This is the third snowshoe event which has had a bit of a spotty record what with the warm weather.  The weather forecast is great -2C with light  winds.

The Objective

• Practice ascending and descending slopes with snowshoes and poles.  Links and references:
  • Snowshoe Magazine: Snowshoeing Education 202: Skills for the Hills.
  • Snowshoes.com: Going Uphill
  • Snowshoeing Coaching Guide: Ascent/Descent sections.
• Practice will include
  • Assessing the fall line of a hill.
  • Side stepping
  • V-Step/herringbone climb
  • Slope Traverse
  • Toe-Kick
  • Descent with and without poles

Where are We Going and How to Get Back

Government House Park – parking lot. NW Corner of Grout and River.

• Meet at Government House Park parking lot.  This park is in the NW Corner of Grout Road and the North Saskatchewan River.  Exit off the western terminus of River Valley Road.
• We will shoe west along MacKinnon Ravine taking advantage of the small slopes and valleys.
• As time permits, we will try to get as far west as 142nd Street.
• Advanced snowshoers can optionally attempt to summit 149th Street and return to the parking lot prior to the main group finishing its route.

What to Take

• Snowshoes (duh!) and poles (optional).
• Clothing appropriate to the weather.  Noting that I tend to run hot, I am plan to wear/bring:
  • Hiking boots
  • Lightly insulated shell pants
  • Long sleeve cycling jersey and a cycling shell (shell is shelved fairly quickly)
  • Fleece neck warmer
  • Cycling beanie and/or a baseball cap
  • Full fingered cycling gloves
• Headlamp (generally these will be off but just in case we need them).
• Backpack to carry/stow clothing
• 0.5 – 1.0 litre of water

Books, Where to Buy and Other Resources:

• Rentals:
  • Totem Outfitters: http://www.totemoutfitters.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/2016-WINTER-RENTAL-RATES-VERSION-2.pdf.
    MEC: https://www.mec.ca/AST/ContentPrimary/Services/Stores/Edmonton.jsp#rentals
  • River Valley: http://www.rivervalleyadventure.com/our-services/snowshoe-rentals
  • I have no problem recommending the first two choices (a long ago former employee of the first and long standing member of the second).  No history with the third.
• Buying:
  • Most outdoor shops such as MEC, Campers Village, Totem Outfitters, Atmosphere, etc.
  • Canadian Tire is a good place to get entry level shoes (and to use up that dirty pile of Canadian Tire money).
  • I prefer the MSR binding system but this is a matter of personal preference.
  • Unless you are a traditionalist, stick with the modern snow shoes.
  • Avoid web based bindings unless you can buy the real cheap.
• Books:
  • Best ‘How To’ book: Basic Illustrated Snowshoeing, A Falcon Guide, Eli Burakian.
  • Second best ‘How To’ book: A Beginner’s Guide to Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies, RMB, Andrew Nugara.
  • Other Canadian book: Snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies, RMB, Andrew Nugara. Note, both of Nugara’s books focus on the southern Alberta Rockies.