2016 World Snowshoe Championships - by Canadian Athlete Andrew Snook, Edmonton, AB

I had the privilege of participating in the World Snowshoe Running Championships in Vezza d'Oglio, Italy. Vezza d'Oglio, a mountain town of 1500 people, treated this event like it was the Olympics.

The weekend began with an opening ceremony where they paraded the runners through the town with our flags and a marching band that played each nation's national anthem. As we entered the town square we were greeted by a large cheering crowd. That was followed by a fire and light show with fountains that were synchronized to music. The whole experience inspired me to run a strong race the next day as I was the only Canadian male runner. My goal was to finish in the middle of the pack amongst this elite group of runners.

Because of a lack of snow they had to truck in snow from the mountain tops. It obviously took a lot of work but the end result was a beautiful 8.7km course with some up and downs through a forest beside a stream with mountains all around.

Race day was warm at just over 0 degrees. I'm used to running in those temperatures in shorts in Edmonton and decided to do the same in Italy. It was a fast course and I had to be very deliberate about not going out too hard. I ran a consistent, controlled pace for the first few kilometers before hitting a loop that included a hill which I used to pass a number of runners with an aggressive climb and descent. At the end of the second loop I knew that I just had a few kilometers to go and despite the protests of my legs, I picked up the pace and held on. All in all, I ran a strong, controlled race and was thrilled to discover that I had finished 39th of 60 men.

A few hours after the race, over 3,000 people came out to do a recreational snowshoe walk along the course under the moon. The course was illuminated with torches and every few kilometers there were wine and cheese stations.

The 2016 World Snowshoe Running Championships was a thoroughly enjoyable, memorable event. I formed a number of friendships with other athletes and appreciated both the competitiveness of the race and the fun, surrounding events.

 

Andrew

My Snowshoeing Favourites, by Andrew Nugara

      I put a pair of snowshoes on my feet for the first time in 2002. At that time, snowshoes for me and my brother, Mark, were just a method of getting to the top of a mountain when it was covered in snow. I had no idea that exploring the mountains with these odd shaped contraptions would eventually lead to writing guidebooks on the subject of snowshoeing.   

My first snowshoeing guidebook, Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies, was published in 2011, by RMB (Rocky Mountain Books). This volume was geared towards intermediate to advanced snowshoeing, with reaching mountain summits as the primary focus. I called it a more of a “Snowshoe Mountaineering” guidebook. Given the book’s deficiency in easier, beginner trips, I immediately wrote A Beginner’s Guide to Snowshoeing in theCanadian Rockies, published one year later. This volume contains shorter trips that are not necessarily to the top of a mountain and none that are in avalanche areas. At present I am in the process of updating and adding to both books. The second editions of each volume should be available by late November of 2016.

Revisiting the snowshoeing guidebooks books has given me the opportunity to reflect on some of my favourite snowshoe trips in the Canadian Rockies. By no means a comprehensive list and in no specific order, here are a few:

 A.    From A Beginner’s Guide to Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies  

1.      Beyond Buller Pond and the South End of Spray Lake. In both of these trips you actually lose elevation to reach the destination, but it’s so worth it. The huge lake is surrounded by stunning mountains. The wind can clear snow off the ice surface, revealing massive cracks and bubbles in the ice.

2.      Bow Lake. The lake and awesome views are 2 minutes from your car! Tons of terrain to explore around the lake and towards the Wapta Icefield.    

3.      Chester Lake. The snowshoe route to Chester Lake is the busiest in the Canadian Rockies, and for good reason. Although solitude is unlikely here, great snow and fantastic views are. There are also many options to extend this trip, including the amazing Elephant Rocks.  

4.      Cameron Lake. An easy trip to a huge lake, backdropped by stunning Mount Custer.

5.      Rawson Lake. A good workout to a fantastic view of Mount Sarrail towering above the lake.

 B.     From the upcoming A Beginner’s Guide to Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies, 2^nd Edition

6.      Commonwealth Lake. Another lake, back dropped by another stunning mountain. Going a little past the lake gives you an even more rewarding view.

