Photos by Steve Bloom/The Olympian
Fred and Trudi Strickland of Gig Harbor enjoy a Sunday snowshoeing trek near Kautz Creek in Mount Rainier National Park.

Fred Strickland stops at the trail edge near Kautz Creek.

Hoofin' it in the snow

Modern advances make snowshoeing an easy activity

STORIES N.S. NOKKENTVED, THE OLYMPIAN

OLYMPIA -- It's as easy as strapping the contraptions to your feet -- if you can walk, you can snowshoe.

Your gait may resemble the waddle of a duck until you get the hang of it, but it isn't hard.

"It's honestly pretty easy," says Collin Kilkenny of Olympia. "It's like hiking, but you just feel clumsy for the first mile or so."

But don't try to walk backward -- snowshoes don't work in reverse. The hardest thing may be learning to turn around without stepping on your own snowshoes, he says.

Snowshoeing is one of the fastest growing winter snow sports among young and old alike.

"It has become very big," says Tom Keller, who teaches snowshoeing with the Olympia Mountaineers.

More accessible

Just 15 or 20 years ago, very few people were doing it. One reason for the recent boom is the prices. With changes in technology, the cost of a pair of snowshoes has come down -- a good pair of snowshoes used to cost about $250, Keller says.

Now you can get a good pair for around $100. And for people who want to try it out before buying, snowshoes rent for about $10 a day. The National Park Service offers free guided snowshoe walks -- snowshoes included -- at Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks.

"A lot more people can afford it," Keller says. "The same people that like to hike in the summer are snowshoeing in the winter."

The rawhide and wood-frame snowshoes of the past, though still available, have been all but replaced with aircraft-grade aluminum, plastic and rubber. The new ones are smaller and less clumsy, and they float you on top of deep snow.

Some people recommend ski poles for balance, and gaiters keep snow out of the boots. Layered clothing is a key to staying warm -- but not too warm -- and gloves and a hat help keep you comfortable.

Winter activity

Snowshoeing is a great introduction to the winter backcountry -- whether for a leisurely walk in snowy woods or a winter backcountry adventure.

Todd Scott, 28, straps on a pair of snowshoes and dons a backpack built to hold his snowboard and heads into the backcountry of Mount Rainier National Park -- up above Paradise or in the Tatoosh Range.

There are fewer people in the Tatoosh and "there's some really sweet bowls," Scott says.

"If I find a nice area, I might go back up and ride it a couple of times."

He sees more snowboarders heading into the backcountry on snowshoes. Hiking back in is a good way to find places to practice tricks -- with good spots to land and without getting in other people's way.

Be prepared

In the backcountry you have be aware of avalanche dangers. If you find a good area that is safe it can be a nice, peaceful experience, Scott says. He always carries a backcountry pack, with the 10 essentials and a snow shovel, avalanche beacon and probe.

"There's definitely an element of risk that's less at resorts than in the backcountry," he says.

Backcountry snowshoers need to have the right gear, and they need to know what they're doing.

Learning to snowshoe may be easy, but the most important thing may be learning winter safety in the backcountry. But backcountry in winter can be dangerous -- even when the proper precautions are taken.

Bring a compass, Kilkenny says. Weather moves in really fast. One way to avoid avalanches is to stay in the forest. But when visibility drops to 20 feet it can be hard to follow a trail -- and sometimes the trail markers are buried under several feet of snow.

Books also are available on snowshoeing, winter travel and survival and avalanche safety. And classes are available.

Keller teaches several courses with the Mountaineers, including winter survival and snowshoeing.

He got started snowshoeing when he found that he was not a very good skier, but he still wanted to get outdoors in the winter. He bought four pair used and started taking out his wife and daughter. They weren't as enthusiastic as he was so the loaned snowshoes to friends and taught them the tricks.

From there it was a short step to teaching a class in snowshoeing, he says.

Snowfall in the Cascades is making ideal snowshoeing conditions this winter and modern snowshoes make it easy.

Kilkenny enjoys hiking, and snowshoes are an easy way of getting across the snow. And often they are more maneuverable than cross-country skis, letting you get off the trail and into the trees.

"You can learn to snowshoe in 15 or 20 minutes," Kilkenny says. "That's what's so fun about it."

N.S. Nokkentved covers the outdoors for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5445.

For related stories go to the South Sound Living section.

Getting started

- Gear: Snowshoe rentals are available locally at Olympic Outfitters and The Alpine Experience for $10 for the first day and $5 for each additional day.

- Where to go: For those who want to get out in the snow on snowshoes but aren't interested in the free guided walks, you can strike out on your own anywhere you find deep snow. Among the most popular, especially for the inexperienced, is Mount Rainier National Park's Paradise and Longmire, and Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park.

- Notable: Inexperienced snowshoers may be better off in areas where there are rangers and other people around.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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