Tabla de contenidos para December 2023 en Trail

WELCOME TO TRAIL It’s the time of year I used to dread as a lad when my mum would stomp down the stairs and announce it was time to pack the school shorts away and get the big coat out of the cupboard. Because, like it nor not, winter’s on the way, along with all the things we don’t like about it. Central heating bills, Strictly Come Dancing, Trick or Treaters, driving grimly to and from work in the dark… I could fill a whole magazine with my seasonal grumbles. But then there’s that one sizeable saving grace that comes with the changing of the clocks, which is that winter (when the weather plays ball) is possibly the best time of year to walk in Britain’s mountains. The crowds of…

WILD SLEEPS Ingleborough A’Mhaigdean Beinn Dearg Mor An Teallach TRAIL 100 BIVVY COUNT 60/100 I’m smiling a Duchenne smile, lips curling up and orbiting eye muscles causing wrinkles. A smile that can’t be faked, a unique expression of happiness, I’ve found my perfect mountain, if only I could remember its name. Superpowers and summits Ingleborough is not a name you forget. Setting off at 3pm we find ourselves mixed in with the hundreds of hikers completing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. We follow an 83-year-old lady up the steep slope onto the summit plateau. Paul Messner comments she is going at the same pace as us, then we realise she has already walked 20 miles and us just two. We set our tents on the west edge of Ingleborough’s huge flat…

"I suffered way harder and way longer than I needed to," says Damon. "There are networks out there. You're more than welcome to message me and talk about it - but definitely reach out to people. There's always someone you can talk to." Here are a few resources to help. MIND mind.org.uk 0300 123 3393 Samaritans samaritans.org 116 123 PAPYRUS papyrus-uk.org 0800 068 4141 Download the Stay Alive App stayalive.app Want to find other people who find joy and solace in the hills? Join our Mountains for the Mind Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/283620528917920/ SUPPORTED BY OUR OFFICIAL PARTNERS…

Messner is a figure of awe in the mountaineering world. Considered by many to be the greatest of all time, his achievements are the stuff of legend. The 79-year-old Italian ripped up the rulebook in the 1970s, transporting the fast-and-light style of Alpine climbing into the Himalayas and obliterating speed records on the world's highest peaks. In 1978, alongside Austrian Peter Habeler, he made the first ever ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen. And then two years later, in what many believe to be the single greatest mountaineering feat of all time, he completed another oxygenless ascent of Everest, this time alone. As well as laying down the now disputed claim to the first ascent of all 14 of the world‘s 8000m mountains, Messner was also the first to cross…

■ HOW TO SPOT A: WHITE-TAILED EAGLE HALIAEETUS ALBICILLA SIZE: Huge, with a wing span of 2-2.5m. Females are larger, weighing up to 7kg, while males weight up to 5kg. ABOUT: The white-tailed eagle is the UK’s largest bird of prey. The nearest bird you’re likely to confuse it with is the golden eagle, the telltale difference (other than size) being the tail. On goldies, this is long and dark, while for white-tailed eagles it is short, white and wedge-shaped. This massive raptor prefers coastal habitats, hence its common name of sea eagle. ■ PUB QUIZ A: What is the highest island peak in the UK? B: How many bothies are there in the Lake District? C: What is the name of the llyn, sometimes dubbed ‘Australia lake’ beneath Tryfan…

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” It’s a lovely turn of phrase, but one that’s difficult to agree with when you’re halfway up a far-flung Munro being battered by a brutal Scottish storm. Torrential rain is pummelling you from every direction. The wind gusts and swirls and bites, whipping up a 360° hurricane of mountainside wetness. The boggy ground underfoot is sodden, more quagmire than path. And, as you work hard to battle through the squall, underneath all of your layers your body is over-heating and clammy. The whole experience is akin to doing a workout inside a washing machine – and this is what our waterproof clothing has to cope with. It’s a big ask. No wonder it sometimes fails to live up to the…

Stallard Hat RRP £24 Everyone needs a woolly hat when the weather turns chilly and TOG24’s Stallard unisex winter beanie has a lovely, chunky rib knit for extra cosiness. Perfect for long walks when you want an additional protective layer against the cold and wind. www.tog24.com The Map Box £65 This carefully crafted box will house 20 maps, and is engraved with your favourite map of any place on the front. Personal and thoughtful for the map lover in your life. Choose high quality birch ply or our Lake District ash hardwood, new for 2023! www.fromtheworkshop.co.uk Bamford Men's Raglan Sherpa Fleece Jacket Peacock Blue or Khaki RRP £80 With raglan sleeves, the TOG24 Bamford men’s fleece jacket is a great multiseason all-rounder that looks stylish and is always comfortable. With…

