Late Winter Sports

     With the snow and cold temperatures that we are experiencing this week it is very clear that winter is not over yet. Which means those winter sports you have been avoiding, it is now time to give them a try. 

    Let's start with cross country skiing. This type of skiing was once described like running with clown shoes on, while trying not to fall over. I have to say as someone who learned how to x-country ski in elementary school then recently started up again, this is such a true statement. You can do everything right and still fall over on the skis. And don't get me started on standing up again! 

    But we are brave people! So let's start with where to find skis. You want to find skis that are slightly shorter than you are especially if you are a beginner. If you are a beginner you will also want poles for balancing. You want boots that will match your ski latch and your shoe size too. Remember you will be wearing thick socks to stay warm. One place you can find all this equipment is at Gear Again in White River Junction. As for places to go, you can find groomed trails at Hartland Winter Trails, or up in Hanover behind the Ray School. But the nice thing about x country skiing is you can make your own trail in any field you want, all you need is enough snow to cover the grass, and not a lot of rocks or large sticks. 

    Now let's move on to snow shoeing. I used to describe this to little kids that snowshoeing is like taking a hike in clown shoes (I know a lot of clowns metaphors here). Depending on your balance you may enjoy this activity more. You will need snowshoes, poles (if you choose), and waterproof boots (normal snow boots can work). Snowshoes are measured by how much you weigh, aka the more you weigh the longer the snowshoe will be. As for places to go, really any trail with snow on it is acceptable for snowshoeing. If you are on a trail shared with cross country skiers then stay off the hard pack trail and beware as they have the right of way on hills. 

    Finally let's talk about micro-spiking. For those of you who don't know what these are they are claws you can put on the bottom of your shoe so you don't slip on the ice. They can range from simple coils, to a cleat like spike, to very aggressive claws . To determine what kind to get depends on what you are looking to do. If you want to hike Mount Ascutney then the most aggressive spike will be better. If you are just walking in fields, the coils or cleats will probably be just fine. For sizing you want to choose what your shoe size is. I keep micro spikes in my car for those spontaneous adventures but also for those times that I arrive somewhere and it is a sheet of ice. I hiked Quechee Gorge the other week in my aggressive spikes and even though the trail was all ice I never slipped once and had a great time!

    As for what to wear on your body for any of these adventures, I would suggest clothing that you can move in, and layers you can take on and off. Also a backpack to carry those discarded layers. I really enjoy my prima loft jacket, it has a zippered back to allow for more movement and can easily pack away too. On my bottom half I would wear something like these pants, moveable, breathable, but still warm. Don't forget to have some gloves on hand too because if you fall with cold bare hands it really hurts. I would use something waterproof like these gloves because no one wants wet hands. 

Let me know in the comments are you a fan of snow like me or would you prefer spring to come quickly?

Enjoy and Be Safe

Rachel