Winter Backpacking
Your full-time job while traveling the Wilderness during the winter is staying warm. Keeping warm is the biggest safety concern in sustained cold. Read a little bit about some of the hazards and safety concerns for backpacking in the off-season: 
Wherever you decide to go during the Winter months, you will be approaching what you pack a little bit differently. The most obvious being clothing and sleeping gear. Winter camping can be very challenging. It takes the right gear, the right technique and the right attitude to make it work. You may be out in very mild, even quite comfortable weather in the dead of winter, but you should be prepared to handle the worst. Backpacking during the Winter months can be an incredible experience. Even the most popular trails will see few people during this time. Solitude is easy to find if that is what you are looking for and nothing can match the quiet you can experience on a calm winter day in the backcountry. Most life in the forests and mountains takes the winter off and even the sound of running water becomes rare. No bugs buzzing around your head, crisp cold air and peace and quiet, off-season backpacking is really quite nice. DON"T BE AFRAID OF WINTER Although the off-season for backpacking can be challenging in the beginning, don't be afraid of it. 
Just like your pursuit of adventure in the summer you must prepare a little and know what you are getting into, as well as know your own ability levels. If you think you can handle it then you probably can. Don't let the extra gear or the possibility of cold weather scare you away. Once you get the hang of it you will see that backpacking is really a 4 season activity.
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