Snowshoeing has become a very popular sport in the past few years. My first venture at the sport was using an old pair of snowshoes to traverse the some quarter of a mile down a steep driveway in Connecticut to retrieve my mail when the ground was covered with 36 inches of snow with a dusting of new powder from time to time. Aided with a pair of ski poles the snowshoeing became an invigorating sport which I was anxious to take up again on mountain trails.
Having diabetes, I always clear each trip with my diabetes health care team, discussing any possible changes in my medication and possible needs of health care during my trip. Since I have type 2 diabetes, I don't have to worry about carrying insulin or syringes, but if you're on insulin, you will, of course, need to carry a supply plus extra with you at any time. I do have a tendency to experience low blood sugars from time to time, so I always travel with plenty of carbo snacks to tide me over until my next meal or to counteract extra physical activity.
Other than making sure I'm in good physical shape to enjoy my trip, I'm ready to pack and go on a moment's notice. At this time of year, one can get good last minute bargains at a lot of excellent places for snowshoeing or other winter sports. Call your local travel agent or check here on the Web.
One good thing about snowshoeing is that it doesn't take any great talent-if you can walk, you can snowshoe. Begin on level ground and walk forward, naturally and rhythmically, swinging your arms at your side naturally, or, if using poles, planting them one at a time in front of you before you take each step. The only adjustment in your walking needed is to walk with your feet a little further apart than you'd normally do to keep your snowshoes from clunking together. Believe me, after those first few steps, you'll get the idea quickly.
Other than snowshoes (if you already own them), here's some other essentials to bring to such a weekend excursion: warm, insulated winter boots; warm clothes to wear in layers so you're prepared for any weather conditions; a hat and warm gloves or mittens; a windproof jacket or shell; drinking water; sunglasses, waterproof sunscreen with SPF of 30, your medications and carbo snacks. Never snowshoe alone, and it's a good idea, if you're a novice at snow shoeing, to go with a guide from the resort, whether it's just a casual walk through the woods or a physically demanding trek to a local summit. It's also important that someone with you knows you have diabetes and how to identify symptoms of low blood sugar (shakiness, nervousness, sweating, dizziness, weakness, irritability, hunger, and heart pounding) plus any other symptoms you may also experience such as crying, drowsiness, confusion, staggered gait, blurred vision, headache, or inability to complete a sentence.
Now that you've taken the necessary precautions, here's our pick of the literally hundreds of places to enjoy snow shoeing. Three of our picks were within a few hours drive of my Connecticut home-Mount Washington and Waterville Valley in New Hampshire, and Smugglers' Notch in Vermont.
At Mount Washington, I'd opt for a 2 or 3-hour guided tour at Attitash Bear Peak where you'll trek beside animal ponds and beaver dams. For more information, call (603) 374-2633. Waterville Valley offers guided tours to accommodate all skill levels with the emphasis on having fun while learning to snowshoe. For more information and prices, call their Nordic Center at (603) 236-4666.
At Smugglers' Notch, there's a great Family Snowshoe Walk and a Snowshoe History Tour. Guests at this family-friendly ski resort can use the snowshoe trails at no additional cost (snowshoe rentals are $16 a day), but day-trekkers are welcome at $15 to $35 per activity, including snowshoe rentals. For more information, call (800) 451-8752.
Further west, our picks include Powderhorn, Colorado; Steamboat, Colorado; and Vail, Colorado. The first is a small resort on the side of Grand Mesa which was one of the first places to welcome snowshoers. There are three scenic trail loops that total about five miles, close to the base lodge. The trails' use is free and snowshoe rental is only $5. In addition, Powderhorn allows snowshoers to ride the chair-lift gratis to access the 3.1 mile West Bench Trail which skims along below the mesa rim. For more information, call (970) 268-5700.
Steamboat boosts "champagne powder" which some liken to walking on a featherbed. The beginner trail is about a mile on a flat mountain. More experienced snowshoers can traverse from the top of the gondola on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. For more information, call the Steamboat Information Center at (970) 879-6111, ext. 515.
Vail is the largest single-mountain ski area in the United States and snowshoers sometimes share a trail with skiers, and sometimes the trails are separate. For independent snowshoeing, easy-on, easy-off lifts enable snowshoers to reach the best mountain trails. There are also several guided tours available, including a full-day tour (depending on the season) that includes lunch. Snowshoe rentals are additional. For prices and more information, call them at (970) 476-9090.
In Minnesota, our pick is Gunflint Pines Resort about two hours from Duluth. Situated among the 10,000 lakes of northern Minnesota, Gunflint Pines Resort offers free lightweight snowshoes with each cabin rental, including kids' snowshoes. In addition to snowshoeing, there's ice-fishing, snowmobiling, and dog-sledding. For information about Gunflint, visit http://www.thesnowshoer.com/midwest.htm. At that site you will also find information on Grand Traverse Resort, Michigan, another of our picks, a resort with 45 miles of snowshoe trails along Grand Traverse Bay, one of the bays of Lake Michigan.
Sun Valley, Idaho, offers easy access to its 1.4-mile snowshoeing trail on the crest of Bald Mountain, the monarch of Idaho's skiing mountains. There are also four miles of free, machine-packed snowshoe trails that meander over the snow-covered golf course and easy-to-trek guided trails that offer spectacular views of the Wood River and Sawtooth valleys. For prices and information, call (208) 726-1002.
Up north in Canada, our picks are Whistler in British Columbia, and Emerald Lake in British Columbia. Both offer plenty for the novice and more expert snowshoers with their acres of prime wilderness in the majestic Canadian Rocky Mountains. Whistler can be reached at (604) 932-0647.For prices and more information on Emerald Lake, visit http://www.thesnowshoer.com/canada.htm.
Snowshoers have seven trails to trek at our pick in the breathtaking Cascade Mountains of Washington at Sun Valley. Near the tiny town of Winthrop, Washington, Sun Valley also offers bird-watching, ice-skating, dogsled rides and hot air ballooning in the near vicinity to fill your time. For more information, visit http://www.thesnowshoer.com/west.htm.
Our last pick is one of our favorites for downhill skiing as well as snowshoeing-Incline Village in Nevada. Overlooking the beautiful blue waters of Crystal Bay at Lake Tahoe, the area offers four designated snowshoe trails at Diamond Peak Snowshoe Center, and permits snowshoers to use all 21 miles of Nordic deep-powder ski trails. For prices and more information, call (775) 742-7957.
