A walk in the snow

Snowshoeing is as competitive
(or not) as you like, and it’s cheap

YELLOWKNIFE THRILLS:
Competitors in the Rock and Ice Ultra

Shoes that let you walk on the snow must have been a pretty sweet thing to have back in the day. A coureur des bois living in a sparsely inhabited Quebec winter in 1640 would be screwed without something to distribute his weight, and until fairly recently, almost anybody else was too: to move around in winter snow required the iconic teardrop-shaped snowshoe, ubiquitous on lodge walls worldwide. By the mid-1800s, it had begun to enter the realm of recreation, and in 1843, the Montreal Snow Shoe Club was formed, the first in the world. The club was basically a bunch of super rich guys who went for Saturday afternoon “tramps” around Mount Royal whilst getting loaded. And while nowadays the practical users of snow shoes are limited to park rangers and the like, a competitive sport is starting to gain ground alongside the recreational participants—both serious athletes and those in the vein of our MSSC boys are finding something to love.

I sought out Scott Smith, the race director for Rock and Ice Ultra—“The Other Desert Race”—an outfit based in Yellowknife, NT. They organize a series of races with names like “Cold Foot Classic” and “Diamond Ultra” that involve snowshoeing. Smith is a mineral prospector, and one of the few who count snowshoes as part of his standard work equipment:

“In most cases, it’s much easier to hike through the Canadian forests and taiga in snowshoes. I carry heavy backpacks and geophysics equipment. I like the world it opens up—it provides efficient access to remote winter regions otherwise out of reach.”

From extreme aerobics…

That’s also why the sport is seeing growth among snowboarders, backcountry skiers and the like. “[They’re] using snowshoes to access their favourite bowls and explore more distant peaks,” says Smith. The more serious athletes are trying stuff like the Diamond Ultra, officially a “225-kilometre, continuous foot and snowshoe or cross-country ski race.”

Nikki Kimball, the U.S. national snowshoe racing champion in 2007 and member of the U.S. national team since 2003, told me her friend calls it “a culture of exertion.” Kimball adds, “Snowshoe racers tend to be more addicted to aerobic exercise than many participants in extreme sports.”

But don’t panic, dilettantes, it doesn’t have to be this way: “It’s as taxing as you want to make it,” Kimball says. “Going over level, groomed trails is only slightly more difficult than hiking over level terrain.”

Smith concurs: “Choose the right snowshoe for the conditions and it’s really quite easy…. With today’s technology, alloys make snowshoes very durable and lightweight.”

Keri Nelson, who finished first at the North American Snowshoe Championships in 2007, says, “It’s great because it doesn’t really require a lot of technique or super expensive equipment,” adding that a good pair of starter shoes can be had for around $100. So while there’s a lot in snowshoeing for the Kimballs and Nelsons of the world, those of us looking for an afternoon tramp should be just fine.

… to laid back stroll

I asked all three of my subjects how weed-based the culture is—it seems less rooted in it than other winter/extreme sports (yes, I’m looking directly at you, snowboarding). Their reactions lead me to believe snowshoeing is firmly rooted in the conventional. Says Kimball: “Most racers use the sport largely for training for other events.” Nelson: “I suppose you could make it as extreme as you wanted.” Smith: “In my field, snowshoes are a vital piece of exploration equipment.” It’s a decidedly relaxed attitude—much like that of hikers, the activity most similar.

The sport is kind to the newcomer. To get started, you need almost jack: a pair of snowshoes, winter clothes and 15 to 20 centimetres of snow (which, if last winter is any indication, you’re going to have no problem with). If you’re hardcore, you can get “walking poles”—ski poles, as far as I can tell—but these are only needed if you’re going to tackle steep and/or tricky terrain. Modern shoes render the mal de raquette suffered by the voyageurs unlikely.

So if you’re a self-respecting Canadian—not to mention Montrealer—I’d say you are pretty much obligated to give it a try.

RECOMMENDED BY COLD WARRIORS: Atlas snowshoes

What you need Okay, so you need a pair of snowshoes. If you’re going buy, Scott Smith from Rock and Ice Ultra personally recommends the Atlas brand: they have a huge range from beginner to racer. The main thing to consider is the weight they will have to support—not only yourself but whatever you might be carrying. The bigger the shoe, the heavier the weight it can handle, at the price of manoeuvrability. Men’s shoes have three basic sizes—8” x 25”, 9” x 30” and 10” x 36”—recommended for weights of 120–180 lbs, 160–220 lbs and 200 lbs+ respectively. Women’s and youth shoes are smaller. As always, the nice folks at Mountain Equipment Coop (www.mec.ca) and Le Yeti (www.leyeti.ca) are good places to start, and here’s a good article explaining more: http://tinyurl.com/5crnrl. You can also—this is sweet—rent shoes from Mount Royal Park (which has snowshoe trails) at the Beaver Lake Pavilion, Dec. 1–March 16, (514) 868-4144, $13 for 3 hours. Where to go Closest to downtown, Mount Royal is the obvious choice. On the West Island, there’s Parc-nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques (20099 Gouin W.), and on the east side, Parc-nature de la Pointe-aux-Prairies (14905 Sherbrooke E.), both of which rent as well. If you’re willing to take a bit of a drive, Mont Mégantic is said to have perhaps the best snowshoeing in the surrounding Montreal area. About a 2.5-hour drive from Montreal, 75 km east of Sherbrooke, the area is known for spectacular views and mad snowfall. See for yourself here: www.sepaq.com/pq/mme/en/.