At age 3, Max likes to find new ways to test snowshoes. (Kate Goodin photo)

6:30 am: I’m lying in bed with a slowly-waking-up Max (aka “Boonie”), discreetly trying to keep his attention away from the windows. I’m not ready to get up yet, and I know something that he doesn’t: it snowed last night. He’s not the kind of boy to take this lightly. A heavy frost gets him excited.

6:45 am: He turns his head. It’s just light enough now that he can tell that the world is white. He’s silent for about a second and then, “Ohhhhhhhh…” He scrambles for the window and leans on the sill, banging his head on the glass. Groggy as I am, I smile as his high-pitched 3-year-old voice squeaks with delight, “Snow! I want to go outside!?” It’s a question, a statement and a plea all at once. Who can deny a child with that kind of passion? “Okay,” I say, “Let’s get dressed.”

“I want to go snowshoeing!”

“I know, Boonie, but you have to get dressed first.”

When to Start

Late last winter we had the opportunity to try out some snowshoes for Max. He was just beginning the transition from riding in a backpack carrier for most of our walks to doing more and more on his own two feet. It was time. Not only is he a strong, active boy, but he’s big for his age, and heavy, and it was increasingly obvious that it would soon be impractical to carry him for long distances. Perhaps more importantly, his independence was blossoming and he was eager to interact with the world on his own terms, inspecting and investigating things that caught HIS attention. This has brought so much wonder to my life; with him in the Ergo backpack carrier we used, I was able to share what I found interesting with him, but now he is an active participant, often pointing out, and asking questions about, things that I have missed, things I wouldn’t have thought to wonder about on my own.

Well before he turned 3, Max was perfecting his snowshoe yoga technique. (Kate Goodin photo)

In the winter of 2010/11, when Max was just two-and-a-half, we had a LOT of snow. My husband Doug plows the yard clear between our house and the barn, where our firewood is stacked. This gave Max a good start at playing outside, but he wanted to know what was going on in the rest of the yard. As soon as he tried to step off the plowed area or off the snowmobile trail that runs through our field, he would stumble, sink, and immediately get frustrated at his lack of forward motion. I shoveled some paths for him early in the year, but this obviously wasn’t a long-term solution. We hadn’t thought that he would need snowshoes so soon, but we knew that Max and snowshoes were inevitable, so we decided to start looking. This may sound crazy, but I like to start him on things before he’s ready. Not TOO much before, mind you; I don’t want to discourage him. But let’s put it this way: I wanted him to be comfortable with the IDEA of using snowshoes before he HAD to use them.

With this in mind, we started looking at what was available that would work for someone as small and eager as Max. It’s apparently not that common for a two- or three-year-old to snowshoe on his or her own, at least not very far. At first, the only snowshoes I could find designed to fit him appeared to be cheesy kid things, and I just wasn’t interested in that. I know my son well enough to know that he wouldn’t be, either. He wants his stuff to look and work like Mommy’s and Daddy’s. This is a kid who, when asked what he wanted for Christmas this year, said “Ummmm …chainsaw!” You get the picture.

Last year, we rented Tubbs snowshoes from EMS for him to try and they worked perfectly. Unfortunately, they changed that particular model and we weren’t able to find any to buy. So we started looking at what was on the market  and found a number of other quality snowshoes designed for smaller kids. The question was, would they fit Max? And could he move independently on them?

Lucky for us, Max is big for his age, and his feet are bigger still. His boots last year were size 10s. For this test,  he’s wearing size 11, so he was able to at least try all the models.

Looking At Kids’ Snowshoes: Do Kids Need Different Features?

Max showing off the rotating toe cord on the TSL Freeze. (Kate Goodin photo)

Choosing snowshoes for adults who know what they want to do on them is difficult enough. Choosing snowshoes for Max seemed even more daunting. For example, adult snowshoes basically come in two forms which, I’ve found, make the snowshoes perform very differently. But this difference isn’t always visible just by looking at the snowshoe. It’s in the “toe cord” which is the connection between the binding, which holds the boot, and the deck, which provides flotation. Adult shoes have either “rotating toe cords” which let the tail of the snowshoe drop as you take a step, or “tight” or “fixed” toe cords which restrict the drop of the snowshoe’s tail to varying degrees. Basically, for adults, tight toe cords are more maneuverable, rotating toe cords work better in deep snow.

We found to our surprise that kids’ snowshoes also offer a third option: no toe cord.  The snowshoe deck is bound directly to the foot. In theory, this should be the most maneuverable of all, and a possible advantage for the littlest snowshoers,

We tried to go into this test of kids’ snowshoes without any preconceived notions of which type of toe cord would work best. Keeping an open mind was not as easy as it sounds. I love my current snowshoes (2006 Tubbs Ventures), but my first pair of snowshoes were awful. They had very tight toe cords and constantly flipped snow onto my legs and back. I came home from every snowshoe trek cold and wet. I tolerated them for several years because I loved snowshoeing and I didn’t know there were options. Based on that experience I can’t think why an adult wouldn’t want a rotating toe cord on a snowshoe for general winter travel, and, in fact, that’s exactly what the entire EasternSlopes.com editorial team recommends. When I got the pair I use now it was like discovering that you could buy a car with a roof on it to keep the weather off you. What a great idea!

