BIGFOOTING IT ON MONTANA’S BEST TRAILS

Article and Photos by Joe Zentner

Snowshoeing and Winter Camping,
Montana.

Change has been called the essence of life; yet a person occasionally finds some ancient implement so well conceived and constructed that it defies time and progress. Among such rarities is the snowshoe, an aid to winter travel that dates back to antiquity.

According to the National Sporting Goods Association, which recently reported there are over two million snowshoers in this country, snowshoeing is ranked today among the top five outdoor participation sports and the fastest-growing cold-weather activity, second only to snowboarding.

Snowshoes are devices attachable to the feet that enable a wearer to walk on snow. In recent times, snowshoes have come out of the backwoods and into the spotlight, as people of all ages discover their versatility, aerobic value and the fact that they’re just plain fun. “The sport has really grown over the last five years, notes Henry Pitchford, co-owner of Backcountry Outfitters in Missoula. “We’ve seen a steady increase in sales—and last year we witnessed a 50 percent increase over two years ago.”
Ed Kiniry, former president of the Stowe Canoe and Snowshoe Company (maker of Tubbs Snowshoes), has observed: “Snowshoeing’s popularity is growing by leaps and bounds due to the fact that the activity is easy to learn, offers an excellent low-impact workout, enables young and old alike to explore all types of terrain together, and is available at relatively low cost.”

History. Snowshoes were in use throughout northern Europe and parts of Asia 6,000 years ago, but the actual time of “invention,” or series of parallel inventions, may have occurred much earlier. Being constructed of plant and animal material, nothing remains for positive dating. Snowshoes may have found their way to America via the Bering Strait Land Bridge, for we know that early North American Indians had them.

To ancient peoples of the northern latitudes, the snowshoe was serious business because hunting and trapping depended on them. This dependence is true today among persons in Montana who hunt and trap for a living.
By making the northern regions more accessible to human occupation, the snowshoe contributed to cultural development. According to University of Montana anthropologist Raymond Blanco, “By allowing greater contact among peoples, snowshoes encouraged an exchange of ideas, thereby adding to the complexity of northern culture.”

Snowshoeing has caught on as a major winter sport. Montana

Some snowshoes of the North, made by aborigines, are a delight to look at because of the fine weaving together of delicate patterns in the webbing, especially so when woven with caribou webbing, which was almost transparent, giving a bright aspect to the snowshoe. Years ago, such snowshoes, really works of art, could be seen hanging on walls in the offices of the Hudson Bay Company, specimens that had been made by Indian women for gifts to company managers.

During the great westward expansion of this country, snowshoes were as indispensable as the axe and flintlock rifle. Traders, hunters, explorers, and surveyors all depended upon the snowshoe to carry out their work.
The sport of snowshoeing was a social mainstay of winter recreation in this country up until the 1930s, when alpine skiing’s glamour and speed made the sport passé. Outdoor clubs often organized group snowshoeing “tramps” for men and women.

In the 1970s, snowshoeing experienced a resurgence after the Sherpa Snowshoe Company introduced a compact synthetic snowshoe, forever changing the snowshoe’s scope of usefulness. Wearers could now leave flatlands behind to climb above the treeline in mountainous areas.

Purchasing snowshoes. The essential parts of a snowshoe are a solid decking that floats you on the snow, a lightweight frame, and teeth to provide grip on both ice and snow. Categories of snowshoe buyers include fitness-oriented users who use snowshoes for winter workouts, hiking/mountaineering enthusiasts, and recreational users who can be easily prompted to head out the back door for a stroll.

When selecting a style of snowshoe, keep in mind (1) the topography of the region you intend to traverse, (2) the condition of the snow you will be walking in, and (3) the object of your wanderings. If the land is rough or the woods thick, you want a short, broad shoe; if it is open and smooth, a long, narrow snowshoe will work better. When snow is light and soft, you will need a larger size than if it is hard and dry. If a day’s outing requires much turning, you will find a short snowshoe to be the most convenient.

Although individual taste and ability as well as snow conditions will determine one’s choice of snowshoe, certain rules of thumb should be kept in mind. Persons weighing 150 pounds or less get adequate flotation from snowshoes 24 to 30 inches long, those weighing 150 to 200 pounds need shoes around 36 inches long, and those over 200 pounds may require 46-inch snowshoes.

