yourself in peril as well.

Among those “rules”:
g Don’t remove your clothing – Though helping an injured person may be easier without gloves on or with a jacket unzipped, this can create problems for you. Gloves taken off might drop into the snow becoming wet, and unlayered protection against the elements exposes you to the cold, as well.
g Perform first aid a warm place – If possible, move the injured person to a place where they can be warm and perform the first aid there. Laying an injured person on the cold ground or removing their clothing in the open only exposes them to the wind and wet.
g Don’t warm by rubbing – This actually can further damage any affected tissue if frostbite occurs. Instead, you want to use the closeness of body warmth or radiant heat to keep a person warm.
g Blankets alone aren’t enough – Use body warmth to keep a person from being cold and wrap the blanket around both of you. If a person has hypothermia, for example, they can’t generate enough heat on their own to rewarm themselves, so a blanket or sleeping bag alone won’t help.
g Loosen constrictive items – Loosening clothing and removing jewelry that restricts circulation is a good idea. Clothing should not be taken off, however, as exposure to the cold can lead to hypothermia.
g Seek medical help immediately – Cold weather injuries such as frostbite and hypothermia require skilled medical professionals working with the patient in a warm, sterile facility. As soon as the injured person is stabilized, get them to a hospital.

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.

What to do if caught in a whiteout during a day hike with children

Always remain aware of the weather so that you don't get caught in a
snowstorm or whiteout conditions. Photo courtesy of Charles Rondeau.

When day hiking in the mountains or in a northern state during winter, you always risk getting caught in a whiteout. Knowing how to walk through it can be vital to your survival.

A whiteout occurs when snow falls so fast that you literally can’t see the ground let alone a few feet in front of you. In this disoriented state, hikers easily can get lost and exhaust themselves trying to find their way.

Remaining aware of the weather and not hiking when snow is forecast always is advised to avoid a whiteout. Still, especially in the mountains with its many microclimates, a snowstorm – and whiteout conditions – can surprise you.

As soon as snow begins to fall, turn back. Continuing to walk when the odds favor more rather than less snow falling only invites disaster.

If a whiteout is rising around you and you’re near a makeshift shelter or your vehicle – “near” meaning you still can see it – immediately get inside and wait to hike when visibility improves.

Should no shelter be in sight, quickly construct one. A hastily dug snow cave or a tree well shelter will help keep you out of the wind and provide you some warmth. Indeed, the best thing to do in a whiteout is to simply stay put in a shelter.

If you must walk, have each member of the party hold hands as you walk toward your destination. Children easily can get lost in the piling snow, so you don’t want longer legged members of your party reaching the shelter only to find someone who is younger still are out there – somewhere.

Also, take careful, measured steps, especially since you can’t see. You don’t want to fall and get snow inside your clothing. The wet and cold will increase the chances of you suffering hypothermia. In addition, you definitely don’t want to suffer an injury from a fall, as you’re already battling the elements. If in a sloped area, as you walk toss a snowball slightly ahead of you as a way of measuring the slope’s angle.

Finally, as walking, protect your face. This means covering your mouth and nose so wind and snow doesn’t strike them.

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

If lost on winter hike, build an emergency tree well shelter

The well at the bottom of a tree where no snow falls is
the perfect place to build an emergency shelter.
Photo courtesy of  Wikipedia.

If forced to stay out overnight in the wilds during winter, you’ll want to find shelter right away. This will keep you out of the wind and hopefully ensure you don’t have to lay on the snow, which can lead to hypothermia. Don’t worry if you can’t find a man-made shed or cabin, though – you can build your own shelter in a pinch. One of the easiest to construct is a tree well shelter.

As hiking past evergreen trees, note how there’s a depression of snow around the trunks. Each tree’s canopy of branches limited the amount snow from falling in this zone, which is called the tree well. It’s a perfect place to set up an emergency shelter.

Begin by collecting other boughs that you can prop against the evergreen branches, with the branch’s woody, pole end going into the snow. This is the wall for your shelter. You may need to layer the boughs to minimize the wind coming through it and to ensure that if one bough falls down that there’s no hole in your shelter. Be sure to leave an opening for a doorway and setting aside boughs that can be used to close it.

Next, remove the snow from the tree well by gently pushing it against the boughs used to form the shelter’s walls. Then cover the tree well with boughs. This is the sleeping mat that will keep you off the cold ground.

Have everyone take a potty break at least a hundred feet downwind from the shelter. Finally, once everyone is inside, close up the doorway. Don’t start any fires within this makeshift shelter.

As snow is an excellent insulator, a properly built shelter combined with body heat can result in a pad that is up to 40 degrees warmer than the temperature outside.

Related articles:
g If lost, reassure kids by getting them involved in signaling for help
g Staying the night outdoors because you're lost? Set your priorities
g What to do when lost with children on a hike
g When you have no food but are lost overnight

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

How to walk across snow, ice - without falling - during a winter hike

Hiking through snow and ice
doesn't have to mean falling or
cold and wet feet.

When hiking during winter, any trail north of the Mason-Dixon Line almost certainly is covered in snow. That means a higher chance of slipping and injuring yourself. Or of getting snow in your boots so you have wet and cold feet. Or of just making a winter hike so exasperating that you instead stay inside and gain 20 pounds until spring arrives.

