Winter hiking is incredibly underrated. Most people are scared off by the chilly temps, but here’s a little secret: you can have at least as much fun on the trail when it’s chilly as when it’s balmy. Here are some tips to guarantee you’ll have a great time on your next cold weather adventure.
A big thank you to lululemon for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
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1 | Know what to expect
Preparation is the absolute most important part of any hike. You should never hike unprepared, and winter hiking is no different. Make sure you’ve done your research and you know what you expect in terms of weather and trail conditions. Check the weather forecast or talk to knowledgable people from your area about what to expect. Don’t assume, do your research and know before you go!
If there’s a chance of snow or ice where you’re heading, make sure you have appropriate footwear for the conditions, whether that means full-on snowshoes, microspikes, or some simple hiking shoes. If there’s a chance you’ll run across slushy, soggy areas from melted snow, be sure your shoes are waterproof.
2 | Layer up
Cold weather layering is crucial for enjoying your outdoors adventures. No one has a good time when their teeth are chattering! The good news is that winter layering isn’t too hard to master. As an example, this outfit is ideal for me for a hike in temps around the 40s or 50s.
Lululemon’s cold weather technical gear has always been my go-to for winter. Last year, when I hiked through heavy snow in Rocky Mountain National Park, I wore my trusty lululemon puffer and tech fleece tights to stay warm in the frigid 20-degree weather. This year, there are a few newbies that I’m adding to my winter-ready stash.
A rock-solid jacket is an indispensable hiking companion that comes in handy in all kinds of weather. I prefer full-zip jackets rather than pullovers because I like the option of unzipping it all the way when I start getting warm. One of my new favorites is the first mile jacket. The fit is flawlessly flattering on me, which is so hard to find when it comes to jackets. I got my usual lululemon size, but be aware that it fits tighter across the shoulders. I have very narrow shoulders which makes it perfect for me, but I recommend sizing up if your shoulders are more broad.
The jacket is quilted and slick on the outside, but brushed and cozy on the inside. The outer fabric is weather-resistant, so a little light rain or even snow won’t leave you soaked. It has fold-over cuffs, so you always have a pair of “gloves” at the ready. I don’t like to wear gloves since my hands are so clumsy in them, so I always make sure I’m wearing a top or jacket with fold-over cuffs if I anticipate some chill.
Overall, I’d rate this jacket as a good middle weight, comparable to a light puffer jacket. The magenta color is so rich and deep in real life. I’m considering going back for the beautifully crisp white, too.
Underneath, I layered a swiftly LS. A skin-tight base layer like this is ideal for keeping warmth close to your core. Since it’s lightweight, it stays dry if I start getting sweaty. You can really never go wrong with a swiftly. For a colder hike, I’d keep the jacket, but swap the lightweight long sleeve for a tank layered under a thick thermal top, or go all-out and layer the thermal pullover over a long sleeve tee like this swiftly for some seriously toasty warmth.
On the bottom, I picked out these speed tights in variegated knit. I have always loved lululemon’s textures, so this pick was a no-brainer. The pattern is part of the knit itself, not just a printed pattern. The tiny herringbone pattern reminds me of a cozy sweater The knit material is extra thick and supportive, making it a great cold weather layer. I always appreciate a bit of compression for hiking, and these tights deliver. They fit true to size.
I always choose the lightest layer for my legs when I’m hiking, since they’re working hard and building up a lot of heat. For extra-cold temps, I upgrade to thermal leggings, or I add a looser pair of pants on top of leggings for ultimate warmth.
To finish the outfit off, the extra accessories add a lot of warmth, but are small enough that they’re easy to stash in a pocket if I start overheating.
3 | Appreciate the scenery and the solitude
The trail you might think you know can take on a completely different appearance when the seasons turn. Winter scenery isn’t ugly or boring. I love seeing how the change of seasons transforms the face of familiar vistas. There’s something striking about the stark scenery. And when it snows? That just takes things to a whole new level of surreal beauty.
Besides the natural beauty, the off-season means way, way less crowds. Some of the most beautiful trails are frustratingly crowded during the summer months, especially in the tourist-heavy area where I live. That makes winter the perfect time to linger. For a little quiet time with just you and nature, there’s no better season than winter.
Some of my most memorable, all-time favorite hikes happen in the off-season.
