Beginners Guide to Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is a fun and affordable way to get outside during the winter months. Not to mention that it can get you into excellent shape for summer hiking due to its cardiovascular benefits. It is our go to activity in the winter for 3 primary reasons: 

1. It allows us to get out in nature year round and see parts of nature that are not easily accessible in the winter

2. It is significantly more affordable than the majority of other winter sports and our wallets greatly appreciate that

3. It is fun! 

If you have been curious about how to get into snowshoeing, we have put together a beginners guide to snowshoeing below. Leave a comment at the bottom of the page if you have questions, or additional advice that we missed!

Try Before You Buy

Before you go out and spend $200 on snowshoes, we highly recommend that you try snowshoeing out first. Most ski towns provide snowshoe rentals for less than $20 a day. Shops will help fit you to the correct snowshoe size and send you on your merry way. Snowshoe’s are sized based on two primary factors: 

1. Your weight 

2. The type of snow you are snowshoeing in 

Now, I know many of you might balk at telling a stranger at a gear shop your honest to God weight. However, being accurate with your weight is incredibly important in this situation as it can make or break your snowshoeing experience. Your weight determines how large or small your snowshoe is so that you can appropriately float over the top of the snow. If your snowshoe is too small, you will post hole and turn your floatation device into a snow sandbag. Point being, be honest about your weight, there is no judgment, the rental tech’sjust want you to have a good experience and get the most out of the equipment you are renting. 

If you are planning on snowshoeing in the backcountry and are going to be hiking through a lot of fresh powder, you will need a larger snowshoe that enables you to achieve greater floatation to stay on top of the snow. If you are going to be snowshoeing on a well established and hard packed trail, you can get a smaller snowshoe as you do not need to float over hard packed snow nearly as much. 

If you are unsure what type of snow to expect, ask the rental tech about the local trail you have selected and they may be able to provide you with some insight. 

*Note: Rental shops may not have the latest and greatest snowshoe models. You may end up with older, heavier snowshoes. This is important to remember that, if you enjoy your experience, you can purchase significantly lighter snowshoes for yourself.

Selecting a Trail

We have 3 primary pieces of advice to consider when selecting a trail for your first few snowshoeing trips: 

1. Keep your total mileage low 

2. Choose a relatively flat trail 

3. Choose a well groomed trail 

Why are these 3 elements important? 

Snowshoeing is like going for a run in soft sand, except you are at elevation and it is much colder. We suggest keeping your mileage low and the trail flat initially because you are working significantly harder than you would on a summer hike on the same trail and if you have never snowshoed before, it is best to work well within your cardiovascular limits. 

Snowshoeing in fresh powder is a very unique experience. Depending on how much snow has recently fallen you can find yourself sinking into thigh high powder WITH your snowshoes on. This is not only incredibly physically taxing to hike through, but it makes for a slow hike that is not a great experience for beginners; which is why we recommend sticking to well compacted trails to begin with. 

If you are interested in getting in shape for snowshoeing or hiking season, check out Tessa’s fitness program that is designed for outdoor enthusiasts.

What to Wear and Pack for Snowshoeing

The key to snowshoeing is layers. You will get sweaty, you will overheat and you will also get cold when you take a break. We recommend the following set of clothing to keep yourself comfortable while snowshoeing. We have broken this list up into two distinct categories of what to wear and what additional layers to put in your pack in case you need them.

Wear It:

• Long Sleeve wicking base layer 

• Long Sleeve mid layer 

• Puffy jacket or other outer Layer 

• Leggings or long underwear base layer 

• Water resistant/proof pants or snow pants 

• Thick socks

• Snow boots or waterproof highly insulated boots 

• Gators

• Gloves 

• Beanie 

• Sunglasses 

Pack It:

• A fleece or additional insulating jacket 

• A rain jacket or waterproof jack 

• Additional pair of socks 

• Hand warmers 

• Water 

• Tea and/or hot chocolate (Having the ability to drink something hot if you get too cold is incredibly important. Also having a hot chocolate at any point on a snowshoeing trip is a particularly magical experience and something we highly recommend doing.)

• Lunch and snacks

Snowshoeing Pro Tips

Get your snowshoes adjusted before you put your pack and gloves on. 

1. Do not, under any circumstances, try and walk backwards with snowshoes on. You will fall, it will be difficult to get back on your feet, you will be the subject of jokes with your friends. 

2. You will walk with a much wider stance than you normally would so take a few minutes to get used to moving in them before starting your hike. 

3. Purchase a snowpark pass so that you do not get a parking ticket. These can generally be purchased at REI and are good for the entire season.