‘Tis the season for snowshoeing!
Posted February 14th, 2007 at 1:00 PM by Valerie Cerami
Section: Running & Training, Gear & Apparel, Miscellaneous, Training Tips, Cross Training
It’s been too dangerous (during this frigid icy spell) to get in most of your outdoor runs. You can always count on the gym (for a treadmill under the air vent), but counting on indoor rubber is like counting sheep.
I miss the fix of fresh air, sans someone sneezing on me. I don’t particularly enjoy the forced eavesdropping of my neighbors cell phone conversation – let alone, the conversation I become a mute-third-party to. I need my daily dose of endorphins pumping, heart pounding, pore and mind opening, oxygen.
And I also enjoy the solitude and brief escape from the electronics that rule the day. During disagreeable weather, there is hope for us all to: get outside – get re-energized – and get a great cross-training hobby - without relying on the boredom of the machines housed in germ-factories of the masses …
What can we die-hard, runners do when it’s snowing?
Simple. Snowshoe.
A huge advantage of snowshoeing is its simplicity. Snowshoeing is the easiest way to enjoy a winter snowfall (whether walking, running, jumping, or climbing!). Snowshoeing can be as easy or as rigorous as you like, and compared to some other winter activities, it’s gentle on the body’s muscles and joints. Snowshoes are also fun to use on many different snow conditions. To get started in the sport, a good snowshoeing workshop may be helpful, but lessons aren’t necessarily needed. A quote from a devotee:
“Over the many years that I’ve been snowshoeing, I’ve found it’s one of the best ways for me to get out every winter to exercise and explore. Each time I go out I find a sense of peace and freedom in the woods that helps revive the spirit of youth that’s inside each of us… See you in the snow!”
Even hardcore runners must halt in their tracks when the weather isn’t conducive. So stomp your feet, let off steam, let go of the jog, and grab a pair of snowshoes -it’s a saner, safer way to beat the winter blues while maintaining (and gaining) endurance. You can’t fight Mother Nature (and she’s here with a formidable vengeance).
When running, SNOW is my semiosis – my bright-white stop sign signaling red (danger ahead) - each hexagonal little flake warning: run and you may fall, slip, drench, flu-compromise or otherwise injure yourself. “Opt for the snow shoes”, says the little crossing-guard in my mind, heralding-high the wooden-sticked sign of caution like a popsicle marching across the intersection of “Run Street” and “Fall Avenue.” And, obviously, she’ s donning her snowshoes!
Smart runners are taking their queue from hikers this season. In order to continue our hobby/lifestyle during Nor Easters, we can turn to snowshoeing for safe wintertime conditioning.
While today snowshoes are mainly used for recreational purposes, (primarily by fitness enthusiasts who won’t let old man winter keep ‘em indoors) in the past they were essential tools for fur traders, trappers and anyone whose life or living depended on the ability to get around in areas of deep and frequent snowfall (I know, it feels like our life depends on it, too).
Still today, snowshoes are necessary equipment for forest rangers and others who must be able to get around areas inaccessible to motorized vehicles when the snow is deep (Needed equipment, also, for runners who must brave the elements in a novel, fitting way.) Add snowshoes to your list, I’ll wait…
With proven longevity of necessity, snowshoeing was practiced in (present-day) Central Asia about 6,000 years ago (it is believed that as these ancestors to the Inuits and Native Americans, migrated from Asia to North America, they brought the snowshoes with them, which were modified slabs of wood). Up Until the 1970’s, snowshoes were most exclusively used for employment and survival - rather than recreation - and were made of wood (white ash) and rawhide.
While traditional snowshoes still have a hardwood frame with leather lacings, most modern snowshoes are made of light metal while others are a single piece of plastic attached to the foot to spread the weight. This foot-gear has hiked a long way to reach us… let’s try walking (literally) in their shoes for a moment…
Specifically, snowshoes (colloquially referred to as webs) are footwear for walking over snow. They work by distributing the weight of the person over a larger area so that the person’s foot doesn’t sink completely into the snow - a “cool” quality called “flotation”. In addition to distributing the weight, snowshoes are generally raised at the toe for maneuverability. They must not accumulate snow (hence the latticework) and require bindings to attach them to the feet.
It’s been said that if you can walk, you can snowshoe.
