 Winter is magical. It is awe inspiring and... mythical. Some of the mythical part comes from people believing in lots of misconceptions about winter. These wintertime myths keep far too many people cooped up indoors. Repeated often enough folks believe these myths to be true and they wind up resenting winter or worse, hating it. Their misery only intensifies as the days become shorter and the snow deeper. Symptoms like seasonal affective disorder (sad), boredom, depression, and lethargy are no way to live. The cure is to not believe everything you hear about winter. At Rocky Mountain Day Hikes we love winter and all it has to offer. So as we debunk as many of these myths we can think of put on your warm clothes, hat, jacket and gloves. Grab your snowshoes or skis and lets get outside and enjoy winter for all its worth!  Myth: No-wax cross country skis don’t need wax. False. A "No Wax" ski is an unfortunate description. XC skis that have a fish scale pattern that provides the "kick" help you glide forward. The pattern does not require kick wax. However, these skis will benefit from glide wax. There are many brands of liquid glide wax that are easy to apply and will enhance your XC ski day. Apply a liquid glide wax from tip to tail right through the "no wax" pattern. This will prevent the ski from icing up or glomming up with packed snow. Glide waxing your "no wax" skis will keep you skiing and very happy. Myth: If it's cold dress in as many layers as you can to stay warm. False. We recommend you dress for your winter activity not necessarily the weather. On a cold day a snowshoer or XC skier may dress pretty light with minimal breathable layers while a downhill skier may layer up significantly more including jacket and pant shells that are both windproof and waterproof. An aerobic activity will produce more consistent body heat than perhaps a downhill skier who has to also dress for a cold chair ride up the ski hill. On the same cold day, playing at different winter activities, you'll benefit with different layering options.  Myth: Cold is cold no matter what. False. It's funny to think about a 32 degree day in October feeling really cold and a 32 degree day in January feeling down right balmy! If time is relative so is cold. Sunshine, clouds, wind, and humidity all play a role in how cold a day feels. Be active all winter long and embrace the season no matter what the thermometer says! Myth: There are less hours in a winter day with Standard Time. False. Switching from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time in November does not reduce the length or hours of a day. We heard a Denver weather forecaster misspeak on air before the Winter Solstice and say “since there are less hours in the day the sun is setting earlier.” This drives us crazy and often folks blame Standard Time for the reduction of daylight in the winter. This natural earth science event will occur whether we are on Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time. The point is to make as much of a winter day as possible. And that can include wearing a headlamp and going for a snowshoe tour at night!  Myth: You don’t need to hydrate as much in winter as in summer because you don’t get as hot or thirsty. False. You need to hydrate equally all year long. And, hydrating in winter will actually help keep you warmer. Bring along a thermos filled with a hot drink on your winter excursion. The warmth of the drink will fill you with a very cozy feeling filled with gratitude for winter! Myth: Alcohol keeps you in warm on the trail in winter. False. The opposite is true. Alcohol drops your body temperature. Drinking alcohol may make you feel warm outside in winter because it causes blood to rush to your skin’s surface. This causes your blood vessels to widen and makes you lose heat faster. The best place to partake in an adult beverage during winter is at the end of the day, inside sitting in a comfortable chair beside the wood stove, sipping your libation in moderation and trading stories about the day’s adventure. Myth: You lose tons of body heat through the top of your head. False. While it is smart to always wear a hat outside in winter you lose only about 10% of your body heat through your head. 10% is not very much but who wants a cold head in winter anyway?. Just wear a hat no matter how little body heat you lose from the top of your head. And by the way, wearing a hat and protecting your ears from frostbite is a smart thing as well.  Myth: XC skiing and snowshoeing are boring. False. “We just went for a snowshoe tour.” I use to hear this disparaging remark often when I worked retail in a mountain shop. This phrase, with the emphasis on "just" discounts these activities as if the only worthy winter sport is downhill skiing. In fact, xc skiing and snowshoeing are equally as exciting or even more so. Hands down these two winter activities provide a major boost to your overall physical and mental health. They provide a great cardiovascular workout increasing heart and lung health. And, arguably, they allow you to connect with nature in a more significant way by slowing down and acknowledging the beauty surrounding you.  Photo: CAIC Myth: If avalanche risk is rated at low or moderate you can ski or ride anywhere. False. Always keep your guard up when traveling through the backcountry whether you are snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding, or hiking. Avalanches can occur year round. A reduced risk does not eliminate risk. Take avalanche awareness courses to educate yourself and your backcountry partners. Be aware of the overall avalanche danger by checking the CAIC website. And always play it smart. Myth: If avalanche risk is rated at high or extreme stay out of the backcountry no matter what. False. There are many places that are safe to travel in the backcountry when conditions are ripe for avalanches. It is easy to avoid avalanche terrain. Stay on flat or very low angle terrain. Tour through wide open meadows. Avoid all suspicious slopes. Be aware of potential avalanche terrain above you. You may be on flat terrain but what do the slopes and ridges above you look like? Avoid terrain traps where an avalanche (big or small) might trap you. Do not take unnecessary risks, stay off all slopes that look suspicious. Typically when avalanche risk is at its highest the winter weather is at its stormiest. While it can be fun to ski or snowshoe during a winter storm take all precautions to stay safe and warm so you can and enjoy many winter days to come! Myth: Winter can be enjoyed each and every day. TRUE! No matter the weather, no matter the outside temperature or wind speed, no matter how deep or thin the snowpack might be, no matter if the sun is shining or the day is cloudy, no matter how old your winter equipment or clothing is, or if you live in the country or city... Winter can be enjoyed each and every day by acknowledging its beauty and in turn, knowing it is another great day to be outside! 
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"The wild requires that we learn the terrain, nod to all the plants and animals and birds, ford the streams and cross the ridges, and tell a good story when we get back home." ~ Gary Snyder
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“Hiking -I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not hike! Do you know the origin of the word ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, A la sainte terre,’ ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.” ~ John Muir |