Learning How. “There is a popular misconception that it is difficult to walk with snowshoes,” notes Ray Authement, a Montana backcountry guide. Supposedly, snowshoes drag heavily on the feet and make a person straddle the legs awkwardly to keep the shoes from hitting one another.
On the contrary, the weight of the snowshoes is scarcely felt—they are not lifted clear off the ground when walking. The toe only is raised to clear the surface of the snow.

Snowshoes can be fitted for people of all ages. Montana

The action has nothing of a straddle in it either, since the snowshoe that is raised passes over, not around, the other one. Even on a hard-packed trail, such as those found near Montana urban areas, where snowshoes aren’t needed to keep a person from sinking into snow, it is as easy to walk with the shoes as without them. Do keep in mind, however, that although snowshoes are designed to keep a person on top of the snow, they are not magical. You will sink somewhat—generally about eight inches if you’re in waist-deep, newly fallen snow.
Where to Snowshoe. A great thing about snowshoeing in Montana is that you’ll never run out of places to do it. Just about anywhere you can hike or mountain bike in summer, you can snowshoe in winter. The state parks, national forests and private wooded areas you enjoy when it’s warm offer delightful winter experiences as well. Many Alpine and Nordic ski areas open their ungroomed trails to snowshoers. Park rangers, chambers of commerce, and collegiate outdoor clubs are excellent sources of information about areas to explore on snowshoes.

Some cross-country ski resorts in Montana have gotten into the snowshoeing phenomenon. Lone Mountain Ranch (near Bozeman), for instance, has established trails intended especially for snowshoeing.
Perhaps your biggest gold mine of opportunity is snowmobiling trails. These are usually well packed and easy to navigate. Be sure to yield the right-of-way to approaching snowmobiles by stepping off the track. Not only is this polite, it’s smart; who wants to get run over by a thousand-pound machine?

The Rattlesnake Recreation Area, located five miles north of downtown Missoula, is an intimidating name, but according to U.S. Forest Service officials, no rattlesnakes have ever been spotted here. The name dates back to the early days of Montana Territory when someone supposedly saw a rattler; however, the precise source of the anecdote eludes historians. By snowshoeing three miles north into the Recreation Area, one comes to the boundary of the Rattlesnake Wilderness. Spring Gulch Trail here is an easy seven-mile round trip.

Lolo Pass is situated in the Bitterroot Mountains. The peaks here are 6,000 to 7,000 feet high with timbered habitat that is home to elk and other wildlife. The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped here in 1805 on its way to the Pacific Ocean. Today the pass is a popular snowshoe route astride the Montana-Idaho border.

Fawn Pass in Yellowstone National Park begins in Montana and enters Wyoming after crossing several fingers of the Gallatin River. The area is prime moose habitat; watch for the creatures in brush alongside streams. (Do not get close.) The trail area is also home to grizzlies, black bears, elk and deer.

Located one mile inside the northwestern corner of Yellowstone, the Daly Creek Trail is home to elk and wolves. The rewards for snowshoeing here include numerous animal sightings.

The Upper Madison Valley Trail in Yellowstone National Park, although easily accessible, has few winter visitors. The trail rewards snowshoers with views into three states and four mountain ranges. The 14-mile-long trail is challenging, not so much because of elevation changes, but because route-finding skills are required to complete it. Several creek crossings require snowshoers to remove their shoes and leap over narrow creeks. Recommended only for individuals who are in excellent physical condition.

Fun, easy, exciting, and the perfect way to enjoy a winter’s day is the imagery expressed by today’s Montana snowshoeing enthusiasts. As author Bill Osmond points out in The Snowshoe Book: “There is something in its simplicity and closeness to nature that speaks directly to an increasing number of people who seek to live with nature rather than subdue it.”

Snowshoers can go virtually anywhere. And that, snowshoers agree, is the real beauty of their sport. As outfitter Henry Pitchford observes, “It’s the best way to enjoy winter. There’s no expensive equipment, no groomed trails—a person just goes out and bushwhacks.” The study of countless small tracks is an interesting part of the winter scene. The chance acquaintance you may make with winter birds and animals will prove a delightful accompaniment to a day’s outing. Through it all is the timeless beauty of the great white winter woods and the endless thrill of snowshoe wandering. Enjoy.