Snowshoeing update…

A quick update…after that last piece about snowshoeing, I felt like I should give it another chance. My husband actually has a pair of the new, ugly, plastic snow shoes I was pooh poohing, so I dug them out and strapped them on and took the dogs for a walk. And it was…ok. It was fine. It was an entirely reasonable way for me to spend an hour in the woods. The snow was crunchy and the experience was louder than I expected. I still felt like a bow legged troll**, crunching my way through a snow covered forest. But at least I wasn’t post holing unpredictably, breaking through the crust every third or fourth step, in that way that is so incredibly irritating.

If I don’t sound enthusiastic, well, its because I am not. Snow shoeing will probably always be my activity of last resort in the winter, behind skiing (all types) hiking and mountaineering, trail running when possible, sledding, and even gasp! ice skating (maybe snowshoeing and ice skating will tie for last place actually). I feel bad about this. This winter I joined the Maine Maritime Academy Snowshoeing Club, because I thought they were a trail running club in disguise. It turns out that they are actually incredibly enthusiastic about running in the snow, on snowshoes, and I, I have learned, am not.

My attempts at coming to love snowshoeing however, have nothing to do with anyone else’s experience out on the snow. If snowshoeing is what gets you up in the morning, out the door and outside in nature in the winter, don’t let me stop you! Do it and do it now. I am reminded on a daily basis how important it is to my physical and mental health to spend some time outside each day. So dig out those snow shoes, and I’ll see you out there (I’ll be the one on skis).

**Important Note: I am in no way implying that people who snowshoe are bow legged trolls! That is just how snowshoeing makes me feel. If snowshoeing makes you feel like you are riding a beautiful flying unicorn (that is how skiing makes me feel, on the best days), it is clearly the sport you should be doing.

Sarah O'Malley

About Sarah O'Malley

Sarah is a science educator, naturalist, writer, tide pool fanatic and burgeoning obsessive trail runner. From personal experience she believes strongly in the restorative power of contact with nature, especially experiences that make your heart beat a little faster or get your hands and feet dirty. She lives on the Blue Hill peninsula with her husband and two dogs.