Snowshoeing, the Perfect Winter Sport

Learn to snowshoe and get fit outdoors this year! Leave the gym behind, get off of the treadmill, stop the solitary exercising in your home and get outside and enjoy nature and life.

The New Year is the perfect time to start getting healthy and fit through outdoor recreation as you embark on new adventures, like snowshoeing, fly fishing or hiking through places you’ve never explored before. The world is your playground—so get out there and get moving! Grab your walking shoes, snowshoes, skis, fly fishing rod, bicycle, binoculars, canoe, swimsuit or whatever else you might need depending on the season to enjoy some time outside.

Our favorite winter sport at Farm Fresh Living is snowshoeing. The Farm Fresh Living staff, consisting of former downhill and cross country skiers, unanimously voted snowshoeing as the best winter sport! Once you try snowshoeing you will understand why. Read on to learn more about why we love to snowshoe and see is it’s the right winter sport for you and your family.

Snowshoeing; the best way to burn calories, lose weight, increase your cardio-vascular capacity and enjoy the outdoors!

At Stargazer Perennials, the farm of Farm Fresh Living, we not only use our snowshoes for recreation but also as a great way to get around the farm during the winter when most everything is covered with a nice layer of snow. If you live in a winter climate area, or are moving to the country also consider keeping a pair in you car in case of emergencies.

The relatively inexpensive cost to get geared up for snowshoeing coupled with it’s overall appeal have both contributed to the rapid popularity of snowshoeing in the US as a family winter sport. Snowshoeing is a sport that is easy to learn and poses little risk of impact injury, enjoyable for the whole family, extremely inexpensive and burns more calories per hour than walking, running or most other cardio-vascular exercises.

Snowshoeing exercise facts:

• Snowshoeing burns up to 1,000 (that’s right!) calories per hours
• Snowshoeing burns twice the calories per hours as running, walking or cross-country skiing at the same pace.
• Snowshoeing is a very low impact sport that is perfect for all ages and fitness levels.
• Snowshoeing is easy to learn, in fact if you can walk you can snowshoe!
  

Snowshoeing Gear:

One of the great things about the sport of snowshoeing is that if you live an area that gets any snow at all you probably have the majority of the items already; all you might be missing are the snowshoes and poles!

Clothing:

Dress in layers for maximum comfort and warmth. You may not believe it when you start out on a snowshoe hike in 25 degree weather that you will get too warm, but believe me you will! Wear layers that you can take off and put back on with ease as you heat up and cool down.

Start with a quality base layer for your upper and lower body such as the new Patagonia Capilene line (a personal favorite on the farm!). The

Patagonia Capilene 3 Long-Sleeve Zip T - Women's A first layer for aerobic activities in a wide range of temps, this women's zip T-neck is highly breathable and dries quickly. Contoured, feminine fit minimizes bulk making this an easy-layering garment that won't restrict your movement. Patagonia has reinvented its Capilene® performance base layers, making them now from recycled and recyclable synthetic fiber.

Add an additional layer of fleece for your upper and lower body depending on the weather conditions and follow with a lightweight waterproof / breathable shell pants and jacket such as Gore-tex® or Elements. Don’t forget gloves, a hat or ear warmers, sunglasses and a quality high SPF sunscreen on any exposed skin. I also wear a CamelBak SnoBlast Hydration Ski Pack - 70 oz. that works as a small backpack to store all the necessary outdoor safety gear such as a first aid kit, duct tape, protein bars, etc.. and has a water reservoir at only $69.00 through REI it is a great deal!

Gloves:

For most snowshoe outings, you can wear lightweight fleece winter sports gloves. Thick enough to keep your hands warm, they also are very breathable. For colder weather try insulated weatherproof gloves. Our favorite insulated weatherproof gloves are actually gardening gloves! These tough, warm and waterproof gloves are versatile enough to wear snowshoeing or around the farm doing winter chores and at under $30 they are a bargain!

Boots:

Fortunately foot ware for snowshoeing typically consists of winter boots that most of us who live in snow country already own; leather hiking boots that are treated to be waterproof or insulated winter boots brands such as Sorel, Columbia, Keen, Merrel, Salomon or North Face boots. A good pair of warm, water resistant / proof winter boots will run between $69 - $200.

