What is Snowshoeing?
Author : Tom Collett
27th August 2024
Snowshoeing is a means of walking on soft and/or deep snow. In some countries, where the winters are long and snowbound, it is a practical way of getting from A to B, but it is also a winter pursuit enjoyed by outdoor enthusiasts, notably hikers, who do not want to be deterred from their love of walking just because of snowfall!
Lightweight snowshoes attach easily to walking boots by means of uncomplicated bindings and subsequently spread your weight across the snow to keep you on the move and prevent you from sinking in. Most snowshoers complement their snowshoes with walking poles, which has the benefit of keeping you steady and also enhances snowshoeing as an authentic cardio-vascular pastime.
Nowadays, snowshoeing has a high profile on many winter activity holidays and it is normal for winter resorts to accommodate snowshoers by preparing and maintaining tracks that are part of an efficiently waymarked network, catering for walkers of all fitness levels and experience. Typically, snowshoeing itineraries include trails alongside frozen rivers, through woodland and across remote snowfields above the treeline, occasionally venturing into the rocky reaches of the massifs themselves.
I have done most of my snowshoeing in Italy and there is nothing more invigorating than a day out in the remote and silent beauty of the mountains under a cloudless sky and a bright sun. It brings a certain joy to be removed from the hustle and bustle that punctuates most winter resorts, where downhill skiers make their contribution to a far more frenetic and unnatural atmosphere.
Indeed, snowshoeing is a perfect and highly sustainable opportunity to be amidst nature in its purest form, exploring mountains, forest and winter pastures covered by a brilliant white blanket and largely untouched by human intervention.
A heart-warming amount of wildlife takes advantage of the solitude and, along with awe-inspiring landscapes, these sightings are a key attraction for many snowshoers. Whilst snowshoeing in the Dolomites recently, I was lucky enough to see mountain hares (not easy, as their coats turn white in winter!), ibex, deer, chamois, golden eagles and an arctic fox. One of our party with binoculars claims to have seen the highly timid ptarmigan. This is also known as a snow partridge and, like the hare, it camouflages itself in winter by turning white. It also has feathers on its feet that are effectively its own snowshoes.
Is snowshowing easier than hiking?
In effect, snowshoeing is a form of hiking, and it is only marginally more demanding than normal hiking. Indeed, some might argue that snowshoes make hikers feel more stable the deeper and fresher the snow becomes. Typically, winter walkers might venture out into snowy landscapes initially with their snowshoes strapped to their backpack, ready for use if required.
Our specialist mountain holiday business has been delivering winter activity & snowshoeing holidays in Italy since the mid-1990s. In our experience: one day a trail can only be negotiated by wearing snowshoes, and the next you can progress quite satisfactorily with walking boots only, because the temperature has dropped and the snow is harder. Also, it is inevitable that a field of fresh snow is only traversable by use of snowshoes. Naturally, fresh snow on a well-trodden trail, however deep, will soon become compacted and easier to negotiate with walking boots only, although snowshoes can be an advantage when sections of a compacted trail become icy.
You can find out more about the best time of year to go hiking in the Dolomites, here.
Is snowshoeing hard for beginners?
No. Snowshoeing requires little or no tuition. It is a perfect pursuit for beginners, which calls upon basic disciplines which are likely to come to you naturally. It’s a win-win: you instantly expand your winter wilderness discovery potential, whilst nurturing a new and healthy leisure. Exploration and exercise in perfect harmony. If there is any training to pass on, it would go something like this: if going uphill on a trail, you will get traction more easily by use of the in-built toe crampons on your snowshoes, especially if you lean forward a little at the same time; for downhill sections, you should bend your knees and lean back just enough to keep your weight centred, using the crampons at the heel end of the snowshoe to slow you down.
Beginner or not, it goes without saying you should familiarise yourself with basic mountain safety procedures and plan your days well. Simple safety disciplines include packing extra food, drink, warm layers, first-aid kit, a well-charged mobile telephone, sun cream, a proper walking map etc. Make yourself aware of the weather forecast and take an active interest in avalanche danger spots. Snow blindness is a most unwelcome condition, so good sunglasses are essential – take snow goggles in case of ‘white out’ conditions, as snow blindness is not fun. Always let someone know which route you are heading out on and wear appropriate clothing. The sun sets early in the winter and it gets very cold very quickly; don’t get caught out.
Our guided snowshoeing holiday to the Ahrntal ensure the very best snowshoeing experience due to our expert guides, fantastic hotel and assitance thoughout your stay.
Can you do snowshoeing in Italy?
Yes, fill your snowshoes! Snowshoeing holidays in the Alps are popular, and Italy is no exception. In effect, wherever there are walking trails and snow, there should be the possibility to go snowshoeing. Where winter resorts actively maintain local tracks and trails for snowshoers, maps are available from local tourist offices and it is easy and cheap to hire snowshoes in a nearby ski hire shop. This year, we are introducing self-guided and guided snowshoeing in the Ahrntal (Val Aurina) along with the option to indulge in winter walking, and cross-country skiing in Italy’s most northerly region, which nestles beautifully between the Dolomites and Austria’s Zillertal.
With more than 80 peaks exceeding 3000m, the Ahrntal is described as the Alps’ most beautiful ‘cul de sac.’ It beckons winter outdoor enthusiasts, who crave tranquillity and reflection combined with exercise, pure bracing air and inspirational surroundings. This is a relatively undiscovered corner of the Alps high in the South Tyrol, where the Germanic and Latin cultures co-exist so harmoniously. With relaxation-friendly accommodation at a carbon-neutral 4* Superior spa hotel, it goes without saying… this is a fabulous opportunity to reinvigorate mind and body, whilst mastering, and no doubt falling for, the heart-warming (and heart-healthy!) joys of snowshoeing.
