Dr Meoff,

The most fun thing about snowshoeing is that the sky is your limit for places to go. Woods are more easily navigated while covered in a deep snow without foliage, so bushwhacks are really fun.

You can also choose most hiking trails. Ethics wise, be mindful of ski trails because nothing pisses off skiers like having their skin tracks (what you call an uphill ski track that's been set) filled with the chundery mess from snowshoes. Although less so than post holes from a boot pack.

You might also want to carry microspikes as well, because sometimes you will want to change out depending on conditions.

Layering is key. You'll definitely get a sweat going, and then get really cold when you stop. Managing this is key to winter survival -- especially if alpine conditions get serious. Peaceful walk in the woods can change to life threatening. If you're stuck with a bunch of wet clothes and an injury, it can get bad fast. Carry layers and get used to using them in easier lower elevation terrain. Carry headlamps, an emergency bivvy, fire starting method and tinder.

But go rip it, have fun!

Snowshoeing has slowly become my favorite hiking season over the years. The winter landscape is amazing, and the relative lack of heat, bugs, and crowds really helps. Some random thoughts:

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1. Be safe - winter can be a dangerous time. Snow can obscure trails, and short days mean that it can be relatively easy to get lost and in a somewhat dire spot. Keep an eye on trail blazes, and bring a good emergency kit - headlamp (with lithium batteries that will hold charge in the cold), emergency blanket, whistle, some chemical chest warmers (big hot hands), map and compass or independent GPS unit (cell phones can die quickly in cold - keep them next to your body to hold charge best).
2. I really love my plastic deck MSR snowshoes; they are particularly great for climbing and descending on even somewhat-icy trails. Regardless, you want to decide what kind of hiking you are primarily going to do before you purchase. Long snowshoes will give you more loft and can be fast on flats, but they will be clumsy and awkward on tighter forest trails.
3. On that note, good trails are often the same ones as summer. Camels Hump, for instance, is a wonderful snowshoe. One thing to keep in mind is that it is very different to break a trail vs using one already broken. The heavier-use areas generally get broken out pretty quickly after a fresh snow, but less-used trails might require being broken out fully. Breaking trail is tremendously taxing, and you ideally want a few people to rotate through. Finding trip reports from recent outings on AllTrails, peakbagger, and other northeast hiking forum sites can be very helpful to get a sense of current trail conditions.
4. Climbing in snowshoes is hard work, and you want to bring layers. Managing body temp is as important as anything when you are exerting a lot in cold air. You don't want to work so hard that you are covered in sweat. I regularly climb in winter in a t-shirt. So layering down when moving (particularly climbing) but having warmer layers to put on when cold is pretty handy. Done right, you can balance your body heat with the cold air such that you barely sweat. As someone who naturally runs hot, this is perfect for me.
5. On a related note, you're going to want to take short breaks - it gets cold if you stop too long. Bring easy-to-eat snacks, etc.
6. If you are going to be above treeline, even for just a bit, you will want to have wind-proof layers and a good pair of mittens. A scarf or neoprene face shield can be helpful, too; even goggles in some conditions. On something like Camel's Hump, you could get away without having that, but you will be less comfortable.
7. Wide-mouthed water bottles take longer to freeze over in your pack. Bladders and hoses are tough to keep ice-free and I find generally not worth using in winter. Bottle insulators exist as well, if you are planning for long days.
8. Buy/use gaiters. They are invaluable and a total game changer for keeping snow out of your boots. They will keep you much dryer and warmer. You will want water-proof, insulated boots (but make sure they are for hiking) as well, as the snow will melt and slowly seep in if not.
9. Bring microspikes, too, if you go into mountains. All kinds of frozen spots in trails can become unsafe to navigate in winter. Rescuers in the northeast regularly respond to broken ankles, etc, from falls on ice. Microspikes are incredible, like mini-crampons. And if they trail is firmly broken out already, you can just strap your shoes on your pack and use spikes (though be careful that some places do have local regs requiring snowshoes; high peaks in dacks, for instance).
10. VT has plenty of great stuff, but winter hiking in the White Mtns in NH and high peaks of NY, particularly once you are comfortable above treeline, is really phenomenal.

Most popular trails are going to be so packed down that snowshoes become pointless unless you hit them right after snowfall. I use micro spikes for like 90% of my winter hiking. Lesser traveled trails and summits often need them, so find a way to comfortably strap them to your pack so you don't have to wear them all the time when you don't need them. Get collapsible poles too so you can store them when the trail is easy going.

Get snow shoes with spikes on the bottom and a heel lift if you plan on doing anything other than flat trails. Spikes help you grip and the heel lift makes inclines waaay easier.

There isn't much difference to your gait with snow shoes vs not. Your stance may be slightly wider, which always makes me feel the hike more in my hips than when hiking without. Practice in your yard before trying to climb Mansfield and get your stride down. It'll prob feel awkward at first but you should pick it up quickly.

I love winter hiking! It's so peaceful with snow dampening noises and lack of humans on the trails. I've had Mt Abe's summit all to myself with the bluest ski I had ever seen one day. Granted it was -10 at the top, but surprisingly not windy.

Enjoy and stay off the XC/backcountry ski tracks!

Step one: Research good beginner snow shoes

Step two: Buy snowshoes

Step three: Wait for a good 6-8+” snow storm to drop a good base

Step four: Go for a hike

Step five: Question your decision to get into snowshoeing

Step six: Be in awe of the beauty and tranquility of the woods in the winter

Step seven: Drink your favorite beverage to ease the pain

Once a good base is down, repeat steps 4-7.

