Anybody tried snow shoeing?

kenyonhaff

What others have said plus:

Mal de raquette is real: it is a different type of walk and your hips will get sore.

spiriteagle99

I've been snow shoeing several times and love being able to get into the backcountry when there's deep snow on the ground. After we bought a good set, it seemed like we didn't have any decent snow for several years, so it has been a while. It is slow, but it is definitely better than postholing in deep snow. If you take your snow-shoes off, be aware that if you do posthole, any skiers who come after will be very unhappy.

NorthCascades

scorpio516 wrote: »

BrianSharpe wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I've tried it, but it's not really my cup 'o tea. I do enjoy cross country skiing though.

That too! OP why not both!

Or Telemark . Climb up the mountain then ski down it!

Earn your turns.

There's a trail up Amabilis Mountain near here, it's 5 miles long and 2,000 feet up, just a constant, steady climb, with a lot of switchbacks. Sometimes it gets groomed for cross country skiing. It takes me 2 hours to get to the top, and 25 minutes back down. Snowshoers use the trail, too, I can't imagine having to trudge back down after all that work.

796fra

I love snowshoeing! We went for a 12 mile, 3400' elevation gain snowshoe hike on Saturday. It's so much fun to be in the middle of no where with no one around but friends.

I used to have cheap snowshoes and ran into the gait problems describes above. I invested in better shoes - designed for women - and no longer have such issues. Or maybe it's because I have 100's of miles on my snowshoes and I'm used to it.

BrianSharpe

NorthCascades wrote: »

If your snowshoes have risers beneath your heel, use those when you go uphill, they help a lot.

One thing that can really make it a better day is to have a dry pair of shoes and socks in the car. Snow will accumulate on to of your shoes and as it melts some will seep in.

Drink hot liquids! Bring a thermos with coffee or hot chocolate, drink some right before you get out of the car into the cold. You can bring a backpacking stove and boil water in the woods, too, although it's kind of a pain.

Good idea, another worthwhile investment (they're actually pretty cheap) is a pair of gaiters..

missysippy930

Good to see that you are going to rent snowshoes to try it out.
It can be a lot of work, especially on unbroken trails. Snow mobiles can be an issue in some places.
Dressing appropriately with layers is an excellent suggestion.
Great way to get out in the winter.

cwolfman13

BrianSharpe wrote: »

NorthCascades wrote: »

If your snowshoes have risers beneath your heel, use those when you go uphill, they help a lot.

One thing that can really make it a better day is to have a dry pair of shoes and socks in the car. Snow will accumulate on to of your shoes and as it melts some will seep in.

Drink hot liquids! Bring a thermos with coffee or hot chocolate, drink some right before you get out of the car into the cold. You can bring a backpacking stove and boil water in the woods, too, although it's kind of a pain.

Good idea, another worthwhile investment (they're actually pretty cheap) is a pair of gaiters..

And they serve multiple purposes...I wear mine when I'm hiking...a lot of the areas I hike have large meadows at elevation and the grass is long and often wet from rain or dew. They're a must for backpacking which I want to get back into soon...I think my kids are close to an age where we can start going on some shorter treks.

NorthCascades

I've never used gaiters for backpacking.

cwolfman13

NorthCascades wrote: »

I've never used gaiters for backpacking.

I didn't once and I spent a good chunk of a day just trying to dry my boots out around the fire. They were gor tex, but they were soaked on the inside from the water on the long grasses coming in from the top...

NorthCascades

GTX is waterproof and that's a double edged sword, because it also prevents water from getting out. That's pretty common. I won't wear GTX footwear, I've found it stops being fully waterproof pretty quickly (I think flexing the shoes stretched it out and breaks it), and once they get wet, they stay wet.

I've hiked across the Cascade Range a few times, up to five days on the trail, and always in light hiking shoes. I only ever use boots to ski or for glacier travel.

This advice was handed down to me by several experienced hikers, including somebody who did the PCT in one go. It's increased my comfort on the trail. Your mileage may vary, but you might do well to give it a shot when conditions allow.

Rocknut53

NorthCascades wrote: »

The downside to slowshoes is they're heavy, and big. They force you to walk at an unnaturally wide gait, and a pound on your feet is like ten on your back. So they exhaust you more quickly than regular walking.

The upside is they let you go where regular walking can't take you. Winter is gorgeous, in a very austere kind of way, and it's much nicer to be out among the snow-covered trees than inside eating Dorritos.

Some things to please be aware of: The cold, duh. Moving will keep you warm, but you'll get very cold when you stop. Especially if you work up a sweat, so try not to. And, because of the cold and the short days, make damn sure you don't get lost. In wind, and sometimes at random, a tree limb will drop all the snow and ice it's been holding, try not to get hit.

Tree wells can be very dangerous:



Snow bridges can also be dangerous. You can avoid most of them if you have a map by not crossing over streams, which tend to melt the snow from below. They'll be more of a problem in the spring.

Avalanches are rare in New England, but, still, be aware of what's above you.

Just want to reiterate how important this information is for winter enthusiasts. Here in Montana we have had at least 3 fatalities due to people falling into tree wells and as of now we have one person missing at a ski resort, a doctor who disappeared while skiing by himself. On a lighter note while snowshoeing a couple weeks ago, my dog actually jumped down into a tree well and couldn't get herself out so I had to sidestep down below her and push her 80 pound rear end up the hill out of 4-5 feet of snow. She was never in danger of suffocating as there was bare ground around the tree, but still....things happen. Avalanches have been common as well and we've had some fatalities, mostly snowmobilers that have triggered them. With a snowpack that's 150-185% of normal, we have to be diligent.

CoachJen71

Snow shoeing is awesome. I plan to tramp around the playground on mine during my recess duty.

curiousgp

Rocknut53 wrote: »

Great advice here from everyone especially @NorthCascades and @youngmomtaz. I just turned 64 and am thankful for the snowshoes my hubby got me years ago and finally decided a couple winters ago to actually use them. They keep me hiking my mountains even in the dead of winter. It is harder work for sure, but the rewards are worth it in terms of calories expended and the views from the top. The hardest part for me, once my dog discovered it's easier to walk behind me on a broken trail, is keeping her from upending me by standing on my tails.

My dogs do this with xc skis. If you stop - they'll sit on the back or the front of the skis - drives me crazy!

bikecheryl

We don't have mountains but we got about a foot of fresh snow on Monday. We have 160 acres so I just had to go out my back door! I have a pair of gators and would also recommend them!