Take a Hike - Snow or No Snowshoes!
Posted by Crescent Moon on Oct 21st 2020
Hiking is the no-snow, warm weather version of snowshoeing, and vice versa of course. The American Hiking Society has a great site to visit and find out more about hiking, which in the winter, we like to call hiking on snowshoes. At Crescent Moon Snowshoes, we have a particular affinity for this colder weather version of hiking.
Here at our headquarters in Boulder, and across much of the state of Colorado, we’ve seen very little snowfall as of the 1st of December, but the hiking and back-country access is fantastic. Recent days have had some of the most beautiful and comfortable weather we’ve ever seen. Now don’t get me wrong, as a manufacturer of ultralight snowshoes and snowshoeing accessories, I wish it would snow. I dream of continuous, deep, unrepentant, even vengeful amounts of snow, but if it’s not going to happen, all of us should enjoy these remarkable fall days. So, take a hike! With that particular sagacious piece of advice, may we also suggest some gear to make your experience that much better?
Not Enough Snow To Ski? Snowshoe!
There still might be enough snow to break out your good snowshoes and go snowshoeing. If snow amounts won’t permit that, then may we suggest an equally enjoyable endeavor – hiking. As with skiing and snowshoeing, hiking is enhanced with great gear. All of these outdoor activities are enhanced with poles for balance and stability. So, what better time to break out your snowshoe gear. Your poles for snowshoeing, double as great poles for hiking when the snow refuses to cooperate. By coincidence of course, the staff at the shop recommends its own brand of snowshoeing poles for off-season hiking because of their lightweight construction, 3 piece adjustability, and an excellent hand/glove friendly handle at a very reasonable price, making them an outstanding all-season value. Click here for more information on our entire line of snowshoeing accessories including Crescent Moon’s collapsible snowshoe poles.
Snowshoeing and Outwear, Boots and Socks
proper boots or shoes are very important in making your hike or snowshoe adventure more pleasurable. There are a lot of good hiking boots on the market today, and when you shop for them, our advice is to try them on first!
Socks, no kidding, are also very important. Our favorite socks are made from merino wool, this wool is simply incredible stuff. As an avid snowshoer, skier, and hiker, I can attest that merino wool socks do a great job of keeping the sweat and stink off.
there is the huge and confusing category of outer wear. Think about it; coats, hats, gloves, protective layers, water resiliency, high-tech vs. lo-tech, brand and fashion awareness. Wow, that’s some competition and as personal as picking your own underwear. Never mind that. Look for all season, all purpose, and all cool outer wear. For hiking, for skiing, and of course, for snowshoeing, you'll want to layer and have pieces that are easily packable when you take them off mid journey. For more information, the blogs section of our website provides a thorough listing of many types of public lands where you can get out and take a hike today. Most of the trails you can hike on in the summer, you can snowshoe on in the winter. Be aware, though, that it may be very difficult to follow a trail when it’s covered with snow. A map and a compass will keep you on track! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to find out the latest news and trends in the snowshoeing community.