Snowshoeing is not a new activity, as a matter of fact it's been around for thousands of years. It was an essential way of moving around in snowy areas all over the world, especially among North American native peoples.
Today, snowshoeing is still a great way to get out and walk in areas where snowcover makes it impossible to navigate safely on foot. Snowshoeing is less expensive than many winter sports. The average price of a pair of showshoes is between $150 and $300 a pair. Check out a variety of snowshoes at Backcountry Gear.
To get started snowshoeing, you'll need a pair of snowshoes, poles, and adequate winter clothing. Make sure you dress in layers. The inner layer of clothing should be a lightweight thermal underwear, to wick moisture away from the body. Cotton is not a good choice for the inner layer. Instead, Capilene is recommended by "The Winter Backpacker", an online guide to winter hiking and snowshoeing.Try a fleece layer, followed by a windproof and waterproof outer layer.
Dressing in layers helps you to adjust clothing to keep warm and minimize sweating. Insulated boots, gloves and toboggans are also essential.
You'll need to take frequent breaks when snowshoeing. Drinking plenty of water, refueling when hungry, and staying dry and comfortable are important. Since dehydration can lead to hypothermia, adequate water intake is imperative.
High carbohydrate foods, according to snowshoeing expert Carl Heilman, are needed for energy. He suggests you bring along items like pretzels, crackers and cheese, dried fruits, and yogurt. You might wish to carry a backpack to hold the items you need while snowshoeing. Longer hiking, climbing, or camping trips will require much more gear, but for a daily workout, a backpack should hold all you need.
Snowshoeing is incredibly easy to learn, and requires little to no training. Check out The Winter Backpacker to learn how to walk in snowshoes.
Snowshoeing is definitely a very strenuous workout. Amazingly, it burns over 1000 calories an hour! With that kind of calorie burn, I don't care how tough it is, I'm game. The good news? It is fun and a great way to add variety to your winter workout. Whether you want to snowshoe close to home or tackle a rough terrained hiking trail, showshoeing promises a new way of keeping active this winter.