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Show WASATCH MOUNTAIN TIMES x= SNOWSHOEING The Re-invented Sport for the Entire Family t was the Indians of the Hudson Bay and Great Lakes region, as well as the Eskimos of Alaska, who first noticed how big-footed animals traveled in snow better - their than small-footed counterparts, allowing them to float on the surface, rather than trudging through deep drifts. Mimicking them, Native Americans bent the wet branches and for frames laced them with animal hide to make Own — big feet of their snowshoes. For hundreds of years, snowshoe design depended on the individual who built them, but were generally Traditional circular. White trappers and then European settlers improved on the snowshoe in the 1700s by using cedar strip laminations, yielding stronger frames. Several models standards — the became roundshaped “bear paw” and the elongated “Michigan.” Animal hide still proved to be the best lacing, wrapped when wet and allowed to tighten as it dried. But for the next 200 to 300 years, the snowshoe remained the same: big, heavy and cumbersome, albeit much better than the alternative — wading through deep snow. Flash forward to the 1990s. The snowshoe has been reinvented using lightweight and materials. durable Along with snowboarding, snowshoeing has become, in the last two to three years, the fastest growing winter sport in the land. loday’s snowshoes are built with lightweight metal frames and hightech plastics. Several manufacturers compete with each other on design and construction, which has led to continuous improvements. Pa Modern snowshoes are not only light but generally, they are much smaller. Today snowshoes come in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit the needs of the user, whether that’s a stroll in the woods, hiking up a mountain to good snowboarding terrain, or Mountain snowshoes, like the one second from “People will come in and ask, how do I snowshoe? I say, you're practically an expert already,” John noted. And snowshoeing is a good sport whether you're six or 60. Compared to skiing, “it’s a slower pace thing . . Some people like it because they can go up the mountain...or you can just walk along the Jordan River.” It's easy to get started. Denali offers snowshoe rentals at $7.50 a day. Every other week, John offers free guided snowshoe treks in the Wasatch Mountains. “We find that people who want to get out in the winter, love it,” John said. “And Utah has a lot of places to go snowshoeing.” Compared to some winter sports, og SNOWSHOES BY: * REDFEATHER * * MSR * ELFMAN *& * POWDER WINGS * Snouwbird/Alta get plenty of traction, whether you are Wolf Mountain time. you out in nature. @ Residential Sales Vacation Rentals ey Property Management Park City Deer Valley ten minutes snowshoes are inexpensive. They retail anywhere from $99 to $300. All you need is a good pair of winter boots to wear with your snowshoes. John suggests anything that can be waterproofed. Some people like to use ski poles while snowshoeing, but that isn’t a necessity and is really a personal preference call, John explained. People who do like to use poles usually use shorter ones, rather than those typically associated with crosscountry skiing. Whether you are a crosscountry skier or someone who didn’t take up that sport, snowshoeing is something to try: it’s fun, great exercise and it gets POWDER BEACH REALTY even competitive snowshoe racing. And they are designed with cleats to in deep powder or on packed snow. The great thing about snowshoeing, explains John Zobell, who operates the Denali sporting goods store in Brickyard Plaza, is that anyone who can walk can be a snowshoe expert in Times Photo left, are nothing like newer models. Solitude/Brighton Salt Lake Valley (801) 944-9444 WA” Denali ZV 484-5044 1140 E. 3200 S. In Park City call: 645-9444 Brickyard Plaza _”\ |
