Great Adventures Around the World | Get Outdoors on Snowshoes!

If you’re living in the mid-atlantic region of the United States, you may be finding yourself exposed to something you’ve never seen before… copious amounts of epic-depth snow. While snow may be nothing new, this much of it has certainly been a shock to the nerves. What many of us have discovered is just how hard it is to walk through the stuff (and you dog owners know EXACTLY what I’m talking about).

The inevitable result of this much snow in regions unaccustomed to it is entirely too much time spent indoors. What that means to me is a tragic missed opportunity. The Eastern United States has some of the most beautiful national parks and trails in the nation and their beauty is infinitely multiplied when blanketed in fresh, deep snow. But it’s pretty tough to enjoy the scenery when every step you take means sinking mid-thigh in 30+ inches of snow.

What many living in northern climates know that their mid-atlantic countrymen don’t is that it’s easy to enjoy the majesty and beauty of a snow-blanketed forest trail with the simple addition of a pair of modern snowshoes to your winter sports arsenal. It’s an approachable sport for just about anyone. If you can walk and hike, you can snowshoe in style. But you should know a few things before you get started.

How to Pick a Snowshoe

First, to make the sport truly enjoyable, invest in a modern pair of snowshoes. While I’m certainly nostalgic about the old ashwood-framed, rawhide-strung shoes, modern varieties are infinitely better in terms of use, function and comfort. The technology really has come a long way so, if you still have grandpa’s old wooden snowshoes stuffed away in your attic, leave them there and pick up a modern aluminum set. You’ll thank me once you’ve experienced the difference.

Next, buy the right snowshoes for your weight. Snowshoes come in different lengths which offer appropriate weight distribution (which is what allows you to float on top of the snow rather than sinking through). Different manufacturers have different length to weight specifications but it’s usually pretty easy to figure out. Most sites have a “sizing” or “pick your snowshoe” option where you can determine which length snowshoe best suits you. But, as an example, a man weighting 210 (with gear such as winter clothing, poles and backpack) will generally get something in the 30 inch range.

Another important consideration in picking your snowshoes is the kind of winter hiking you intend to do. More specifically, the type of terrain and snow conditions you expect to encounter in your snowshoes. The particular manufacturer you consider will help you here as well but the different terrain types and snow conditions can generally be categorized as follows:

• Trail Walking Snowshoes: Involves gentle, rolling terrain and trails over primarily packed snow
• Day Hiking Snowshoes: Involves moderate and some steep terrain over packed and powder snow
• Backcountry/mountain hiking Snowshoes: Steep, uneven terrain over deep powder and icy slopes

It’s also important to consider that there are snowshoes for men, women and kids. Obviously kids snowshoes are going to be substantially lighter and smaller to accommodate a child’s frame, but what may come as a surprise is that the men and women both need to select gender-specific shoes. Not only are women generally lighter than men, they also have a different gait and stride that needs to be considered. Strapping a woman into a snowshoe made for a man can lead to a frustrating “Frankenstein” walk, frequent falls and a very disappointing outdoor experience (this is supposed to be fun, folks!) Click the following link to learn more about womens snowshoes.

Since floating over snow in snowshoes can be a bit of a learning experience, you should also consider adding a pair of snowshoe hiking poles to your purchase. These will help you balance as you get used to walking in snowshoes, but these aren’t just for beginners. Experienced snowshoe hikers are just as likely to keep their poles handy for challenging terrain, so you don’t have to worry about growing out of your poles.

So there you have it, folks. There’s no good reason to be stuck indoors when there’s such an amazing winter wonderland out there to explore. See your world as you never have before, because it’s an adventure out there. Pick up a pair of snowshoes and get out in it!

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