Add synthetic or wools socks – no cotton socks and gaiters and you are set. After shopping hard for gaiters this season, we have found that REI has the best selection of gaiters around at the best prices. Our new favorite gaiter that combines good functionality with a great price is the

Outdoor Research Verglas Gaiters Asymmetrically shaped bottom edge is curved to fit boots evenly with no gaps, keeping dirt and snow out of boots. Easy-access hook and loop closures open in front for quick on/off plus they can be micro-adjusted for a custom fit. Rugged unlined 500-denier Cordura® nylon foot section resists snow and rain while offering excellent durability where you need it most.

Types of Snowshoes:

The type of snowshoes that you eventually purchase depends on your level of activity and the size of the snowshoe depends on your weight. No matter which level of snowshoe you purchase you should expect to spend between $99 - $250 per pair. I’ve been recreational snowshoeing for several years on a pair of
Tubbs Sojourn 21 Snowshoes - Women's that list at $109.99 at REI (the best price) around and I couldn’t be happier!

Ask yourself what type of snowshoeing you expect to do to help you decide which type to purchase. Will you be taking a casual walk at the local golf course, park or a hike on an up-and-down mountain trail? Or are you into backcountry hikes for days at a time? Or are you a dedicated runner who wants to train during the winter? No matter what your interests are, one of the three basics categories of snowshoes is right for you.

Recreational Snowshoes:
Recreational snowshoes are for those who want to get out go for a day hike on trails or snowshoe around a nearby park or golf course. They include entry-level models, are priced reasonably yet are still quality made. Recreational snowshoes have easy-to-adjust bindings and traction systems or crampons that are designed for gentle to rolling terrain. Running-specific models also fall into this category.

Adventure Snowshoes:
Adventure snowshoes are designed with a little more aggressive crampons and beefier bindings, these styles are a step up from entry level and do well when taken off the beaten track. They can handle all but very steep or icy conditions. Expect to pay more for an adventure line of snowshoes

Backcountry Snowshoes:
Backcountry snowshoes are constructed with highly durable materials that can withstand harsh conditions and terrain. These snowshoes are aimed at the more serious snowshoer who wants to blaze trails for day hiking, winter summits, backpacking or backcountry snowboarding. Often outfitted with snowboard-type bindings or climbing crampons, these styles are intended for steep ascents and uneven or icy ground.

Where to snowshoe at:

You can virtually snowshoe anywhere there is at least 6” of snow. If you area novice to snowshoeing or have small children you might try areas such as parks, trails, golf courses (where permitted) or your own property if you live on acreage. Snow parks, ski resorts and Nordic centers often have trails mapped and rated by experience and can usually satisfy experience and fitness levels from beginning to advanced. Check you local area for maps, snow park locations and any access fees.

For information on a state park in your area try the link below:

National Park Service offers a complete listing of trails for free by state

Backcountry snowshoeing can be very dangerous and should not be attempted unless you are qualified to deal with potentially dangerous risks such as avalanches, inclement weather and survival skills in the winter. Snowshoeing is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and the peace and quiet, but be smart and safe whenever venturing out into the wilderness. Always snowshoe with a partner for safety.

Where to buy snowshoe equipment / gear at:

Snowshoeing is one sport where you want to steer clear of buying used equipment or snowshoes that have previously been used as rentals. Typically used snowshoes will have some serious wear issues in the straps and binding that are not easily detectable visually, and the worst thing is to be on a day hike 3 miles from the trail head and have your straps disintegrate on you. You can buy snowshoes and gear at a local retail store, or do as we do at Farm fresh Living and buy online. We have found that when purchasing items such as snowshoes where fit is based solely upon your weight and gender, online stores offer more selection at better prices than a local sporting goods store. Most online retailers such as REI, Sierra Trading Post, Paragon and Mountain Plus Outdoor Gear offer free shipping with a minimum order, and the best part, you can place your order any time and they just show up in the mail or by UPS.

The Farm Fresh Living recommended retailers for quality snowshoes and gear at great prices are:

REI Snowshoeing Store, Quality Snowshoes at Great Prices

Save on Outdoor Gear at Sierra Trading Post!

Paragon Sports. The Sports Specialty Store. Free Ground Shipping

Mountains Plus Outdoor Gear