Snowshoeing!

What have I been doing over the past week instead of blogging?

Snowshoeing!

It's been a long time since we've had ski-able, snowshoe-able snow this early in December. And after two very dry, brown winters with little snow and much melting between each storm, I feel the need to get out as often as I can to enjoy my favorite winter sport.

So what do I love about it? The most obvious is that it keeps me active in even the coldest days as well as during periods of deep snow. Slogging through shin- and knee-deep snow in boots while breaking a trail is not fun. Floating over the same trail in snowshoes as the first person on it after a storm is more my cup of tea.

Image -
Lloyd Lorenz

While I also cross-country ski, I like that I can simply throw on my snowshoes and head out during and immediately after a snowstorm. No waiting for grooming to get my outside fun in!

Plus I am an inveterate off-trailer in the winter snow. Trails are just suggestions. The real fun for me is heading off into the marvelously accessible woods and seeing what I can see. 

During most growing seasons, the density of undergrowth makes most off-trailing arduous. In winter, snow opens up great swaths of that understory to the curious outdoors person. While breaking trail is more tiring, it also has great rewards by letting you get up close and personal to rock formations and running water (or traversing solid ice) to explore areas you can't easily access in the warmer, snowless months.

A pole can be useful as you tramp whether you are on or off trails. Steep climbs or descents are easier with a pole to balance with. If you are off-trailing, you can create your own switchbacks to make steep inclines less fraught.

While that's my jam, you may want to use the hiking trails to keep the energy expenditure low. Hikers and other snowshoers tamp down the snow and make snowshoeing a snap. 

Image courtesy of ORA

If you are using wider shared use trails that are groomed for cross country skiers, please be mindful of best practice though. Stay to the side of the trail and avoid using the tracks for skate and classic skiing. Volunteers spend hours grooming those trails for those of us who also enjoy skiing. Walking, snowshoeing or biking on those tracks degrades them for skiers. 

If you are snowshoeing and cross a cross-country ski trail, please lift your snowshoes over the classic track rather than plow through the track. Sharing trails respectfully means that all our winter-loving outdoor friends can have a great experience pursuing their snowy passions!

Finally, for ultimate snowshoeing fun, when buying snowshoes, look for ones that have easy bindings to get in and out of. In crispy cold weather, you don't want to spend your time with cold hands struggling to get your 'shoes on and off. Spending a bit of time and research before you buy can mean fewer cold fingers and bent backs and more time on the trails!

See you on (and off!) the trails!

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

Image - Lloyd Lorenz