Snowshoe Tips from the Mad Trapper

Snowshoe Tip #1 - Reduce crampon snow clumping

With the first Mad Trapper event now under 3 weeks away and with all this new snow, people are probably dusting off their snowshoes and heading out into the wild. With temperatures hovering right around the freezing mark, all the snow on the ground is fairly wet and sticky. This may lead to balls of snow clumping on your crampons. To discourage this from happening I recommend spraying the crampons with WD40 before you head out. I've had great success with this and didn't have any clumping issues at all during this afternoon's trek.

Another thing you should try and avoid in order to reduce clumping, regardless of temperature, is walking through open water in your snowshoes. If your crampons get directly exposed to water they'll attract and capture the snow right on and between the crampons. So either find a way around the water or practice your long jumping skills.

If you find yourself snowshoe running with your miniature horse, make sure she doesn't step on the back of your snowshoes while running (especially downhill). If this happens you WILL fall down.

And if you're also out with your border collie, be prepared to have your face thoroughly tongue-licked before you make it back to your feet.

Unfortunately I don't currently have any recommendations on how to avoid this. Running faster doesn't work and only results in more spectacular falls.

Running off the trails doesn't work either and only results in falling in deeper snow and more tangled in branches and trees.

Unfortunately Nellie doesn't like running in front of me anymore because I always hold her tail and make her pull me up the hills.

I think the only solution is to somehow convince the horse that tripping up snowshoers isn't nearly as funny as she thinks it is...

You'll want to dress for snowshoeing in pretty much the same fashion as you do for any outdoor winter activity. Layering is the best way to go with a small daypack to carry any extra or discarded clothing. The general rule of thumb is to have a technical base layer next to the skin that wicks moisture away from the body and doesn't absorb and hold moisture like cotton does. The next layer should be a lightweight fleece. And the outer layer should be a windproof material with lots of zips for ventilation. I think many of us wear a WATERPROOF, windproof barrier in the winter, and this is a bit of overkill. Waterproof materials hold moisture in regardless of how "breathable" they say they are. So you'll actually stay warmer if you wear a lighter weight, non waterproof shell. And of course you'll want some gloves/mitts and a toque or ear warmers.

Keep in mind, that snowshoeing is the warmest outdoor winter sport there is. I generally snowshoe amongst the trees and thus out of the wind. Snowshoeing allows you to control the energy you exert. So if climbing a hill, you can manage your exertion by going slower or faster. It's entirely possible to move at just the right speed that allows you stay warm without working up a sweat. Similarly, with snowshoeing, you don't have to worry about out of control wind whistling descents.

The only clothing somewhat specific to snowshoeing is the footwear. As with all winter sports, you'll again want to avoid cotton socks. I prefer merino wool. Most snowshoes (with the exception of the Race shoes) will allow you to wear a range of footwear. If I plan on standing around a lot, I'll wear an insulated winter boot. But if I plan on running or moving continuously I'll wear running shoes. I prefer Goretex lined trail shoes as they are guaranteed to keep my feet dry. Dry feet are warm feet, and if your feet are warm, the rest of your body usually follows suit. If you don't have Goretex runners and don't want to invest in a pair (I don't like them in the summer because if water gets in through the top of your shoes, it can't get out again), Goretex socks work nearly as well.

Additionally, you'll definitely want to wear a set of gaiters. These stop the snow from entering your shoe, again helping keep your feet dry and warm.

Oh yeah, back to the wind breaker... When running on snowshoes, you will kick snow up your backside. So I like wearing my cycling jacket with the drop down butt flap. That just helps keep your butt dry (and warm). And speaking of your butt.... I see a lot of people with thousands of dollars invested in their layers, and then underneath it all they wear their cotton boxers or briefs. Technical undergarments are a great stocking stuffer, so don't forget to add them to your wish list.

Have fun and enjoy the snow.

Rick reminded me of this super important snowshoe tip on Saturday. Every year we lose one or 2 Mad Trapper racers to frostbite of the foot/toes. (It's not like they die or anything, they just can't race anymore that season!)

Today's snowshoe bindings do NOT require excessive force when tightening them. Just a quick snug pull is all they need. I know with my old 5' tall wooden snowshoes (I needed shoes that big trekking in the back country mountains in Colorado), I would frequently step down, only to step up again feeling much lighter. My snowshoe was still buried somewhere in the snow behind me.

But that is certainly not the case with today's modern snowshoes and bindings. I'm obviously biased toward Atlas snowshoes and those have been the only snowshoes I have worn for the past 4 years. During that time period, I have never dropped a snowshoe, nor have my feet ever been cold (I wear Goretex-lined running shoes 95% of the time). And I only tighten the binding to the point where I can initially feet the pressure. I don't tighten any more after that.

So be careful when initially putting on your snowshoes not to over tighten the bindings. And then pay attention while you're out there snowshoeing as well. If your feet start to feel cold or numb, address the issue immediately. Even if you're in the middle of a race! One race, or one day out on the trails is not worth a lost winter of outdoor activities. Frostbite sucks. Avoid it at all costs

A few people have contacted me now asking what snowshoes they should purchase for Mad Trapper racing. Here is my general response:

1) if you are only going to run/race on packed trails, I would recommend the Atlas Race or Run Snowshoes. The Race shoes are ultra light but not as resilient as the Run Model. They are the same shape/size/ design. The only difference is the Race model, uses lighter materials that cost more.

2) If you want a multi use snowshoe that you can hike in deeper snow AND race at the Mad Trapper, then I recommend the Atlas 10 Series snowshoe. A few years ago this was the most popular shoe at the Mad Trapper. But nowadays, with such gear hungry racers, more and more participants are showing up with Race shoes. These folks still have their 10 Series at home and many use these as their "training" shoes. Then on race day, they pull out the rockets. So if you don't yet own any snowshoes, and you're not exactly sure how and when you might use them, then go with the 10 Series.

3) This year Atlas has the 11 and 12 Series, that possess a heel bar that can be dropped down. This bar is beneficial when climbing hills. By dropping the bar, you don't need drop your heel down as far and overextend and/or strain you calf muscles. A few people have told me they were going to buy these models as they have heard how hilly the Mad Trapper courses can be. This heel bar in not recommended for that application. Unfortunately there is no remote control on this heel bar, and dropping it down and lifting it back up is not that easy to do while you are wearing the snowshoes.

When I lived in Colorado, I used to snowshoe up mountains and then snowboard the freshies all the way back down. I wish I would have had one of those heel bars on my snowshoes then. But on undulating terrain (like the Mad Trapper courses), you won't want to keep flipping the heel bar up and down.

Also this heel bar is going to add additional way to your snowshoe, and if you are racing, you'll want to keep your snowshoes as light as possible.

We'll be talking more about racing and the heel bars at Wednesday's Mad Trapper Snowshoe Clinic at 7pm at Trailhead on Scott St. Next week, you'll have the opportunity to try all of these snowshoes at the Chelsea Visitor's Center.