BRRRR! It is cold outside! With a fifth major winter storm expected on the East Coast of the US and temperatures in the single digits (with even lower wind chill), you have two choices. You can huddle near the radiator under a blanket OR you can put on three or four layers of clothes and go outside to frolic in the snow. You can make a snowman or have a snowball fight OR you can try snowshoeing. This is one of the fastest growing winter sports, and with good reason. Anyone can do it. If you can walk, you can snowshoe, irrespective of your age. It is easy to learn and a fantastic way to get outside and exercise, even when it is freezing.

Snowshoeing has been around for thousands of years. The 5,000-year-old iceman discovered in the glaciers of the Dolomites had remnants of snowshoes with him. Fur traders and trappers have used them for generations. Theirs were the traditional models that look like tennis rackets — a hardwood frame and rawhide lacings to attach them to the feet.

Modern snowshoes are high tech, made of lightweight materials with latticework and upturned toes to keep snow from accumulating on the surface. The snowshoe works by distributing your weight over a large area that keeps your foot from sinking deep into the snow. No other special equipment is required. You can use regular waterproof boots that slip into the mounting.

Unless you want to engage in hard-core mountaineering (when a special snowshoe is required), there are two types to choose from — the recreational model which is longer and designed for moderate use, or the running/aerobic model which is quite short and is designed for those who want to continue running and hiking, even in the winter.

You can snowshoe anyplace where there are at least 6 inches of snow — in the woods, in the parks, in the city. You don’t need specially groomed trails or ski lifts. Just be sure to dress in several layers that open because you are likely to get warm as you tramp through the snow. Apparently an hour of snowshoeing burns 600 calories.

Our favorite place to snowshoe is Liberty State Park, across the Hudson River from the canyons of Manhattan. Wide open fields, blue skies, and magnificent vistas. And most of the time we are the only people in the park. It is quite surrealistic standing alone on the west bank of the Hudson River looking over to where millions of people are living their lives.

Unlike skies and snowboards, renting snowshoes is a bit harder — very few stores offer the option in New York City. However, they are relatively inexpensive to purchase and will provide you with hours of entertainment and exercise. So come out from hibernation! Strap on a pair of snowshoes and enjoy the beauty of winter.

IF YOU GO
To get to Liberty State Park, take the New Jersey Turnpike to exit 14B and then follow the signs to the Park.
REI in East Hanover, New Jersey rents snowshoes in the New York City area (280 State Route 10, East Hanover, NJ.

 

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