Hike 500 miles?
Until the pandemic, I wasn’t sure I had the stamina to drive 500 miles.
Devoted Northeast Ohio hikers know otherwise, hitting trails, sidewalks and roadsides year-round, logging hundreds of miles annually. Spring, summer and fall may be prime seasons for an outdoor ramble, but don’t close the door on winter, local hikers say.
Foul-Weather Fans
Many of us have turned to hiking as a way to safely connect with friends while getting some much-needed exercise, fresh air and sunshine. That was easy to do when the weather was nice and the days were long. Winter is a tougher sell. Don’t be intimidated. Judging by the dozens of hikes scheduled each week throughout Northeast Ohio, a lot of people are doing a lot of wintertime hiking and they encourage the winter-weary to join them.
All you really need are some warm (but not too warm) clothes, comfortable footwear and the willingness to embrace the season’s wonder. Nature reveals many of its secrets in winter’s spare landscape. Their advice? Try it, you’ll like it.
Seasonal Beauty
No one says you can’t just step out your back door and start hiking around your neighborhood. But if you want a more organized approach, Northeast Ohio’s many hiking clubs are a good way to get started and a terrific way to explore unfamiliar trails and parks, all while social distancing.
One of the largest — and by far the oldest — hiking groups in the area is the Cleveland Hiking Club, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. Mark Stypczynski is a member and an avid winter hiker.
Ice and snow are beautiful to look at from a cozy spot indoors. With a few simple pieces of equipment, they’re equally beautiful during a winter jaunt, Stypczynski says. Inexpensive hiking poles and spike-like stabilizers on boots help avoid falls. And cold weather is rarely an issue.
“Once you get out there, you’re generating enough heat that after a mile, you’re shedding clothes,” he says.
“I like to hike along waterways. The rivers are constantly changing and I like the different lighting. You see more details in the land that you don’t see when they’re covered with leaves and foliage,” Stypczynski says.
One of his favorites this time of year is the Ledges Trail off Truxell Road in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. “Just after a snow and the sun is shining on the rocks, it’s just always spectacular,” he says.
Stypczynski hikes about six days a week. The Cleveland Hiking Club offers several opportunities for hikers to get together on hikes throughout Northeast Ohio, ranging from three miles to 20. Some are leisurely, others are brisk and more challenging. Their website has a detailed list at Clevelandhikingclub.org.
Hidden Gems
“I think the tendency is to hunker down and hibernate in the winter,” says Sharon Uhl, a member of the Cleveland Hiking Club. “It’s so liberating to get outside every day. It lifts your spirits, and after a snowfall it’s beautiful. There are some places around here, when the snow is on the hemlocks, it’s just pristine.”
Greg Madachik is another fan of wintertime rambles. He belongs to the Northeast Ohio Hiking Club which also organizes weekly hikes throughout the region.
“When all the leaves are down, you can see the contours of the hills and it’s all opened up and with snow on top of that, it can be really striking,” he says. Madachik hikes two to three times a week or 1,000+ miles annually. “It adds up over time.”
Another Northeast Ohio Hiking Club member, Kimberly Grencewicz, adds, “For me, it is very therapeutic to get out, to keep busy and to breathe the fresh air. It’s good to visit a lot of different parks I had never seen before.”
One hiker says this about winter hiking: “You can walk the places you wouldn’t ordinarily see. It’s beautiful to see the snow cover the trees and the quiet in the woods, and the air is nice and crisp. You’re not cold after about five minutes out there.”
Marie Elium is editor of Northeast Ohio Boomer and Beyond. Her goal is to take a hike, a stroll or a walk every day this winter, regardless of the weather. She’s missed four days so far.
Local Clubs – They Like to Hike
No one says you can’t just walk out your back door and start hiking. But if you’re looking for a more organized approach, consider one of the region’s hiking clubs.
Hikes usually are assigned a leader and always have a distance included in the description. Some are pet-friendly, with well-behaved, leashed dogs welcome. Read the descriptions carefully to find your fit.
Many of the clubs below are best reached through the website Meetup.com, a social network platform. Type in the name of the club and register to join a hike.
