Usually when people think of hiking, they associate with the warmer seasons. The birds are chirping, the leaves are green, the air is warm and the occasional cool breeze manages to snake its way through the trees and swirl around the forest floor. The flowers are in bloom and the forest in summer truly is a thing of poetry. But as soon as the sky turns grey and the temperature falls below a certain line, people retreat to their houses, hands around warm mugs of something-or-other, and neglect that life is just as picaresque in the winter as it is in the summer.

The diehard hikers are not deterred by the seasons, and if anything, look forward to a cold spell, when the crowds finally filter off the trails and the winter hiker really does have the woods to his or herself. The cold can be unforgiving, but as the saying goes, there is no bad weather, only bad gear. Therefore, the key to good winter hiking is good gear, and perhaps a willingness to forego the leisurely luxuries of a wooded summer sojourn.

Fundamental for hiking in the winter is first a good pair of boots. You’ll need something waterproof, insulated, and tolerably lightweight. If you’re looking for good winter protection, you’ll have to bear with a heavier pair of boots, but frostbite is an ever-present danger when you’re tromping through snow and everything else of the like.

You’ll also need some good layers. Start with a good, breathable, sweat-wicking base-layer for your torso and for your legs, and layer carefully after that. When you’re hiking, you can work up a sweat, so make it easy to strip down a layer or two if need be. And don’t forget your kindling materials. If you get stuck, having a good fire can get you through the night.

Most importantly, have fun. That’s what winter hiking is all about