Must have been a nice place to spend a couple of hours on a winter Saturday. Looking at the map the terrain does look pretty hilly with a few steep slopes. Always a good idea to avoid those if you can, especially if the ground is frozen and icy.

One interesting thing about winter treks is how warm it can get in direct sunlight if the skies are clear. On the other hand, places like narrow valleys or anywhere else in the shade can remain very cold throughout the day. This is something worth paying attention to when looking for a nice spot to sit down for a break or even build a shelter.

Re: keeping an eye on your gear, it's good practice to regularly check your pack and touch your pockets in case anything is about to slip out.

Another thing I noticed on the map - when hiking in hilly terrain it's usually better to zig zag down a slope instead of descending straight down. This also applies to crossing small valleys. Going from one hill to another, most people take a direct route because it looks shorter but is more tiring in reality. As an alternative, you might be able to find a roundabout route around the valley, staying at more or less the same elevation. It might be faster in fact and won't take as much effort.