Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing
Originally uploaded by kenmore_photos.

I went snowshoeing with Mike today. First time on snowshoes and it was an interesting experience. We used a geocache (Penny Line) as an excuse to head into the bush and try out these rental "shoes". As someone who has spent many years with skis on my feet, using snowshoes opens up the woods dramatically. You can point them any direction and just go! No need to follow the "trail". Up that hill? - not a problem. Across that pond? - of course! Mike and I are both debating getting into some winter peakbagging so this was our first stab at walking with the "shoes". Seemed to go smoothly although the snow was so hard and frozen we could probably have walked on the flats with just our boots. That said, the crampons on the bottom of the snowshoes make for some excellent traction when going up or down steep hills. I'm sure softer snow would be a different challenge but I label this outting a success. We'll have to try some bigger vertical hikes to see how maintaining your body temperature in winter works out. In summer peakbagging you can sweat up a storm as you labour up the mountains but in winter... "you sweat, you die!".