TRAIL MAGAZINE 2 Dumfries & Galloway SEASIDE SUMMIT Criffel, the fell of the crows. It’s a 570m-high hump of peaty granite, standing all on its own on the Scottish shoreline of the Solway Firth. It’s maybe not the highest, but the most noticeable hill of Dumfries & Galloway region, and seen across the sea from anywhere along the edge of the Lake District. Until a couple of years ago, Criffel was a hill that only a local could love. Granite is waterproof, peat is absorbent and peat on granite in the Scottish climate means a soggy brown path, wet feet and peat-stained legs. But in 2021, a fine, firm path was built up the steep side of Criffel, turning it overnight into a pleasing and popular hill. Better still, some…

TRAIL MAGAZINE 5 Black Mountains LONG ROLLERCOASTER RIDGES The two high heathery fingers which guard the deep Vale of Ewyas on the fringe of the Black Mountains rarely drop below the 600m mark and, taken together, form a satisfying stride when winter light is in short supply. And the eastern ridge, to the north of Hatterall Hill, rises like an international barrier between Herefordshire’s rich pastures and the first hills in south Wales. Down below, in the shadows, are the evocative ruins of Llanthony Abbey and a couple of tiny churches. One of them, at Cwmyoy, was twisted like a corkscrew when subsidence left the building devoid of any straight walls or right angles. Local tradition says the first huge landslip – clearly visible to all as a great big…

7 South Pennines PARTS OF THE PENNINE WAY 1 SD915469 From the rear garden of the hostel, cross the footbridge over the little gorge and take steps up to a gate. Walk over the field to another gate and turn right up the lane. Cross a cattle grid and keep ahead through a tall gate as the track bends left. 2 SD923475 Pass new tree planting on the left and fork left over Stone Pit Hill towards the line of the Pennine Way, next to a wall. Turn left on the paved causeway and walk downhill to another tall gate, with stone stile, and after 150m turn right over a footbridge and cross the field towards the farm at Wood House. Go through gate, follow the track to gates by…

1 NH852012 On the road through Glen Feshie, keep an eye out for the parking area in the trees, at the mentioned grid ref. Starting the walk from here, rather than the main car park at the end of the road will shorten the finish. Head east through the trees on the obvious track that handrails the Allt Ruadh. It’s the best part of 2km before you leave the trees onto the open mountain to cross the Allt Coire na Cloiche and contour south-east around the hillside. After crossing another burn, the route gets a lot steeper, continuing south-east up the spur between Coire Gorm a’ Chrom-alltain and Coire Ruadh. The top part of this section may need to be adjusted, depending on the avalanche risk, but that goes for…

Bow Fell could be the ultimate Lakeland mountain. Simple enough to summit, but with serious drama to discover if you go looking for it… CLIMB A STAR OF THIS ISSUE P24 WALK IT The Climbers’ Traverse is a hugely enjoyable high-level walk that wriggles through some of the most impressive rock scenery in the Lakes. You start off on the popular ascent from Great Langdale that heads up The Band, then break right towards the obvious cliffs of Cambridge Crag and Bowfell Buttress – only the second of which is marked on OS Maps. From the base of Cambridge Crag, you cut back left and head up what Wainwright described as a ‘river of boulders’ to the right of the Great Slab. From the top of which, you turn right…

1 FIND YOUR FABRIC There are essentially only two kinds of waterproof - the shell variety that uses a water-repellent outer fabric with an internal membrane such as Gore-Tex, and Paramo's Nikwax® Analogy® that uses a directional fabric to move liquid water away from the body. The choice comes down mostly to personal preference, but either way it's important to choose a jacket that is robust enough to keep biting winter winds out and can cope with scraping about on rock and ice. Lighter weight packable jackets are much less suited to winter use. 2 KNOW YOUR FEATURES A good hood should fit snugly and comfortably, but also move easily with the head so you can see where you're going. Volume adjustment enables a fine-tuned fit, and ideally you want a stiffened…