Snowshoeing does not require a lot of training, equipment (or money!) and it’s an exceptional workout. You can try a variety of adventures, such as an afternoon hike, an overnight camping trip, or even an Alpine climb (with practice!). Snowshoers also are able to see a lot more scenery than cross-country skiers or snowmobilers, since they can explore many more optional places (such as wooded areas or steep hills).
The only necessary equipment for snowshoeing is snowshoes and winter boots (poles are optional, depending on the type of terrain). Oh, yes, one more thing: an adventurous, fun-loving spirit is required! Below is a briefing on the snowshoe lingo basics to get you started:
• Frame - This is the part of the shoe that makes up the skeletal shape. It can be made of metal or wood and functions as the seat for the bindings and crampons. It’s important to find a snowshoe with a strong frame if you want them to last a long time.
• Decking -This is the part of the shoe that keeps you above the snow. It can be either webbed or solid and is made from a variety of materials depending on the manufacturer.
• Cleat - Like athletic shoes, this is the part of the snowshoe that gives you traction in the snow. This is an important feature and either comes standard or can be purchased as an attachment.
• Harness and Bindings - This is what connects your boot to the snowshoe. The bindings should be secure, but comfortable.
A few more tips:
- Drink lots of water while snowshoeing - You may not seem thirsty in the cold winter air, but lack of water on a hike will leave you dehydrated.
- Look for trails with fluffy snow that is about six inches deep.
- Dress in layers so you can add or subtract clothing as necessary.
- Beginning snowshoers should stick to controlled environments such as ski resorts - Wait until you are more experienced to try out the backcountry woods.
- Pack a Camera (or cell phone) - optional, but recommended by the diehards!
Nature photographer Carl Heilman II, rhapsodizes:
“Walking in the snow on snowshoes is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing things I’ve done. It’s hard to explain to someone how something so simple can be so rewarding until they’ve tried snowshoeing themselves. Each time I put on my snowshoes and walk in an enchanted woods that’s draped with a fresh mantle of snow, I still feel the same magic I felt the first time I put on a pair of snowshoes and headed off across the snow.”
Over the years (and because of the love of this sport), Carl has become as well known for his traditionally handcrafted snowshoes and his snowshoeing expertise, as for his primary career in publishing wilderness photography. He has most recently been selected as one of 39 photographers to be included in The Best of Nature Photography (a photography book that includes images and tips from some of the top Pro photographers in the country).
Experience the beauty, appreciate the winter landscape, and become one with nature when you, too, kindle the love of snowshoeing. It can open up a picturesque book of possibilities for you. See, feel, and feel good. Maybe add a camera to your hike, or a least snap a cell phone image of your jaunt.
Moreover, snowshoeing can be broken down into three basic types of activity: recreational, mountaineering, and aerobic/fitness snowshoeing. You will develop your own techniques and penchants as you begin, and depending on types of terrain you choose, you will surely use some (or all) of the moves below on your first (and every subsequent) excursion:
• Uphill - To climb up a hill, kick the front of your snowshoe into the snow and step down hard to compact the snow. Then shift your weight to the other foot and repeat the process. You may also choose to step sideways so that more of the snowshoe comes in contact with the mountain. You may wish to use poles for extremely steep slopes to help maintain your balance.
• Downhill - Climbing down a hill is much the same principal as going up, except that you concentrate your weight at the back of the snowshoe. This is the point of your climb where your cleats come in handy.
• Traversing - Traversing is traveling horizontally along a slope. This is another situation where poles could come in handy. The technique for this is similar to what you would use with skis when edging yourself along. Edge one foot in front of the other, using your cleats and your poles for balance.
• Reverse - There are two different ways to reverse, or turn around, when you are snowshoeing. The first is to simply take baby steps, moving one shoe a little, and then the other, until you are pointed in the direction you wish to go. The other is to plant your poles on either side of you, then jump, twist, and land.
• Breaking the Trail - When traveling in a group, each person should step into the leaders footsteps to create an easy trail. Take turns leading since breaking the trail can be somewhat strenuous.
Don’t let a whiteout wipeout your workout: hush your indolent sighs and shout hurrah for snowshoes. Turn a snow day into a snowshoeing day. When the weatherman calls for a snowstorm, you can call on your new rapturous apparatus. Laces up those snowshoes and give the sneakers a rest. Adapt – rather than sit-back. You’ll be the better for it: versatile, strength building, balance improving, muscle enhancing, cardio boosting – and most effectively FUN - snowshoeing.
