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Snow Shoeing Tips for Beginners

I’ve only gone snow shoeing for fun once, though we did use them one winter where we lived because it was the easiest way to get out to the barn during the multiple blizzard type weather we had over one winter. Still, it’s important to recognize that snow shoeing like other forms of exercise and other sports has a learning curve and you need to build up your endurance.

Your Stride
It’s important to remember when you are snow shoeing that you have to lengthen your stride. The natural stride for walking is not elongated and if you walk with two short a stride in snow shoes you may find yourself tripping over your own feet — literally.

When you are snow shoeing your way over uneven or hilly terrain, you need to learn to kick your snow shoe forward slightly into the snow and then stomp down. This will help you to pack the snow that might be loose and cause you to sink. You also need to make sure as you step down that your weight rests on your heels to help keep you from slipping.

It takes some practice, but you’ll get it.

Other snow shoeing tips that may help you out include:

  • Practice your beginning snow shoeing on snow that is packed – the more packed the snow is, the easier it is to walk. The deeper the snow and the fluffier it is can leave you panting – imagine walking through loose, but thick sand – it’s not easy to walk in
  • When snow shoeing with someone else, walk single file and take turns letting someone else lead in order to reduce the stress on the person required to blaze the trail – the looser the snow, the harder the workout is going to be on you and you may need to take frequent breaks to catch your breath, remember tip one and stick to the packed stuff in the beginning
  • The higher the altitude, the drier the air, be sure to carry plenty of water with you to prevent and reduce dehydration risks
  • When you are a beginner, plan to spend only an hour or less at a time on your snow shoeing expeditions and in unfamiliar terrain, you should look for a guide either in person or in a map to keep you on the trails and you should always let someone know when you are heading out, your planned course and when to expect you back so that someone knows where to start looking in the event of an accident or other during your journey

What other snow shoeing tips can you think of you?

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Winter Sports – It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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This entry was posted in Walking and tagged , , , , by Heather Long. Bookmark the permalink.

About Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago. They have a beautiful daughter who just turned five years old. She is learning to read and preparing for kindergarten in the fall. An author of more than 300 articles and 500+ web copy pieces, Heather has also written three books as a ghostwriter. Empty Canoe Publishing accepted a novel of her own. A former horse breeder, Heather used to get most of her exercise outside. In late 2004, early 2005 Heather started studying fitness full time in order to get herself back into shape. Heather worked with a personal trainer for six months and works out regularly. She enjoys shaking up her routine and checking out new exercises. Her current favorites are the treadmill (she walks up to 90 minutes daily) and doing yoga for stretching. She also performs strength training two to three times a week. Her goals include performing in a marathon such as the Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness or Team in Training for Lymphoma research. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience through the fitness and marriage blogs.