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4 | Drink plenty of water
A common misconception is that you don’t need to pack or drink much water in the winter. Most people think less sweat means less need for hydration. To the contrary, the dry winter air will suck the moisture right out of your skin!
Be sure to pack as much water as you’d bring in more mild conditions. Remind yourself to take regular sips, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
If you’re hiking in below freezing weather and you’re using a hydration bladder, make sure you blow back into the straw after drinking. The water will freeze if it stays in the straw! If the water already froze, loop the straw underneath your jacket. Keeping it close to your body will provide enough ambient heat to thaw the ice.
5 | Plan a relaxing post-hike ritual
After a chilly hike out in the elements, getting back to the warmth of your home is the best. Plan a warm bath to soothe your sore muscles, and maybe grab a piping hot mug of cocoa to soothe your soul. If your hike was especially challenging, be sure to add some epsom salt bath to help your muscles recover. When the temperatures are low, these rituals are twice as relaxing as usual!
My hiking outfit
First mile jacket – darkest magenta
Swiftly tech long sleeve – black
Speed tights – power luxtreme variegated knit
Run fast neck warmer – space dye camo ice grey
Run with me ear warmer – space dye camo ice grey
Outfit courtesy of lululemon
I have a lot of Lulu in my closet but have not bought much this year. Your post and outfit spike my interest again. You look cute in everything though. I am a little surprised that Lululemon sponsors blog now?
Winter is generally one of lulu’s strongest seasons IMO, so the post came at a perfect time since I really like a lot of the colors and textures that are out right now! And yes, as far as I know, this season is the first time they’ve branched out into influencer campaigns. I’m curious to see what becomes of it.
Thanks for the lululemon review. The outfit looks very functional, well put together and very nice on you! The darkest magenta is such a rich and lovely colour. I bought the Define and Rush Hour Long Sleeve in darkest magenta on WMTM and it’s such a beautiful colour. Your photos of the First Mile Jacket look amazing but darn it! It is now sold out on the Canadian website. I regularly read various active wear blogs to help me decide what to purchase and to inform me of new products. It’s nice to see lululemon finally sponsoring a blog post!
Ahhh too bad it’s already gone from Canada. :( I’m surprised they didn’t stock more to last a little longer through the cold months. It’s still here in a lot of sizes online, and tons in stores. Winter’s barely even started! D:
Weird, I just looked on the Canadian site and the First Mile Jacket is available in darkest magenta in sizes 8 and 10! Other sizes are also available in other colours.
Beautiful blog post. I appreciate the original content. I am blown away that Lululemon sponsored the post. I have never seen Lululemon give away an entire outfit to a blogger in all my years of following athletic wear blogs. Strange times for Lululemon.
Thank you! :) Yes, as far as I know lululemon working with bloggers this season is a first! All their competition has utilized influencer marketing for quite a while, so perhaps they finally felt like it was worth a try.
I too am shocked. I am not a fan of lulu’s “you’re lucky that we allow you to shop at our store” attitude, and it is very nice to see them asking a blogger for help in showing off their new products. Good for them! Those speed tights are very very attractive to me…. hmmmm…… I totally just went over budget and bought the Alala moto jacket during Bandier’s recent sale, but if I return it, these tights are up at the top of my list :)
I like your highlighting of winter hiking too. I am heading to MN for the holidays (where I grew up) and am looking forward to a stark freezing hike followed by some relaxing next to the fire (while my parents bring me treats and drinks and generally treat me like a child…. sigh…. sooooo nice….)
Yes, I do love the speed tights! I’m thinking about going back for the WUP in the same print. I spotted them in my store and while they didn’t have my size to try on, they were oh-so-soft! Wondering if it’s too crazy to have both speed tights and WUP in the same print. :P
I agree with Alene, I’ve been buying Lulu for over 10 years and had never seen them advertise before…not in magazines and not via blogs.
I have had eyes on the First Mile Jacket since it came out but have held back. It fits beautifully but I find the price too high for what it is (and no thumb holes waaaaaa!!!) Also here in Canada I can only wear it in late fall hikes (I love to hike too) so it makes it even less worth the price. The 20 degree F you describe as frigid is a very mild winter temp for us…we’re usually sitting at -20C.
I am loving the new textured speeds though. I shall check that out in person.
