Snow Hiking: Hillsound Trail Crampons Help Keep You off Your Ass

P1040302FI have a secret. I’ve hiked a lot over the years. I’ve been snowshoeing too – where the snow was deep and required them. However, I have almost 100% avoided HIKING on snowy trails. I guess you could call me a fair weather hiker. I’m pretty inexperienced when it comes to hiking on anything but dirt trails.

I guess another “shame” I bear is that I have been largely out of the hiking game the last couple of years due to back pain and “life” issues. That is changing this year though. I plan to hike as much as I possibly can during my summer break from college. Come fall it will be back to lots of homework at a real job.

In Washington, the hiking season is short. The snow doesn’t melt from the higher elevations until what feels like mid summer. Heavy rains can come to the mountains in the fall and snow can show up as early as October. Basically, if you stick to the no-snow-in-the-mountains window, your hiking season is around three months long – July through September.

I am not settling for only three-months of hiking this year.  Chester, Gretel, and I have already started to hike some of the higher elevation trails. That means that we have encountered quite a bit of snow though. The snow is typically packed, icy, and/or slushy. It’s not appropriate for snowshoes but hiking it only in boots will land you on your ass…or off the side of a mountain!

Wearing traction devices on your shoes is necessary in these situations. I owned a pair of “traction devices”. They were kind of like the cheapie cable tire chains. I thought I was good. I was proud that I was prepared. I was so wrong.

I recently hiked one of the steepest trails in Western Washington with Chester and Gretel. The trail climbs to an elevation of 4,841 feet. We hit snow about a half mile from the summit. (PS….click the link to find out about the mailbox)

Mailbox Peak 5

I put on my “traction devices” and pushed on past the snow line. Hiking uphill wasn’t so bad. I did slip back some with every step but I wasn’t worried. On the way back down though, it was a real problem.

My “traction devices” were basically useless. They didn’t dig into the snow at all. I fell on my butt – hard – about 5 times. Not only was it painful but I found myself on a luge of sorts – sliding in a track down the mountain.

Looking back, it was quite comical. Chester was out in front of me so when I fell I careened right for him. I didn’t want to run him over so I kept yelling “Go! Go! Go!” while trying to dig my feet into the snow and flailing my arms.

Anyway, I learned my lesson and was NOT doing that again. When I got home, the first thing I did was hop online and buy a pair of Hillsound Trail Crampons (affiliate link – I get a few pennies if you buy it to support this blog – at no extra cost to you). Trail crampons fit over your shoes like my other “traction devices” but they have 1/4 – 1/2 inch spikes (mountaineering crampons have 1+ inch spikes which are usually overkill for spring trails) that dig into the snow and grip.

Hillsound Trail Crampons 1

I’ve hiked some other snowy trails since the “luge” incident armed with these babies. They are amazing! I have barely slid since I started wearing them. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t need to stop and take them off when I encountered breaks in the snow. They did fine in the dirt. I barely noticed that I had them on…even when I was walking over rocks!

I found some pretty raving reviews online for the Hillsound Trail Crampons when I researched them. The Hillsound website says they were “tested in the Himalayas”. Sounds impressive, no?

The crampons were really easy to put on my shoes and the spikes are made with heat-treated carbon steel so I don’t expect them to wear down anytime soon. The part under your shoe is made of two separate plates so it conforms to your shoe and flexes when you walk.

Photos courtesy Hillsound.com
Photos courtesy Hillsound.com

I am taking these on every hike where I might encounter late spring or early fall snow from now on.

Hillsound Trail Crampons 2

About the Author

Hi, I’m Jessica. I’ve been studying the Dachshund breed since 2007, owned 3 of my own, and shared in the lives of thousands of others through their owner’s stories. When I’m not sharing what I know on this blog, you can find me hiking, camping, and traveling with my adventurous wiener dogs.

7 Comments

  1. Those look like they could weight 10 pounds, but I’m sure they don’t. As a wimpy hiker who usually wears sneakers on the trail, they look formidable.

    1. They look heavy in the photo because they are so sturdy but they are actually really light. They only weigh 8 ounces each and I can’t even tell they are on my boots weight-wize. They probably don’t fit well on sneakers though 🙂

  2. Hey, I have those also!! They’re great, aren’t they? My only fear is stepping on my dogs’ paws while I’m wearing them.

    1. I actually wasn’t worried about stepping on Chester and Gretel with them but you are the second person to mention it….so I am now! Thanks. Ha, ha. Chester and Gretel are almost always hiking out in front of me – pulling on the leash – so they are not by my feet. I didn’t fall using them but falling and sliding is when I would be most worried.

      It was much more pleasant to hike with some real traction.

    2. It was much more pleasant to hike with some real traction.

      I actually wasn’t worried about stepping on Chester and Gretel with them but you are the second person to mention it….so I am now! Thanks. Ha, ha. Chester and Gretel are almost always hiking out in front of me – pulling on the leash – so they are not by my feet. I didn’t fall using them but falling and sliding is when I would be most worried.

  3. Like you I am a fair weather hiker, I don’t do snow. In fact the one time I tried it (recently) because my hubby wanted to I ended up falling multiple times and hurt my shoulder all while telling him how much I hated him for the idea. He wants to go again… me not so sure… but maybe if I had those crampons I’d change my mind.

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