Cleveland Hiking Club
Clevelandhikingclub.org
Crooked River Chapter: Buckeye Trail Association
Buckeyetrail.org
Facebook: Crooked River Chapter Buckeye Trail Association
Contact through Meetup.com
Greater Akron Area Hikers
Contact through Meetup.com
Mature Hikers (Akron)
Contact through Meetup.com
Northeast Ohio Hiking Club
Contact through Meetup.com
Northeast Ohio Orienteering Club
Contact through Meetup.com
Wadsworth Adventurers
Contact through Meetup.com
Westlake Hiking club
Contact through Meetup.com
It Pays to be Prepared
When it comes to winter hiking comfort, you are what you wear. Here are a few tips from Cleveland Hiking Club Members:
- You’re wearing too many clothes if you’re comfortably warm when you step out of your car. Dress for how you’ll feel after hiking for 10 or 15 minutes. Dress in layers and be prepared to shed clothing when you get too warm. Consider a small daypack to stash extra clothes.
- Bring water. Proper hydration is important in all temperatures, not just when you’re sweating.
- Falls happen. Consider practicing how to fall, or at least anticipate how to land (shoulder tucked) if you take a tumble. (See side story.)
- Sporting goods stores sell clamp-on or slip-on stabilizers for boot treads. An alternative is to repurpose old boots into ice boots with sheet metal screws. The Cleveland Hiking Club website has a detailed description if you want to make your own.
- Dress for the weather: hats, warm gloves and wool socks can make the difference between a miserable hike and a comfortable one.
Winter Goal #1: A Fall-Free Hike
Most of us avoid activities where falling is a risk. Let’s be honest: winter hiking comes with its share of ice and snow, and that means there’s always a chance of a fall. Don’t let that keep you from enjoying winter hiking.
Here’s a list of things you can do to prevent and minimize falls when you’re exploring nature. The information is provided by Cleveland Hiking Club member Julie Wojcik and reprinted with the club’s permission.
- Keep in the moment – mindfulness – watch the ground ahead and be aware of your surroundings. If hiking where there are a lot of roots and fallen branches or uneven sidewalks, keep your eyes open for potential trip hazards and attempt to avoid them. Trekking poles can also be helpful.
- When falling isn’t avoidable, prepare by staying bent. Instead of reaching out with stiff arms and elbows, bend your elbows and knees. Stiff arms can often lead to broken bones.
- Falls going forward can lead to serious head injuries, but turning your head to the side can lessen a serious impact to the front of your face. If falling backward, tuck your chin to your chest so you avoid hitting the back of your head.
- As you’re bending to soften a fall, attempt to fall on the meaty or muscle part of your back, butt or thighs, not on the bones. If possible, aim for a soft or grassy area of the ground.
- Keep falling; roll into the fall. This allows the fall to cover more areas of the body, instead of concentrating the impact on one part of the body.
- Try practicing a fall on your bed so that falling has a “natural” feel. It will allow you to react correctly when a fall does happen.
- Work on increasing your body’s ability to stay balanced. Stand with feet together, lift one foot about 1 inch, and hold for about 30 seconds – complete about 10 reps on each leg.
Winter-Worthy Hikes
We asked local winter hikers for their favorite trails and parks. Below are a few of their suggestions. Another good resource is “Best Hikes Near Cleveland” by Joe Baur.
North
- Brecksville Reservation – Cleveland Metroparks
Clevelandmetroparks.com
South
- Plateau Trail/Oak Hill – Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Conservancyforcvnp.org - Hinckley Lake Trail – Hinckley Park, Cleveland Metroparks
East
- Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park, Garrettsville
Ohiodnr.gov - Geauga Park District – The West Woods, Novelty
Geaugaparkdistrict.org
West
- West Creek Reservation, 2277 W. Ridgewood Drive, Parma – Cleveland Metroparks
- Bradley Woods Reservation (especially after snow.) Start at the Bradley Woods park off of Bradley Rd between Center Ridge Rd. and Hilliard Blvd. in Westlake.
- Olmsted Falls; walk along Rocky River
- Rocky River Reservation – Cleveland Metroparks
- Cascade Park, Elyria
Loraincountymetroparks.com - Girdled Road Reservation, 12840 Girdled Rd., Concord Township (start at Chickadee Trailhead) Lakemetroparks.com
Photo credit: Marie Elium
