Snowshoeing in mountains

[lph]

Funny, snowshoeing for pleasure has never caught on here. People buy snowshoes strictly for practical uses, fetching water or wood at a chalet in the mountains, hunters and ice-climbers will use them because theyære nimble in the woods, snowboarders will use them to get up a mountainside because they're easier to carry down than skis. But I don't think I've ever met a Norwegian just snowshoeing for the fun of it instead of skiing.

[shootingstar]

Funny, snowshoeing for pleasure has never caught on here. People buy snowshoes strictly for practical uses, fetching water or wood at a chalet in the mountains, hunters and ice-climbers will use them because theyære nimble in the woods, snowboarders will use them to get up a mountainside because they're easier to carry down than skis. But I don't think I've ever met a Norwegian just snowshoeing for the fun of it instead of skiing.

Interesting. Sounds like alot of Norwegians are like some Europeans might treat cycling --utilitarian, nothing special. I don't know about other parts of the U.S. but at least I noticed that 12 years ago, snowshoeing in British Columbia wasn't as popular back then. This is based on information we would try to find on trails, way more limited range of snowshoe models to buy, etc.

[Crankin]

Just came back from my first snowshoe of the year. Since I didn't leave until about 3:50, I didn't have time to do the whole neighborhood/local conservation trail, which is about 4 miles door to door. I wasn't quite sure when it actually gets dark. So, I walked down the street and accessed the trail, walked to the junction of the main trail, turned around, and then back, up a trail which is a very steep climb, at least 10- 20% grade. There is one point when you get to the top of the climb where if you turn around and look down the slope, you feel like you are deep in the woods in Vermont, because you haven't gone quite far enough to see where the trail takes you back out to the street.
I love living where I can do this, particularly just after a fresh snow. I wasn't the first one out there, though, because there were both x country ski and snow shoe tracks on part of the trail.
I think I must have gone about 2.5 miles.