I have owned a pair of snow shoes for about 2 years now. REI had a sweet deal on a pair for $30 with free shipping so, along with some friends, I bought a pair. It wasn’t until the day after Christmas that I would actually get a chance to use them.
Some lessons I learned:
- Mittens may be less agile than regular gloves, but they keep your hands much warmer.
- When hiking at 5000 feet the altitude can be killer. Every extra pound of weight makes a difference.
- Pack light and dress warm.
- Walking in snow shoes takes getting used to. At first they are constantly in the way but after a while you will be gliding around.
- Even a cheap, several year old GPS system can be pretty darn awesome when every direction looks the same.
Wow, beautiful pictures Z. Nice job. Looks like a great trip!
Just now seeing this. Great info and pictures. We need to go again!