There are a variety of hiking challenges across the region with specific designations for mountains completed during winter. Popular local challenges include the 46 High Peaks, Lake Placid 9er, Saranac Lake 6er, Tupper Lake Hiking Triad and Adirondack Firetower Challenge, among others.

These challenges comprise a wide array of associated difficulty levels with each hike. Some of the challenges have significant variability in difficulty between the different mountains that they are comprised of. Winter adds an extra level of complexity and risk to the equation. Frigid cold, deep snow and slippery ice can transform otherwise straightforward sections of trail into treacherous traps.

Given this, it is crucial for hikers to be as informed as possible about their hike before heading into the woods.

Mary Glynn, the education programs manager at the Adirondack Mountain Club offered several tips in a Nov.19 interview on how to maximize your chances of a safe hike in the cold months.

A state Department of Environmental Conservation sign for various trailheads is seen at the intersection of state Route 3 and Coreys Road in the town of Harrietstown on Sunday, Dec. 8. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

The Adirondack Mountain Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation and preservation of wild lands throughout the state. They offer courses in winter survival, wilderness medicine and orienteering, among other topics. They also provide guided trips throughout the Adirondacks. More information can be found at adk.org.

When it comes to winter clothes, Glynn’s biggest recommendation is to avoid wearing cotton fabrics.

“Cotton holds either five or seven times its weight in water,” she said. “It gets so heavy when it’s wet, it’s not going to dry and it’s going to make you that much colder.”

She said people should opt for wicking fabrics, such as nylon or wool, whether they are going for a long hike or a short hike.

When hiking in the winter, traction devices are essential. Snowshoes, micro-spikes and crampons all provide it, but are different pieces of equipment each having its own set of conditions for best use, according to Glynn.

Snowshoes provide traction and distribute body weight, preventing one from sinking into the snow. Micro-spikes and crampons fit around boots and provide traction by using spikes that dig into snow and ice, but are not as large as snowshoes. While they do not distribute body weight and don’t prevent people from sinking into the snow, they are less bulky.

Snowshoes are best used when there is a solid layer of snow. Micro-spikes are better for thin patches of ice on hiking trails and crampons are similar to micro-spikes, but more aggressive in their bite and best used for very steep terrain, such as when one is ice climbing.

Glynn said she puts micro-spikes in her backpack starting Oct. 1 in case ice is encountered early at higher elevations. They’re small and pack easily.

She reminded people venturing into the backcountry that using snowshoes or skis is often required by law.

“In the High Peaks Wilderness eastern zone, there is a regulation that if there are 8 inches or more of snow measured off trail, you must legally have snowshoes or skis on your feet,” she said.

Forest rangers issue tickets to people they encounter failing to abide by the law. She said the regulation exists for two very important reasons.

“It helps keep you safe and it helps keep other folks using the trail after you safe,” she said.

When people travel through deep snow without skis or snowshoes on their feet, they leave what are known as “post-holes,” depressions in the snow from their tracks, according to Glynn. These compress and harden over time, especially in freeze-thaw cycles, and can lead to subsequent trail users twisting their ankles or worse.

Glynn said it’s important to have a reliable source of lighting for winter hiking, which features shorter days and lower sun angles — making it even darker in the forest — than summer hiking.

“I always say two is one and one is none when it comes to headlamps,” Glynn said. It’s also important to have a backup lamp in case one fails or needs to have its batteries changed. She recommended keeping the lamps and spare batteries in an insulated area closer to one’s body heat. Doing so, she said, helps to preserve their charge.

It’s always important to let someone not partaking in the activity know of the plans and times. Glynn said ideally a person not hiking should be given two times: when the adventurer(s) expect to be back by, and a second time sometime after that when, if they are not back, it is time to call authorities for a search and rescue.

The person being given the information should be savvy about that outdoor activity. They should have an understanding or, ideally, personal experience of the route, according to Glynn. If that’s not possible, the person or group venturing out should make sure that the person who would contact rescuers if needed is at least aware of the area, including specific trail routes and bailout points. Putting the information in writing can help if the person is less familiar with the area.

Glynn said that being able to pass on not only a distress call — but detailed information about the route — to rescuers can enable them to locate the person or group much faster.

For more tips, visit the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s winter hiking safety website.