Why snowshoeing is not my favorite but it’s good for me

This winter has been unseasonably warm so attempting to try snowshoeing has been hit and miss all season. I’ve been able to try snowshoeing a few times this winter when we have gotten snow.

Our family’s first time trying was at local Winterfest event.  We tried the types of snowshoes resembled wooden tennis rackets like you see pictures of  Eskimos using.

We were told that our hips might be a little sore from walking father apart to keep our snowshoes from crossing.

You just strap your snow boots into the snowshoes and you are on your way. If you are on a trail that isn’t flat, I would definitely use poles. I would also recommend dressing in layers because the farther you go the warmer you get.

Taking kids for a snowshoe hike is a bit of a challenge. My boys were constantly getting their snowshoes crossed over each other and my youngest fell over several times which resulted in his snowshoes coming off a few times too.

Untangling him got pretty frustrating after a while.

The best part of snowshoeing in walking in fresh snow that hasn’t been walked on. It feels like your walking on fluffy cotton. The shoes are designed to keep you up higher in general than if you were just walking in your snow boots. They also spread out the snow as you walk.

I decided to give snowshoeing another try by borrowing a friend’s snowshoes. Hers were the newer style and a lot easier to walk with.

I went hiking at one of my favorite trails after a big snowfall. I don’t mind hiking myself because it helps clear my head. It’s really cool to crunch through the snow on fresh powder. After hiking for awhile the arches of my feet began to ache and my feet felt like lead. I began to wish I would have chosen a shorter trail.

The other day I wanted to see if my memory was accurate about snowshoeing so I gave it another try with my husband.

I would review it the same. The enjoyable part was crunching on the new snow and taking in the scenery. The not so enjoyable part was the aching feet and the slower pace. We were both convinced that we could have walked faster with just our hiking boots.

That’s why you burn more calories snowshoeing. I think there is probably a big difference in snowshoeing in several feet of snow vs. several inches. The slower pace of snowshoeing can be a good thing because it causes you to really take in the scenery and be present in your surroundings. It causes you to slow down and really be at peace.

Snowshoeing is not my favorite of the new experiences I’ve tried but I do see the value in taking part in activities that  make you slow down. I typically enjoy faster pace adventures but every now and then I need to take time to enjoy some of the adventures that are less extreme.

You can try out snowshoes at the Outdoor Discovery Center Macatawa Greenway at 4214 56th Street, Holland, MI 49423