If you are looking for an epic winter hike, you need to hike Ha Ling Peak. My first time hiking Ha Ling Peak and in below freezing temperatures left me wishing I had been more prepared. Danny and I completed this hike over the long weekend in -20 degrees Celsius creating a unique experience. In this blog post, I will be sharing tips and tricks on how to prepare for an epic winter hike.
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If you knew me before I moved to Calgary, then you would be shocked to learn I hike in the winter. Living in Ontario, during the wintertime you could find me “hibernating” from the frigid air outside while staying warm inside. Growing up in Southern Ontario, the Great Lakes surround you causing humid summers and bone-chilling cold winters. When I used to picture Alberta in the winter, I always imagined it to be unbearably freezing. While temperatures can dip below -30 degrees Celsius, overall the winter in Southern Alberta isn’t that bad. I have the dry cold and Chinooks to thank for that! Living so close to the mountains also makes it pretty tough to avoid enjoying the outdoors at any temperature.
easing into winter hiking
I spent my first winter in Calgary going on winter walks, skiing in the mountains and skating on frozen lakes. I was way too uncertain about hiking in the winter especially with the limited gear I had. Now spending my second winter in Calgary; I have acquired some necessary gear (crampons, trekking poles) to build my confidence in hitting the snow-covered trails. The last two years I have learned that most trails get packed down from prior use. I always imagined the trails being so snow and ice-covered that it would feel impossible to climb up a mountain.
The last two winter seasons I have learned a lot, picking up several tips and tricks along the way. Make sure not to overdo it hiking in the winter. A 7km hike may seem short, but in cold temperatures and snow-covered trails, it is more taxing on your energy. Road conditions can be unpredictable, especially in the Rocky Mountains with some roadways being unmaintained in the winter. Winter is unpredictable and you may find yourself hiking in knee deep snow or getting stuck in a parking lot. These are some of the things I have experienced at least.
You want to be prepared for any weather and road conditions including clothing, fuel and emergency supplies. But don’t let stories you hear keep you away from winter hiking. Don’t forget that if you don’t feel safe continuing on, it is okay to turn back. If you can, drive out to the mountains after fresh snow has fallen. The most beautiful and magical sight to see is the snow covered trees among the mountains.
to plan or not to plan
Over the February long weekend, I planned to go to Kananaskis and Banff each day for hiking and skiing. Unfortunately, my plans quickly changed after caring for a sick pup and avoiding poor road conditions. While I never planned on my first time hiking Ha Ling Peak to be in the winter; I wanted to make the most of the weekend. So as we were already on route to the Rocky Mountains, I decided last minute to hike Ha Ling Peak. A cold spell hit Southern Alberta over the weekend with temperatures on Monday being particularly frigid and -20 degrees Celsius.
You might be thinking hiking in -20 degrees seems outrageous, I know I would have just 2 years ago. But, in reality you warm up really quickly and you will soon forget how cold it is outside. If you will be hiking in colder weather though, make sure to prepare by layering up. As you warm up, you can easily remove layers while adding layers during longer breaks or blowing areas. If you don’t know what layers to wear, there is a list of essential hiking clothes in my blog post – 3 Tips for the Best Winter Hiking Experience.
The biggest surprise we came across during this hike was the accumulation of snow along the trail. While the trail was packed down, there was A LOT of snow. There were some steeper sections on this trail and I was grateful to have rails to use as leverage. Since it was my first time hiking Ha Ling Peak, I don’t know if the handrail sections have steps or not. Regardless, in the winter the rails are a life saver! You don’t necessarily require trekking poles for this hike, prepare to hike on your knees at steeper sections. The fun part though is sliding down on your return down the mountain.
So without further a do, here are 7 tips and tricks to prepare for an epic winter hike at Ha Ling Peak!
7 tips & tricks for an epic winter hike
1. Crampons (Spikes)
I have listed crampons first because this is something you should always carry with you in the winter. Crampons are small enough to throw into your pack having them ready if necessary on the trail. If you like to read reviews on AllTrails like I do, you may find no one has commented for a few days about trail conditions. Even if others may not recommend using crampons, it doesn’t mean you won’t find them useful. Weather can change in a dime, especially overnight. While the trails the day before may have been ice free, it may be another story the day you go.
