I commuted year round in Toronto Canada and that often meant riding when it was snowing or the roads were icy. Even without studded tires where I am now I can ride my MTB up a hill when most cars get stopped about halfway up and start sliding back down. You should see the looks the drivers give me when I ride past them.

The biggest boogaboo in winter riding is dressing TOO WARMLY before heading out. Old military Arctic Warfare Training adage = "SWEATING KILLS!" Avoid sweating, wear layers and breathable jacket or windshell that can be EASILY unzipped with your gloved or mittened hands. You do not want to bare your hands if you don't have to especially with gloves as it takes a long time for the fingers to warm up again. I wear wool inner and a windproof shell on my hands. i also drss my lower bodfy in layers with a wind pants over everything when it's really cold.

Your area low temperature plus windchill PLUS RIDING SPEED INTO THE WIND can lead to very dangerous windchill temperatures wherein frostbite can occur in mere minutes or LESS. If you do ride in such extremes then every bit of exposed skin should be covered. I use a blaclava and a face mask.

Sunglasses or TINTED goggles with UVA and UVB protection are a good idea on sunny days but also on cloudy or overcast days. This is really important if you ride when there is little contrast. That's when you can get snowblindness which is VERY painful.

Snowblindness is actually a sunburn inside the eye. In low contrast but bright conditions like an overcast day with snow the iris in the pupil EXPANDS to let in more light in an effort to make out details. What's actually needed is less light. If you ever get caught out in such conditions without sunglasses or tinted goggles a piece of cardboard with a slit in it can be used to prevent snowblindness.

If you are out riding and yoy start to get too cold if you can find any kind of newspaper you can put sheets of it under a layer of clothing where the cold part of your body is -,except your hands.

If you ever start shivering pay VERY close attention to it. When you stop shivering make ABSOLUTELY SURE it's because you have warmed up. Getting cold, not warming andf then stopping shivering is a WARNING SIGN THAT YOU'RE SLIPPING INTO SEVERE HYPOTHERMIA and it can kill you very quickly after that.

I keep a saddle bag on my bicycle in winter with an extra layer of clothing in it that is large enough to go whatever I'm wearing. Even the extra socks are WAY oversize so than go on OVER my shoes. Two plastic bags are carried for emergency shoe covers to keep those extra socks dry on the shoes as well as to block the wind. You can carry another 2 bags to go over your hands but remember they can be a bit slippery on the brake levers.

Happy riding, take precautions, no the limits, stay safe but enjoy your winter riding.

BTW, if you ever get caught in deep snow, if you let most of the air out of your MTB tires (pressure around 15psi) you'll get amazing grip in that snow.

The ONLY deep snow I have a hard time with is that sticky 'packing snow' that snowballs and snowmen get made from.

A couple of times I undid the center bolt on my fromt fender and slif the fender down UNDER my front tire and securted it there so it was like a ski. That let me get through some surprisingle deep snow. i've considered building a detachable ski for the front wheel.

Cheers