But you can avoid slipping, can keep your feet dry and toasty warm, and can even lose 20 pounds…if you know how to best cross snow and ice.

Having spent most of years in Wisconsin and Minnesota – where there are two seasons, winter and road construction – I’ve had lots of experience hiking over snow and ice. It’s been a long time since I’ve fallen, too (There, I just jinxed myself).

Proper footwear
The first step (pun intended) for safely walking across snow is to ensure you have the right footwear. The soles of your hiking boots ought to be nicely grooved. This gives you better traction. Waterproofing them as well as wearing a sock liner will help ensure your feet stay dry. Rather than cotton socks, which absorb moisture, go with wool socks, which are better at keeping snow off your feet and add a layer of insulation.

Here’s another trick: buy a pair of wool socks that color match your boots and pants. Cut off the socks’ foot and slide the remaining sock over the top of the boot with a little bit covering the pants. This keeps snow from sneaking into your boot (OK, the cut socks don’t have to color match, but let’s not have any fashion faux pas on the trail, either.).

Slow your pace
The next step (pun still intended): walk slower than usual. If you plant your foot on a slick spot while walking fast, your body won’t be able to balance itself as quickly than if you were going slow.

In addition, walking fast through snow likely means you’ll exhaust yourself sooner. Crossing snow is somewhat akin to walking through mud – as your foot presses against it, some will fall back onto your toe and you must lift your foot through the resisting force as it angles up and forward. Your leg also may need to raise itself higher than usual as you press into the snow.

Thin, hard snow
Most winter hiking trails double as cross country skiing or snowmobile trails, so the snow likely will be packed and hard. Or you may just be excited after the first snowfall, and the amount of snow on the trial is thin.

In either case, take shorter steps. This ensures your foot won’t plant itself with as much force as when you take a long step, which in turn decreases the chances of slipping…and increases the odds of keeping your balance in case you do slip.

How not to sink
Wearing snowshoes is the only way to avoid sinking in deep snow. Snowshoes work because they redistribute the body’s weight over a broad area rather than concentrating all of your step’s force on a single foot.

Of course, there may be times when you encounter a drift on a trail of otherwise packed snow. In such a case, carry your body so it mimics the redistribution power of a snowshoe. This can be done by leaning forward slightly so that less of your weight comes down when your foot plants on the snow. In addition, hold your arms out slightly from the side so that your body is balanced over a wider area.

Icy patches
Though your trail probably is covered in snow, there may be icy patches or spots where ice is hiding just underneath a thin layer of freshly fallen snow. Ice on the surface usually is shiny; if ground is showing that surface will appear darker than usual. Any spot where water might collect during a thaw that preceded a snowfall likely contains ice just beneath the surface. Such spots include beneath tree branches or points where trails dip.

To avoid slipping on ice, stay off it by watching the ground a few steps ahead of you. You’re always better to go through deep snow rather than over thin ice; not only are the chances of slipping lower, but should you fall at least deep snow offers a cushion. If you must walk on ice, look for tree trunks that you can grip for balance and take extremely small and slow steps.

Uphill
The key is to exert as little energy as possible on each step. That means taking shorter steps than when hiking uphill in summer. In addition, always choose the spot where you plant your foot, as this can help you maintain your balance and prevent ankle twists.

Another strategy is to let your arms do some of the work by grabbing hold of tree trunks or saplings with each step. Let your arms pull you upward so that the legs don’t have to bear all of the burn. Then enjoy that great vista you worked so hard for.

Downhill
What goes up must come down. Attack a snowy incline by edging yourself down sideways. That is, plant your feet across the trail. This allows you to place each foot on a more level surface, hence ensuring you better maintain your balance.

Keeping your knees bent slightly also is good for balance. This lowers your center of gravity and if you do fall will keep you from pancaking forward into the snow.

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Plenty of good reasons to day hike during winter months

This article originally was written for and appeared in a slightly different form at Seattle Backpackers Magazine.

Day hiking season isn’t over just because temperatures have dropped and snow has fallen. Many days during winter, especially in the southern United States, sport pleasant weather, and even in northern climes sometimes just some warmer clothing is needed.

In fact, winter offers several advantages over summer for day hiking:
g No bugs – Annoying insects like mosquitoes and ticks generally are gone after the first freeze. They won’t be back until a significant portion of the snow melts next spring.
g Smaller crowds – National, state, and county parks generally see lower attendance during winter months. That means you won’t have to jostle for position to see the sights.
g Increased visibility – In fact, you’ll see more on the trail during winter than summer. With green leaves having fallen off vegetation, you’ll have a better chance of seeing wildlife and geological formations.
g Entirely new environment – How a forest or wetlands appears in winter compared to summer is quite different. The animals inhabiting those areas also can change with migrations and hibernation.
g Snow offers options for new activities – You can’t build a snowman or go sledding in summer. But there’s more to do than that: animal tracks often are easier to spot in the snow, and snowshoeing allows you to go a little off trail in the thinner vegetation (not to mention the latter will keep you quite physically fit).

So don’t hang up your hiking gear just because autumn is almost over. Get out and enjoy a day hike this winter!

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.