Snow / Ice Trekking Tips

Trekking on snow and ice can be a blast! – But it can also be challenging and sometimes dangerous. During winter treks, while crossing over high passes or any other snow and ice trekking scenarios, proper preparation is key to ensure your safety and comfort. For the full story on snow / ice trekking, have a look at the book (right) by a Canadian guy called Montague Alford. Among other things, he describes how to make your own little can-candle stove to melt snow for drinking water. Excellent stuff! Ok, let me just start with some essential warnings. Heed them, but don’t let them scare you away. Trekking in snow/ice over the high passes in the Himalayas is well worth the effort! 7 warnings about trekking in snow/ice (essential tips) 1. Bring food. Both non-emergency energy bars in your pocket and real-emergency stuff somewhere else. Just in case you have to spend a forced night out in the open somewhere. And keep the emergency food for when you need it, don’t munch it all down before normal dinner… 2. Stay hydrated. Dry winter air will dehydrate you quickly without you noticing until it is too late. You won’t find much running water in sub-zero conditions. You need to carry water with you or melt snow. 3. Wear warm clothes. Obviously, you don’t want to get frost bite on your toes or fingers, you don’t want to shiver. 4. Protect yourself from the sun. The UV rays are strong up there during days with sunshine. Sunscreen and sunglasses are essentials! 5. Don’t go to the edge. Edge of snow – could be a cornice, a snow drift extending out over something/nothing! Edge of ice – could break and you’ll fall into icy water. 6. Don’t go alone. 7. Keep an eye on the weather.

That was the quick, important essentials of snow / ice trekking. The following is less essential tips that might help you have a more comfortable and enjoyable trekking experience.

16 tips about trekking in snow/ice

1. Kick step. When walking up in soft snow or ice, you can kick your boots into the snow/ice to create steps and footholds.

2. The “Herringbone Technique”. Instead of pushing your boot directly into the snow, step sideways to get a little more of the shoe into contact with the snow.

3. Use your heels. When descending on snow / soft ice, flex your ankle so the toe is pointed up and step down hard on the heel.

4. Switch backs. On steep ascends and descends, cross left-right-left-right rather that going the direct way. Makes the route effectively less steep.

More tips about gear for snow / ice trekking:

5. Hiking Boots / Mountaineering Boots / Snow Boots. Your boots are very important. They should have waterproof outer shells such as oiled leather or, ideally, plastic. Stiff plastic snow boots are the best for snow and steep icy trails, but they are heavy to carry around when you are not in the snow. The second best is hard mountaineering boots compatible with crampons. With normal hiking boots your feet will invariably get wet after some time in the snow, as the warmth from your feet escapes and melts the snow on your boots. Gore-Tex hiking boots helps with the water problem.

6. Crampons / YakTrax. Slightly annoying to take on and off, but not more technical to use than roller skates. Crampons adds extra weight, but for steep and extended icy trails, specially if there is a long fall underneath you, proper crampons can be worth considering. Ultimately they can save your life! Like any footwear, make sure it fits. For crossing glaciers and snow, the flexible crampons are better than the rigid ones for technical climbing. Alternatively, a set of YakTrax - essentially lightweight crampons NOT intended for mountaineering, - might be better than nothing. But also check point 7 and 8 in this list.
7. Trekking Poles / Snow-Ice Poles. A lot simpler than crampons and I would say using trekking / snow poles is the bare minimum you need for icy trails. Trekking poles add extra balance points and additional power. They are invaluable in icy conditions. It’s good to be able to adjust your poles when you are traversing a hillside, so get telescopic poles. Use the short pole on the uphill side and the long pole on the downhill side. You can get a decent pair of trekking poles for $30 and up. But for the Himalayas, I'll recommend you to get a trekking pole with an ice axe! What a brilliant idea!! Check it out --->
8. Ice Axe. Another substitute (or addition) for the crampons is the ice axe. It is probably more useful than the crampons if there are only very short tricky sections. You can use it to cut steps in the ice and in case you loose balance and start to slide, use it to self arrest. That is, stop your fall! Straight shaft axes are the best for glacier travel, bent shaft axes for dedicated climbing. You may want to go with a trekking pole on the downhill side and an axe on the uphill side. You need to learn to use the ice axe though. If not sooner, try asking other more experienced trekkers on the trail about how they use it. In the end, the axe can save your bacon!
9. Gaiters. When you’re walking in snow, knee-high gaiters can keep the snow out of your boots and therefore help to keep your feet drier and warmer. Gaiters also add another layer of material around your lower legs to help keep them warm. Some trekking trousers have build in gaiters that extends over your boots, see the post about trekking trousers to find them.
10. Sunglasses. Not just for looking cool (although they help in that department as well), but at high altitude the UV light is a lot more intense and your eyes need protection. This is specially true when trekking in snow / ice. The snow reflects pretty much all the light and without proper protection, snow blindness is a serious risk. Additionally, your sunglasses should have side shields to avoid incidental light exposure. Sunglasses should always be worn, even when the sky is overcast as UV rays can pass through clouds.

