Hey, Adventurers!
The outdoors become less accessible this time of year in a broad spectrum of locations across the country just as it is all across the world. When heavy snow falls, it certainly creates a beautiful, new appearance and atmosphere on the land. It’s enticing to get out to the woods or other remote areas where you can be immersed in the nature of the season. But along with the snow, also comes a more challenging terrain to traverse.
Of course, with the right equipment, you can still get out into the wintry wilderness and enjoy the surrounding beauty! One way that dates back a long ways is to go snowshoeing—essentially the winter version of hiking. Snowshoes are kind of like oversized tennis rackets that you wear on your feet. They help hikers to make their way through the snow with more ease.
Snowshoes distribute your weight over a larger surface area with the idea of suspension to a certain degree, keeping your feet from sinking completely into the snow. The idea behind this arctic footwear is called ‘flotation’.
How did we do it?As with many inventions, we saw the concept of the snowshoe already present in nature. Animals such as the Snowshoe Hare are how we developed the idea for our own feet. While the oldest snowshoe ever discovered dates back about 4000 years, historians believe snowshoes were invented another 2000 years prior.
What are they made of?While common snowshoes today are made of materials such as lightweight 
metal, plastic, and synthetic fabric, snowshoes were originally crafted from a hardwood frame with rawhide lacings.
So, if you, like many, are gifted with an adventurous spirit, don’t let the winter season instill the cabin fever in you this season! Get some snowshoes and enjoy the trails dressed in a wintry white blanket! It’s a marshmallow land in the winter! Have fun out there and, as always, thanks for reading!
- John