A walk in the winter landscape a lot of fun once you master your snowshoeing technique
by Jason Lyon
Imagine an outdoor experience offering perfect quiet and gorgeous scenery - and absolutely no crowds. Better yet, it's something that, once mastered, is as easy as taking a walk.
Snowshoeing is a great way to spend a winter day, and offers an option to spending the day on a busy ski hill.
The snowshoe allows for a very specialized style of recreation in the mountains. Skis are often the preferred method of on-snow travel but often lack the capability to explore off the beaten track.
Long before the introduction of ski travel to North America the snowshoe was the only way to exist in our northern climate. Construction styles remained much the same for centuries, but the use of newer construction materials (aluminum frames with plastic PVC decking) has offered a lighter more efficient way to travel the backcountry. The old, wooden snowshoe of past generations now adorns the walls of bars and ski cabins, more of a curosity than a practical piece of transport.
The Bow Valley offers a wide variety of unique places to explore on snowshoes - but a word of caution before you go. Make sure you do a little research and avoid a plan that takes you to terrain that may get you 'over your head' - literally. Better yet, contact a guide service that can provide that local knowledge and ensure an enjoyable experience. (A list of companies is included later in this article.)
South of Canmore on the Smith Dorien Highway (known also as the Spray Lakes Road) lies a vast and relatively quiet area in Kananaskis Country. Spray Lakes provides an excellent testing ground for those new to the shoe. Snowshoes can be as awkward as they look to travel in and do require some practice. The wide open area on the frozen lake allows you to open up your lungs and stretch you legs in one of the most scenic areas of the Rockies. Here the valley is wide open, allowing for a unique perspective on the sheer enormity of the hills around you.
This area is shared with a number of sled dog groups and ice fisherman - a unique slice of winter recreation often hidden from the average Rocky Mountain tour.
Wind is a factor most afternoons but can be avoided by traveling along a fire road that skirts the west side of the lake. This tree-lined route can be accessed via the Spray Lakes West Campground (open seasonally) thus avoiding the cheek-stinging traverse of the lake. This is a flat but scenic outing. Bring along a guidebook of animal tracks if you can, always an added bonus to any winter trek.
Once you have a firm grasp of the operation and manouverability of your snowshoes, it is time to head further west into neighbouring Kootenay National Park. Located about 40 minutes west of Canmore (approximately 20 km from Castle Junction on the Trans-Canada Highway) is a unique and historical area known as the "Paint Pots" (not to be confused with the Ink Pots of Johnston Canyon fame).
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Once you've mastered the basic technique, snowshoeing is a great way to enjoy winter and get some exercise.
This trail offers breathtaking views of the Vermilion River flowing from the continental divide. There is a 1.5 km loop that acts as an all-access interpretive boardwalk in the summer and is an excellent warm-up in the winter. Once you exit this loop, a suspension bridge crosses the Vermilion and winds its way through a boggy area -prime Moose habitat even in the winter. The trail once again works its way back into the woods and up a hill to the location of the "Paint Pots".
This area was once used by the Kootenay, Stoney and Blackfoot Native tribes as a collection site for the ochre used to paint their bodies, tipis, clothing and pictures. Later re-discovered by the famous Palliser Expedition in 1858 this area remained as an active mining site until the 1920s. An added bonus to this trail is the plaques along the way providing a history lesson as you burn the calories.
If You Go:
Snowshoe rentals are available at a number of locations in the Bow Valley, including Gear Up Mountain Sports on Bow Valley Trail in Canmore and Abominable Ski & Sportswear on Banff Avenue. Cost for snowshoe rentals start at about $10, warm winter boots are also available for rent if all you packed were running shoes. Ski poles are also a good idea, adding stability and that extra uphill push.
Additional areas to explore include Sundance Canyon and Healey Creek in Banff National Park.
Professional tour companies can often up the enjoyment factor of any winter adventure while minimizing your risk in the wilderness. Back of Beyond Adventures in Canmore offers snow packages (403.678.6606) while Discover Banff Tours offers an all-day trip into Sundance Lodge. For more information contact 403.760.5507 or explore on-line at www.banfftours.com.
Dress warmly and in layers - snowshoeing is not unlike cross-country skiing in that you will quickly find your body warming up, and you will want at least three layers to peel off and put back on when you cool down again.
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