Snowshoeing is a great winter aerobic activity. To get the most of your snowshoeing workout in the winter, it is important to train for snowshoeing activities throughout the year. Here are some tips to get yourself ready for snowshoeing. more »
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Snowshoeing is a great winter aerobic activity. To get the most of your snowshoeing workout in the winter, it is important to train for snowshoeing activities throughout the year. Here are some tips to get yourself ready for snowshoeing. more »
Snowshoeing is a fun winter activity almost anyone can do. However there are some precautions one must take to make it a fun and safe trip. Heed these warnings before you head out into the snow. more »
Snowshoeing is a fun winter activity but it is essential to stay hydrated while snowshoeing. Exertion in the cold mountain air makes it easy to become dehydrated. Dehydration can lead to premature fatigue and injury. Other dangers of dehydration can be more severe such as hypothermia and frostbite. Here are some tips to remain... more »
Snowshoeing is becoming a more popular activity in areas that receive an abundance of Winter snow. Snowshoeing is like a walking version of skiing, and is actually a very efficient way to navigate the snow. However, if you will be snowshoeing in an area where you may fall or have something fall on you, it is important to take proper... more »
Snowshoeing is excellent exercise and many people who start out doing it recreationally end up wishing to compete in snowshoeing races. Many events are sponsored on a local level and simply require a small admission fee to participate. However, truly serious competitors may wish to compete in higher profile competitions. In this... more »
Snowshoeing is quickly becoming a favorite for outdoor winter activity. Combining aerobic...
Snowshoeing uses the muscles of the upper and lower body, especially if you snowshoe with poles. To condition for snowshoeing, try participating... more »
Snowshoeing is becoming a favorite pastime for people of all ages, fitness levels, or expertise. The benefits of snowshoeing are limitless. If you... more »
Snowshoeing is an invigorating workout that will leave you fatigued and satisfied. It will also leave you sore the next day unless you stretch... more »
When snowshoeing in light, dry powder, you might sink in down to your knees. If that's the case, try stamping to stay on top of the snow. more »
Everyone seems to be discovering snowshoeing - it's a winter activity that nearly anyone can enjoy, snowshoes themselves have become easy to use,... more »
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Snowshoes, sometimes colloquially referred to as webs, are footwear for walking over snow. Snowshoes work by distributing the weight of the person over a larger area so that the persons foot does not sink completely into the snow, a quality called "flotation".
Traditional snowshoes have a hardwood frame with rawhide lacings. Some modern snowshoes are similar, but most are made of light metal while others are a single piece of plastic attached to the foot to spread the weight. In addition to distributing the weight, snowshoes are generally raised at the toe for maneuverability. They must not accumulate snow, hence the latticework, and require bindings to attach them to the feet.
While today they are mainly used for recreation, primarily by hikers and runners who like to continue their hobby in wintertime, in the past they were essential tools for fur traders, trappers and anyone whose life or living depended on the ability to get around in areas of deep and frequent snowfall. Even today, snowshoes are necessary equipment for forest rangers and others who must be able to get around areas inaccessible to motorized vehicles when the snow is deep.
Development
Origins
Before humanity built snowshoes, nature provided examples. Several animals, most notably the snowshoe hare, had evolved over the years with oversized feet enabling them to move more quickly through deep snow.
The origin and age of snowshoes are not precisely known, although historians believe they were invented from 4,000 to 6,000 years ago, probably starting in Central Europe. British archaeologist Jacqui Wood hypothesized that the equipment interpreted to be the frame of a backpack of the mummy Otzi was actually part of a snowshoe. Strabo wrote that the inhabitants of the Caucasus used to attach flat surfaces of leather under their feet and that the Armenians used round wooden surfaces, something akin to blocks, instead. However, read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowshoe
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