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Reposting this from another site, snow hiking > 10,000 ft alt
The main difference I’ve realized is the need for navigation. Trails are often hidden by snow and you’ll have to either follow tracks or navigate with a map, compass, gps etc. Tracks don’t always go where you want them to though (it might be someone exploring an area and turning back), or you may consider a better route given the terrain and weather. The overall idea I’ve found is to treat the defined trail as a suggestion when it’s snow covered and use your head to decide what’s best. I was following one postholed track, until I realized it would be much easier to cut across the switchbacks and go directly up the mountain with my snowshoes. This saved time and was a lot easier than snowshoeing along a slope.
Another aspect is weather. This is important for camping. You need to figure out how cold it is along the trail and any precipitation. Major parks will have weather reports for most areas, but other places don’t and you’ll need to look up weather in the nearest city (at a low altitude) and estimate temps at the trail by subtracting 3-5 °F per 1,000 ft. If you’re camping you need to know whether your tent can handle the snow without collapsing, and that you can pitch your tent in the snow (lots of guides). You need a sleeping pad (or pads) to insulate you from the snow, a good bag isn't enough. You can either double up, or use an insulated pad with a high R-value.
misc tips
- Bring a headlamp for dayhikes due to early winter sunsets.
- Extra socks and gloves. An emergency bivy isn’t a bad idea either.
- Sunglasses, watch that snowblindness. 10,000 ft is often above the clouds.
- Balaclava/skimask can be good for harsh winds.
- Factor in extra time to hike given the conditions. Most stated trail times assume clear conditions, but given the extra load, the terrain, and fatiguing more quickly due to the cold, you could be going 0.2-1.0 mph slower than usual.
