The weather has to be your primary concern. With winter weather come hazards such as avalanches, deadly temperatures and whiteouts. Poor visibility can make getting lost much easier and harsh temperatures mean that losing your way can have extremely serious consequences. Be sure to check and then double-check the weather, storm systems, and avalanche danger alerts in the area your planning to explore.
I miss the external frame packs of yesteryear; the kind I humped up the trail back when I was in the Girl Scouts. So naturally, when the opportunity arose to try out the High Sierra Bobcat 65 external frame pack I couldn’t pass it up.
Whether you are sitting around camp in the cool evening, fending off mosquitoes or actually using them as rain pants I always have a pair with me. They even seem to make bushwhacking a little more pleasant allowing you to slip by devils club or blackberry bushes with minimal damage to your legs. While during the summer months it might seem a little silly to have a pair I always bring them. They usually end up being more stuffing for my makeshift stuff sack pillow but are nice to have just in case.
Even with bug spray the annoyance of buzzing in your ear or extra protein flying into your mouth is just not fun. They get this around here this time of year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a late summer or early fall trip. The best solution I have found is a head net. A head net is a fine mesh fashioned to cover your entire head and form a seal around the shoulders to keep bugs out.
So where do you start when selecting a trail?
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