1 BASE LAYERS For maximum efficiency in terms of insulating and wicking performance, the fit should hug the body. You also want plenty of length in the arms and torso for full coverage, even when stretching up or bending down. For stop-start winter hillwalking, midweight varieties tend to strike a good balance. 2 WOOL VS SYNTHETIC Renowned for its excellent temperature regulation, moisture wicking ability and natural odour resistance, merino wool is often the fabric of choice for winter base layers. But it is also expensive, and despite the fact that it is softer than most wools, some still find it a bit itchy. Synthetic alternatives are commonly made from polyester or polypropylene, which are high-wicking, fastdrying, durable and relatively inexpensive. Then there are hybrid base layers, which blend natural merino and…

1 KNOW YOUR ICE AXE FEATURES The point at the front of the head is the pick, and this is used for more vertical terrain and ice axe arrests (to stop a slide). At the other end a small spade-like feature called an adze is for cutting steps in ice or excavating snow. To prevent an axe being dropped and lost, a removable leash attaches to the head of the axe and secures it to the wrist. 2 CONSIDER THE CURVE Walking axes that will be used like a trekking pole have straight shafts, while mountaineering axes that will be swung by the shaft when climbing will have a more curved profile. The greater the curve, the more climbing oriented the axe is. 3 GET THE RIGHT LENGTH Hold the axe by…

TRAIL 100 1 Snowdon/ Yr Wyddfa It’s hardly a surprise to see the highest peak south of Scotland at the top of this list, especially considering it attracts an estimated 750,000 visitors each year. But it’s all too easy to dismiss this 1085m masterpiece of a mountain as a mere tourist attraction. Yr Wyddfa has 10 recognised routes to the top for walkers, some which are suitable for all ages and abilities, and some so exposed and sharp they’ll make your stomach flip. One piece of advice from us though – try to avoid the weekend crowds. 2 The Old Man of Coniston Despite being relatively tucked away on the southern edge of the Lake District mountains, the Old Man is a firm favourite for everyone who’s climbed it. Whether…

In the mountains of the UK, trees and shrubs exist in more profusion than you might think. This is largely due to the fact that you’ll probably walk right over them, without even realising. Dwarf willow is said by some experts to be one of the world’s smallest trees. In reality it looks nothing like a tree and this feeds the argument; is it a tree or a shrub? It belongs to a group of plants that exist above the ‘normal’ woodland tree line, up at altitude, where there is little cover from the cruel wind. It’s this reason that the dwarf willow only grows to a maximum height of 6cm. Yep, 6cm! Hence the reason you’ve probably walked over whole forests of the stuff without realising. The leaves are,…

Outraged cries and fierce debates are sounding across the mountaineering community as Reinhold Messner, one of the world’s most revered climbers, has been stripped of two world records on account of an armchair cartographer deeming his ascents ‘invalid’. If you’re new to the world of high-altitude mountaineering, Reinhold Messner, now aged 79, is a living legend. He was the first person to summit all 14 of the '8000ers’, the name we affectionately give to the 14 mountains on the planet that stand over 8000m tall. He was also the first to do it with no supplemental oxygen. All told, this astonishing feat took Messner 16 years to complete, which he did in 1986. This world record, well over a decade in the making, was proudly attached to Messner’s name until…

CAMBRIAN MOUNTAINS T here is a mountain range, lodged in the heart of Wales, that’s broad and sprawling and little trampled by thrill-seeking hillwalkers. Its name, Pumlumon, roughly translates as ‘Five Beacons’, with there being, more or less, five tops to the massif. Legend has it that the mountain is really a sleeping giant. Unfortunately for us, there is a giant awakening, just not quite what folklore had in mind. Some say Pumlumon is the highest mountain in mid Wales. Others say that it’s the tallest in the Cambrian mountains, but that relies on a narrow definition of the range. However high it is, Pumlumon and its surrounding peaks offer an expansive stretch of upland, which seems to bloom into this part of Wales like wine spilt on a carpet.…

