When to Hike with Shoe Traction?

If you do not hike with shoe traction in the winter, how do you hike? A lot of our friends choose not to hike in the winter because it’s cold or they hate winter. Winter hiking is magical and should be experienced by everyone, at least once in their lifetime. The trees are frozen icicles, the ground continues to crunch under your feet, and everything is covered in white. Winter wonderland is an understatement, but those are the only words we can think of to describe this wonder. If you want to enjoy this incredibly scenic atmosphere, then you need to get some shoe traction.

Hiking with shoe tractions during winter is essential, especially if there is a layer of ice under the snow. Another time to use your shoe traction is when water is frozen or you’ve had icy rain. If you want to hike during the winter without any shoe traction or ice cleats, then you are sure to fall. Take it from two experts that went hiking without them before and came home with plenty of black and blue bruises.

On Sunday, we went to Mullet Brook Falls and were surprised to see four cars already in the parking lot. The first thing I thought of was if they all had their ice cleats. I am happy to report that those that we did see on the trail had theirs on.

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Hiking to Mullet Falls

The first crossing section was overflown with frozen snow and water. Since the water was overflowing, the path was a slushy mess. While the path looked frozen, once you stepped onto it your foot went through the wet mess. The rest of the path was easy sailing. Even the narrow path uphill to the waterfall was easier to walk on, with a patch of frozen snow under our feet.

Once at the waterfall, we stopped and admired what was in front of us. Last month when we were there, the waterfall was more frozen with some water seeping over it. This time, the waterfall was more cream in color, showing us that it’s starting to melt. Soon, everything will be melted and we will be complaining about bugs and heat.

Hiking in the winter is beautiful and will challenge you a bit. If you’re hiking in the winter, you will love shoe traction. The hike to Mullet Brook Falls was a frozen path. Under the hard snow laid a layer of ice. With the shoe traction we were able to walk and even run, without falling. They truly give you more confidence when walking on ice and hard snow. The $20-40 investment will be utilized well during winter, and you won’t be in your house hibernating and waiting for spring.

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