Back in the early ‘90s, you could ski for a day at most Utah resorts for between $20 and $40. Now, prices are up to eight times that much, depending on where and when you go. Then there’s the cost of gear — not to mention the traffic and crowds.
There are some ways to save money on the slopes, but if a lift ticket is still out of reach, that shouldn’t be an excuse to stay indoors. Getting outside in the winter is good for you, especially since the dark days can be depressing for some.
One way of getting out on the cheap is winter hiking.
’Tis the season to tromp through the snow in red and green Christmas sweaters, reindeer antlers and Santa hats. At least it was for one happy group that gathered in early December to hike up American Fork Canyon.
“You truly can't be grumpy when you're out on a trail and seeing the beauty,” said Cathy Sorensen, who organized these woodland elves.
It was her 7th annual ugly Christmas sweater hike. And it was beautiful out there — the sun was warm on everyone’s faces and made the snow glitter around the pine trees.
Hiking helped Sorensen after her son was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020.
“As a mom, watching cancer slowly take your son from you was excruciating,” she recounted. “But once a week, I would get out on the trails with my friends. I just felt so supported and so loved, and they got me through that 22 months.”
That was even through the winter. Group hiking continued to help her even after her son died. Winter hiking has her highest recommendation as “a really great way to take care of your mental health.”
She’s even taken the hobby to a new level. Sometimes she brings a small sled up the trail and sleds down.
“You just feel like an 8-year-old again. It's just so, so much fun.”
There is gear you’ll need to get started with winter hiking, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. It starts with non-itchy wool or synthetic clothing, said Tina Bean, creator of the Hike the Wasatch Facebook group, which sponsors year-round group hikes.
“Cotton kills. It's like a cotton ball on your body,” she said. “It absorbs the moisture from the air.”
Bean recommends wearing three layers to stay warm. You can shed them if you get hot. It’s best, she said, to take off a layer as soon as you start sweating so that it stays dry.
You don’t have to get fancy. She said clothing can come from places like thrift stores and discount retailers. People can also find used gear for free or cheap on Facebook groups like Outdoor Gear Utah or KSL classifieds.
If you’re hiking in less than a foot of snow, you don’t need snowshoes, she said. But to keep from slipping, you can get a pair of microspikes. They work like chains for tires, except they go over the underside of boots.
Some people on the Christmas sweater hike started to run around in their spikes when a snowball fight broke out. One of the snowball slingers, Steve Slessinger, has hiked more than 1,300 miles so far this year. His winter hiking advice is to bring a map. There are apps for that with free versions, like All Trails, Gaia and Strava. Bringing an extra phone battery can help in case of an emergency.
He also said people should take care of the trails.
“Pick up your trash,” Slessinger said. “Stay on the trails because as you cut across trails, more people doing it will just ruin the terrain.”
Even if you do have to buy some gear, Caroline Weiler, the youth engagement program manager with the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, pointed out that getting outside is a long-term investment for your physical and mental health (BTW, the division hosts free or low-cost outdoor hikes and activities).
“There's so much more nearsightedness developing amongst kids because they're just staring at a screen that's 1 to 2 feet away from them,” she said.
Always check the weather before an outing, she warned, because “storms can come in pretty quickly.” Another important thing to keep in mind is avalanche danger. People die almost every year in Utah avalanches.
If you’re outdoors in a place like Big Cottonwood Canyon, 30 is the magic number to know if you’re in avalanche terrain, said Utah Avalanche Center forecaster Bo Torrey.
“So slopes greater than 30 degrees is where there can be enough gravitational pull on the slope to cause avalanches.”
You can measure a slope’s degree with the pre-installed iPhone Measure app, or Android users can download an app like Simple Inclinometer.
The center has free online educational resources and in-person courses that they charge for. Daily forecasts on avalanche conditions are issued by the center, including places to avoid and options for where to go. Torrey recommended following along each day to learn how the forecasts work.
He also warned about trails that are safe and popular during the summer.
“What people need to recognize is that some of those trails can take you right through steep slopes that are avalanche-prone,” Torrey said.
The center has recommendations on its website for trails that steer clear of avalanche terrain. But if you are hiking in avalanche terrain, bring a transceiver, probe and shovel, Torrey said, because that gear is critical to an avalanche rescue. Those can run a few hundred dollars or be rented from outdoor gear shops.
Jackie Tateishi, one of the Christmas sweater crew, said it’s understandable if all this information feels overwhelming. She’s from Southern California and got into winter hiking a couple of years ago. Her best advice was to start small.
“Start with some walks in the snow, then go on a very short hike,” she said. “Test out your boots, the equipment that you have, the gloves that you have, and just see how it's working, and then make adjustments.”
And soon, you might find your own way to celebrate outdoors, like Tateishi and the rest of the festive hikers, who did a snow dance to kick up some magic for more snow this winter.
KUER asked the Hike the Wasatch Facebook group for their tips to get outside in the winter on a budget. Here are some of the responses:
- Beginner winter hikes (Remember to check the avalanche forecast.):
- Anything on the Bonneville Shoreline trail
- Mueller Park Trail, Bountiful
- Millcreek Canyon: Millcreek Pipeline Trail, Salt Lake Overlook or Millcreek Canyon road past the winter gate
- Donut Falls
- Free snowshoe tours:
- Cedar Breaks National Monument (entrance fee required)
- Bryce Canyon National Park (entrance fee required)
- Cottonwood Canyons Foundation
- Rent gear from universities and local shops to try it out on a budget and leverage their knowledge
- Learn winter trail etiquette for snowshoeing and hiking. If you hike without snowshoes in an area with fat bikes or cross-country skiers, please do not post-hole (leave giant foot holes). If you sink, put on your snowshoes and pack the trail for bikers/skiers. If you don’t have snowshoes, please stay away from tracked-out and groomed areas
- Bring a bigger backpack to hold extra clothing, gloves, gators, spikes, etc. Insulate water tubing if using a bladder or pack water bottles that won’t freeze. Bring snacks and first-aid basics
- Ice fishing. Like most hobbies, the gear can get expensive, but it can be done with a short pole, a bucket to sit on and something to put a hole in the ice. Someone could probably purchase a fishing license and gear for as much money as it costs to ski for a day. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has these safety tips.
- Cross-country skiing equipment is still very affordable. A day pass in Nordic centers is cheap compared to downhill skiing
- Basin Recreation in Park City has inexpensive cross-country classes, guided winter hikes and free clinics