7.      Marble Canyon. Wow! I didn’t expect much from this very short trip around the canyon and thankfully my expectations were not fulfilled! The scenery is super cool and then you can trek down to the Paint Pots, with the wonderful scenery of the Vermilion River en route.

C.     From Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies 
 
8.      Crystal Ridge (also known as Helen Ridge). Not an excessively long or difficult trip but one that is excessively scenic (if there is such a thing!). Once above the treeline, the views towards Bow Lake and the Wapta Icefield are breath-taking. The extension to the south summit has some of the best ridge and cornice scenery I’ve ever seen.

9.      Commonwealth Ridge. The view from the north summit is excellent, especially toward Commonwealth Peak. Call it a day there or embark on an incredible and exhilarating ridgewalk/scramble to the true summit, where you are treated to an even more remarkable view of the British Military Group.

10.  Big Bend Peak. The valley north of Mount Saskatchewan is without a doubt one of my favourite areas in the Rockies: BIG views and BIG scenery everywhere! And what better way to see all than with an ascent of BIG BEND PEAK. This mountain represents the easiest of the ascents is this area but is still a tough grind up steep terrain. The wicked summit view makes every step worthwhile.

11.  Rawson Ridge. Definitely one of the best viewpoints in Kananaskis. A safer and easier route to the summit will be described in the second edition.   

12.  Smutwood Peak. This is a very serious winter objective but the views, especially towards Mount Birdwood are mind-blowing!

D.    From the upcoming Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies, 2^nd Edition

13.  Tent Ridge. I’ve recently visited all the summits of Tent Ridge using a variety of different routes. Each trip has been outstanding, boasting some of the best views in Kananaskis.

14.  Piggyburst Col. The col between Mount Burstall and Piggy Plus is a wonderful viewpoint. Getting there is as rewarding as the view.

15.  Ochre Spring Peak. This is an unnamed peak southwest of Mount Whymper. The summit view is stupendous and with the right snow conditions you can glissade almost 1200 vertical metres! 

16.  Jimmy Junior. Anything within eyeshot of Bow Lake and its surroundings is going to be a winner and Jimmy Junior delivers a knock-out blow! And after the fantastic summit view, glissading down the avalanche gully can be a blast!

 Get out there and enjoy the snow, the scenery, the experience.

Snowshoeing – My Second Love, by Andrew Nugara

      My first love in the mountains was the activity we now call Scrambling – getting to the top of a mountain without the use of climbing equipment, such as ropes. However, as much as I love summer and fall scrambling, I yearn for the snow to arrive, as the cold months approach, and snowshoeing takes the place of scrambling. There is something so magical and invigorating about the mountains and the land when snows covers everything. T.S. Elliot had it right when he wrote,

“Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, ...”
 (The Waste Land, 1922)

       My brother, Mark and I started snowshoeing in 2002, simply because we didn’t want our trips to the mountains to end when the snow fell. Snowshoeing seemed to be a logical mode of winter travel. We immediately took to the activity. In winter, the Canadian Rockies offer endless kilometres of exquisite, pristine, snow-covered terrain and innumerable mountains that are possible to ascend. Snowshoes gave us the freedom to explore the mountains year-round. And the scenery and views truly are breath-taking in winter. Ascending a mountain on snowshoes was a completely different experience to the same trip in the summer. Snowshoeing really opened up a whole new world to us.

 

Later we would also try ski mountaineering but Mark is legally blind and therefore the fast moving, downhill aspect of that activity was infinitely more challenging and often unnerving for him. We were more than happy is stick with the slower moving pastime of snowshoeing. It certainly gives you more time to enjoy the scenery!

 

I found the physical, emotional, social, and even spiritual benefits of snowshoeing to be undeniable. The stresses of city life, of work and of other pressures are completely absent when you are in the mountains. There is nowhere I’d rather be on a cold, crisp, clear January day than snowshoeing amid the grandeur and majestic peaks of the Rockies; and there is nothing that keeps me as grounded, humble and appreciative of life as being out there. The mountains are perfect therapy!

Snowshoeing is also inexpensive and you can master basic techniques within minutes of trying it. Perhaps it has been said too often, but it is true: “If you can walk, you can snowshoe!”    

