Walking On Snow
When I moved to Canada three years ago, I started to wonder what I could do to enjoy winter and avoid depression — especially after coming from Venezuela where the warm temperatures of the tropics last all year long and the only change in the season is from rainy to dry. I had some ideas about winter activities from watching television, including skiing and snowboarding. In my first winter in Canada I was living in Marathon, which is located on the northern shore of Lake Superior and surrounded by a fantastic boreal forest. I began to ski just like I saw in the movies! I did both cross-country and downhill skiing and had a lot of fun, although I suffered a few injures and was a bit of a hazard for other skiers.
However, as a naturalist and nature lover, I felt that I was missing the pleasure of enjoying and admiring nature in more detail. I decided to do some hiking. Even using my big winter boots, my short trips were not very successful. I kept falling due to the difficulties of walking in deep snow, especially uphill. It wasn’t entirely fun because I was paying more attention to the ground than to nature itself. I still was missing the birds!
During my second winter, a friend lent me a pair of beavertail snowshoes. We went to a nearby cove and, using the snowshoes, I felt like I was able to be in touch with nature again. I could see birds, animal tracks and the beautiful landscape with snow. I wasn’t falling or sinking; I was thoroughly enjoying myself!
There is evidence that that they have been used for as long as 6,000 years and were one of the earliest forms of transportation, coming in many different sizes and styles for snow conditions and topography. They were designed for traveling long distances while carrying weight and also for hunting.
What inspired the invention of snowshoes? If we look at nature up close, it’s not hard to see where the idea came from. Many animals, especially those that need to walk and run, have developed different adaptations for winter conditions. A good example is the lynx: this 34-pound wild cat has paws as big as its cousin the cougar. These oversized feet prevent the lynx from sinking while walking and running, making it a formidable hunter even in deep snow.
Humans, on the other hand, sink into snow because our feet are too small relative to our weight. If we had feet as comparatively large of those of the lynx, we probably would have to buy size 30 shoes. Fortunately, our feet didn’t evolve as fast as our brain, and technology solved the problem of having small feet in the winter. That is when webbed and wooden platforms known as snowshoes were created. These special shoes make our feet bigger, meaning we sink less and are able to walk more easily and rapidly on snow.
Today’s snowshoes have changed a great deal, thanks largely to improved technology. Modern materials and design have reduced the size and weight and added better traction and control. Manufactures such as Tubbs have designed a binding system that is built with a rigid base material and boot outsole construction to center the heel and eliminate sloppy movements, as well as snowshoes specifically for women.
Now that I have snowshoes, I can finally connect with nature in the winter. I can follow animal tracks, such as those as the lynx and the snowshoe hare, or just admire the peace of the winter environment. And I have learned that even in the hardest winter conditions, there is always a way to go out and play.
Rodney is new to Wild Rock but not the outdoors! Join Rodney on one of his snowshoe hikes and find out more about what's going on right outside your door - see the events section.