11. Warm clothing. Self-evident, really. Since you are reading this, chances are that you'll encounter cold air and cold wind, so you'll need to be equipped to keep all parts of your body warm, at all times. Be sure to include a spare pair of gloves to change, if the primary gloves get wet. For more, check the warm trekking clothes guide here.

Other tips for snow / ice trekking:

12. You can keep your water bottles from freezing in your pack by putting them in a wool sock or insulated bottle cover.

13. I’m not sure if it is just a myth, but some people say that water mixed with flavor powder will freeze at a lower temperature than plain water. Perhaps try it in your freezer – and let me know the results!

14. Another little trick is to turn your water bottles upside down so that any ice forming in the bottle will be in the bottom of the bottle instead of in the opening.

15. And to keep your boots from freezing at night, put them in a stuff sack (you can use your sleeping bag stuff sack) and put them inside your sleeping bag at the foot end of the bag. If there’s not enough space, at least put your boot insoles in the bag.

16. And the final piece of advice, use a trekking guide if you are crossing over a high mountain pass in snow/ice conditions! Specially if you are not experienced. You don't want to get lost in the snow!

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As with a lot of other things in life, "the more you put into it, the bigger the reward is!" Snow/ice trekking requires some extra effort, but the outdoor world in its frozen state can take you into a new realm of pleasure where you can enjoy silence, solitude, and a mind-blowing landscape that will redefine "white" in your mind! So get them winter boots and trekking poles now, and start preparing your next trek for the fourth season! Snow / ice trekking is a blast! Have a look around this site for the best high altitude snow treks, such as Everest and Annapurna. Happy trails!

Suggestions for further reading about snow / ice trekking tips :


Related posts

• Warm trekking jacket
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• Tips on staying warm

Everest Routes, Descriptions & Map

OVERVIEW: On the Nepal side there are basically 4 trekking routes around Everest – all of them absolutely world class treks! Generally speaking, all routes start in Namche Bazaar (3440 m / 11,300 ft), accessible by 1½ days walk from the airstrip in Lukla (2900 m / 9,500 ft) or by walking in from Jiri (1900 m / 6000 ft). Walking from Jiri takes about 9 days + a days drive to the trailhead, while flying in from Kathmandu to Lukla only takes about ½ hour – the choice is yours! It’s also possible to cross over the high passes to connect the different routes at the top, rather than having to return same way you came.

Crossing either of the high passes : Kongma La, Cho La and Renjo La is not too difficult when the conditions are good. You do need to be in good shape, acclimatized, well hydrated and be used to walking on steep scree though. In case there is snow or ice on the trail, it’s a different story altogether. Still doable, but be properly prepared for the more severe trekking conditions. It is fantastic routes! Snow and ice is exceptional during the main seasons, but common from December to March. Check the post about snow / ice trekking tips for more info on how to prepare yourself. And there's more detailed route descriptions of the high passes below.

Here is a map I drew up of the different trekking routes in the Everest region. It is intended to give an overview only, not to be an exact trekking map. But for planning purposes, I actually think it is pretty useful. I’ve also plotted in some of the most talked about locations that you’ll probably spend a lot of time talking about when going there.

Everest Region map: Green lines = The 4 main routes. Green dotted lines = The 3 high passes. Yellow dots = Trekking peaks. Yellow stars = Climbing peaks. Red dots = Important villages.

Everest Main Routes Descriptions: Route 1 : Nangpa Glacier The least traveled route of the 4. Ultimately, it leads to the Tibetan (Chinese) border point at Nangpa La, at 5716 m, 18753 ft. You'll be passing through Thame village on your way, and if it's May, try and catch the interesting Mani Rimdu Dance Festival there! Route 2 : Gokyo Trek There are some beautiful lakesup in the Gokyo area. Stunning turquoise waters, at least when they are not frozen in January/February. You can also walk up to the nearby Gokyo Ri, a 5357 meter / 17,575 feet ridge with excellent views of the entire area, Everest included (although farther away from E. than from KP, arguably better view!). Also don't miss upper Gokyo valley - going to the 4th, 5th and 6th lake (“Scoundrel's view”) and finally the lakes nearer to Cho Oyu base camp. It is a beautiful walk on a good trail can and it can be done as a day trip from a lodge at Gokyo 3rd lake.

Route 3 : Everest Base Camp (EBC)
Let’s face it. Everyone here wants to get close to the BIG E, the mother of all mountains, the roof pillar of the world: Mt. Everest. Or Sagarmatha as it is called in Nepalese or Chomolungma / Qomolangma as it is called in Tibetan. For the best view of Everest many trekkers actually skip the base camp and head up to Kala Pattar (KP) in stead. There’s great views from KP and it is not a technical climb to get up there. But at 5550 m / 18,200 ft, it requires good lungs and warm clothes! You can also do both KP and EBC on the same trek, the two places are not that far apart, both being about half a days walk from Gorak Shep and back.