They seem to have evolved their marketing a lot in the past year-ish. I’ve seen lots of ads through Google Ad Services and through all manner of social media platforms, which previously they hadn’t done. But they’ve kept doing it, so I suppose it’s working for them!
Also, yikes, those temps definitely take the cake for “frigid”! Yikes. I suppose you get used to it, but I’m pretty sure I would walk around in an ankle-length parka 24/7. D:
I’ve been eyeing that jacket since it came out. It looks so good on you and the color is so pretty.
PS I’m glad Lululemon finally sent someone an outfit!
Thanks! :) I was iffy about the color based on the online pics, but in person it’s soooo pretty!
Love that jacket! I hope we get it on my side of the world. Do you think it would be too warm for running? I get a lot of use out of my Down for a Run vest (not just in winter!) in southern NZ, with the icy Antarctic winds, but it’s not piles of snow and below freezing type weather.
I’m guessing it would be good for your temps, yes. It’s a similar warmth level as the down for a run items in my opinion. For me the jacket wouldn’t work below freezing, but for cold-but-not-TOO-cold temps, it’s just right. Fingers crossed you’ll get some nice new colors in it when NZ fall comes around. :)
Hopefully! We get limited offerings – they release the same product in Australia & NZ, but most of Australia doesn’t need real winter gear :) So winter gear is either not released here, or is only in limited colours (usually black and monochrome)
Great post, and cool to see Lulu on board with your blog- this is my favorite activewear blog for sure! I wanted to add a non-Lulu recommendation- I hope that’s okay? I just did a big hike in about 20-25 F degree temps over the weekend, and I LOVED my Athleta Polartec Powerlift 2.0 tights. I bought them specifically for this hike, and they were AWESOME. I ended up getting super warm about an hour in (the climb was intense), and was peeling off layers, but my legs were very comfortable the entire time. They were warm, wicking, and didn’t budge at all. They’d be good in cooler temps, too, even sweaty and walking down (and getting cold!), I didn’t notice my legs. They’re on sale right now too.
Sorry to hijack- but since you’re talking about cold weather hiking I had to chime in since I had such a great experience with these tights! :)
Thanks for the rec! I’m not strict with moderating comments, so no worries about it being a little off-topic. :)
I too am fascinated that lululemon sponsored you. They should feature you on their website! What socks would you recommend for cold weather hiking? I also bought the first mile jacket, in white, and it was indeed toasty but my feet were not happy in the snow.
If it’s below 50ish, I always wear wool socks! I have a pair of kids socks from REI that have been awesome. They’re crew length, which is ideal for hiking since the extra height covers the gap between your ankle and shoes. They’re super thick and half the price of adult wool socks. ;) I’m a size 6.5 and the kids’ L fits.
Yes! REI wool socks are the best (I also can wear the kids and I’m a size 8). I have several pairs and also several pairs of smartwool socks and the REI have held up much much better.
Great post and great pictures as always. I am a little surprised that LLL sponsored this post and I am a little surprised you did it given your separation (although not completely) from LLL a couple of years ago. You must have been a little surprised when they reached out to you to do this post, I am assuming they reached out to you.
As for the First Mile Jacket, I first have to say I think the lighting in these pictures shows your jacket as more of a purple and not the true colour which has more of a pinky/burgundy tone (compare the LLL pic posted below your bottom pic). I actually like the colour better in your pictures vs the actual colour! It’s not to say I don’t like Deepest Magenta as I did buy the Rush Hour Jacket in that colour. I am glad the fit of this jacket worked for you and you are right that it is snug in the shoulders which is one of the reasons I didn’t buy it. The entire outfit looks great on you.
I love hiking in all types off weather and my go to first layer in cold temps is always as Swiftly then tech fleece or rulu. I also wear some type of leggings and then wear a lined pant like the Track To Reality Pants.
Funny you mention the color, because I feel like the color on the lulu site wasn’t quite the same as real life. I’m not sure if you’ve seen the magenta first mile in person, but I was so surprised when I pulled it out of the package because the color was so much deeper and more purple-toned than I expected! The photos I posted are pretty close, imo, maybe just a shade or two darker if anything. As for the other half of your comment, my buying lulu has slowed as I’ve added other brands to the mix, but it’s never stopped, as evidenced by some of the other styles I’ve posted about recently (e.g., aligns). So, I was definitely on board with getting my hands on some more since there’s plenty out right now on my wishlist. I always love their winter offerings.
