Snowshoes good option for winter hikes

Sisters has quite a few hardcore hikers who sometimes seem to look askance at my winter diversion from hiking to winter sports, but I like to play in the snow. While the intended tone in the book of Ecclesiastes is more somber than my use here, the words nevertheless apply, "To everything there is a season...."

And this is the winter season - at least for a few more days.

If you're going out into deep, soft, untracked snow on foot, there is really only one way to do it. Snowshoes.

While I'm more likely to be found on skis this time of year and don't do a lot of snowshoeing, I do try to get out on snowshoes every once in a while. When I was kid here in Oregon, we always kept snowshoes around "just in case;" and we did use them on rare occasions. When I was stationed with the Coast Guard in Alaska, we played snowshoe softball, but that's an entirely different story.

I acquired my first set of snowshoes on a trip through Nova Scotia. They were the old style: bent wood and rawhide - the kind you see in antique shops. Today, they are hanging on the wall in my den. The ones I actually use in the snow these days are a pair of aluminum frame Tubbs snowshoes that I found on sale at REI a few years ago.

Although the local snow cover has been waxing and waning, it continues to pile up at the higher elevations. Hoodoo Mountain Resort has recently been flirting with the symbolic 100-inch level for the first time this year - this after a dramatic mid-winter thaw reduced their snowpack to a measly 39 inches just last month.

So, even though spring technically starts next week, there are more than eight feet of snow at pass levels. That means there will be plenty of snow for weeks to come; so, if you want to enjoy outdoors in the high country, snowshoeing can be an attractive option.

It's easy to get into trouble on snow that looks sound but is soft underneath. Snowshoes can often mean the difference between sinking a few inches below the surface or plunging to mid-thigh or even deeper while wearing hiking boots.

Serious snowshoers often have more than one set of snowshoes, since different types of snowshoes are designed for specific conditions. Generally, large snowshoes are preferred for deep powder, and smaller ones work better on wet, compact snow.

Snowshoe styles also vary with the degree of difficulty demanded by the terrain, which may range from easy walking on flat or rolling terrain to bona fide mountaineering. As the terrain grows more difficult, snowshoes should have more aggressive crampons and beefier bindings. Crampons are the metal "claws" on the underside of the shoe that help to get a grip on the surface.

Another variable is the size of the person to be fitted with snowshoes. Although commonly labeled for men, women, or children, most snowshoes are interchangeable and depend more on the height, weight and shoe size of the user. Shops that rent or sell snowshoes can help you find the appropriate fit.

On the other hand, if you run across a great buy at a garage sale, it's hard to go wrong. If you are just looking to dabble in snowshoeing and enjoy a little snow play in easily accessible areas, a state-of-the-art snowshoe fitting probably isn't

necessary.

If you are going into the backcountry, however, you need to know what you are doing and be properly equipped. While such precautions are always important, advance preparations for backcountry travel are even more critical in the wintertime.

In addition to the appropriate snowshoes, poles are a good idea for balance and traversing slopes. Forget the fanny packs, you'll need to be carrying much more than those little things can hold. Carry all your 10 essentials and more. Extra clothing, water, food, repair kits. Once you travel beyond sight of the road, you had better know what you are doing and be completely prepared.

Also be aware that snowshoeing can be an extremely strenuous activity, so your level of physical fitness is definitely a consideration in what level of adventure you plan to undertake. Don't snowshoe alone; and, if the going gets tough, remember to trade off taking the lead since breaking trail can be hard work.

Feel free to take advantage of someone else's snowshoe trail breaking, but resist the temptation to walk on ski tracks. It's hard for skiers to break trail, too; and, snowshoes will completely destroy a skier's work that they may be depending on for their return trip or a subsequent outing. Backcountry courtesy dictates that snowshoe tracks in the same trail corridor be set at least two feet away from ski tracks.

Courtesy, preparation, and good sense are the key to enjoying winter sports; and the most important goal is always to return safely. And for those hikers who keep asking about the return of my trail columns, how does next month sound?