The main attraction of going into the base camp is perhaps to see the Khumbu Ice Fall up close – and perhaps hang out with expeditions getting ready for their summit attempts, most notably in April/May. Sometimes though, the summiters cordon off parts of the area since they are afraid that you carry diseases into their camps! Still, you can have a look…

In and out of Lukla, the Kala Pattar / Everest Base Camp trek typically takes about 2 weeks.


Route 4 : Island Peak / Imja Tsho
Stunning side valley going east-west, surrounded by peaks and glaciers. It's also the way to Island Peak from where you probably have the best view of Mt. Everest all together! But Island Peak is a bit tricky. First, you need a permit from Kathmandu. Second, some previous experience in alpinism / mountain climbing is strongly advised, although you can get training on location the day before. (You’ll be using crampons, ice axes and rope.) And third, you need a guide and some gear. Can be arranged locally sometimes, but you can’t count 100% on finding what you want / need.

Island Peak aside, you can also "just" walk up to the viewpoint on Chhukhung Ri for the jaw-dropping view of the Lhotse south-face. Lhotse in itself is the second biggest mountain in the region (and 4th in the world). But its impressive south face rises 3.2 km (1.98 mi) in only 2.25 km (1.4 mi) of horizontal distance, making it the steepest face of this size in the world. Legends have been born here, legends have ended here (Tomo Cesen, Jerzy Kukuczka).

Everest High Pass Routes Descriptions:

Route (1-2) : Renjo La High Pass
Stunning views on this high pass. Most easily done from east to west: Gokyo - Renjo La - Lungden. No technical skills required in good conditions, but the western side is steep and exposed, so can be snowy and icy when cold. If you can’t see the trail when descending to Lungden, keep as much to the left as possible, avoiding the big rocks and boulders. Can be done in a (long) day’s walk. Going from east to west, the altitudes across are : 4750 m – 5345 m – 4400 m (15,600 ft – 17,500 ft – 14,400 ft).

Route (2-3) : Cho La High Pass
Probably the toughest of the 3 high-passes in the Everest region mentioned here. You might need mountaineering experience and equipment if the conditions are any less than ideal. Going from the Lobuche side, you only have to ascend the steep rocky ledge to reach the glacier while going from the Gokyo side, there is a long scree ascend exposed to falling rocks. You don’t want to spend too much time there so again, the route is easiest from east to west. The altitudes across are (east to west, Dzongla - Cho La - Tarnak) : 4830 m - 5420 m - 4730 m (15,800 ft - 17,777 ft - 15,500 ft).

Route (3-4) : Kongma La High Pass
Some beautiful turquoise lakes up there. Going down towards Lobuche, keep right (up from Lobuche, keep left!). Relatively speaking, the Kongma La pass is not too difficult in good conditions. But mind you, you'll be spending the whole day between 15,000 and 18,000 feet, so make sure you are well acclimatized! Estimated trekking time : 8-9 hours at best. The south-east to north-west direction seems the easiest one: Chhukung - Kongma La - Lobuche. Roughly 10 km on the map, altitude 4730 m – 5535m – 4930 m (15,500 ft - 18,150 ft - 16,200 ft).

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If you have the time, by all means, just do all the Everest routes! I know I could easily spend a whole month or more exploring the Everest region, if I had the time. There's so many interesting little side trips and trails that run in parallel. You may have to make a tough choice though, depending on how much time you have. To help you plan your Everest trek and get as much out of the time you have as possible, here's some helpful resources you can get. Well worth a few bucks to get a map and perhaps a book stuffed with detailed side route descriptions :



Related posts, stuff you need:

• Sleeping Bag for Himalaya
• Thermal Layering Clothes
• Trekking Trousers
• Warm Trekking Jacket

Happy trekking!

I’m Trekking In The Rain

I wouldn’t recommend anyone to go on a dedicated rain trek, but… Sometimes it’s actually better to take a chance with the weather in stead of staying at home just because it might rain. You never know for sure. You can still admire all the greenery, flora and fauna, breathe the fresh air, cover the miles etc. while trekking in the rain. And in the mountains it’s pretty awesome to sit on a ridge somewhere and just admire the rain clouds drifting around above and beneath you!

If you have the proper rain clothes, it’s really not that bad trekking in rain. With the invention of 3rd generation Gore-Tex® and other great clothing fabrics, you can remain reasonable dry, comfortable and warm. Let’s look at some rain trekking gear that might help you.