Edit: formatting

I echo all the points from cheetofoot and would add that it’s worth getting some collapsible trekking poles. You won’t need them all the time but they’re really helpful going up and down steeper terrain. I also always bring a Camelbak cause you’ll sweat a lot and want to stay hydrated.

If you’re into hiking, you’ll love snowshoeing. It’s a great way to get into nature in the winter and it’s so peaceful in the woods when everything is covered with snow and you’re the only one around. Plus, unlike skiing, it’s free!

REI has a great snowshoeing wiki on their website that’s worth a look. Enjoy it!

Can't believe no one has mentioned night time snowshoeing with a headlamp. This has to be one of my all time favorite activities. Put on snowshoes and a headlamp and go out into the woods on a dark night. It's a pretty awesome experience.

Buy snow shoes. Go outside and walk on snow.

1. Err towards the smaller side of snow shoes. We don't usually notice how many footsteps we take until there is a canoe strapped to each foot.
2. Stretch and massage the muscles between your fibula and tibia. Those little muscles will be lifting the front of your planks all day and can start screaming before you're out of the woods.
3. Walk slower, rest more often, and observe your heartbeat. Stay in a comfortable range.

Tips-

1. Buy snowshoes
2. Find a snow covered place to walk

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Definitely think about what kind of trail (or lack of) appeals to you. You can see from the variety of replies that people have totally different scenarios in mind. You could probably break it down to three: Solidly-packed trails where you can easily hike with just microspikes, moderately-packed trails where a small, light snowshoe is ideal, and fresh powder / off-trail travel, which is a lot more work, but a shoe with more surface area would keep you from sinking in.

I used to snowshoe here but I thought it was a little boring. That said, you can get used snowshoes at Outdoor Gear Exchange for a decent price. Check Craigslist or Facebook for better deals or maybe some estate sales. I used to go on golf courses that allowed it (BCC, Williston, Rocky Ridge, etc.). Now I just cross country ski those places.

https://www.alltrails.com/us/vermont/snowshoeing

The snow around the house hasn't been deep enough to warrant using them so I haven't used them in a long time.

To each their own though. I've got neighbors who will walk 2/3 mile in snowshoes on the road and then hit the woods in a measly 1 ft of snow.

I'd start off on some shorter hikes because you are going to use muscles you never knew you had.

I always used lighter boots versus larger or pack style boots. Bulkier boots sometimes don't fit well in the bindings. They are also sometimes too hot.

Inspect your shoes before you hit the trail especially the binding and hinge part. Nothing like getting out there and your shoe breaks. I've had this happen a couple times. We used to bring some duct tape and rope.

Plastic MSRs are great. Lighter is better especially just for recreational hikes. If you’re in Essex, Indian Brook is great for snow shoeing. Try breaking off of the main loop and exploring the lesser traveled paths.

There are forest trails behind Sand Hill park in Essex that are great for snowshoeing.

Bushwhack snowshoeing is so much fun and you just follow your trail to get back!

I do almost all of my snowshoeing by bushwhacking right out of my house, so one of the big advantages is not having to worry about some of what the other posts are talking about. All this talk about ski tracks and overused trails, I can understand it on a theoretical level but it mostly doesn't apply if you just head into a space where you're the only one tracking it.

To be clear, I'm not contradicting the other advice given in this thread. Lots of solid input.

For me, it just reduces down to dress appropriately, have the right length shoes for your size, bring stuff you'd usually bring for hiking, let someone know roughly where you will be, and go. You don't need a defined trail, and with Vermont's land regulations there are tens of thousands of acres available to you across the state. Another advantage to breaking your own track is that it'll be super easy to follow if some kind of problem arises, as unlikely as it might be, as long as someone knows basically where to start.

As a whole though snowshoeing is pretty much the easiest of winter sports to prepare for. A bit more strenuous per meter than hiking, but easy to learn and with a great deal of route flexibility. Have fun in the woods!

I had a stranger mention to me that some libraries have snowshoes to rent. Can anyone confirm? I was interested in trying this out for myself but I’m not sure if I’m ready to commit to purchasing my own things just yet

I’ll just add, every time I go snowshoeing I enjoy it more. It can feel awkward at first, but it gets really fun when you get used to moving.

I found that there is a difference between hiking and snow shoeing on ups and downs.

With hiking I put my weight on my heels on the down hill and toes on the up hill.

With snow shoes in order to get the grip of the shoes you need to always put your weight on your toes. Takes some getting used to but is manageable

Step one: buy my snowshoes, brand new Louis garneau blizzard 825(if you are between 100-200 lbs) retail 200 I’ll sell them for $100

Cheap used ski poles from replay sports, or something is way better than having no poles. Having 3 points of contact when moving down hills might save your ass a few bruises. Have fun!

❄️

Shelburne Farms

A lot of libraries lend them

You should absolutely do the Snowshoe Race is Pittsfield. One of the best events there is.

https://peakraces.com/snowshoe-races/

Shoot me an email, I can help you out - ben@gmseconsulting.com

I got an old pair of Tubs snowshoes. My NEW tubs have a pivot toe! I grew up in Maine, I absolutely love to hit a virgin trail covered in fresh powder.

It's great when you know you are the only one or the first one to go there! The air is always cold and clean, if you really lucky you can almost smell the static electricity sometimes. I loved hit a local trail that I already know, pack some food, whiskey, and a joint. It makes me feel like a real mountain man to experience nature like this.

I encourage ANYONE to msg if you want to make contact and start a snowshoe club in the Champlain Valley.

Step 1. Get into your snowshoes Step 2. Walk

1. Buy snowshoes
2. Find snow.
3. Walk on the snow with said snowshoes.