WINTER SKILLS
On the mountain
Fuel your body
Eat and drink properly. You can expect to use 4000+ calories on a winter’s journey. Eating and drinking enough before your walk is as important as eating during it. Oats, grains, nuts and fruit such as banana are perfect, alongside some sweet treats. And you can’t beat a good pork pie for calories! Exposed water bladder tubes can freeze, so keep a bottle or flask wrapped in gaffer tape inside your bag instead.
Efficiency is everything
Staying warm and dry is crucial. Managing your speed to avoid sweating too much and cutting down on faff and the need to stop is a valuable skill. Pack your kit in the order that it’s likely to be used, keeping items you need most easily to hand. Filling a small drink bottle with nuts and chocolate gives 1000 calories of food on the go that can be kept in your pocket and accessed with winter gloves and no need to stop. Attaching your compass to your coat via a small aluminium carabiner will ensure you don’t drop and lose it when thinking about something else. You can attach your map case in the same way.
Use technology, but don’t rely on it
Being in a proper whiteout can be tiring, scary and dangerous. Being in the ‘White Room’ is intense, and having a back-up device like a phone or GPS to help confirm your location is both safe and sensible. Just don’t rely on it too much, as your battery will drain quicker than you’ll want it to. Carry a small power bank to give some emergency back-up to your phone too.
Get out there and enjoy winter safely
It’s beautiful but the risks are increased. Complacency is dangerous and you can’t be too careful. Build up your confidence and competence over time by pushing your boundaries incrementally further. Think in the longterm – competence takes years to develop and taking shortcuts doesn’t always help you. Be cautious and enjoy the winter mountains for years to come!