Snowshoeing: a winter of opportunities

This activity has a lot to offer: virtually total freedom to explore open spaces off the beaten track. And this translates to discovering stunning landscapes that are otherwise inaccessible, as well as coming into direct contact with precious fauna and flora.

We have the aboriginal people to thank for this wonderful sport. The First Nations handmade their own snowshoes from wood and animal skins and mainly used them for hunting. Nowadays, snowshoeing is a sport in its own right or can be used to complete other sports, such as skiing or hiking.

Easy to master and inexpensive, snowshoeing provides an array of opportunities: from steep alpine ascents and breathtaking mountaintop views to strolls across the forest while keeping an eye open for rabbit or deer tracks. Beyond giving us access to the natural habitats of animals, the quiet nature of snowshoeing allows those who practice it to get closer to various species without scaring them off.

No matter your age, physical condition or fitness level, sliding into a pair of snowshoes is a fun, accessible and unifying way to enjoy or discover the joys of winter. From outdoor enthusiasts to families with children, snowshoeing is for everyone.

If you’re snowshoeing for the first time this winter, here are a few tips for a safe and enjoyable experience:

• The shorter the snowshoe, the easier it will be to maneuver. However, shorter snowshoes provide less lift across powdery snow. Lift is what prevents snowshoers from sinking more than desired into the snow. Thus, it is important to strike the right balance between the type of trek we wish to go on, our abilities and our weight (including that of our backpack and/or baby carrier).

• The key to successful snowshoeing endeavours is keeping one’s feet dry and warm. Waterproof boots are essential, as well as heated sock covers by ewool, which ensure continuous, unparalleled wraparound heat.

• Snowshoeing improves cardiovascular endurance and works the muscles in the legs, buttocks and back. And since the sweating caused by physical effort cools down the body when humidity gets trapped inside our clothing, ewool heated vests provide a worthwhile solution. They’re easily adjustable to various degrees of heat, durable and reliable — in short, a much more desirable option than layering, which requires frequent stops for adding or removing a layer.