When I guide snowshoeing trips for families or adults, I’m often asked: “How hard will this be?” my response,
“If you can walk, you can snowshoe, with a few minor things to learn.”
Here are a few basic tips and trips for snowshoeing etiquette on the trails this winter!
Basic Snowshoeing Technique
When you put your first pair of snowshoes on, you may feel like a penguin. That is natural because you have something unnatural strapped to your boots!
Here are some snowshoe tips to get you and your family going.
Notice the wide stance.
Get Balanced And Widen Your Stance
If you’re just starting out snowshoeing, it’s important to know how to stand and balance before you make it out into the snow. These are the steps I get my first-time snowshoe clients to do before we head out on the trail. Have fun with it!
- Stand feet shoulder-width apart
- Balance on one foot
- Balance on the other foot
- Turn one way in a circle, then turn the other way
- If you managed to turn in a circle without tripping yourself, you are good to go
- If you did get tangled with your snowshoes. Widen your stance and start again.
- Start waking. Keep in mind it is normal for your snowshoes to strike against one another on your first snowshoe, remember to widen your stance.
- Make sure you have the right size gear. You can read my blog post about snowshoeing gear, and how to fit yourself for snowshoes and gear.
- FYI: Your groin and hip muscles may be a little stiff the first couple of times you snowshoe; that too is normal. Make sure you stretch after your hike.
Tips For Snowshoeing Uphill
Snowshoeing uphill can be tricky! Here are a few easy tips for snowshoeing uphill. There are two main snowshoeing techniques dependent on snow conditions:
1. The Toe Kick
- The toe kick technique is used in soft snow
- Kick your toes into the snow; this allows the toe cleats to create a step. You may need to kick your toes a few times to pack the snow down.
2. The Foot Stomp
- The foot stomp technique is used on hard-packed snow
- Stomp your foot on the snow like your squishing bugs.
- This will firmly plant the crampon into the snow, providing the traction you need.
Tips For Snowshoeing Downhill
Similar to snowshoeing uphill, snowshoe downhill also has its own tips, tricks, and techniques. Here are a few of my tips for beginners snowshoeing downhill.
- Stick your butt out. It also takes the pressure off your knees
- Centre your weight over your feet
- Plant your heel first
- Take small steps
- If you are using poles, make sure that you have extended them so the handles are at chest height and place the poles in front of you as you walk downhill.
Pro tip: Squat and sit if you feel you are going to fall while snowshoeing downhill.
Tips For Getting Back Up After A Fall When Snowshoeing
If you’re just beginning snowshoeing, a fall will happen at one point. Trust me!
If you fall with snowshoe poles:
- Place your poles in an “x” formation as close to your chest as possible.
- Press up on the middle of the “X” to push yourself upright
- You may need to compact the snow down a few times with the poles in really deep snow
Getting up without poles – use a friend!
- Have another person stand closely in front of you, with their snowshoes in front and close to your hands
- Place your hands on the front of their snowshoes, using their snowshoes for resistance and push yourself up.
- This snowshoeing technique is great for bottomless powdery snow.
No friend to help?
- Use the largest surface area, press your hands down into the snow.
- Fill the holes with snow,
- Compact the snow in the holes
- Repeat this process until you have a solid base to push against.
If you fall going downhill with your snowshoes:
- Shift yourself around so your head is uphill.
- Bring your knees close to your chest.
- Press off the slope to stand up
- If you can’t turn around on the slope, push yourself to your knees, shift your weight onto your snowshoes, use your poles or friend, for balance and stand up.
Reduce The Risk of Hypothermia When Snowshoeing
If you’re out and about in the mountains and snowshoeing, it’s important to remember that hypothermia can happen quickly. Here are a few snowshoeing tips to avoid hypothermia and freezing.
- It is essential to keep dry, maintain your body heat and reduce the risk of hypothermia.
- Tuck your mitts inside your jacket when you take them off. This keeps them warm, and the snow out.
