Can’t wait for your favorite ski hill to open? Jump on the snowshoe bandwagon. All it takes to turn a beloved hike into a walk on the winter wild side is 4-6 inches of snow, a pair of snowshoes and a set of hiking or downhill ski poles. There are, of course, a few accessories that can make your adventure a bit more comfy.
Binding freely
It’s difficult to be an intrepid trekker when you have to stop every two steps to adjust the loose binding straps on your snowshoes. Boulder’s Crescent Moon has come to the rescue with stirrup step-in bindings that make your snowshoes as easy to put on as your skis. $159-$279. CHRISTY SPORTS
Are you sheepish about synthetics?
Who says you can enjoy the outdoors only in fabrics designed in laboratories? Go retro but stay toasty with these one-of-a-kind mittens made from thrift-shop wool sweaters and trimmed with vintage buttons. $44. BAABAAZUZU.COM
Beanie fits the bill
Hat? Visor? Visor? Hat? Always a difficult decision on a sunny, crisp Colorado day. Solve the problem with the Visor Beanie. $20. REI
Shoe me the way
Sure, snowshoeing around your yard is fun, but the scenery can become tedious. Check out maps of 175 trails throughout the state in “Snowshoeing Colorado,” by Boulder author Claire Walter. And after reading the section on snowshoeing techniques, you’re sure to be a shoe-in at the events and races mentioned in the book. $18.95. TATTERED COVER
Rugged retreats
For those who would love to try snowshoeing except it (a) means going outdoors (b) where it’s cold and (c) there are no comfy couches, now there are FunSlides Carpet Skates. Strap on these plastic snowshoes and schuss around your living room. You’ll get an aerobic workout, and when you’re done, the après-shoeing drinks are just a Kegerator away. $19.99. LEARNING EXPRESS IN NORTHGLENN AND FORT COLLINS
– Vicky Uhland, Special to The Denver Post
