I use a walking stick when hiking, or, more accurately, a sturdy ash stock cane, the kind used to encourage cattle to move along. When there’s ice and snow on the ground, though, the blunt crutch tip is no help, and often it’s a liability because the stick can’t get a sound grip. That’s when I shift to one or two cross-country ski poles, whether I’m snowshoeing or hiking with Yaktrax strapped to my boots. If the going is easy, I use one pole. If I expect to be traversing slippery slopes or climbing and descending hills, I use two. What’s that, you say? Aren’t cross-country ski poles meant for skiers? Sure they are, but they’re a valuable asset for anyone out on winter trails. Think of it as adding a third (or fourth) leg. Here are the benefits of using ski poles when snowshoeing and hiking…

• • They improve balance on slippery surfaces and unconsolidated snow
• • They’re a climbing aid
• • They help you get up when you fall in deep snow
• • Use them to check ice integrity when crossing frozen water bodies
• • Use them to probe for hollows under the snow
• • Use as a brace when shooting slow-exposure photos
• • Use them to discourage aggressive dogs

 
Cross-country ski poles designed for backcountry use often have wide baskets for flotation in deep snow, and you don’t need to spend a lot of money to buy a pair. To choose the right size for you, wear your winter hiking boots, plant the pole about 18-inches ahead of your foot, and hold the pole by the grip. Your fist should be about at the height of your shoulder, or a little higher. The next thing to do is to properly buckle the wrist strap.

 

 
Note how in the photo above the top strap on my pole is twisted before being buckled. (My thumb and finger are inside the loop to hold the sides of the strap apart for clarity’s sake.) This twist allows the strap to wrap comfortably around your hand and wrist without goring you. Next, get a proper grip. (Incidentally, the following tips also apply to trekking poles and walking sticks which are fitted with wrist straps.) Here are the steps:

 

 
Bring your hand UP through the loop, as shown in the first picture above. Now open your hand wide to encompass the base of the wrist strap, like in the second picture. Lastly, grip the pole with the strap between your palm and the handle, as in the last picture. This gives you the most secure grip on the pole and the wrist strap helps prevent your pole from skidding away downhill if your grip falters.

When you walk, plant the pole’s tip ahead of you. As you stride pass the planted tip, the pole angles forward with the tip in the snow. Now push off with the pole as you move on.

 

 
As you continue forward, pull the pole from the snow, swing the tip forward, plant, and repeat. The way you grip the pole gives you a firm grip without your having to keep your fingers tightly wrapped around the handle. With a pair of poles, you can get up a steady, swift stride, using the poles to help you move along smartly.

In steep terrain, or in brushy country, I don’t want to risk a wrist injury by having my hand fully inside the wrist strap, but I still want the security that the strap provides. To have the best of both worlds, this is how I hold the pole in such conditions:

 

 
I put only my fingers up through the loop, leaving my thumb outside, as shown in the first photo. I then bring my palm down onto the lower part of the strap and grip the pole—see the second picture above, though I’ve exaggerated the position in this photo for clarity. Normally my hand would be up further on the grip, nearer the top. This kind of grip on the pole makes it less likely that I’ll sprain my wrist if I slip or catch the basket when climbing, descending, or negotiating thick brush. At the same time, however, the strap will insure that the pole doesn’t get away from me if my grip on the handle slips.

 

 
If you hike on slippery trails or snowshoe, especially in deep snow, a pair of cross-country ski poles is a useful accessory. If conditions are easy, a single pole might work for you—if often does for me—but in steep or sloppy conditions, a pair can make the hike a lot more sure-footed. Give them a try and see if you don’t agree.

 
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