Ahhhh, Rain! You know it’s winter in the Pacific Northwest when the 10-day forecast shows 10 little gray clouds with raindrops cascading down.

So why am I excited?

It’s simple, really: If it’s raining down here, the snow is likely to be flying in the mountains.

It’s the promise of winter backpacking outings, snowshoeing trips, snow that will be there for the climbing season the following summer, and water that keeps the forest green.

If you’re like me, winter backpacking (and day-hiking) is a pleasure made all the greater by the non-existent crowds and beautiful, stark winter landscapes.

However, anyone who’s done it knows that it takes some special preparation.

And clothing and layering rank high on the list needing special attention.

Adjusting the Thermostat

When you’re hiking in cold weather, you are trying to do more than retain warmth generated by your body and keep cold out. You’re using layers of clothing as a thermostat. Sounds simple, but there are multiple factors determining exactly which combination of layers will keep you comfortable and safe. If you’ve done mostly warm/moderate-weather hiking, you will probably need to pay more attention to when you need to make a layering change than you may be used to.

So let’s look at a basic winter layering system for the upper body (since this is where you’ll be doing the most layering changes):

- A “wicking” layer, closest to your skin, which allows moisture from perspiration to evaporate (for example: synthetic long-sleeve undershirt)
- An insulating layer, which traps the heat your body generates (for example: fleece or wool sweater or jacket)
- A shielding layer, which protects you from rain and wind (for example: Gore-Tex® shell or parka)
- Gloves and hat

OK, so it’s a winter morning, maybe 35°F. You and your partners get out of the car and start dressing up for the trail. You’ll likely put most of that clothing list on to start off with. It’s pretty chilly and damp, and it’s starting to drizzle as well.

15 minutes later, you’re trudging up a steep trail. Your body is suddenly in furnace mode as your limbs move and your heart rate climbs. You’re starting to sweat. This is your cue to stop and shed a layer before continuing on.

In cold weather, being aware of these transition points is especially important.

Why? Because you don’t want to get wet or chilled when it’s cold, and delaying even a few minutes to adjust layers, up or down, can take you there.

If you delay when you’re hiking hard and getting hot and sweaty, you risk a sweat-soaked inner layer, which won’t evaporate quickly in cold and damp conditions. This will work to rob you of warmth.

It’s also very important to put on a layer as soon as you stop hiking. This can be easy to forget, especially when your mind is on lunch. Because you’ve been hiking for the last hour, you’ve been generating a lot of heat, and you may have even shed all but your wicking layer. As soon as you stop to rest, however, all that heat will start dissipating…

…unless you trap it immediately, as soon as you stop, by adding a layer (or two).

Otherwise, one second you’ll be warm, and the next, you’ll be shivering… and your body will have to do a lot of work to heat up again. And you don’t want to be so cold you won’t enjoy your lunch.

It sounds like non-rocket science, but it’s easy to forget, and I’ve seen that happen. It’s not hard to keep comfortable on a winter backpacking trip; a lot of it comes down to anticipation, plus preparedness, plus adaptation.

Of course, depending on the severity of the conditions expected on the trip, you’ll need to customize your clothing list. However, for a normal winter backpacking trip, the list above will likely suffice. In the Pacific NW, you can do a lot of winter backpacking and hiking without ever encountering snow, though you’ll very likely encounter icy-cold rain, subfreezing temperatures and wind. The weather can be more unpredictable in winter, so be prepared.

There’s so much to enjoy out there, why would you want to stop hiking when the leaves fall and the rain flies?

See you on the trail!

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