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Other stories in "Winter"

• The chocolate cure
  As winter drags on, drown your sorrows with sweets.
• Vacations for the brain
  Go to a summer school, and you'll come home with a skill.
• Following the Beargrease
  The 2011 North Shore sled-dog marathon was one of the most exciting in years.
• The best of 2010 . . . and 2011
  Here are our revelations from the old year and resolutions for the new one.
• Volunteering on Lake Superior
  Be keeper of the light or a modern voyageur.
• Bargains for beginners
  Free or cut-rate ski and snowboard packages make it easy to learn.
• How to make ice luminaries
  With homemade lanterns, make your front walk sparkle.
• Cheap winter retreats
  Spend a weekend mushing dogs or tracking wolves at bargain prices.
• A peek into an inn
  During holidays, B&Bs in five tourist towns open for tours.
• Holiday house calls
  On tours, see where the rich and famous celebrated Christmas.
• Readers say Ely is the coolest town
  It's got wolves, it's got bears, it's got character.
• Sightseeing by bicycle
  This summer's tours include an extra quota of scenery.
• Serious reservations
  Here's a guide to the lodgings, campsites and permits you should nail down now.
• Best bets in ski country
  Trails in the south bask in snow; a hostel reopens in state forest.
• Skiing in the city
  On the trails of Duluth, a cappuccino never is far away.
• Magic under the moon
  In winter, plan a trip around a candlelight ski or snowshoe.
• A very merry city
  At Christmas, Chicago brims with good will.
• All eyes on eagles
  In winter, tourists and birds alike head for open water.

Walking on ice

To stay safe and have fun, buy a pair of crampons.

There's snow in the north woods now, and there's something else, too: Ice.

People who are planning to ski or snowshoe may want to have a Plan B. Ice covers many trails, making skiing dangerous and snowshoeing impossible (and destructive to wooden snowshoes).

If you want to hike, bring a pair of crampons. A $4 pair of metal claws strapped to the bottom of my boots once saved my hide when I was hiking on ice-covered trails in Tettegouche State Park (pictured). I ended up giving one claw and both ski poles to three friends, so we'd each have at least a little traction.

In their simplest version, crampons are just a metal claw attached to a strap; farm-supply stores, such as Fleet Farm and Pamida, sell them for as little as $4.

Sports-gear and running stores sell the more expensive Yaktrax, which wrap around a boot or shoe. They’re $20-$30, but often on sale this time of year.

STABILicers cleats, which fit over a shoe or boot, are a little more expensive, up to $50. They're also sold at outdoor stores.

Bring poles to help you pull yourself up hills and keep your balance; walking without them on sheer ice is like walking on a tightrope with your hands tied to your sides.

They needn’t be good ones; ski or walking poles are easy to borrow and are plentiful at stores that sell used sports equipment.

Mainly, stay safe. At best, a fall will give you a good bruise; at worst, you can break a hip.

Last updated on December 14, 2010