The good old Brolly (Umbrella) Yes, indeed why not use an umbrella when trekking in the rain? I know, it’s tiresome to walk all day holding an umbrella in one hand, it gets in the way sometimes, it catches the wind and it can be bulky to log around with when not in use. If your backpack have side-strops though, it’s easily attachable there and won’t get much in the way. You might even be able to attach it there when you are using it, hands-free! And perhaps you can also use it as a walking stick… I have to admit though, I don’t remember ever seeing someone trekking through the rain with an umbrella. But I think it is worth considering. There’s so much effort being put into developing rain-proof clothing that remains breathable for your body. Well guess what. A plastic umbrella is 100% waterproof and 100% breathable! Just thought I’d mention it here ;-)

Rain Hat for Trekking (left) Unless you decided to go with the brolly-option above, you need a hat. A simple fishing hat is actually really good for trekking in the rain. It’s water-resistant / water-proof and has a brim all the way round, stopping the rain not only from hitting your head but also from falling in under your clothes around the neck opening. Rain Poncho for trekking (right) The basic idea here is as simple as it is good. You just throw a big piece of plastic over your shoulders, and let it hang down to your feet covering your whole body and backpack. Again, leave it loose around your neck and wear a large-brim hat. That will keep the rain out and provide an escape-hatch for your body perspiration.

Backpack Rain Cover (left) Unless you are going with the poncho which will also cover your backpack, you need a simple rain cover for your backpack as well. You can use plastic liners (even plastic garbage bags) or zip-locks to keep your clothes dry inside the backpack, but without the external rain cover, your bag will get wet, uncomfortable and heavy. Ziploc bags (right) Use these little waterproof baggies to keep stuff dry inside your sack. Map, iPod, camera etc., but don't forget essential clothing.

Trekking Rain Clothes
And now on to the proper rainproof clothes. I've already covered the trousers issue in a previous post (trekking trousers for Himalaya), so just click and scroll down to the last part about tough conditions.

Breathable Rain Jackets (Hard Shell) Seriously now. If you find yourself in a monsoon-grade downpour, a hard shell rain jacket is the obvious choice. Some alternatives do exist, see below. In the old days, a rain jacket was pretty much just plastic (or leather, if you didn’t mind the weight), but now we have Gore-Tex® and all the other modern fabrics that keeps the rain out while allowing your sweat to escape. They aren’t cheap and you will still have some of the sweat stuck in your inner clothing. It’s not 100% breathable, but… It’s a lot better than plain plastic. The efficiency of a breathable rain jacket also depends a lot on what other thermal layers you are using underneath, closer to your skin.

Plain rain jacket Like I just mentioned above, they aren’t as good as Gore-Tex in allowing your body to breathe. But plain rain jackets are a lot cheaper. They will still keep the rain out. You just have to vent it and manage your body perspiration in another way. Get one with pit-zips (zipper openings under the armpits) and also try to keep the rain jacket loose around your neck. Don’t zip it up all the way. The warm body moist will be able to drift up and out. Specially if you help it one the way sometimes, by fluffing the jacket a bit, creating some “wind”. If you are wearing a large-brim hat, rain won’t go down underneath your jacket that way. You might of course also just stop under a shelter, take off your rain jacket and ventilate it a bit from time to time. Make sure the size is big enough to wear a fleece / sweater underneath. There's not really any insulation in this jacket, except for its wind-stopper capabilities.

Soft shell Jackets Soft shell jackets are becoming increasingly popular for trekking. Although they are water-resistant, they aren’t water-proof. They will keep you dry during a small rain shower, but not if you are trekking in heavy rain. Why so popular? They are lightweight, 100% windproof, very breathable and give some thermal insulation as well. Not bad, ey!

Paramo / Snugpak Jackets While technically speaking these jackets are not super water-proof, they are actually some of the driest jackets you can get! Hard to understand perhaps, but many trekkers will attest to this. As long as it’s not a very hard rain there’s a-fallin’, as long as you’re not sitting down in a puddle, this jacket will keep you dry. It uses a “pump liner” which will actually suck out moisture from your clothing. I’ve heard that if you pull a Paramo hood over your wet hair, the liner will actually draw moisture away from your hair until it is dry! So the whole system is the reverse of what people traditionally conceive of as water-proof. It is water-propellant! As with other breathable rain jackets, you’ll need to get your layering right underneath. The down-side is that the Paramo is generally a bit heavy to carry. It also tend to be quite warm when you exert yourself, which is good for high altitude and winter trekking (~4000 meters, 13,000 ft) but less so for walking up and down the lower foothills. Great warming power - highly windproof - water propellant! No wonder that the "Pro Force Snugpak Sleeka Elite" featured here, has become standard military use in the British Armed Forces.

Pile/Pertex Jackets And finally a word on the Pile – Pertex system, which is often compared to Paramo jackets – but it’s not exactly the same. While Paramo is very much about keeping you dry, the PP system is more about heat retention, regardless of wetting. The pile/pertex jackets spread the moisture over a large surface and relies on body heat to move the moisture out, but the fabric itself doesn't pull the moisture through to the outside like the Paramo pump liner described above.