ESSENTIAL ADVICE WHAT TO WEAR: Thick winter socks Base layer top Mid layer: fleece or technical hoodie Winter trousers made of a warm/windproof material, eg soft shell Gaiters Hat Buff Thin, flexible gloves Winter boots with a rigid, crampon-compatible sole (B1 or B2) Optional: Thermal leggings/long johns WHAT TO CARRY: Rucksack – about 45 litres Waterproof jacket suitable for the conditions Waterproof trousers Spare mid layer Insulating jacket (down or synthetic) Waterproof winter gloves or mitts which will fit over the top of your base gloves Compass Map (waterproof or in waterproof case) Headtorch Sunglasses and/or goggles, depending on conditions Walking poles Ice axe Crampons Food and water Flask of hot drink Sun cream IN YOUR EMERGENCY KIT: Spare headtorch Spare compass Power bank/extra batteries Emergency survival bag/blizzard bag Group…

1 Your waterproof is holey (literally) Any waterproof jacket has four big holes in it! Two where your wrists go, one for your head, and one for your waist – so that’s a lot of opportunity for water to get in. When the wind blows rain horizontally, water droplets will hit your face (which is exposed to the elements), pour down your chin and wet your mid layers. Water can also run up your sleeves or sneak its way up and underneath the waist hem. None of this means the waterproof membrane has failed – it’s just water ingress that’s very difficult to avoid in certain conditions. SOLUTION Tighten the hood and chinguard to the max, so as little of your face is exposed as possible. Secure Velcro cuffs tightly…

The search is over Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody £150 I’ve written before about my hunt for the perfect lightweight soft shell – the kind of jacket that’s light enough to be tucked into a pack unnoticed, but protective enough to keep out the wind and a bit of weather. A few have come close to being perfect, but I think I’ve found the one that is. The Alpine Start Hoody weighs just over 200g and packs down into its own pocket. It has an adjustable hood and sleeves which have enough stretch in the cuff to be pulled up for venting. The Schoeller stretch-woven fabric is super breathable and accommodating but keeps the breeze out effectively and shrugs off a bit of drizzle and even some snow! Its cut feels athletic…

TRAIL MAGAZINE 3 Llyn Peninsular COASTAL HILL WALK When it comes to walking on the Llyn, it is Yr Eifl upon which most eyes and ambitions are fixed. And quite rightly, as this triptych of inviting peaks attract a great deal of attention, even from those who don’t normally climb hills. For seasoned hillwalkers, an enjoyable few hours can be spent summiting the tops and exploring the Iron Age hill-fort of Tre y Ceiri, but ever present is the nagging feeling that the walking hereabouts isn’t quite the ‘real thing’. A few kilometres east, however, lies a compact range of peaks where the walking more closely resembles an authentic mountain experience. Barely breaching the 500m contour, Gyrn Ddu’s crevassed summit is every bit as rugged as anything nearby Eryri can…

TRAIL MAGAZINE 6 North-west Highlands SECLUDED MUNRO WANDER Of all the Munros accessible from Fort William, Gulvain strikes a lonely figure, rising serenely in a great cone from Gleann Fionnlighe, but not visible from the A-road that leads through Glenfinnan. It is, however, a great day’s objective and provides a suitable winter adventure with limited exposure and always with the possibility of backing off if the conditions aren’t quite right. The twin summits are linked by a ridge more than a kilometre long, which gives a fantastic traverse while being wide enough to be non-technical. The valley approach gives the walker a fine journey through woodland and along the length of the Fionn Lighe, and though it is long it is nearly all track. The southern slope, which this route…

1 SD911388 From the centre of Trawden, fork left on a cobbled lane after the village pub, walk past houses and continue up to bus stop. Go left at the lane with houses on each side and fork right on a footpath by the rear of houses to kissing gate. Go left over the field to another kissing gate and cross lane to another kissing gate. Continue ahead to gate and lane. Fork left, cross stream in a dip and pass Greenbank House and Guildford Clough Farm. Go left at a small gate on a path between walls/fences, with woods on left. 2 SD920370 Cross a footbridge and timber ramp and emerge onto grassy plateau. Walk towards a gate at a wall with a stone stile. Turn left on a…

1 NH990059 Start at the Cairngorm Mountain car park. Take the path that runs south-east up between the two buildings. The track for the Windy Ridge starts immediately after the building on the left, at the red phone box. Head north-east up the hillside. There is a path on the ground but it may be obscured under snow. Continue east-north-east for about 400m, until the steepness eases off a little, then curve right (south-east) up the nose of the ridge. This is steep, hard walking, especially in fresh snow with no tracks. In really poor visibility, all you will have to go on are the bearing and the slight changes on slope angle to navigate. Continue south-east forever, until you eventually meet some ski fences, which can help you relocate…

