I have never been big into skiing or snowboarding and I do not have the money to buy a snowmobile, so my winters have always been rather dull. As others held festivals to pray for more snow in the mountains, I was left sitting inside counting the days until it melted and I could resume hiking. But this past week I decided to not let the season hold me back and I decided to take up snowshoeing.
My goal this year was to hike 200 miles. I am currently far from achieving that due to back problems earlier in the year so I needed a way to gain back some of those missed steps before the end of the year. However I soon
learned that snowshoeing is a short mileage and leg burning activity. My first time out I hiked 3 miles but it felt like I did 10. I knew ahead of time that snowshoeing would be more challenging than regular hiking but I still underestimated it. That being said I had a blast doing it!
Snowshoeing allows you to take a moment to breath in the majesty of a snow-covered forest. In my brief time as a snowboarder, I felt crowded on a mountain, surrounded by hundreds of people and children half my age carving circles around me as a struggled just to make it off the ski lift without falling. I was so focused on remaining upright and dodging the other people on the mountain I had no time to appreciate my surroundings. Snowshoeing was a breath of fresh air. Out there on the trail it was just me, the snowy trees and my snowshoes. I felt a sense of relaxation as I found my way to the trailhead. It was so quiet and so peaceful. I felt like I arrived at the mountain top before I even started. I knew from my first step that I was going to enjoy my new-found hobby.
Speaking of my first step, snowshoeing is a lot easier than I thought it would be in terms of technical skill. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. It is as simple as that. I was thinking having strapped what looked like clunky life boats to my feet, I would have to change my gait to accommodate them. But I soon found it was more of just making sure I lifted my knees and kept my gaze straight ahead. You get the hang of it real quick. I did misstep once and as I was looking around and didn’t see the edge of the trail narrow. After that it was smooth sailing as I wound down valleys, over fallen trees and through freshly packed snow.
Adrenaline junkies may scoff at you for snowshoeing because it seems lame to them, but for those of us looking for a little peace and quiet out in the wilderness, I would whole heartedly recommend giving snowshoeing a chance.
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.