Anorak / Smock for those of you who don't know what an anorak or a smock is, it's basically a jacket without the front zipper. Some might have a small top zipper, but not the full length thing. You'll have to pull it over your head to wear it. The advantage of getting rid of the front zipper is that, theoretically at least, it can give a little better wind/water-proof'ness, since the zipper is usually the weakest point in the jacket - except for the hand-body-neck openings of course! Another nice thing with the anorak is that you can have a big map pocket in front. <-- Choose / buy anorak / smock here

Staying extra warm on a trek

Besides your main trekking clothes, the jacket, trousers and thermal layering, there’s a few extra goodies you can bring to keep warm and comfortable on your trek - not to mention avoiding hypothermia and frostbite if you are going high altitude / winter trekking.

Trekking Gloves / Mittens / Mitts When do you need gloves for trekking in the Himalayas? Early mornings and high altitude is a cold combination. Especially in the winter months from November to February. Outside this season you can make do without gloves, although they might still be comfortable when it is most cold. Just about anything will do, but the warmest solution is always to wear mittens. If you need to use your fingers for camera etc., even finger-gloves will get in the way. The simple solution is to combine the wooly fingerless gloves with mittens that you take off when you need your fingers. This way will give you the absolute best way of keeping your hands warm!

Trekking Hat Like the saying goes: If your hands are cold, put on another hat! This is because a big part of your body’s heat loss actually comes from your head. Like with the gloves, a hat can do wonders for your body heat on a cold, winter morning in the mountains. And for staying warm during sleep, a soft beanie hat or a balaclava over your head is essential. The balaclava is by far the warmest and if you are trekking/sleeping in very cold conditions, this is the one you'll get to love! (And you'll look like someone from the ATF!) Personally I just go with the beanie and never go trekking in the Himalayas without it. Any brand will do fine, although the ICEBREAKER trekking hats have a reputation second to none. Made of fine Merino wool, they are itch-free while providing all the benefits of wool. The only material that keeps its insulating properties while wet. Hail to the Merino sheep! Check it out here -->

Trekking Socks Last but not least, it’s important to take good care of your feet on a trek. They are doing a lot of the work after all! Staying warm is the most essential quality, but cushioning your feet when walking on the rough Himalayan trails is another important aspect. It is also basic knowledge that wearing at least two pairs of socks gives you the most comfort, help to stay dry and to avoid blisters. I usually wear a thin polypropylene or nylon sock on the inside and a pair of COOLMAX thermal sock on the outside. Perfect for the Himalayan conditions! And then a spare pair of COOLMAX that I only use when sleeping. The day-socks tend to get a bit smelly and it can be hard to find washing –and specially drying- opportunities when you are on the move in the high Himalayas. I’d say bringing 3 pairs is a good compromise when at the same time trying to go lightweight.

Related posts:

• Choosing a down jacket
• Best sleeping bags for Himalaya Trekking

Thermal Underwear & Layering for Trekking

Thermal underwear can be your best friend on a trek! It's very lightweight and provide a lot of extra warmth anythime you need it. There's a few options, basically between the thin Polartec-stuff and the thicker wool/fleece stuff. Have a look here:

A set of polypropylene or Polartec underpants + undershirt can come in handy under pretty much any conditions. During daytime trekking when "real thermals" are too hot, or during cold nighttime. Good trekking underwear is important because it is the fabric closest to your skin. For trekking in the (extended) cold season in the Himalayas, October to March, a set of thermal underwear beneath your trekking trousers and trekking jacket is highly recommended to counter the cold, high-altitude conditions.

And if you are going high-altitude above 4000 meters / 13,500 ft or so - and plan to be there for a few days or more - you'll need thermal underwear all year round in the Himalayas.

By all means, DO NOT go trekking in a cotton t-shirt. I know local people in Nepal and India swear by them and street vendors are pushing you hard to buy them, but on the trekking trail you will sweat and cotton quickly becomes wet - and stays that way. It sticks to your body and besides being uncomfortable and more heavy, you increase the risk of catching a cold. Be nice to your body and get proper underwear.

Polypropylene (left) or Polartec (right). Both materials are very thin, but still providing good extra warmth for your body, while allowing it to breathe.

and matching undershirts

Polypropylene (left) vs. Polartec (right)

Thermal layering trousers/pants (tights)

And for dedicated trekking in the cold season, November to February, you need thermal layering beneath your normal trekking clothes. Even during daytime trekking, it gets cold above the 3000 meters / 10,000 ft marker.

