While many residents prefer to stay indoors during the colder months, the Halton Hills chapter of the Toronto Bruce Trail Club experiences its largest turnout in winter.
Great piece on the counter-intuitive winter surge! Sommer's point about snow leveling out rocky sections by filling crevices is somethign most casual hikers would never consider. The safety trade-offs are real though, and requiring traction aids during freeze-thaw cycles makes sense. I've noticed similar seasonal patterns around here where the mental barrier to winter hiking is huge, but once you're geared up properly, the conditions can actually be more pleasant than peak summer heat.
The mental barrier is definitely a big factor for a lot of people. I’ve found winter hiking surprisingly enjoyable as well, especially with fewer bugs and crowds. And you’re right, once you account for things like traction, the conditions can actually feel more predictable than the mud rain cycles of the spring/summer.
Great piece on the counter-intuitive winter surge! Sommer's point about snow leveling out rocky sections by filling crevices is somethign most casual hikers would never consider. The safety trade-offs are real though, and requiring traction aids during freeze-thaw cycles makes sense. I've noticed similar seasonal patterns around here where the mental barrier to winter hiking is huge, but once you're geared up properly, the conditions can actually be more pleasant than peak summer heat.
The mental barrier is definitely a big factor for a lot of people. I’ve found winter hiking surprisingly enjoyable as well, especially with fewer bugs and crowds. And you’re right, once you account for things like traction, the conditions can actually feel more predictable than the mud rain cycles of the spring/summer.