Storm Troopers: Snowshoeing for Killer Legs

Winter is a time when people generally put away their running shoes, bikes and swimsuits and comfortably settle on the couch ‑- for the entire season. Snow on the ground and a chill in the air provide great excuses for cocooning or avoiding the cold commute to the gym. Well, we hate to burst your warm, cushy bubble, but you can still exercise ‑- outdoors! Snowshoeing is fun, easy and a great way to get your butt outside in the winter.

In fact, snowshoeing has become one of the fastest-growing winter sports in North America. According to a recent Outdoor Recreation Participation Study, the number of people who have tried snowshoeing increased by 300 percent from 1998 to 2004.

Why is everyone so excited about it? For starters, it's a great social activity, it's inexpensive compared to other winter sports and it's a great workout. Claire Walter, Boulder-based snowshoe enthusiast and author of Snowshoeing Colorado (now in its third edition) and The Snowshoe Experience: A Beginner's Guide to Gearing Up & Enjoying Winter Fitness, says that snowshoeing has changed drastically since she started researching the subject nine years ago.

"It went from this weird granola activity to a fabulous recreation," she says. Walter attributes the rise in popularity, for the most part, to advances in equipment.

"The old-fashioned snowshoes used to make great wall ornaments," Walter says. "But modern snowshoes are lightweight and bulletproof. You can theoretically have a pair for life."

How to Get Started
There's an old saying that goes, "If you can walk, you can snowshoe." And the truth is, it's just about that easy. Whatever you can do on a trail in the summer (excluding bike riding), you can do on snowshoes in the winter.

"I love to hike in the summer," says Walter. "For me, snowshoeing is the winter equivalent."

You can walk casually, observe wildlife, run and backpack on snowshoes, just as you would on foot in the summer. Because snowshoeing requires no training and minimal equipment, it's also a great activity for families. Strap a pair of snowshoes on your child or bring a baby or toddler along in a baby carrier, just as you would do on a hike. Remember, if she can walk, she can snowshoe.

Snowshoeing is also one of the best cardiovascular workouts you can get. It has even less impact on your joints than walking and poses little risk of injury. Plus, at a moderate pace of 2.4 miles per hour you'll burn 420 calories per hour on a snow-packed flat trail. Add fresh powder, some elevation gain and just a little speed and you'll be burning a whopping 774 calories per hour.

Ready to try it? If there's enough snow on the ground, you can enjoy an outing at your local park or on a trail near your home. You can also visit mountain inns, state and national parks, snow-covered golf courses, Nordic centers and ski resorts. Or, head to a local outdoor retailer such as Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) or REI to learn about nearby courses and trips. Several areas, including New York, have their own snowshoe clubs that sponsor races and outings. Check out SnowshoeMag.com to find a club or Nordic center near you.

You can get a great introduction to the sport, for free, on Winter Trails Day, generally held the first or second weekend in January (the next one is January 7, 2006). This annual one-day event, held in over 100 locations in the U.S. and Canada and geared toward novices, offers free rental equipment, lessons, guided tours and snacks, depending on the venue.

Another old saying is that snowshoeing is a 12-step program: Take 12 steps and you're a snowshoer. Although the techniques are very basic, it's always best to start out with someone who is knowledgeable about the backcountry. Obviously a snowshoe jaunt on a golf course is pretty safe ‑- but depending on where you go, issues to be concerned with can include avalanche danger, frostbite, hypothermia and getting lost (especially since night comes a lot quicker in the winter).

"You should err on the side of caution," Walter says, "because getting lost in the winter in the cold when you're not prepared is a lot dicier than in the summer."

Equipment and Clothing
Kim Walker, owner of Boulder-based Outdoor Divas, a gear and apparel shop just for women, recommends buying women-specific snowshoes. "It's not just a prettier shoe," she says. "They're narrower, because women have a narrower gait, and smaller overall."

Additionally, she says, the bindings are made to accommodate a woman's foot, and the shoes generally have a tapered tail that helps you steer and balance when you're going downhill.

"I can really tell the difference between men's and women's snowshoes," Walker says.

She recommends the Tubbs Altitude Series as a good beginner shoe. Tubbs is also the sponsor of a snowshoe event in 2006 called Romp to Stomp, held in various locations around the U.S., to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

As far as equipment, snowshoes are the only necessity. You can wear your own waterproof boots. Poles are optional, but recommended for balance and stability.

Walker is a big fan of using poles, especially backcountry collapsible poles that you can tuck away in your backpack. "You go from two points of contact to four," she says. "Snowshoeing is more physically challenging than hiking, and poles give you a sense of four-wheel drive."

As with most outdoor sports, you'll want to dress in layers and drink lots of water. Start with a wicking, or base, layer, followed by an insulating layer such as a fleece for warmth and wear, or bring a waterproof breathable shell. Carry a backpack, with water and snacks, so you can remove layers as you warm up and add them later as the temperature drops. Throw in a hat, glove and sunglasses and you're ready to go.

Walter recommends bringing hand and foot warmers, and gators to keep the snow out of your pant legs, especially in soft snow.