To keep it simple, let's look at wool vs. fleece thermals. We all know that wool feels warm and stays insulating when wet. And that it can be itchy. It absorbs water so wool will become more heavy when you are sweating. Synthetic fibers, basically being plastic fibers, don't absorb water, and so stays more lightweight when wet. But for thin tights, it's not much weight we are talking about in the first place. So wool is totally acceptable. But it's itchy!? Not necessarily. There's a certain wool called Merino which is much finer, and too small to irritate your skin. Merino wool from the Icebreaker company is really state of the art and loved by many trekkers. Just ask around.

Wool (left) or fleece (right)? The choice is yours!

And yes, I actually used the word "love" about a sheep hair products! All hail to the sheep! Once you have your proper trekking underwear, also check out my trekking trousers / pants recommendations here.

Trekking Trousers for the Himalayas

When deciding on trekking trousers for the Himalayas, there’s a lot to choose from. Loose and baggy or tight fit? How much do you need your trekking pants to be wind-proof and water-proof? Do you go with warm trousers or use lightweight trousers combined with a thermal base layer? Gore-Tex® hardshell or more breathable soft shell? And what about the zip-off-into-shorts style trousers? There are so many types of trekking trousers. What’s best? And what’s actually necessary?

But let’s keep it simple and have a look at some of the best trekking trousers out there. For 20 bucks or so, you can get a pair of normal plastic rain trousers. They'll be water- and wind-proof, but neither warm, comfortable, durable or very practical. So what else is out there:

Regular Hiking Trousers

For non-extreme trekking in the Himalayas, you can usually get away with a pair of conventional cotton-nylon hiking/trekking trousers. They are not warm, but combined with thermal underwear they’ll do the trick and allow you to adjust clothing as the temperature varies with altitude. Here are a few good options. The first is the Royal Robbins Bivy, trail-ready trousers. A simple, durable, comfortable and flexible design. Also wind-proof and water-resistant with zipper-locked pockets. Second one is for those who prefer the baggy trousers. They are super-lightweight (6 oz, 170g!) and still wind-proof. And third is the zip-off trousers that allow you to turn trousers into shorts on the warmer low-altitude parts of the trail.

Himalaya Trekking Trousers

Moving into the more advances trekking trousers, there are some really nice options making use of modern fabrics. I can’t say enough praises for the Schoeller Dryskin fabric. It is very lightweight, stretches to fit your legs in all situations and deals very well with wet conditions. Hard to explain really. When they get wet it doesn’t feel like anything special. Like your skin, it just dries up again quickly somehow. Getting a bit wet doesn’t matter anymore! Personally I have the summer versions from Mammut (3 pairs!) but haven’t been able to find them online. But there’s some similar ones here on the right. Number 1 and 2 using the Schoeller-Dryskin, number 3 using Gore-Tex. All really good for tough Himalayan conditions, exerting yourself uphill in cool conditions. Trousers for tough conditions

If you're trekking in the Himalayas during the monsoon season from June to August (May and September also see rain sometimes), or if you're crossing high-passes and moving through snow (typically December to February), you should take advantage of the newest material and techniques to keep yourself comfortable and dry in snow and rain. Something like either the Cloudveil soft shell pant, the Arc'teryx Sidewinder or Beta AR pants. They are all made of breathable Gore-Tex material, have build-in gaiters (covering your boots to prevent snow getting into your feet) and zippered pockets to keep your stuff inside and the weather outside.

Best Warm Trekking Jackets

When it comes to warm trekking clothes, don’t just think about the daytime trekking in the nice sunshine and warm weather. You also need to think about the night-time at high altitude, when you are sitting/lying still and when it is most cold. If it’s your first time in the Himalayas, remember that this is high altitude and it gets colder than below. On my first Himalaya trek, I was shivering all night at 4700 meters – and that was summer time in a big sleeping bag! So here I’ll write my recommendations based on experience. I’ll look at 3 kinds of trekking jackets:

(1) Down jackets
(2) Hard shell trekking jackets
(3) Soft shell trekking jackets

Evening/Nighttime : The Down Jacket

For cold and windy trekking afternoons and evenings, and for trekking in wind/snow conditions, a good down jacket is really a no-brainer. They are super light-weight and have the best insulation - the ultimate warmth to weight ratio. And they are just damn comfortable to slip into! It sucks being cold when you are trying to have a good time, doesn’t it?

How do you choose a good down jacket?

(1) Decide if you want a down jacket with a hood or not. They come both with fixed hoods, detachable hoods and collar-only. I go without a hood altogether, just a separate cap, but for dedicated winter / snow / tough-weather trekking, a hood is a really good thing – most of your body’s heat loss comes from your head!

(2) Make sure the quality is ok. The stitchings are important. Cheap, fake (Chinese) down jackets just breaks open when rubbing against your backpack and when in general use. It will last you throughout your trek alright, but you’ll need a new one next year. A good down jacket is worth the money.

(3) All proper down jackets are graded by their fill power. Typically a number in the 5-800 range. What’s fill power? It tells you how many cubic-inches an ounce (28g) of down can fill. The higher the number, the better the warmth-to-weight ratio will be.

