Hiking in Snow and Ice

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Hiking on snow and ice can be challenging, and sometimes dangerous. After becoming comfortable using your crampons and ice ax, and learning how to read snow conditions, you can embark on a fun, safe journey across the white stuff.

Crossing ice.

It might be a hassle to stop and put on crampons, but take the time. If you don't have crampons consider where a fall would put you. If the answer is 500 feet downhill on a rockpile, do the sensible thing and detour around. If no detour is possible, wait until later in the day, when the ice or snow melts enough that you can safely kick steps in.

On ice, you can chop footholds with your ice ax. If the ice is soft, you may be able to kick in steps.

Climbing, use your lower leg and kick from the knee, as straight into the slope as possible. It may take several kicks to make one step.

Descending on soft ice, flex your ankle so the toe is pointed up and step down hard on the heel.

When traversing, keep and eye on where you hope to end up on the other side: You want to resist gravity's ever-present temptation to pull you downhill.

Hiking downhill on snow.

The plunge step is a downhill technique in deep snow or scree. The leg taking the forward step is the "plunging" leg. Lean back a little, hold your leg straight, and step down so the weight is on your heel. Let yourself slide before taking the next step. You can get into a nice rhythm, even in relatively deep snow. But resist the temptation to go too fast: If you go too fast and sink into the snow unexpectedly deeply, your leg could get stuck and your momentum could force you forward. The result could be a broken leg.
Boot skiing is a combination of shuffling, sliding, and skiing. It is a fun way to get downhill fast, but you need fairly strong leg muscles to do it for long, because the trick is to keep your knees "soft." You'll go faster following someone else's tracks. A pair of ski poles helps with balance. They should have baskets so they don't get caught in the snow.
Sitting glissade: When your knees get too tired, it's time to simply sit and slide - what the experts call a sitting glissade. Start slowly to get a feel for how fast you can go on a given slope and still be in control. Be careful if you're wearing Gore-Tex or nylon pants; you could end up speeding out of control - and who knows into what rocks or cliffs below. An ice ax acts as a rudder and a break (but do not wear crampons; they could catch and flip you over). Wearing a pack will also slow you down.

Self-arrest.

Used correctly, an ice ax can help you self-arrest - that is, stop a fall. Used improperly, you might self-impale instead. The best way to learn is to cadge a lesson from a more experienced friend (or pay for one at a climbing school; many one-day introductory courses are available just about anywhere there's a hill big enough to fall down). To practice, you'll need a Gore-Tex or nylon rain or wind suit (it'll help you speed downhill faster, mimicking what really happens when you fall (and a steep slope covered with hardpacked snow (not sheer ice).

When walking on ice, get in the habit of correctly holding your ice ax: In the uphill hand, adze facing forward. Every time you change direction on a switchback, you need to change the hand that holds the ax.
When you fall, bring the ice ax against your chest and turn toward the ax. Dig the point into the slope.
Come to rest in the three-point 157 stance.
Keep your upper body as close to the slope as possible.

Prepare for an ice traverse by putting all of the extra things - your camera and water bottle - in your pack. If you fall, you don't want things hanging around your neck and body, getting in the way and interfering with your mobility.