Snowshoeing by Gene Prater

Author:Gene Prater
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Mountaineers Books

The typical Western snowshoe as it eventually evolved has a high toe, 3 to 5 inches. Western step-kicking technique requires soft snow, but instead of kicking through a crust the snowshoe is more often stomped down to pack a step (Figure 27). Frequently, switchbacks are nearly straight up the slope rather than the gentle angle shown in Figure 24.

The high toe works well in two situations. First, it is easier to pull up out of deep, soft snow when ascending a slope, because it rides up rather than burrowing under as a flat toe does. Second, it also pulls out of deep snow when descending by plunge stepping or simply walking on the level. The high toe kick-steps adequately in soft western snow, although the flat toe is much better for eastern crust. Generally, western snow is softer than the crusted snow in the East, so the high toe is preferred in the West.

Snowshoers in British Columbia use the same western switchback technique, but their soft powder snow dictates a larger snowshoe. A 9 x 34- to 9 x 36-inch Western and the 10 x 36-inch Green Mountain with forward-mounted bindings are large enough to give adequate flotation, yet short enough to be maneuverable and still kick steps. Frequently, a smaller snowshoe would be large enough, if it weren't for the hoarfrost around boulders, stumps, and any other object sticking up in the snow. Cold temperatures create this zone of unstructured crystals around these objects. This may be to British Columbia what spruce traps are to New England: the 3-foot-long snowshoe is the minimum length to keep from falling into the hoar. In May, when the snow gets firmer, smaller snowshoes are more practical.

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