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If you must know, I’m not really a winter girl. I prefer just about every other part of life in Maine except snow and ice. To give you an idea of how little outdoor recreation I participate in during the winter, consider the following: I’ve never tried ice skating or skiing (either downhill or cross-country), never jumped into Clearwater Lake during the Polar Bear dip, and the last time I wore snow pants, I was 11 years old. I. Don’t. Like. Winter.
As you can imagine, when Mapping Our Footsteps started last year, I was not too thrilled about our first winter outing, a snowshoe trek up Center Hill in Weld. For a week leading up to the hike, I sat at my desk trying to suppress images of recess at Norridgewock Central Grade School—
the only time I as a kid that I spent outside during the winter. I recalled my perpetually soggy mismatched mittens, wet feet, and runny nose. It made me want to call in sick to work. Add to this conundrum that I had to invest in a pair of highly unflattering adult-sized snow pants and I was not the least bit excited about this outdoor adventure.
But I am not one to shirk my duties as head outdoors woman at Healthy Community Coalition. Off I went, with some coworkers, Center for Community GIS staff, and community volunteers. I’m not going to lie—it was hard work climbing up the trail on snow shoes—especially if you have never actually worn snow shoes. Especially if you don’t properly tighten said snow shoes and they keep falling off your boots. It wasn’t my finest hour.
However, as I plowed (literally at times) through the snow, I couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of the woods in the winter. The complete transformation of the trees and ground and the beautiful silence that freshly fallen snow gives the air. And while the hike was physically taxing, it gave my mind a chance to relax, something that watching TV never does. While I still prefer climbing mountains during the other three seasons, I’m excited to explore more local trails this winter.
If you have never tried snowshoeing, I recommend it. Along with getting you up close and personal with the beauty of winter, snowshoeing burns around 400 calories in 30 minutes (which varies, depending on your age, weight, etc.). And that’s going slow, about two miles an hour.
If you are new to snowshoeing, you may want to start on a flat surface (like your lawn) until you get the hang of it. Other tips for novice winter adventurers:
- Dress in layers. It’s easier to remove a layer than to add one if you are cold.
- Take a buddy with you. It’s always more fun when there is someone else to see you making a fool of yourself.
- Start early in the day. Snowshoeing in the dark is not such a great idea.
- Stick to the trail. This is true anytime of the year and it’s just as easy to get lost in the winter as it is in the summer. Be on the lookout for trail markers.
- No snowshoes? No Problem! The University of Maine at Farmington Recreation Center rents snowshoes to non-student/non-members for $6 a day or $18 a week. Read more about their rental policies offer here (http://frc.umf.maine.edu/Outdoor_Recreation/Equipment_Rental.php). Also, this is Maine, folks. I’d wager someone in your social circle owns a pair of snow shoes they would be willing to loan to you for a weekend. Ask around.
Other cool things to do at Center Hill and Mt. Blue State Park, besides snowshoeing, include sledding, skating at the ice rink (with free skates available that have been donated to the park), and skiing up to 15 miles on the cross country ski trails. You can read more about Center Hill at Maine Trail Finder (www.mainetrailfinder.com), which also has plenty of other snow-shoeing trails listed for Greater Franklin County.
Do you already snowshoe? We are always looking for volunteers for Mapping Our Footsteps to help us map new trails and give us updates on existing trails. We’d love to hear about your own experiences and advice about different trails in the area. And we love, love, love pictures! Give me a call at 779-2929 or drop me an e-mail at ljbrown@fchn.org.