(4) Fill material. For a down jacket – guess what - it’s down! Goose down or duck down. But there’s also some feathers in it, and perhaps synthetic fibres. Try getting at least a 9-to-1 ratio of down-to-feathers. And avoid the fake rubbish filled with feathers. It’s heavy!

North Face, Helly Hansen, Marmot and Arc'teryx makes some of the best down jackets. Admittedly, you pay a bit extra for the logo. (To be honest, an attraction to some of us!) But more importantly, you are sure to get an amazing and very reliable down jacket! Here are some good options:

Men's down jacket North Face 700 cu in No hood	Men's down jacket Helly Hansen 700 cu in Detachable hood	Women's down jacket North Face 700 cu in No hood	Women's down jacket Mountain Hardwear 650 cu in Detachable hood

Daytime : The Trekking Jacket

Daytime trekking in the Himalayas is usually not cold, the weather mostly being quite comfortable. And while your down jacket is needed for evening/nighttime and rest periods, you don’t want to be wearing it while trekking in daytime – unless you’re in a blizzard at 6000 meters or so! Sorry to say it, but you’re probably going to need another trekking jacket for daytime. In winter season you’ll need your daytime jacket from about 2-3000 meters (6,600-10,000 ft) and up, in summer season you won’t need it before passing the 4000 meters (13,000 ft) mark.

What should you look for when choose a trekking jacket?

• It’s primarily for stopping wind.
• Secondary for keeping out rain.
• Should also be breathable (good ventilation) for your body sweat to escape.
• And give a bit of insulation to keep you warm enough when needed.
• Get one that’s durable.
• Preferably being lightweight.

Ok, now the perfect daytime trekking jacket doesn’t exist. But you can get some pretty good ones still. The traditional way to go around it, I suppose, is wearing some sort of windbreaker / rain jacket on the outside, and a warm fleece jacket / sweater on the inside. That’s usually referred to as a hard shell jacket. Using the newest generation of Gore-Tex® or eVent® clothing allows for some breathability, so you won’t get soaking wet from your own body perspiration.

Gore-Tex® was a giant revolution in hard shell design, and with “pit zips” (zippers that runs under the armpits of a jacket) you can now get some very good hard shell trekking jackets. If the weather gets nasty, there's really no substitute for a hard shell trekking jacket. But hard shells tend to be a bit stiff and make hiss-hiss sounds when moving around. And although they are labeled "breathable", don't expect to walk around completely dry when you are on a hard, uphill trek. But you'll dry up faster after it's done. And if you want to walk in real rain, you'll want to bring one. Here are some of the best hard shell jackets and wind-stopper fleece jackets:

Men's trekking jacket Arc'teryx Gore-Tex	Women's trekking jacket Arc'teryx Gore-Tex	Men's fleece jacket North Face	Women's fleece jacket North Face

Click to check out all the details...

But for a typical Himalaya trek outside the rain season, I would recommend going with a soft shell jacket. It is more breathable than the Gore-Tex® / eVent® options and also more comfortable to wear during a no-rain / light-rain daytime trek. And when you have a pack on your bag and are going up, breathability is a big issue. You’ll sweat! The soft shells are also more versatile jackets that are good to use for non-trekking activities in a wide range of temperatures and conditions. A couple of good options here, all highly breathable, wind- and water resistant and all have been awarded top honours...:

Men's soft shell Nylon, 30 oz / 840 g Marmot	Women's soft shell Nylon, 29 oz / 800 g Marmot	Men's soft shell Hooded, 20 oz / 575 g Arc'teryx	Women's soft shell Hooded, 19 oz / 530 g Arc'teryx

Related posts:

• Trekking Trousers for Himalaya
• Thermal Layering Underwear for Trekking

Staying Warm While Trekking

After I wrote about all-season trekking on the Annapurna, I realized that some tips on how to stay warm and how to stay dry on a trek might be useful. The two are related, of course. Staying dry is an important part of staying warm while trekking. And staying warm is important if you want to :

(1) be comfortable and enjoy
(2) avoid common cold and general sickness
(3) avoid hypothermia and frostbites

Hypothermia and frostbites are hardly ever encountered on a normal Himalayan trek. You either have to do some pretty extreme trekking or just be very unlucky. Like falling into a river and loosing your orientation or something like that. And frostbites only occur in – frost! Like when you are walking in snow/ice conditions. Just stick your feet in a cold, but running river and the frost will go away, brrrrr!

Even in these worst-case scenarios, if you are properly prepared you will be fine. With warm trekking clothes and some basic boyscout knowledge, you can stay warm and continue trekking after recovering yourself.

5 tips on staying warm while trekking:

If you are cold from sitting down or if you wake up early and are cold in bed or in your sleeping bag, just get up and walk yourself warm! If you are really freezing and can get yourself to a lodge or set up camp, do that. But don't jump into your sleeping bag before you are warm! And if this is not an option…

(1) Get out of the wind. Either build or find a natural wind-shield.

