For ages, snowshoeing was a necessary wintertime form of transportation. But these days, snowshoeing is enjoying increased popularity as a recreational activity. In fact, snowshoeing is the fastest-growing wintertime sport. That’s right – ahead of snowboarding or skiing. In fact, in the winter of 2011, snowshoe sales went up 7.5 percent compared to the previous year!
It’s no mystery why snowshoeing is gaining in popularity as a recreational exercise: It’s a relatively low-impact form of exercise, but nonetheless offers you significant cardiovascular output. Plus, it’s a great excuse to get outside during the cold months, and your exertions guarantee that you’ll stay warm in the process. The wintertime landscape offers a more open and defoliated view. With a pair of snowshoes on, you can blaze your own trail along paths that simply don’t exist during the summer or spring months.
How to Get Started
Compared to many other sports, the entry price for getting into snowshoeing is quite reasonable. Plus, once you’ve made the initial investment in snowshoes, you’ll have pretty much laid down all of the cash that you’ll need to. Many state and local parks are equipped with snowshoeing trails, and if you live in a rural setting, you might just find that your own back yard offers plenty of options for fun snowshoeing routes.
If you’re not sure that you’ll like snowshoeing, you may want to try it out before purchasing a set of snowshoes. Many ski mountains offer snowshoe rentals. So take a set out for the day and see if snowshoeing doesn’t leave you feeling warm, winded and exhilarated!
i don’t understand… they’re just walking around in the snow, right? do you need special shoes for that?
why don’t they just walk around in some really good hiking boots?