1 COMFORT IS KING Comfort is key when it comes to hillwalking trousers, so it’s best to try before you buy and take advice from a knowledgeable sales assistant, where possible. Aim to find a pair that matches your waist size and leg length accurately. An elasticated waist – either with belt loops or an integrated belt – will ensure a better fit. 2 MAKE SURE THEY'RE TOUGH ENOUGH High-wear areas like the knees, seat and instep often have thicker, reinforced fabric panels, and some trousers have double or even triple stitched seams in high-stress areas for added durability. 3 FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT Adding elastane (also called spandex or Lycra) to a fabric provides stretch, giving better freedom of movement and a closer fit. Two-way stretch fabrics stretch either vertically or horizontally. Four-way…

Mountain Equipment Lhotse Jacket The multi-awardwinning Lhotse (women’s: Manaslu) Jacket remains Mountain Equipment’s best-selling GOREnTEX Pro jacket. sportsshoes.com Mountain Equipment Ibex Mountain Pants These versatile soft shell pants are ideal for mountaineering and trekking in cooler conditions. sportsshoes.com Mountain Equipment Earthrise Hooded Jacket This reliable warm layer uses reclaimed duck and goose down filling, with 100% recycled outer shell and inner lining. sportsshoes.com Scarpa Manta Tech An icon for over three decades and a multi-award winner in Trail tests, this 7th generation model is a benchmark for 4-season boots. scarpa.co.uk Scarpa Ribelle Lite Groundbreaking mountain walking boot, designed for fast-moving hikes and via ferrata. Compatible with 02 crampons with a flex bar. scarpa.co.uk Scarpa Mont Blanc Pro Right at the top end, the Mt Blanc Pro is a warm, durable…

MOUNTAINS FOR THE MIND "I've still got all the memories of that first trip to the mountains,” says Damon Alexander-Cole. “We were driving to Snowdonia and I remember singing along in the car to What about us? by Michael Jackson and Bohemian Rhapsody.” He was five then and that trip would plant a seed that would save his life nearly 30 years later. “My uncle is ex-Army and exMountain Rescue, so he’s been taking me up into the rocks since I was a child,” he says. “When we first climbed Snowdon, he told me there was a café at the top and I wouldn’t believe him. But when we got there, there it was! “He got me this cup with a picture of the mountain on it and told me…

■ Everest Nepal and China Height: 8848m First ascent: 1953 ■ K2 Pakistan and China Height: 8611 First ascent: 1954 ■ Kangchenjunga Nepal and India Height: 8586m First ascent: 1955 ■ Lhotse Nepal and China Height: 8516m First ascent: 1956 ■ Makalu Nepal and China Height: 8485m First ascent: 1955 ■ Cho Oyu Nepal and China Height: 8188m First ascent: 1954 ■ Dhaulagiril Nepal Height: 8167m First ascent: 1960 ■ Manaslu Nepal Height: 8163m First ascent: 1956 ■ Nanga Parbat Pakistan Height: 8125m First ascent: 1953 ■ Annapurna I Nepal Height: 8091m First ascent: 1950 ■ Gasherbrum I Pakistan and China Height: 8080m First ascent: 1958 ■ Broad Peak Pakistan and China Height: 8051m First ascent: 1957 ■ Gasherbrum II Pakistan and China Height: 8034m First ascent: 1956 ■ Shisha…

TRAIL MAGAZINE 1 Eryri EXPOSED WINTER RIDGE My job here is to sell you the idea of walking certain routes. I go out and enjoy them, and then come back with some useful information to help you get out and experience the same magic. But this might be the first route where I feel I should be talking you out of trying it! Crib Goch in summer is a serious undertaking but in winter it’s possibly one of the most serious routes you can do without ropes. You are well out of the realm of winter walking and square into mountaineering territory. Do not attempt this route without already having a solid understanding of winter techniques, the snow conditions underfoot and the weather overhead. It is serious. And dangerous. And…

