Winter is in full swing in Park City! With daytime highs averaging in the low 30s, outdoor adventures can get quite chilly. At All Seasons Adventures, we know a thing or two about staying comfortable in cold weather. Read on for all our tips on layering up and staying cozy in any weather!
In order to better understand how to combat the cold, let’s take a closer look at the different ways in which your body loses heat.
Radiation: the transfer of heat through electromagnetic radiation. Our bodies are constantly putting off a certain amount of heat this way.
Convection: Moving air or water removing heat that is radiated away from the body.
Evaporation: Water evaporating from the skin carries away body heat with it (think sweat or wet clothes)
Conduction: Direct transfer of heat through contact. Heat moves from the hotter object to the colder one; think how you would become cold after standing on an icy patch for some time.
Most, if not all, of these processes are happening to us in varying degrees, every day. While we cannot fully stop any of these processes from happening, preventing as much heat to escape as we can by addressing each of these methods individually, helps us stay warmer!
Radiation/Convection:
Our bodies are always radiating heat away from us. Wearing insulating layers (like puffy jackets and waterproof layers) keeps our radiating body heat close to us, making us feel warmer. Layers also help us reduce the amount of warmth lost to convection. Depending on the conditions of the day, different types of clothing and fabrics can be better suited to this purpose.
The order in which we layer matters in order to properly trap body heat. Well-fitting clothing is important for this purpose. Clothing that is too tight can cut off circulation, reducing blood flow to key areas and making us feel colder. Over layering socks and gloves is important to avoid, as our hands and feet are very susceptible to this.
Using base layers closest to your skin helps regulate body heat, and wicks sweat away from the body. Wearing middle layers on top of base layers help to trap and retain body heat. Using outer layers on top helps protect us from wind carrying away body heat, and also creates a shield against moisture from rain and snow!
Conduction:
The most common times you may run into body heat escaping through conduction is through the ground- since your feet are more or less constantly in contact with the Earth.
This is the reason we use sleeping pads when camping. It also makes our choice of footwear helpful for maintaining body heat. Shoes with thick soles, as well as thick socks can help keep our feet warm by insulating our radiating body heat from escaping into the ground. Be mindful of not constricting blood flow to your toes or allowing your feet to sweat by wearing too thick of socks, as these things will make you colder as well.
For snowshoe tours, we provide NEOs; waterproof overshoes that can be worn over top of footwear to help insulate your feet and keep your shoes dry.
Evaporation:
Staying as dry as possible is another imperative way in which we can combat evaporative cooling. There are multiple ways in which we ourselves, and our clothing can become wet. The first is usually a no brainer- by being exposed to water/snow. The second is by sweating through our layers! This is usually easy for people to forget about, since we do not typically associate winter with overheating. But if you’re working hard while snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, it is certainly a possibility!
In order to stay dry, being aware of your body’s temperature as you are moving is very important. Taking off layers when you are hot helps you avoid sweating, and allows for you to have dry layers to put back on once you stop moving. The type of clothing we choose can also make a difference; wool, and synthetic fibers like polyester absorb less water, therefore reducing the amount of evaporative cooling pulling away body heat.
All in all, layering is the key to success in staying comfortable in the cold! Our experienced hiking and cross-country ski guides will show you an excellent time on the Park City trails, and will bring backpacks in which they can help you stow layers you are not currently using. Always be sure to check the weather for the day you are scheduled to go out with us, and prepare accordingly. And of course, always feel free to call us and discuss any concerns you have.
The winter fun has only just begun, and we cannot wait to get out with you this season!
For more details, visit our activity-specific links below, or reach out to us directly. Call to book your unforgettable winter adventure with us today!