By 2008, Mark and I had completed quite a number of interesting snowshoe routes. When he suggested I write a snowshoe guidebook I really couldn’t say no. Here’s a guy who holds a full time job, has raised three children, paints, takes great photographs, travels the world, and has climbed hundreds of mountains, all with about 10% of his vision remaining. Given I have 100% of my vision, I didn’t have any excuse not to write a simple guidebook. Plus, I never argue with Big Brother!

My first snowshoeing guidebook, Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies, was published in 2011, by RMB (Rocky Mountain Books). It may not have been what most people were expecting, full of somewhat extreme trips – long routes, up steep terrain, and sometimes in avalanche areas. Mark and I have always been “summit driven” and so the focus of the book was getting to the top of a mountain using snowshoes and other climbing techniques and less so on summit-less routes. I called it a more of a “Snowshoe Mountaineering” guidebook. To fill in the gaps, I immediately wrote A Beginner’sGuide to Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies, published one year later; shorter trips that are not necessarily to the top of a mountain and none that are in avalanche areas. At present I am in the process of updating and adding to both books. They should be available by late November of 2016.

       Snowshoeing has enabled me to see and experience the world in a completely different way. Like all worthwhile activities, I would say that snowshoeing “feeds my soul”. But don’t take my word for it – get a pair of snowshoes and try it for yourself – you have everything to gain!   

 

Snowshoe Canada's Interview on AM640 Torotonto

McARTHUR | The Hottest Sport in Snow

Toronto, ON, Canada / Talk Radio AM640

Fiona Odlum

Posted: February 18, 2016 03:02 pm

It’s a lot like running, but it’s nothing like it at all
Snowshoe racing can be a good way to test conditioning and race fitness during the winter and is the fastest growing winter sport in North America.

While snowshoe racing can be a cold-weather thrill for endorphin junkies seeking a mid-winter fix, it’s not easy. Similar to racing on undulating dirt trails , snowshoe racers typically experience high heart rate spikes at slower speeds, which means a higher cardiovascular benefit with less muscular fatigue and breakdown. Even if you avoid starting out too fast, you’ll still find yourself teetering toward the red line.

Running on snowshoes requires a higher leg lift and a wider gait stance than typical running, which, combined with soft, sometimes unstable surfaces, engages more stabilizing muscle groups around the hips and core than road running.

Dave Robinson, volunteer with Snowshoe Canada and avid snowshoe racer joins me now.

Mad Trapper Music Video

Thanks to Dave McMahon and the amazing female snowshoe athletes for helping produce what may be the first ever snowshoe focused music video!

www.madtrappersnowhoe.com

Winter's Coming - Time To Snowshoe Canada!

Relaxing snowshoe hike or heart-pumping snowshoe running race? There's something for everyone!

Snowshoeing is the fastest growing winter recreational activity in North America, and with good reason - it’s a great way to enjoy our long Canadian winters while getting in a fantastic workout.

Whether a relaxing snowshoe hike on the trails or an exhilarating, heart-pumping snowshoe running race, it’s easy to see why more and more Canadians are choosing snowshoeing as their favourite winter pursuit.

Aside from the beauty of being out on pristine trails, and the health benefits of snowshoeing, it’s surprisingly easy to do too. A good pair of quality snowshoes is worth the investment as they will enhance your enjoyment of the sport with better durability and higher performance. Unlike skis, there is no need to tinker with wax for different snow conditions, you simply strap them to your shoes or boots and you’re on your way.

Hiking snowshoes have a large surface area that allows you to stay afloat in deep snow. If you plan to snowshoe run or race, then a specialty pair of running specific snowshoes are a wise choice as they will be a fraction of the weight and much smaller, which allows for a much more natural running stride.

It is surprisingly easy to learn the activity. When running, there are minor differences with the added weight of the snowshoes and with the slightly wider stance that you need to take, but whether hiking or running in snowshoes, the learning curve is very short so the entire family can enjoy it right from the first outing.

Many parts of Canada have long winters with ample snow, so finding the right conditions is not usually a problem. Sometimes conditions switch back and forth between perfect powder, to wet snow, to icy conditions. This is where snowshoes excel as they are very versatile and as long as you have a moderate amount of snow on the ground, you should be able to get out in most winter conditions.