2. Water Bottle
I find I’m not very thirsty during hikes in the winter, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need the hydration. In the summer it’s hot and you’ll want to drink more often, whereas the cold weather keeps your body temperature cool. But, it’s important to drink throughout our hike because you don’t want to get dehydrated. The reason I mention a water bottle here is because in freezing temperatures, using a water bladder can be troublesome. If you forget to purge the line, the water will freeze up in the tube making it very difficult to get your water.
3. Waterproof or Water Repellent Pants
If you watched the video above of me sliding down the mountain side, then you will know why I recommend wearing waterproof (or at least water repellent) pants. As I mentioned Ha Ling Peak was a last minute decision, the pants I had on barely repelled water or snow. While it was possible to avoid sliding down any part of the hike, what’s the fun in that? 😉 Of the 12+ people I saw coming down on our way up, I only saw a few of them taking it slow to walk down. And if you will be hiking in colder temperatures like -20, you may consider wearing two layers of bottoms like I did.
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4. Hat And Gloves
You might be thinking that hat and gloves seem obvious. But I have been guilty of bringing the wrong kind of gloves that ended in me thinking my fingertips were going to freeze off. Freezing fingertips is the absolute worst feeling when you’re hiking and it’s hard to focus on anything else. With below freezing temperatures, it didn’t take long before my hair froze. My hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and nose hairs were all frozen in a short time and was funny to see. Had I worn my hat the entire hike the top of my head wouldn’t have frozen. To keep my fingers toasty, I prefer wearing mittens which allows your fingers to keep the heat in one spot. And if you like taking pictures and videos, bring a thinner pair of gloves so you don’t have to freeze your fingers while trying to get that insta worthy shot 😉.
Keeping a pair of smart touch thin gloves in my pocket on a hike is super handy. Whether you get too warm and want to wear a thinner pair or switch into for taking photos they are small and easy to carry with you. I have linked a pair from Amazon with touch screen capability.
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The mittens I have are the Kombi sheep leather pair, but after only a few wears and during this particular hike they look really worn and cheap. So, I have linked a touch screen capable pair of mittens from Eddie Bauer which will keep you dry and warm. The Eddie Bauer mittens also have a zippered pouch where you can add a heat pack for extra warmth.
5. Extra Clothing
I always like to pack extra clothing that I can change into after my hike. Even if you don’t end up changing into some or even all of the items, you’ll thank yourself later when you need them. While some hikes I may only bring extra socks, there are many days especially in the winter where I’ll bring a whole extra outfit. An extra pair of socks, pants and a shirt are great to have on hand. You may not plan on going anywhere after a hike, but if you end up at a restaurant you won’t feel uncomfortable in your sweaty hiking clothes. This tip holds through to the summer, especially if you are extra sweaty after a hike it feels amazing changing into dry clothes.
6. Trekking or Hiking Poles (Optional)
I have listed these as optional because the hike is doable without. If you tend to lean on using hiking poles though on your hikes then you can definitely use them on this hike. There was only a couple hikers with hiking poles on the day we went with most going without. The portions of the trail which are steeper have some chain rails you can use to hang on to and leverage yourself up. This trail with the amount of snow made me feel like a kid again playing in the snow. I’m not sure how helpful hiking poles would be in the really steep parts unless you really dig them into the snow. In that case, you may want to remove any of those accessories that get added on near the bottom of the pole.
7. A Supportive Friend to Hike With
My last tip for hiking Ha Ling Peak in the winter, is bringing along a friend to hike with. While I do enjoy solo hikes, if you will be hiking in below freezing temperatures you may need some moral support along the way. It didn’t take long before I was feeling tired and a few points I considered turning around which is very unlike me. It was also the first hike that I didn’t end up completing. Motivating each other at times where the other may be losing hope is an absolute must! There have been a few hikes where I was so grateful to be with some great people hyping each other up along the way.
nearing the end
After crawling up the steep portion that had the chains to leverage myself up, I was beat. As I looked up after crawling to the top of the chained handrails, I saw more of a steep (and windy) climb ahead. The next section had no chains to leverage up and I didn’t have it in me to keep going. I decided to turn back and while I may not have made it to the top of Ha Ling Peak, I really enjoyed this hike. And that’s when I got excited to slide down where I just climbed up to. Sliding down a mountain made me feel like a kid again playing in the snow, all that was missing was a crazy carpet for extra speed. While I’m sure you could walk down some parts of the trail, what’s the fun in that?
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