LOCALadk Magazine

wider backcountry skis are best. As for crampons you will want to have a sturdy pair that are designed to fit the boots you will be wearing. Keep in mind that between camera equipment and winter hiking gear your pack will be fairly heavy. These recommendations will improve your stability over a wide range of conditions. Also, when venturing into the backcountry during winter, I always carry enough gear to make it through the night and I leave my itinerary with my wife (as well as an estimation of when I should be back. We refer to it as the "What time should I start to worry?" time). In addition, my pack usually contains a vapor barrier liner, sleeping bag, headlamp, plenty of snacks, and a thermos of hot tea. A couple of additional pieces of gear that I keep in my car for safety purposes are a shovel and a pair of micro spikes. Micro spikes are a little like mini crampons and are much easier to put on and take off. They are invaluable in icy conditions and will protect you and your gear from a potentially harmful and expensive fall. Micro spikes are available at most outdoor stores and retail for about $65. Winter conditions present challenges to your camera equipment, as well. Let's start with your camera's battery, as not all camera batteries are created equal. Certain camera batteries perform better than others in cold weather conditions. If this will be your first time venturing out in extreme conditions do a Google search and see what others have to say about your camera's performance. A couple of years ago, while teaching a winter photography workshop, the first morning's temperature registered a balmy -19 degrees. We found that participants' camera and battery performances were all over the map. In one particular instance the battery and backup battery each failed after 15 minutes. I would suggest that you keep your camera wrapped while in your pack and place a spare battery close to your body's core. I wear a mid-layer shirt that contains a zip chest pocket. By placing the battery in this pocket, the heat from my body helps keep them at full strength. On really cold days you can place a hand warmer next to your camera or even attach a toe warmer to your camera near the battery compartment (toe warmers, unlike hand warmers, have an adhesive surface on one side). In snowy or wet conditions keep as much moisture as you can off your camera and lens. Remember these are highly sophisticated pieces of electronic equipment and even though they are built to withstand the elements, you don't want to test their limitations. Also be careful not to get moisture on the front or rear opening of your lens or on the camera's sensor, especially when changing lenses. The last thing you want to find when downloading your images are water spots. Micro spikes or crampons should always be worn when photographing near streams as conditions are usually extremely slippery. The same holds true when in the mountains and photographing from ledges or overlooks (black ice can be hidden under a thin layer of snow). LOCALadk Winter 2014 43

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