"Stay local, stay low"
"Stay local, stay low"
Hiking and risk in the time of Omicron
I try not to let current events play too much of a role in shaping the offerings of this newsletter. Hiking, after all, can often be an escape from the more stressful events that undergird our lives. But hiking is also a recreational activity that carries some degree of calculated physical risk. And that’s why this week’s issue of MIND THE MOSS is about hiking at a time when the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is surging.
This wave of Covid is different for a few reasons. The Omicron variant is insanely transmissible. It took one week for the variant to overtake Delta as the dominant variant behind new infections in the U.S. On the brighter side, the mRNA vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer appear to be highly effective at keeping Omicron from causing severe illness and death. But the definition of “fully vaccinated” in the face of Omicron has essentially changed to three doses, not two. Boosters are in high demand, along with access to PCR testing, rapid antigen tests, and high quality masks. And even before Omicron became a game changer, the U.S. health care system was already overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients. The Omicron surge will exacerbate this. Elective procedures have already been cancelled at many hospitals, and accessing urgent medical care could become quite difficult over the next few weeks. Point being, we (but especially our political leaders) need to keep the health care system from buckling under duress.
Back in 2020, we faced the same imperative in spring and winter. And during the first wave of the coronavirus, I spoke with Steve Smith, a hiking guidebook author and the owner of The Mountain Wanderer bookstore in Lincoln, NH about his safety practices during a time when you really didn’t want to find yourself in the position of needing hospital care. Smith’s basic approach can be summed up in four words: “Stay local, stay low.”
In other words, save those hikes that require considerable travel and/or climbing for times when the health care system isn’t shuddering under high demand. Hopefully the Omicron wave will peak within a month, but until then, consider hiking by Smith’s words. I’m planning to scale my “risk dial” back these next few weeks: especially because it’s winter in New England and winter hiking carries heftier risks than summer and fall hiking. Prolonged exposure to frigid air temperatures, slippery ice, or having your foot sink through a mound of snow into a hollowed out space beneath the powder (this is called “postholing”) can lead to injuries and medical problems in the field. And while each of us has to decide what constitutes risky hiking, based on our experience and comfort levels, January 2022 will be a good time to indulge your more cautious side.
So here’s how I’m going to break this down. First, as a seasoned winter hiker, I’ll offer my four most salient tips for reducing personal risk while hiking in January. Then, I’ll spotlight four of my favorite easy hikes across New England, where you can still find some measure of peace amid the Omicron wave while enjoying the cushion of gentler terrain.
- STAY CLOSE(R) TO CIVILIZATION. Winter is a quiet time for hiking and when you clomp deep into the backcountry—especially as a solo hiker—you’re putting yourself in a more vulnerable position by being farther from help and farther from the parking lot. If there’s ever a season to consider the timing and rigor of a return journey, it’s winter.
- BRING TRACTION. I cannot stress this enough. If you’re going hiking on ice or snow, you need a strap-on traction device for your boots. Ice has already led to some gnarly injuries and search-and-rescues in New England this winter. Don’t become the next Boston Globe story. Try Yaktrax for urban hikes and MICROspikes for woods and mountains.
- WEAR INSULATED BOOTS. If you’re going to be wading through snow, you’ll want to wear hiking boots with winter insulation. Many bootmakers offer winter models. You could get away with basic athletic sneakers on an urban or suburban hike where you’ll only be walking on concrete or relatively dry grass. But otherwise, insulate those feet.
- WHEN IN DOUBT, BAIL. Winter hiking is supposed to be fun, despite the bitter temperatures and the fact that as soon as you stop moving, you go from sweaty marinade sack to human popsicle. The minute your winter hike ceases being fun, you should turn around and head home. The stakes are just too high for pushing through.
Now, with those caveats in mind, consider putting them into use with these four winter hikes that will allow you to “stay local” and “stay low” while savoring the ambiance of a world shrouded in white. The summits will still be there waiting for you, after the Omicron surge.