Snowshoeing is considerably less expensive than most other winter sports, making it a good choice for an affordable family activity. You can snowshoe anywhere that has snow, including local parks, trail systems, conservation areas, and even golf courses. Basically, you can make your own trail with snowshoes, so just get out there and explore!

While there are unlimited places you can snowshoe, the following are some of our favourites.

Quebec City:

It’s probably one of the most snowshoe friendly regions of the province. Parc de la Jacques-Cartier, Vallée Bras-du-Nord  and the Sentiers des Caps are vast areas where snowshoers can really realize why they were used in the early day’s of Canada. Winter camping is also available there. Snowshoe running is very present. 4 events are held in and around the city such has the Pentathlon des Neiges (Plaines d’Abraham) and the Mammouth! winter races offering one of the rare snowshoe marathons in North-America, just next to the Montmorency Fall’s.

Vancouver:

For fantastic snowshoe trails, head to any of the local mountains, such as Seymour or Cypress. Grouse Mountain offers the snowshoe grind, a 4.3 km route which can get you strong for the grouse grind season.

Montréal:

The largest metropolitan region of the province offer’s many trails, even in the heart of the city on the Mont Royal. But for longer adventure, drive north in the Laurentides region When you take that first step in freshly fallen snow, from that moment, you know you will have to come back for the gentle silence, the immaculate white shroud, the vivifying air and the incomparable decor of the Laurentians. It is a true Quebec snowshoe paradise. The Eastern Townships also have its share of nice snowshoe trails.

Sydenham:

Frontenac Provincial Park is located just north of Kingston, Ontario and is one of the gems of Ontario Parks. It features a trail network of over 100 km of trails through rugged Canadian Shield. You’ll cover a wide variety of terrain and pass numerous back country lakes during your snowshoe hike or run. Frontenac Park also is host to the annual Dion Frontenac Snowshoe Race held each January. Day passes are available, but you can purchase a winter pass or annual pass and have unlimited access to all of the different trail opportunities for snowshoeing within all Ontario Provincial Parks.

Edmonton:

Snowshoe running is best on the mountain bike or dirt/gravel trails all along the river valley, providing plenty of options throughout the city. The Silver Skate festival holds an annual snowshoe race in February.

Trois-Rivières:

La Mauricie National Park is located near Shawinigan, in the Laurentian Mountains. It covers 536 km² in the southern Canadian Shield region bordering the Saint Lawrence lowlands. Experience the joys of winter and explore the Laurentian landscape through a unique experience offered by La Mauricie National Park. Here at the park, snowshoeing remains a great way to hit the hills and discover breathtaking viewpoints.

Calgary:

There are a number of trails and parks that offer good snowshoeing, such as Nose Hill Park. Near Calgary are many options in the mountains, such as Kananaskis, Bragg Creek and in Banff, where Cascade Mountain is great snowshoe route.

This article was published in GetOutThere magazine:

http://getouttheremag.com/articles/4008/winters-coming-time-to-snowshoe-canada

Parks Canada Locations that Offer Enough Snow to Snowshoe

Parks Canada has 44 national parks located in every province in Canada.  Some of the parks are operational year-round and offer excellent snowshoe and cross country ski trails with all the advantages of maintained infrastructure and facilities.

At some parks, you can also rent a Parks Canada oTENTik tent. An oTENTik is a cross between a tent and a rustic cabin and offers a unique blend of homey comfort and a taste of outdoor adventure.  It is a great way to enjoy winter sports over the weekend.
From East to West, national parks that are in operation all year long (and do have enough snow during the winter):
Gros Morne, Kouchibouguac, La Mauricie, Banff, Lake Louise, Yoho, Kootenay, Jasper, Glacier.

Most other national parks also have plenty of snow, even if not fully operational over winter, and they offer amazing snowshoeing opportunities.  You can either make you own trails, or use visitor made trails.  Lots of snow, lots of fun, in some of the most beautiful places in Canada!
Terra-Nova, Kejimkijiik, Fundy, Forillon, Thousand Island, Riding Mountain, Prince Albert, Elk Island, Waterton, etc.

You can visit parkscanada.gc.ca to find a park near you.