(© Reader’s Digest/Best Health. By Bonnie Schiedel. Originally published in Best Health, January/February 2009). 

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. The snow in the stand of towering red pines near my home in Ignace, Ont., 245 km northwest of Thunder Bay is firmly packed by the wind, and every step my husband and I take on our snowshoes echoes in the cold still air. Behind me, the setting sun is painting the sky with streaks of pink and orange, and ahead of me the brilliant moon is just visible through the trees. As I pause to check out some unusual tracks—an otter has, apparently, been gleefully sliding down the snowbanks—puffs of my frozen breath hang in the air. It’s bitterly cold, but I’m grinning and toasty warm. Snowshoeing trumps my couch-potato tendencies every time. 
I’m not alone in my love for snowshoeing—its popularity has soared in the last decade and it’s not hard to see why. It’s fun, it’s easy, it’s relatively inexpensive and, oh yes, it burns up to 750 calories an hour. That’s about the same as an hour of jumping rope, and more than twice as much as walking.) Here’s what you need to know (and, I promise, you won’t have to waddle like a duck). 

Strong heart, toned muscles 
Regardless of the snowshoe style you choose, the health benefits of snowshoeing remain the same. “Snowshoeing is an absolutely fantastic cardio workout,” says Catherine D’Aoust, a Vancouver personal trainer who leads women’s snowshoeing classes as well as hikes.

“It puts good stress on your heart. It’s also a low-impact activity, and your muscles and joints are stressed in different ways so you don’t get overuse injuries that you might get running or playing tennis.” As well, snowshoeing is a killer lower-body workout. Walking in snow is tough, so it works the muscles in the legs and butt. To work your upper body and core muscles, snowshoers can use poles, similar to cross-country ski poles. Poles also help you keep your balance on uneven or hilly terrain, adds D’Aoust. 

New gear designed for women 
Part of the reason snowshoeing is hot is because the gear has been modernized. Today’s snowshoes are slender and light, with easily adjustable bindings, and high-tech aluminum plastic or carbon fibre frames that are designed to fit a woman’s narrower foot and shorter gait. Metal crampons—basically “teeth” on the underside of the shoe—provide traction and stability. “A snowshoe that’s 8 eight inches (20 cm) wide and 25 inches (64 cm) long will support a person between 120 and 180 lbs pounds,” notes D’Aoust. She suggests renting snowshoes (available at outdoor recreation stores or winter recreation centres like ski resorts) a few times to find a pair that feels comfortable. When you’re ready to buy, expect to pay $100 to $150 for a decent pair of recreational snowshoes designed for groomed trails and moderate terrain. Snowshoes designed for mountaineering and backcountry treks are bigger, with heavy-duty bindings and larger crampons, and will cost more. 

But I have to confess: as appealing as these new snowshoes are, I’m still old school. My traditional wood-and-rawhide snowshoes suit me just fine. They’re quite different from the wide, tennis-racquety Huron or Maine style, that comes to mind when most people think of snowshoes. Custom-made for my mother-in-law nearly 40 years ago, my snowshoes are long, slim and elegant, tapering to a graceful point at either end. The craftsman who made them chose the Ojibway style, developed by the Anishinabe people hundreds of years ago to perfectly suit the deep snow and thick brush of northern Ontario. It pleases me to stomp around in the same style of snowshoe used by the explorers, pioneers and First Nations peoples who came snowshoed before me. 

Fun in the snow 
Canadian winters are just too long and snowy to hibernate indoors. “People are always surprised at how easy it is to snowshoe. Within minutes of putting them on, you’re comfortable with the movement,” says D’Aoust. “And it’s really a good time! It’s great to seeing women in my classes who are in their 30s and 40s giggling like teenagers.” 
And snowshoeing is nothing if not versatile. You can go on a quiet tramp with your family to watch wildlife in a local park, book a girlfriends’ spa weekend where the trail ends with fondue and a massage, or embark on a challenging backcountry trip. (Visit trailpeak.com to find a variety of trails in your area.) 

There’s also snowshoe running s—a new, high-energy offshoot of the sport, featuring even smaller, lighter snowshoes used with regular running shoes “I’ve been doing trail running for quite a few years, so when I heard about snowshoe running I decided to give it a try,” says Sara Montgomery, 38, of Yarker, Ont. “I was hooked the first time out. It’s a great way to add a different element to your training, plus it’s just fun to get out and play in the snow!” Today she competes in snowshoe races in Canada and the United States. 

Snowshoeing gear
Wear layers that you can take on and off as your body temperature and the weather conditions change. Start with a base layer of a moisture-wicking (usually a thin polyester fabric such as Polartec) long underwear top and bottom, and merino wool socks. Avoid cotton clothing, which stays uncomfortably damp once it’s wet. Next is your insulating layer: wool or fleece pants and shirt. Top it all off with an outer layer of windproof, water resistant pants and jacket or vest. You don’t need special boots—regular hiking boots, or mid-calf-length winter boots with a sturdy sole are fine. Add warm gloves and a toque and you’re ready to go.