Have I convinced you to go play in the snow yet? Perhaps a calorie comparison can sway you one step further: sledding burns 485 an hour, making a snowman burns 277, and just trudging through the park (in regular boots or show shoes) blasts a whopping 526 calories. Besides the extreme calorie burning workout benefit of snowshoeing, you’re also getting the sun and crisp air that will elevate your mood and energy levels naturally! Forgo the gym today, forget the treadmill for once, and get outside in the snow!
Speaking of snow, a bit of trivia to regale to your buddies over hot cocoa.
“Neither snow nor rain not heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
Most everyone thinks this is the motto of the post office, but they actually have no motto. The mailman’s mantra Inscription (NY Post Office Building in 1914) was actually adapted from Herodotus, Greek historian & traveler (484 BC - 430 BC).
Snowshoeing expands the potential for exercise available in the wintertime. As of 2006, at least 500 American schools (mostly but not exclusively in the Northeast) have started offering snowshoe programs in their physical education classes to help combat obesity. It had the added benefit of being gentler on the feet than walking or running the equivalent routes, since snow cushions the foot’s impact.
Having winter fun-in-the-sun can snowshoe you into summer, too. Brush off the snow-laden laces and usher in the white sandy beaches with your newly broken-in footwear.
Just as snowshoes have made running a year-round sport in even the coldest climates, runners have in turn found ways to make use of snowshoes in summertime. Some enthusiasts and racers have found that snowshoes facilitate foot travel in sandy areas such as beaches and deserts. One race organizer, Andrew Bielecki (of Breckenridge, Colorado), claims: “they work even better on sand.”
In any season (and for proper funny bone functioning), one of Jack Handey’s popular “Deep Thoughts” on Saturday Night Live considers other possible uses of snowshoes:
“Many people do not realize that the snowshoe can be used for a great many things besides walking on snow. For instance, it can be used to carry pancakes from the stove to the breakfast table. Also, it can be used to carry uneaten pancakes from the table to the garbage. Finally, it can be used as a kind of strainer, where you force pancakes through the strings to see if a piece of gold got in a pancake somehow.”
Seriously, As Florence Page Jaques put it in her book, Snowshoe Country,
“I love the deep silence of the midwinter woods. It is a stillness you can rest your whole weight against… This silence is so profound you are sure it will hold and last.”
So, bring on the blizzards! Slipping on your snowshoes is like whooshing your superman cape of smarts. Invigorate your winter workouts. Take your routine “out of the box”, outdoors, and oust yourself into a better cross-training technique. Float yourself onto that ground-cloud of pure white snow- your tired-old, boredoms will drift away (along with any overuse injury aches and pains). Energize yourself by taking a “snow day”” … have fun, Frosty!
Finally, if you got nothing out of this article thus far, perhaps the safety-tip below may someday serve you (I would hate to waste anyone’s time!).
How to make EMERGENCY snowshoes:
1. FIND BRANCHES. Cut down two thickly vegetative branches 2-3 ft long (60-90 cm) from a fir or similar tree.
2. TIE STRING. Tie a string about 2 ft long (60 cm) around the base of the branch at a branching near the cut off end, in the branch as shown.
3. TIE STRING AGAIN. Tie string again around the base but on the opposite side of the branching. This ensures that the string is fixed in any direction.
4. ATTACH TO SHOE. Tie string to the front of your shoe. Make sure it goes through the front shoelace threading holes as in the picture. Make sure all ends and sides of the branch are pointing up away from the ground.
5. ANGLE. Your shoe should be able to flip up to an angle of around 30 degrees. This is very important; the snowshoes must pivot around your toes and drag in the back. 
If the snowshoes don’t pivot the front ends will go into the snow and you can’t move forwards.
6. WALK. If you have done everything right you will be able to walk on the snow with your emergency snowshoes.
Not much of a McGiver? Then look into purchasing a pair of YakTrax! These inexpensive accessories are effective, well-thought of and easy-to-use traction devices for winter walking and running.
Research sources and for more information: [Mountaineers.org], [GottaGoItSnows.com], [BeginnersGuide], [QuotationsPage], [Princeton University], [Mendosa], [YakTrax]
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: back country, backcountry, bindings, breaking the trail, cleat, cold, cold climates, cold weather running, downhill, frame, harness, hike, hiking, ice, icy, McGiver, poles, reverse, safety, sleet, snoeshoe, snow mobile, snow shoe, snow shoeing, snowmobile, snowshoeing, traction, traversing, uphill, weather, winter, winter boots, yaktrax
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