Hi AA, I tried on this jacket in the same colour so I know what this colour looks like and I swear the colour of your jacket does not look like what I have seen. Maybe your jacket came from a slightly different colour batch??? Speaking of colours, I ordered the Hill and Valley Turtleneck in Nocturnal Teal from LLL and it looks nothing like the pictures shown online, it actually looks like Inkwell.
As for LLL branching out in social media advertising, sponsoring your blog is a no brainer as your content is always enjoyable to read and your scenery pictures are second to none. I don’t, however, feel the same as you about this seasons offerings. Even the Fresh Tracks Tech Fleece you mention as a cold weather pick, I thought fell short in quality of fabric, a shorter neck and poor quality workmanship of the zipper that causes a horizontal line of puckering. Not to say I haven’t bought a few beauties, but they are repeats from previous years…
100% agree. I have always loved LL winter offerings as well, but I think this year’s is a bust. I have herringbone WUs from a few years ago that I wear constantly in the cold weather (wearing them right now!) and they are thick, super soft, and sooo warm. I also love to run in my tech fleece speed tights from 3 years ago, I think–also super warm and cozy. Nothing this year comes close at all. I checked out the tights you’re wearing here in store the other day and was not impressed. I’m glad you like them, but to me they felt scratchy and a little thin. I went upstairs to Athleta and found what I was looking for! I bought three pairs of their tights. They’re not as stylish as LL but they are warm and thick, and that trumps fashion to me. With discounts and offers, they also worked out to be about half the price of the speeds. Win win. Hoping LL can turn it around and get back to doing winter like they used to.
Aw, bummer you didn’t find any winners this year. :( I didn’t find the speed tights in this pattern scratchy, but they’re my only pair of textured lux (my other textures are all luon) so I can’t compare them directly. There’s always a mixed bag of styles in a season, but I definitely found some “loves” this season. The color palette of purple/berry, deep teal, and monochrome prints is also really my speed, which definitely helps too! I’m glad you found options for your cold weather needs though. :)
Fair enough! Maybe what seems accurate to me (and on my computer monitor) is just a bit different, or maybe there is indeed a little difference in color from jacket to jacket. Who knows, I suppose! As for the fresh tracks tights, I agree that I wish they were as thick as the toasty techs, but I didn’t have issues with the fit. That said, I only tried on the bottoms though–my store didn’t have the top for me to try, sadly.
Also, thanks for the positive words about the blog content. :)
A really well put together outfit! And I’m a super good fan of textures. Do you ever get your Lulu tights hemmed? Their 7/8 length is the perfect for my short frame but never know if hemming the longer length tights would change the style/fit?
Thanks! :) I very rarely get things hemmed. I don’t mind the ankle bunching because I’m used to it. Also, often times hemming gets rid of design elements–like these speed tights have a reflective detail under the hem (when you fold it under) that I wouldn’t want to cut off. Basically, I’d rather play it safe, and if I don’t like how it looks un-hemmed, I just don’t buy!
Thanks Suzanne :). Really appreciate your open attitude towards all points of view. Agree with you on nocturnal teal–hoping to snag something in that color way this season.
What shoes would you recommend for hiking? I need to upgrade my hiking shoes that are much too old and much too ugly, but have no idea who makes good one nowadays that also look nice!
Hmmm, good question. :) In this post I’m wearing the Salomon Ellipse GTX. They’re admittedly not the prettiest shoes, but they have good support for extra-long days and are waterproof. For shorter, dry hikes I usually just wear regular sneakers, because they’re most comfortable for me. I’ve heard good things about Danner boots and have been thinking of trying a pair of those. They’re pricey, but I like the retro styling. Unfortunately I don’t have a TON of expertise to share here, but I hope you can find something you love. :)
Any chance you are a size 6 and want to sell the lululemon Speed tights?
Unfortunately no, mine aren’t a 6. :( I hope you find a pair for a great price!
What’s the best hiking boots for women?
That totally depends on personal preference, unfortunately there’s no one “right” answer. :) I usually just look for a style that has good reviews and looks like it has what I’m looking for. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
I’m in love with the purple hoodie!