Snowshoeing

[shootingstar]

Since you have a child, it makes sense to go on flatter terrain..certainly any trail amongst snow-draped trees would be a magic like thing for a child (and it still is for this adult ). Also you would be protected from alot of wind whipping around vs. a huge open flat field.

I don't wear snowpants when we've snowshoed in the mountains here in British Columbia. I just wear water repellant pants that I use for cycling over long underwear and tights. But gaiters are very helpful to keep you dry when kicking up the snow from the upswing of snowshoes at the back of your feet as you walk..in particularily powdery deep snow. I've noticed being a shorter person in deep snow, for some reason, the snow just swings higher behind me... For adult, if you know how you would dress for xcountry skiing, that would be an helpful guide plus gaiters for snowshoeing could be useful starting point.

Sounds like any child at that age would benefit from at least snowpants...wouldn't want to stop him from making a snow angel lying down in the snow, before/after snowshoeing.

This would be in temperatures that we've done at 10 degrees F below freezing as the lowest we've done, in the coastal and interior mountains here.

We have snowshoed in some quieter areas...going into Revelstoke National Park in the Rockies...is ...very quiet...hardly anyone there between Christmas and New Years. So one should have some warm layers if something should happen..which can in mountain areas with sudden weather changes and one is out for a 15 kms. snowshoeing up the mountainsides in that park.

But everyone is different here.

[Crankin]

Went for my second snow shoe of the season today at Flag Hill conservation area in Boxborough/Stow. We weren't the first out on the trail, because there were ski tracks, but definitely the second. There was about 5-6 inches of powder that felt a lot deeper for some reason. We had a surprise at the beginning; a new trail was cut that went up the side of the hill at the beginning and then met back with the original trail about 1/2 of a mile up. So a good warm up because after just a little bit of flat then you start up the hill, which is about a 350 foot climb in about a mile or less before you loop around and come back down. I love snow shoeing in fresh snow! When we got to the bottom of the hill, we continued just a bit on the flat trail and then turned around. My guess is we did about 3 miles, maybe a little bit more. We were out for about an hour. Did see the x country skier who made the tracks; she was flying on terrain that is definitely not groomed...
Then we headed for the coffee place to have mocha lattes.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hi Robyn!
We went snowshoeing today too!
DH got to use his new snowshoes for the very first time, and the first time we've ever gone shoeing together. We went on a snowshoe hike with a small group from the Land Conservancy here, on protected land. There may be photos up later this week from them, but I did take a couple of cute pix this morning in our backyard while DH was trying out the shoes.
The second picture was when he pretended to be Frankenstein.

[Crankin]

Excellent pictures, Lisa! I didn't take any yesterday. On the way home from the coffee place, my tooth started hurting. It went away, but now it's feeling weird again. I am going to try and ignore this, since I am going to get my butt out of the door and go x country skiing this morning. I have an appointment for a cleaning later this week anyway, so it will wait until then.
The weather looks brutal for the rest of the week. A high of 10 F on Friday , the night I have to go into Boston for theatre.

[short cut sally]

Up til this past week I had shoed only 5 times. Terrain wasn't anything to write home about..Too little snow in spots d/t the wind, and kinda icy in spots. This past week we got snow almost everyday and it actually stayed put. I spent the past 4 days off doing nothing but shoeing. My hamstring muscles are a little tender and tight but it was so refreshing to be outside....did I mention average temp was 5 degrees????

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ok ShellyJ- I am impressed. That's a lot of cold shoeing to do!! Snowshoeing is an incredible leg workout.

They put up a few photos of our modest shoe trek on conservancy land last week, here are a few of our little group:

DH had the idea of bringing 2 folding chairs so we could put our shoes on in style- brilliant! ....



DH and me on the right here:



DH alone in the middle, and me behind him, apparently causing a traffic jam(!):



Me waving, in back of DH:


The littlest shoe-er (who did a somewhat shortened hike):




Into the woods:

[short cut sally]

Bleeker St-- nice pictures!!
Actually, dressed properly with correct clothing, the temp. wasn't bad. There wasn't harsh winds when I went so it really made it enjoyable. You probably had comparible temps too didn't you???