(2) Make a fire. Not allowed in many trekking areas, but in case you really need it... I always keep a pack of waterproof matches and a stormproof Zippo lighter in my little first-aid bag. But be careful if you want to dry your wet trekking clothes over the fire. It rarely works well and you risk setting your clothes on fire instead!

(3) Drink hot liquids. Bring a thermos bottle and fill it up with hot water in the trekking lodges. Of course 1 liter of water is 1 kg extra weight to carry – just bring it when you think you might need it. You can always empty it out if the weight is giving you problems.

(4) Preserve mutual body heat. If you are not alone, snuggle up together! This is the most efficient way to stay warm. If you are a couple, enjoy it! If not, put your shyness aside. In case of emergency, it’s a necessity.

(5) And the last and best tip – JUST BRING PROPER WARM TREKKING CLOTHES! The most important piece of trekking clothing is your jacket. Preferably go with a down jacket and perhaps also a fleece jacket + wind breaker. Depending on the circumstances of your trekking route, season etc. choose some good and warm footwear, socks, boots, trekking trousers, thermal underwear, gloves/mints, a scarf and a cap/hat - unless your jacket provides a hood. That’s about it. But make sure you have an extra, dry shirt to sleep in at night. And you can also consider using a waistcoat for extra warmth.

To get the best trekking clothes for staying warm, check my recommendations on:

• Choosing a warm jacket for trekking (Always use)
• Trekking trousers (Always use)
• Thermal layers trekking clothes (Always use)
• Staying extra warm with gloves, hat and wool socks (Special)
• Gear for trekking in rain (Special)
• Gear for trekking in snow/ice (Special)

Annapurna Posters & Picture Gallery

After starting to write about Annapurna trekking the other day, I thought it would be interesting to show some pictures from Annapurna. So here’s a little collection of Annapurna posters and pictures from the various Annapurna treks.

What better way to motivate yourself for a trek than hanging a large poster on you office or living room wall? To inspire you to remember the true values of life! And if you have already been there, what better way to remember the trek -- and entice friends to ask you to tell them some of your impressive trekking stories!

That’s why I’ve collected some of the best Annapurna posters I could find. All these Annapurna pictures here are available as large prints and large posters. Because these impressive pictures should be seen large -- not just on a computer screen! If you want to buy any of these posters from the Annapurna Himalayas, just click the link below the posters.

Black&White Picture of Annapurna IV (left peak, 7500m / 25,000ft) &
Annapurna II (right peak, 7900m / 26,000ft) in March.
--> Get this photo as a print / large poster HERE! <--

Poster: A young woman captivated by the huge Annapurna Range in
the morning light, from a boat on Phewa Lake, Pokhara.
Available in poster sizes : 18x24" - 30x40" - 36x48" - 48x64"
And as framed fine art : 18x22" - 31x39" - 39x49"

Poster: Mt. Machhapuchhre, "the fishtail mountain", (7000m, 23,000ft)
Available in poster sizes : 18x24" - 24x32" - 48x72" - 96x144" (that's 8x12 ft / 2.4x3.6 meters!)
And as framed fine art : 18x22" - 31x39"

Poster: Trekker on the Annapurna Trail, silhouetted by the landscape,
backdropped by snowcapped peaks!
Available in poster sizes : 18x24" - 30x40" - 36x48" - 48x64"
And as framed fine art : 25x31" - 31x39" - 39x49"

Poster: Snow covered forest on the Jomson Trek on
Annapurna Circuit, close to Jomsom
Available in poster sizes : 18x24" - 30x40" - 36x48" - 48x64"
And as framed fine art : 25x31" - 31x39" - 39x49"

Poster: A trekker have reached Manang and is now admiring the mighty
Gangapurna (7450m, 24,500ft) on what appears to be a summer day.
Available in poster sizes : 18x24" - 30x40" - 36x48" - 48x64"
And as framed fine art : 25x31" - 31x39" - 39x49"

Poster: Dawn light on Lamjung Himal (7000m, 23,000ft) on the Annapurna Trek
Available in poster sizes : 18x24" - 30x40" - 36x48" - 48x64"
And as framed fine art : 25x31" - 31x39"

Poster: Man walking down from Annapurna Base Camp into the clouds!
Available in poster sizes : 18x24" - 30x40" - 36x48" - 48x64"
And as framed fine art : 18x22" - 31x39" - 39x49"

Poster: Sunset over Annapurna II (7900m / 26,000ft)
Available in poster sizes : 18x24" - 30x40" - 36x48" - 48x64"
And as framed fine art : 25x31" - 31x39" - 39x49"

Hope you enjoyed these Annapurna posters. You can buy any of these pictures as a poster by clicking on the size links.