Ice and snow are the reasons many winter walks never happen. With a few changes to how you walk, what's on your feet and where you go, you can keep walking through the coldest months and come home on your feet.
This guide covers what to do before you go, how to walk on ice, shoes and traction grips, walking in snow, why to leave the weight at home on icy days, what to do if you slip and when to move your walk inside.
Before you go
A safe icy-day walk starts at the front door.
- Check the path. Look out the window or step onto the porch. Wet-looking pavement on a cold morning may be ice. Melted snow often freezes again overnight.
- Give yourself time. Rushing is when people slip. Leave earlier or plan a shorter loop.
- Tell someone your route. Let a friend or family member know where you're going and when you'll be back, and carry your phone in a pocket you can zip.
- Pick a short, familiar route. You'll know where the uneven spots, slopes and dark corners are. Choose cleared, well-lit paths where you can. On dark mornings, our guide to walking at night covers lights and being seen.
Talk to your doctor or physical therapist before you start walking with weight if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia; bone, joint, heart or pelvic floor concerns; or if you're pregnant or postpartum. If you have osteoporosis or osteopenia, or if you've fallen before, ask them about walking on ice and snow too.
How to walk on ice: the penguin walk
Safety guides often call it the penguin walk: a short, flat-footed waddle that keeps your weight over your feet.
- Feet a little wider. Point your toes slightly out. A wider base helps you balance.
- Short, flat steps. Put your whole foot down at once instead of landing on your heel. Long strides push your feet forward and out from under you.
- Knees soft. Keep a slight bend in your knees so you're low and steady.
- Weight over your front foot. Lean very slightly forward, so your body stays over your feet as you move.
- Hands free. Take your hands out of your pockets and let your arms move a little at your sides. They help you balance, and they're free to catch a rail.
- Go slow. Walk at a pace where you could stop on any step.
Look a few steps ahead, not at your phone. Shiny, wet-looking or dark patches are often ice. Step around them on snow or grass when you can, and hold handrails on stairs and ramps.
Shoes and traction grips
What's on your feet matters as much as how you walk.
- Deep, soft tread. Shoes or boots with a deep, soft rubber tread grip better than smooth or hard soles. Worn-out soles lose their grip, so check yours before winter.
- Slip-on traction grips. These stretch over your shoes and add metal studs, coils or small spikes underneath. Look for a snug fit on your own shoes, a strap over the top so they stay on, and grips under both the ball of your foot and your heel.
- Take them off indoors. Grips are slippery on tile, wood and store floors. Sit down to put them on and take them off.
- Warm and dry. Waterproof shoes with room for warm socks keep your feet comfortable in slush. Our guide to rucking shoes and what to wear covers what to look for in a walking shoe.
Some women like walking poles with ice tips for extra balance on snowy trails. If you try them, practice on easy ground first.
Walking in snow
Snow and ice need different care.
- Fresh, shallow snow often gives fairly good grip, because your shoe sinks in a little. It's also harder work, so keep the walk shorter and slower than usual.
- Packed or shiny snow on busy sidewalks can be as slippery as ice. Treat it the same way: penguin steps and slow down.
- Hidden ice. Snow can cover ice, holes, roots and curbs. Stick to paths you know, and test each step on slopes.
- Curbs and stairs. Snowbanks hide the edge of the curb. Step down slowly, one foot at a time, and use rails on stairs.
- Slush. Melting snow can freeze again as the sun goes down, so an afternoon walk may be safer than an early-morning one.
Leave the weight at home on icy days
If you walk with a weighted vest or a loaded pack, take it off when it's icy. Added weight makes a fall harder to catch and can make it land harder. On snowy or icy days, walk without it, or carry only what you need, like water and a spare layer.
When the paths are clear again, go back to your usual load, and start lighter than you think. Our guide to walking in cold weather covers how to layer under straps and when to go lighter, and how to wear a weighted vest shows how to get a snug fit that doesn't shift.
On any walk, stop if you feel sharp pain, pain that changes how you walk, pelvic heaviness, dizziness or chest discomfort.
If you start to slip or fall
Even careful walkers slip sometimes. A few habits may help you fall more safely.
- Bend and go with it. If you feel yourself going, bend your knees to get lower.
- Fall to the side if you can. Landing on the side of your hip, thigh or bottom is usually better than falling straight back or landing on outstretched hands.
- Protect your head. Tuck your chin toward your chest.
- Get up slowly. Stay still for a moment and check how you feel. Roll onto your side, come up to your hands and knees, then stand with a rail, a wall or a friend's arm.
If you hit your head, or anything hurts, swells or won't take your weight, get checked by a doctor.
When to move your walk inside
Some days aren't worth it. Walk indoors when paths are icy and untreated, when there's freezing rain, when it's very cold or windy, or when you're feeling unwell.
- Mall walking. Many malls open early for walkers, and the floors are flat, dry and well lit. Our guide to mall walking covers how to find a place and make it a routine.
- The treadmill. If you have one at home or at the gym, it keeps your routine going on the worst days. Weighted vest on a treadmill explains how to add a vest safely, and our weight calculator suggests a conservative starting range.
- Stairs and hallways. A few laps of the house or the stairs in your building count too.
Your next step
Winter is a good time to build a walking habit that carries you into spring. Our free 4-week plan starts with a group on January 4, with walks you can do outdoors on clear days or inside when it's icy. For more beginner guides, visit Start Here.