TRAIL MAGAZINE 4 Lake District MOUNTAIN HORSESHOE Away from the hustle and bustle of other parts of Ullswater, Fusedale has a remote feel to it – quiet, understated and hidden. This little-known valley is located just to the east of Martindale, and while its neighbour is famed for Lakeland’s only deer forest, Fusedale rarely receives attention from the minds of hikers. Yet this valley offers a delightful horseshoe ridge walk. The Fusedale Round bags five Wainwrights – Steel Knotts (Pikeawassa), Wether Hill, Loadpot Hill, Arthur’s Pike and Bonscale Pike – and completes a high-level loop of Fusedale Beck. It is a walk with some drawbacks. There is a pronounced height differential (almost 250m) between the inbound and outbound loops of the horseshoe, which spoils the sense of high-level ridge walking,…

1 SD999544 There’s a short drive north to Skipton today to explore the hills along the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. From the car park at Embsay Reservoir, walk over the main dam and turn left onto a permissive path through a gate at the end of the embankment. Walk through new tree planting above the shore and cross footbridge and stile at the rear of a stone barn. Turn right, take the grass path and bear left by a tiny reservoir. Walk uphill, cross the beck and continue, steeply in places, to the top of Embsay Crag with several rocky outcrops and lots of bilberry bushes. 2 SE004550 Walk ahead along the escarpment for 200m and then bear left to head north, with little in the…

1 NH990059 Cross over the small dry slope to the right of the café as you approach it – there is a small bridge that is usually well compacted into very hard snow in winter. The section of path that leads from the ski centre around the outskirts of the Northern Corries is pretty much always well used and compacted unless fresh snow has fallen. Keep right at the first spilt, just after the centre, then wind up a gradual ascent, crossing the Allt Choire an t-Sneachda and on to the foot of the Lurchers Crag spur on the western side of Coire an Lochain. 2 NH979043 Join the spur on the left (north-east) side, to avoid overshooting it, then continue south-west straight up the fall line (the centre) of…

BRITAIN'S GREATEST SCRAMBLES OUR EXPERT SAYS… "A magnificently situated scramble, with wonderful positions on improbably steep ground with good holds and occasional loose rock that requires care." Cadair Idris is an outlier, both because of where it sits in Eryri - way down south near the border of the National Park - and in terms of its separation from any other Welsh mountain massifs. While in the north of the park the Carneddau, Glyderau and Yr Wyddfa massifs are barely kept apart by the valleys that divide them, Cadair Idris stands alone. That’s why, despite its popularity, it probably gets far fewer visitors than it would if it were set closer to the rest of the action. And this goes some way to explaining why one of the parks greatest…

1 DOWN VS SYNTHETIC Insulated jackets are usually stuffed with natural down or synthetic insulation (or sometimes a combination). Down offers excellent warmth for its weight and is highly compressible making for lightweight and packable jackets. Synthetic fills are usually made of polyester fibres which are bulkier but cheaper and more resistant to moisture. 2 DOWN FILL POWER Fill power is a measure of down's ability to insulate, by trapping warm air. The higher the volume, the fluffier the down and the more warmth it'll trap. 650 fill power is fairly standard for good quality down jackets, and 800 fill power or higher is considered to be premium down. 3 ETHICS For many, ensuring down is ethically sourced is as important as the quality. Down tracing such as RDS ensures animal welfare, and…

1 START WITH THE THICKNESS Thicker socks generally provide more cushioning (useful in stiff winter boots) and warmth. Thin liner socks can be added to help improve fit and reduce blisters. 2 PAIR SOCKS WITH BOOTS Thicker winter socks may make your normal boots feel tight, so it’s good practice to try on your socks with your mountain footwear before you buy them. Likewise, if shopping for winter specific boots, wear thick winter socks to get the size right. 3 MATERIALS MATTER With cotton best avoided for hillwalking socks due to its tendency to absorb water, should you go for synthetic fabric or natural merino wool? Synthetic materials are great at transporting moisture away from the skin, while merino wool is soft, lightweight, durable, insulating, moisturewicking, and very good at managing odour. Some…

1 YOU'LL NEED MORE ROOM Crampons, extra warm layers, more food, a flask, additional safety kit and potentially even climbing gear such as a helmet – you’ll be carrying more gear in winter than you do summer and will need a bigger pack to hold it all. As a rough guide, 35-50 litres is the sweet spot for a winter mountain pack. And if you’re planning to bivvy or wild camp in winter conditions, then you’ll probably need to go bigger still. 2 BACK SYSTEMS Ventilated back systems are great in summer to stop you getting hot and sweaty. But in cold conditions, you neither need nor want a draughty back. And mesh panels can also clog with snow and ice. Also consider that the heavier weight of a winter pack will…