Snowshoeing

[AuntieK]

Lifesgreat,
Call me next time you plan to go. I also have a Sundance pass. I've been up to the Nordic Center several times this year xc skiing, and I have wanted to try snowshoeing, too. I'd be good for me to go with a seasoned veteran of s-shoe. Plus, I always have fun hanging out with you!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh you lucky gals, being able to get together! Be sure to take a few pictures and post them here!

Lifesgreat- I don't live as far "upstate" as you might think- more like central NY state. In NYC, anything more than 2 hours north is called "upstate". We don't get nearly as much snow here as Oswego or Buffalo, for example. But I'm ever hopeful for more.... The next few days however will be above freezing and no chance of snow. Who knows, I might even be able to get a bike ride in if the roads are dry!

[Lifesgreat]

Lifesgreat,
Call me next time you plan to go. I also have a Sundance pass. I've been up to the Nordic Center several times this year xc skiing, and I have wanted to try snowshoeing, too. I'd be good for me to go with a seasoned veteran of s-shoe. Plus, I always have fun hanging out with you!

Like I am a seasoned veteran

I would love to have you come, but as you know, I will need to stop often to admire the scenery (and catch my breath).

[Crankin]

Did my third snow shoe of the season. It was 40 degrees out and very nice. We went to the Stow Town forest, where I've done a bit of mountain biking, walking, and cross country skiing. We weren't sure if we should just hike, but we brought the snow shoes and decided to use them. The further we got into the woods, the snow became more powdery. There were more people than I've ever seen before using snow shoes. A few were skiing, but it's really not the greatest place to ski; they plow a path, but it's not groomed. Anyway, we found trails I've never been on, one being a hill with about 500 ft. of climbing. My endurance is definitely not great since the fibromylagia started, but I managed to slog up. I haven't really stopped exercising, despite everything going on with my health, but I have not been doing as much really hard stuff.
Still, it was great. We only ended up doing 2.2 miles in 50 minutes, but it was a pretty tough work out.
It's supposed to be 60 on Tuesday! I will be riding my Voodoo commuter bike, since the roads are just a mess of sand, salt, and melting snow.

[Jolt]

Did my third snow shoe of the season. It was 40 degrees out and very nice. We went to the Stow Town forest, where I've done a bit of mountain biking, walking, and cross country skiing. We weren't sure if we should just hike, but we brought the snow shoes and decided to use them. The further we got into the woods, the snow became more powdery. There were more people than I've ever seen before using snow shoes. A few were skiing, but it's really not the greatest place to ski; they plow a path, but it's not groomed. Anyway, we found trails I've never been on, one being a hill with about 500 ft. of climbing. My endurance is definitely not great since the fibromylagia started, but I managed to slog up. I haven't really stopped exercising, despite everything going on with my health, but I have not been doing as much really hard stuff.
Still, it was great. We only ended up doing 2.2 miles in 50 minutes, but it was a pretty tough work out.
It's supposed to be 60 on Tuesday! I will be riding my Voodoo commuter bike, since the roads are just a mess of sand, salt, and melting snow.

I guess it was just a snowshoeing kind of day around here--I snowshoed today too (first time ever)! There's a wildlife sanctuary/park here in Worcester that has quite a few trails, and occasionally I go there to run. Today I decided to go there, and figured I'd bring my snowshoes and do that if there was still enough snow on the trails. It was fairly packed down but I decided to snowshoe anyway, just to start getting a feel for it. It was fun and I'm looking forward to the next big storm so I can hopefully get out in fresher snow. It was easier than I thought it might be, with the exception of going downhill in a controlled fashion (I ended up doing what felt like a duck-walk that was about to turn into a run--not exactly graceful, but it worked)! As for the supposed 60-degree weather coming on Tuesday, that is officially just ridiculous for this time of year!! Sorry to hear about your health problems and hope you feel better.

[Crankin]

It is actually easier for me to run downhill on snow shoes than to run down just in hiking boots. I just push that foot forward and get the crampon to dig into the snow. You never fall that way.
The duck walk feeling is normal. You eventually get used to walking with your feet a little further apart than normal. Just remember to do some extra stretching of the hips and It band afterwards!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Jolt- congratulations on your first shoe-in!!! Snowshoeing is easier than I thought it would be too, in terms of figuring out what to do. But it's also harder than my biking and fitness walking in terms of giving me a good cardio workout. If there's fresh deep powder and hilly trails and you're the first person to break the snow, then snowshoeing is hard work! If you're walking over someone's previous trail, no matter how small their prints are, it's immediately way easier.

Robyn,
I have read that when going downhill on snowshoes one should put weight down onto the heel of your foot so that your heel crampons can dig in and so that your foot will plant down level instead of tilted toe downwards. Feels odd at first to put your trust in that heel to stop you from sliding, but I'm finding that it works well for me so far in deep snow going downhill facing forward.
Have you found this heel down technique to be good in your own descents?

No new snow around here for the next few days...we're having a major warm spell. I'll have to be patient.

I find that I don't need to do much in the way of keeping my feet apart while shoeing- only have to do it a tiny bit when walking straight- but I wonder if perhaps that's because of my women-specific tapered Tubbs shoes. They are supposed to be tapered to suit a woman's gait more and supposedly prevent one from stepping on one's own shoes and tripping. Can't figure out if it's just my naturally wide hips, or my women's specific snowshoes that are helping me with that.

One funny thing is that if i am standing still gazing at the beautiful scenery (code phrase for "desperately trying to catch my breath"), and then decide to turn around and walk in a different direction, I have to consciously remind myself that I am on snowshoes. If I don't remind myself every time before I turn and move, I tend to just step right on my other shoe while turning and almost fall flat on my face. Too funny.

[Crankin]

Lisa,
I have women-specific snow shoes, too (Atlas). I don't do much of the duck walk, either, but it does take getting used to at first. Mine don't have heel crampons, so that's why I use the technique I described. I guess they weren't meant for the super rugged terrain, but I've never had an issue. I ran down a pretty steep mountain in the White Mountains last winter, and as you know, I'm a downhill weenie!
It's really nice out today, but I rode the trainer and did some core work at home. The streets are a mess of melting stuff. Hope to be on the Voodoo tomorrow afternoon.

[Jolt]

Jolt- congratulations on your first shoe-in!!! Snowshoeing is easier than I thought it would be too, in terms of figuring out what to do. But it's also harder than my biking and fitness walking in terms of giving me a good cardio workout. If there's fresh deep powder and hilly trails and you're the first person to break the snow, then snowshoeing is hard work! If you're walking over someone's previous trail, no matter how small their prints are, it's immediately way easier.

That probably explains why it didn't feel like that hard of a workout--I was walking over EVERYONE'S previous trail for most of the way. It had been quite a while since the snow had fallen, so that had given the place plenty of time to get lots of traffic. It would be great if the next big snowfall is on a day when I can get up the next morning and go before a bunch of people have broken trail--then I'll get a feel for how much of a workout it normally is!