15 Years of Winter Trails

You might know that in 2010, Winter Trails will be celebrating it's fifteenth annual Winter Trails Day!  We can't wait, and our fifteenth year will bring some exciting giveaways, online registration to make things more convenient, and of course, free snowshoeing and cross country skiing! 

These are some of our favorite pictures from past events:

Estes Park, CO

Liberty Mountain, PA

Liberty Mountain, PA

Estes Park, CO

Here's this years press release for more info!  Mark your calendars for January 9, 2010-- and sometime in February for the Estes Park event-- dates coming soon.  

Also..we polled our Facebook fans and want to know what you think: which is harder, snowshoeing or cross country skiing? 

What to Wear!

Perhaps the main factor that prevents people from enjoying the outdoors in the wintertime is the cold. Feeling cold is extremely uncomfortable- but just throwing on a coat doesn't make you dressed for the weather! If you dress correctly, you might not even notice the chilly temps, and remember that snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are great aerobic activities that will warm you up..and have you breaking a sweat in no time.

Here's a quick guide of how to layer up for the weather:

Wicking layer: This is the layer worn next to the skin. Look for thermal underwear made of a synthetic fiber that has "wicking" power. As participants perspire, the fibers will wick (move) moisture away from the skin and pass it through the fabric so it can evaporate.
Even though it's cold, snow sports will make participants sweat — especially if they are cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. This is why the wicking layer is very important.

Insulating layer: This middle layer includes sweaters, sweatshirts, vests and pullovers. The purpose of this layer is to keep heat in and cold out, which is accomplished by trapping air between the fibers. Popular insulation materials include fleece and wool.

Protection layer: The exterior layer serves as the guard against the elements of winter. It should repel moisture from snow, sleet or rain; block the wind, and let perspiration escape to the outside to evaporate. Some jackets and pants are shells (no insulation), some include built-in insulation, and others have zip-in insulation layers. Choose your protection layer based on temperatures and snow conditions in your area or where you like to vacation.

Headwear: Up to 60 percent of the body's heat can escape from an uncovered head-- so don't forget your hat!

Sunglasses and goggles: Snow, because it is a reflective surface, makes ultraviolet (UV) rays stronger. On sunny days, sunglasses are essential to protect the eyes. On flat-light days or when it's snowing, goggles are vital.

Gloves and mittens: Look for gloves and mittens that use waterproof/breathable fabrics. Mittens, in general, are warmer than gloves, but offer less dexterity. Consider the type of activity when choosing between gloves and mittens. Gloves for cross-country skiing tend to be lighter-weight to allow for extra movement and a higher degree of perspiration.

Socks: One pair of lightweight or medium weight socks works best. Socks are made from a variety of materials, including polyester, silk and wool. Socks designed specifically for snow sports have wicking properties similar to thermal underwear, meaning your feet will stay drier and more comfortable.

For more information, check out our website here.

Did you know?

• 46% of snowshoers are women.


• You burn 45% more calories snowshoeing than walking or running at the same speed.


• Snowshoeing uses every major muscle group at relatively high intensity for extended periods of time, thus requiring high caloric expenditure.

• Cross country skiing burns more calories per hour than any other sport.


• Cross country skiing is an ideal cross-training sport for running or biking.


• Crosscountry skiing is one of the most affordable snow sport activities. A day trip costs, on average, $12 for a trail pass (for those who already have equipment) or $35 for trail pass, rental equipment and a lesson.

Check out here for more fun snowshoeing facts and here for cross country skiing facts.

Snowshoeing on Sand?

We're a little late coming across this New York Times article, but it's so cool that we just couldn't resist.

It's called Sweating in Snowshoes at the Beach, and it describes three New Yorkers who were training for the 2009 North Pole Marathon. As New York didn't have snow for them to train on, they decided to run on the beach in snowshoes!

It turns out that the 2009 North Pole Marathon has already happened- on April 7, 2009, thirty-eight participants completed the sixth annual event. Competitors wore snowshoes or trail running shoes depending on snow conditions.

What do you think of a North Pole Marathon? Would you ever do it? What's the most extreme winter sport you've done? Ever snowshoed on the beach?

Summer fitness fun

While we are all missing winter here at Winter Trails, there's a bright side to this whole summer thing: it lets us get back in shape for winter! Endurance, muscle strength, and flexibility are three important factors to fitness for winter sports, so here's what we focus on come summer:

• Biking and mountain biking
• Hiking
• Running
• Kayaking
• Swimming

Luckily, these all let us enjoy the great outdoors just as much as our beloved winter sports do. What are your suggestions for staying in shape for winter sports? Any special tips and tricks? Do you hit the gym or stick to outside?