Hike in Basalt (winter edition) | Arbaney Kittle Trail
Snow skiing isn’t the only hobby to keep you outside during the winter months in Aspen, Snowmass, and the greater Roaring Fork Valley! My favorite way to get some vert in year-round is hiking, as it doesn’t require a full setup like cross country or uphill skiing does. The only additional gear you’ll need for most hiking in the area (apart from your winter gear of course) is a pair of Yaktrax or micro spikes.
Yaktrax are great because they can take you from the trail to the city streets for extra grip when there’s fresh sleet or icy conditions in town, but I prefer spikes while hiking for the superior grip on the trails and then just rely on my grippy hiking shoes or swapping into Yaktrax for grip if I’m heading into town after for a bite to eat or coffee to warm the bones.
I’d also highly suggest dressing layers... Colorado weather can turn on a dime and as you can see from the video, my hike started out like a bluebird day and 45 minutes later turned completely gray. You don’t want to be caught on the top of a hike dressed for blue skies only to be greeted by the makings of a storm rolling in.
If you need to stock up on winter hiking gear, I’ve got my favorites linked below to keep you on the trails this winter with no downtime! Let me know what your favorite winter activity is in the Aspen area and if you have any gear recommendations that helps you stay active during the cold and snowy months!
Yaktrax: https://amzn.to/4hN4k1U (Amazon)
Micro Spikes: https://amzn.to/40IvjVV (Amazon)
*Please note the above links are Amazon.com affiliate links