So I went with a friend to the mountain town of Silverthorne for my first snowshoeing race -- something I've been wanting to try for a long time. A snowshoe company (MSR) was lending shoes for the race, and I was pleasantly surprised by how light they were, and how easy they were to fasten and run in. The weather was perfect: sunny and 25 degrees with no wind. I actually shed a layer just before the start, which turned out to be a good choice because I overheated during the race and had to roll up my sleeves and remove my gloves.
Snowshoeing is tough. Snowshoeing at 9,000 feet is really tough. The uphills were brutal, the downhills treacherous. Where the trail was hard-packed I could hammer, but on the uneven sections I fell many times and lost ground to more sure-footed racers. I finished right about in the middle of the field.
The scenery was beautiful -- check out these photos!
The course wound through a lovely alpine forest.
Nasty, nasty climb... at 9,000 feet... on snowshoes!
Near the end, we had to crawl through a 50-foot culvert. This goes in the category of "completely uncalled-for."
Happy to be finished!I should get a pair of snowshoes and try to get out to the mountains every couple of weeks. It's a crime that I live in one of the country's premium wintersports regions and hardly ever get out of the city.
Hours this week: 12
Hours this year: 22.75
Miles skated this week: 12
Miles skated this year: 51
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