Try Snowshoes for Winter Recreational Fun!

Snowshoes are much easier to put on than they used to be. A couple of years ago I switched over from a wood/rawhide pair to an aluminum pair with snap-on bindings and crampons. Once your boots are set in place, you're good to go. No more adjusting the bindings after you've been walking for a while. Moreover, the aluminum ones are lighter in weight and easier to carry before and after the trek.

I used to take a ski pole along to help with difficult terrain. Now that I go out hiking along with a couple of exuberant dogs, a pole is too much extra gear. Of course, I do miss the pole when I occasionally fall into a heap in several feet of soft snow. A pole is a sturdy guide for heaving yourself up in such circumstances, although sometimes you still have to flail around and take off the snowshoes anyway. Friendly pets looking to play or angling for treat handouts are apt to step on snowshoes, sometimes on purpose, so I get plenty of practice with falling and figuring out how to get up again, not usually very gracefully.

It's not necessary to go fast in snowshoes, although you can easily step on it when going downhill or over a tamped-down pathway. When breaking a new trail, however, a slow walking pace is best. Should there be an icy top layer, a frequent springtime occurrence in these parts, you'll need to proceed even more slowly lest the tip of your snowshoe snag the ice covering and send you crashing down. Going out hiking with a buddy who will spell you in breaking a new trail is a good plan. But solitary walks can work out too, especially if you return the way you came, tamping down the trail further. For longer walks, you can extend your path further each day, with bursts of speed on the much-traveled path and slowdowns on the newer segments.

Crossing over small streams or swampy areas where the snow has melted can be tricky, as the water may freeze on the snowshoe framework and gradually accumulate more ice layers with each further step in the snow. Warm conditions can also lead to a heavy ice-snow buildup. You might even have to stop, take off the snowshoes, and bang them against a tree to dislodge the icy overburden. Later, when you get home and remove the gear, your legs will feel almost weightless.

Some people complain of the awkwardness of snowshoes. But once you discover the novelty of floating on the snow instead of sinking up to your knees, you can find a way past the odd feeling of planting your feet more widely and dragging more weight and gear. Of course, you still have to figure out some ordinary things, like how to turn around without tripping over yourself or how to hike up and down steep inclines. After the initial problem-solving phase, going out for a brief winter outing becomes almost as easy as stepping out the door for a summer jog. The air is great; the winter silence is mesmerizing; and the activities of local wildlife are easy to notice. Best of all: no more cabin fever!

Like skis, snowshoes have been around a long time. In recent years, manufacturers have begun producing versions aimed not just a recreational users or hunters but also at serious athletes. Racing models are available and popular. Snowshoes for children and for people of all weight ranges may be found in sporting goods stores in states with snowy winters. Most types of boots work well with snowshoes. I recommend dedicating one specific pair to go with your snowshoes. That way you won't have to recheck the strap adjustments each time you go outside for a wintertime trek. Give it a try: you may discover a new favorite sport!