Microspikes on the spring snow
Late March is the trickiest month on the north slopes. The trail was hard and icy in the morning, soft and deep by midday, and glazed again wherever the pines kept the sun off.
Microspikes were on and off five times. They are not crampons and I would not take them anywhere steep, but on a forest trail they turned a careful shuffle back into walking.
Poles with the snow baskets still on helped more than I expected in the slush.