Make Snowshoes and Use Them

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In deep snow, snowshoes are a must. Using snowshoes is an art and their use can only be mastered through experience. Basic skills for acquisition and use will be discussed bellow.

Steps

  1. Snowshoes can be built or acquired in the following ways ordered by quality of the shoe.
    • Aluminum/High Quality: Aluminum snowshoes can be purchased in a number of different places and have evolved to their current state of high adaptability and light weight.
    • Ash/High quality: Ash is a very light, mold resistant wood used as base so as to weave rawhide or basswood into a central lattice which then holds ones foot. This type of snowshoe is probably the most expensive but also the most effective.
      • By quartering an ash log one can, by use of water bend an ash quarter around itself to be used as primitive base for weaving.
      • Rawhide or cured basswood can be used as reinforcement and footholds.
    • Spruce/Low Quality: The easiest snowshoe to make and also the most adaptable. However they are made for one time use and are rather flimsy for long expeditions.
      • Repeat all of the steps bellow for two shoes. Also note that when asked to reinforce a knot or string, do so generously as your whole body will be placed on top of it.
      • Find two small spruce trees that are four feet tall.
      • Pull the spruce trees out by their roots.
      • Cut off all the limbs and put them to the side.
      • Pull the many spruce roots up until you have several to use as central lashing.
      • Bend the length of the spruce tree around and tie the top and bottom together with spruce root so as to form the shape of a tear (make sure your knot will hold, it may help to double up on the reinforcement for this knot).
      • Observe the widest part of the shoe, opposite the tied end. From the centerline of your snowshoe observe the widest distance in your loop away from this centerline. Connect these two points using spruce root.
      • It is now important to reinforce this line as it will be the anchor for your foot.
      • Tie more spruce root to the end in which your previous root is tied. Now keep looping root in a counterclockwise fashion around the main root. Your center line should ideally be taut, and be at least a quarter inch in thickness. Secure the other end of these wrapped loops on the other side of the snowshoe
      • Now it is important to reinforce your knots to either side of this line to make sure they do not come loose and slide down the two sides of your shoe. Using a stick gather spruce sap to cover these knots. Also fir sap works excellently and can be acquired by popping bubbles on the outside bark of the tree.
      • After sap is applied split several spruce roots in half lengthwise and wrap them around these wet knots.
      • Observe that the back of the shoe is pointing towards you. The end directly opposite this point will be the next area to work on.
      • To work on this point take your longest root and wrap it around one of your reinforced knots. When it is firmly anchored, string it up to the point directly opposite the back of your snowshoe.
      • Anchor the root there with an untightened knot. (The reason it shouldn't be completely tight is because you will have to run another root under the knot you have just made.)
      • Do the same with the other side.
      • Observe that you have two knots that are loosely touching at the top of your shoe. Slip a root under both loops and tie them together in a knot. Then use the extra length to go over and under these two loops, just like when you reinforced the central shoestring. When you feel proper reinforcement has been applied cover this larger knot with spruce or fir sap to seal the deal. If you have done this right you can now see a noticeable triangle in your reinforcements.
      • From here your snowshoe should be taking shape. Observe the large gap between the side pointing towards you and the central string running horizontally. This large gap will be the next area to work on.
      • Observe the end pointed towards you, and the spruce roots used to hold this end together. Tie two spruce roots around the larger wrap of roots. If you have done this correctly your two roots should go between the two tied ends of your snowshoe snugging the roots that hold the two ends together.
      • Now run these two lines up to your central string. Anchor them to this string around {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} apart from one another.
      • If you have done this correctly the large gap you started with should now be split into three very long triangles that point towards the end of your snowshoe.
      • Now it is time to finish the job, take three long spruce roots and tie them on one side of the shoe bellow your central line. Space them apart equally down the length of your shoe.
      • String them across to the other side, making sure to loop them around each vertical spruce upright. After the roots are looped around each upright secure them on the other side just as you did your central line. Cover all your knots with sap and make sure to do so heavily to the back of your shoe.
      • Now weave in all the spruce boughs you cut off making sure to leave a gap for the front of your foot.
      • After The boughs are woven in you can now tie your boots into the shoe. Simply tie an extra root to the central string near an upright. Put the center of your boot on the central string between where the two uprights are tied. pull the root over your boot and anchor it tightly on the other upright.

Video

Tips

  • For a beginner snowshoe use is facilitated to save one from expending energy by constantly sinking down. However, snowshoeing speed is usually quite limited. For the more advanced user, snowshoes can be used to cover great distances very quickly. One should note that with proficiency one can actually run at a great pace on crusty snow.
  • As a beginner you will experience things that you may have never heard of. The video bellow explains a phenomenon that will scare you the first time it happens.
  • As a beginner it may be beneficial to use a walking stick so as to maintain a sense of balance.
  • One should note that all snow is different, and most of the time you will sink down quite a bit. However the purpose of snowshoes is to create a support base that will spread the weight over a larger area. Therefore, instead of sinking in up to your crotch you will sink in up to your calf.
  • Be prepared to fall down, snowshoeing is easy and may seem easy. However, the front of your shoe will inevitably get caught under a covered branch or root. This will be absolute hell on you and your snowshoes.
  • Advanced Snowshoe Use
  • Advanced users with some proficiency usually do not need the extra support of a stick or cane.
  • One of the main differences between a novice and proficient shoe is the fact that one begins to accurately read the top of the snow for bulges. One begins to predict roots or fallen branches that would otherwise catch a shoe, and fling one forward.
  • Once you have reached proficiency your stride should eliminate snow-john a word describing snow that is flung by the back of your shoe towards your rear end.
  • <object width="425" height="355"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VX3W0icYTPc&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></object>
  • Basic Snowshoe Use

  • Snowshoe Etiquette
  • If you are following someone on snowshoes, offer to pound trail periodically. The trail you follow has already been pounded at the expense of the leaders energy. It is proper etiquette to offer and as such give the leader a welcome reprieve. This is especially needed on long treks and powdery snow.
  • If you are the leader and come across a snow laden softwood it is helpful to say hold and jostle snow out of the tree for the people behind you.
  • Many snowshoe trails are formed after multiple treks. When you are done snowshoeing and know where you want to continue forward from, it is a common practice to "call your trail". First where you stop you should pack the snow down in a six foot circle so as to mark your stop. Then stomp a short path down the route that you wish to go. Then stomp an arrow in at the tip of the this trail. If others see this they may help by packing your trail for you.

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