It was a brave bunch of explorers that set out into uncharted territory one February day to discover what it meant to snowshoe. A guide was booked through ESF at the princely sum of €14 per person and with the hire of the snowshoes for €4 we were set. Not the simplest of things to attach to your feet and with some confusion arising over whether the heel should be locked down or not and quite frankly still not sure, we started on our big adventure. We had chosen to explore the area around the Nordic centre down in the valley by Peisey-Nancroix away from the pistes and with the possibility of seeing some of the mountain wildlife. What we got was so much more, stunning scenery with frozen waterfalls, beautiful forest trails and a glimpse at the mining industry that once dominated these mountains. However, it was the peace and tranquillity of being out in the snow away from the resort surrounded by majestic mountains that really turned this into something well worth experiencing. The weather was snowy but we were not deterred, we embraced the challange and dug deep into our love of all things mountain to take on this new sport.
Why we love snowshoeing!
Snow shoeing is not to be taken lightly, apparently you burn 45% more calories covering the same distance as running or walking. You definitely have to stride as you place each shoe in the snow and the poles provide an upper body work out as well as helping you to keep your balance. The occassional misjudgment in your footing can end up with an undignified nose dive into the snow and just with any activity off piste soft and fluffy snow is never simple to get out of! We amateurs to the sport managed to spend the best part of 3 hours walking in the valley spying Chamois and birds of prey in their frozen natural habitat. Exploring an area we would never have been confident enough to go to on ski's or snowboards and getting far away from the madding crowds in resort. Definitely hooked after the first trip it has now become for some of us a regular feature duing the course of our season to get away and see what new discoveries we can make on snowshoes. Whilst pushing our own personal boundaries climbing up the valley, snowshoeing has in some quarters become an extreme sport, not to be sneered at with some crazy tricks and moves. Check this out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7b96bQfnjE We know once you have tried it you too will be snowshoeing with the rest of us!
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