If you stop for lunch, put an extra insulating layer on. This helps maintain your heat and reduces the risk of cooling down and getting a chill. I’ve written an in-depth guide on winter layering – especially for snowshoeing!
- Hydrate often, bring along something warm in a thermos or something you can make hot chocolate with. We love our Jetboil.
- Bring something to sit on.
- Don’t let the snow sit and melt on you.
- Brush the snow off of your mitts, clothes and empty all snow from the inside of your boots.
- If you need, replace wet socks or mittens with dry ones from your dry bag.
- This is particularly important to do with young children as they can become hypothermic very quickly.
If you’re looking for a guide to winter warmth – read my blog on layering for winter and snowshoeing conditions!
It is always fun to take your snowshoes off and see how deep the snow is!
In the following photo, my son had snow in his boots, down his snow pants, in his mitts and up his back. Thankfully, this time we were back at the trailhead with a full change of dry clothes waiting in the car.
Both boys have done this on the trail as well. In those situations we have given them a good bush-off from snow, changed their socks and mitts, sometimes adding hand warmers for that extra warmth.
Snowshoe On Designated Trails
Designated snowshoe trails in the mountains have been designed with safety in mind.
- FYI – Many popular summer trails are not safe winter trails as they pass through very active avalanche runs.
- Identifying the correct trail is not hard if you plan and prepare for your day in advance.
- Research the area and trail BEFORE you go.
- Download a trail map. Here are links to the Kananaskis and Banff National Park snowshoe trails.
- The day before, check the trail reports for the applicable area. Check Kananaskis trails and Parks Canada trails.
- Check the weather
- Check the Avalanche Canada website for avalanche conditions.
Avalanche Safety When Snowshoeing
It is important to identify safe, front country snowshoe trails and stay on those trails when you head out for a day in the mountains.
Read my Avalanche Awareness blog and go to Avalanche Canada for more information.
Taking an Avalanche Skills Training, AST1 course is strongly encouraged.
Before you hit the winter trails, ALWAYS check both the Avalanche Canada website and the Parks trail reports.
Snowshoe Trail Etiquette
If you are snowshoeing near cross-country ski trails, please practise winter trail and snowshoeing etiquette:
- Don’t walk, run or sit on groomed cross country ski tracks. This also includes groomed skate ski tracks.
- Chopped-up tracks are a hazard, particularly for beginner skiers that haven’t yet mastered stopping, stepping out of a track while moving, or being able to move through the crud or snow-snakes (a term I use when teaching children)Step between the ski tracks when you need to cross the trail.
- If you are snowshoeing with your dog, keep them off the tracks as well. Dogs can also trip or knock over skiers.
- Give downhill cross-country skiers room on the trail. Beginner skiers may have a difficult time stopping quickly.
- If you are on a single, narrow trail, snowshoe single file so other groups can pass.
Leave No Trace
The same Leave No Trace Principles apply in both summer and winter. To review them:
- Plan and Prepare
- Stay on the designated trail
- Pack out what you pack in
- Fires in designated fire pits
- Leave what you find
- Respect Wildlife
- Be considerate of others on the trail
Consider this before you jump into that untracked snow off-trail
It is fun to head onto untracked, fresh snow, keep in mind that:
Some snowshoe trails follow the edge of Fens (a small wetland), ponds and small streams. Stepping off the path onto these areas could leave you with wet feet, or worse, in over your head!
Sticks, rocks and other hard objects may be well hidden by the snow and “just under” the surface. Check out the area before you do a Snowshoe Back flop!
Note: photos are from 2009 to 2021.
My Favorite Snowshoeing Trails In The Rockies
Snowshoeing in the Rockies is one of my family’s favourite winter activities. We’ve enjoyed many different snowshoeing trails in the Rockies. Read all of the stories about our family hikes and snowshoeing locations such as – Chester Lake, Rawson Lake, and Hogarth Lakes.
Pick Up A Copy Of Take A Hike With Your Children
My sold out book, Take A Hike With Your Children, is now available on Amazon as an eBook. Pick up your copy today, and begin exploring the Rockies!