1. Propel Yourself Forward With Snow Poles
Next to snowshoes, snow poles are the most important piece of equipment or snowshoeing accessory. They help keep you balanced, make it easier for you to propel yourself forward, and help you safely complete any tricky maneuvers. The best snow pole to get is the three-section telescoping ones. They pack down very compactly (usually to about 30 inches) so they're easy to transport. They are easy to adjust to your height and can also be adjusted as needed for uphill and downhill trekking. If you can help it, don't bother getting skiing snow poles because they tend to get stuck in the snow. The best snow poles to get are the cross-country ones because they have oversized snow baskets of typically five inches in diameter.
2. Snowshoe Accessories That Can Save Your Life
An ice pick and shovel are crucial accessories to take along if you're going on extended winter hikes, especially in alpine country. Always carry around a lightweight ice axe--the good ones weight about nine ounces--and learn how to use it to self belay and self arrest to slow down or stop an unexpected slide down a snow-covered slope. A snow shovel can help you dig yourself or someone else out of snow after an avalanche. Make sure you select a practical mini shovel that's light, strong and comes with a telescoping handle.
3. What to Buy So You Don't Get Lost
If you're hiking in unfamiliar territory, it's a good idea to carry thin bamboo poles with a colored flag on the end called wands. Wands are trail markers. Place them along your route strategically to make it easier to find your way back. Try to find ones that are four feet long.
4. Snowshoe Accessories That Can Save Someone Else's Life
Beacons and probes can help rescuers find someone buried in an avalanche faster without having to conduct grid searches. Modern beacons can be analogue or digital, but the digital ones are more user friendly. They allow rescuers to find the area where a victim is most likely to be located. Probes are more specific. If you're the rescuer, they'll help pinpoint the exact spot to dig. Make sure you know how to use probes and beacons before you begin snowshoeing.
5. Keep Tabs on the Weather
You can do this with an altimeter. These allow you to check barometric pressure and can help you detect changes in weather like approaching storms. Altimeters also measure altitude which you can use with a map to pinpoint your location. Altimeters are available in wrist-type styles or ones you can hang around your neck.
Member Comments