Winter fun

A number of years ago, a woman I worked with moved to Ottawa after living in New York City for many years. Having originally come from the West coast, she thought she had acclimatized to “northern” winters. I remember her telling me about looking out one winter day on a beautiful blue sky and looking forward to going out into the sunshine, until she got outdoors that is. A sunny, cloudless winter day in Ottawa means it’s really cold. And by “really cold”, I mean -20 C or so (that’s about -2 F).

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of that kind of cold, but I do enjoy getting outdoors on a snowy winter day, provided the temperature is more in the -5 to -15 C range. For years, I downhill skied but lately I’ve been enthralled by snowshoeing. It’s just so easy; you can do it almost anywhere — it’s just like walking, only on snow.

Some friends of mine bought me a pair of inexpensive snowshoes for Christmas one year and I am eternally grateful. I’ve used them frequently every winter since. They’re perfect when I walk the dog in the farm field across the street from my house or when I want to take a random walk in the woods. I keep them in my car so I’m always ready.

One of the biggest challenges of being active outdoors in winter is managing your temperature. The key to comfort is having the right number of layers and right kind of layers. Most days, regardless of the temperature, I stay comfortable, whether I am super active or not. I’m no expert, but this is what works for me:

• Silk or wool long underwear (top & bottom) — depending on the temperature
• Lightweight long-sleeve 1/4 –zip that wicks — I have a couple from EMS that work great
• Medium weight long-sleeve 1/4 –zip that insulated — mine is from Eddie Bauer First Ascent
• Fleece vest — if it’s kind of cold
• Soft shell jacket — I love my Columbia Titanium soft shell
• Down vest — if it’s really cold
• Soft shell pants — I just bought a pair from EMS which are fantastic
• Sock liners
• Wool-blend socks
• Boots — I love my Sorel Pac 64

I usually carry a small day pack that holds a few snacks, water and maybe a camera. It is also a useful place to stash my layers as I peel them off. It always seems on the cold side when you first get outdoors, but it doesn’t take long to warm up once you start moving.

Two key points to stay comfortable:

• Make sure your layers are breathable, wicking and quick dry so that the heat and sweat you produce has somewhere to go.
• Keep the right number of layers on so you stay comfortable. Avoid overheating by taking layers off as you warm up — you’ll sweat less which will mean you’ll stay warmer as you cool down.

Don’t stay inside just because it’s cold — get outside and enjoy winter before it’s over!