BUT, in the case of a little kids’ snowshoe, we saw it was possible for tight toe cords or even no toe cords to have their advantages. The maneuverability is definitely a plus. Kids rarely break trail for themselves for any distance. And when you send a little kid out in the snow, you’d better believe they are going to get it all over themselves, snowshoes or no snowshoes. Since they are probably going to be diving headfirst into it, having a little extra flung at them by their snowshoes isn’t going to matter all that much.

That being said, there are snowshoes for little ones that have a rotating toe cord. Somewhat bizarrely, Atlas touts the increased strength of the steel rotating toe cord on its Sprout 17 model while saying that the model for older kids, the Spark 20, has a fixed toe cord for easier maneuvering. Backwards logic? The question was: would a kid as young as three be able to handle the  maneuverability issues inherent with a rotating toe cord?

We decided to let Max’s experience on the shoes be our guide to what worked.

Binding Adjustment, User Weight and Deck Size

The test lineup, left to right LL.Bean Winter Walker 16, Yukon Charlie Junior, Atlas Sprout 17, MSR Tyker, TSL Trappeur. TSL 302 Freeze, Tubbs Storm, and Mom's and Dad''s snowshoes for size comparison. (Kate Goodin photo)

The other matter of concern was the physical size of the snowshoes and the ability to fit them to little kids. Obviously there’s a balancing act here. Bigger snowshoes are harder for a small kid to maneuver–especially a three year old. But bigger snowshoes will hold bigger kids so you’ll get more years out of your investment. Though 21-inch adult trail shoes will work for larger kids, we confined our tests to real “kid size shoes” under 20 inches long

Boot size is a hugely important factor when choosing a kids’ snowshoe. You absolutely must to be able to make the binding snug on their boot or the deal is off. Because Max has pretty big feet, we didn’t have too much trouble with this. Some of the bindings didn’t fit perfectly, but it was hard to tell whether that was because Max’s boots were on the small end of their range, or if it was just because of the design. I will say up front that if your child’s feet are smaller than size 10, I think only one of the recommended models, the MSR Tykers, will fit. Most of the manufacturers listed size 11 as the low end of the scale, but the few we tried last fall with Max’s size 10s tightened down enough to be perfectly functional.

The whole point of a snowshoe of course is to provide flotation in deep snow, keeping the wearer from sinking to their armpits. There is a lot of variability in what the manufacturers say regarding flotation. One 16″ shoe was supposed to provide enough flotation for 100 lbs, while another model, 3 inches longer, only claimed 90 lbs. I don’t think there’s a formula to come up with these numbers. How much sinking in what kind of snow is acceptable before you say someone needs more flotation? Our recommendation is to look at these numbers as a guideline only. According to the manufacturer’s specs, the weight range for the snowshoes we tested is 60-110 lbs. In general, a bigger deck is going to provide more flotation.

We found three models that worked particularly well for both Max and Mom, and we are giving these our top ratings. A fourth model gets a sort of lopsided thumbs up, and the final three didn’t make us so happy for some very specific reasons which may or may not be important to you and your little one. Our three favorite models are amazingly different from each other and worked well in very different ways. You might find that one particularly suits your child while another might not be as good; you’ll have to assess your child’s size, physical abilities and interest and patience levels to choose among the three. We’ve simply listed the top picks alphabetically by brand because they are so different we can’t really rate one as better than the others. Following those are shoes we didn’t rate as highly for our uses. We’ve tried to give very specific reasons why they didn’t work as well for us. Your child and your circumstances may be different and you may find they would work fine for you.

MSR Tykers: Dimensions: 6.5 x 17, Recommended Boot Size: 7.5 kid’s-4.5 men’s, Recommended Maximum Weight: 90 lbs, Toe cord: direct attachment.

The MSR Tykers are miniature versions of the proven adult model, with a binding that will fit the tiniest foot. (Tim Jones photo)

Two strong points we noticed right away on the MSR Tykers: First, the overall quality. These are not cheap plastic toys. In fact, they are basically the long-proven Denali adult shoe in a kid size. In addition to a lot of weight-carrying capacity, they offer some serious traction as well. Second, the bindings are both easy to use and seriously adjustable; three heavy duty rubber straps with holes to hook over metal tabs. And there are so many holes in those straps that if your little one can walk, you’ll likely be able to get these snowshoes secured on his or her boots. And it’s easy for Mom or Dad to do now, and for the child to do later.

Back to traction for a moment: A lot of the traction material on the bottom of the Tykers is plastic instead of metal. Most parents (me included) would likely be a bit freaked out if they’d made a kid’s snowshoe with as much scary looking metal on the bottom as there is on the adult MSR snowshoe. While the side traction bars are made of the same plastic as the decking, there is still a little metal, and there has to be. The plastic provides enough traction for snow, the metal helps dig in to crust and ice. Unless your wee one is going to be making icy, high-angle ascents, this is serious enough stuff to keep them moving. One caution, however: Because there is no articulation between boot/binding and the deck of the snowshoe, the wearer can’t point the toe crampon into a slope. Going up an icy or heavily crusted slope can be difficult. Keep that in mind if you and your little one climb lots of hills on hard snow.

The thing that really sets these MSRs apart is how tightly the snowshoe is held to the foot.  There isn’t a toe cord at all; in fact, there’s no articulation between the boot/binding and the deck of the snowshoe. If you are concerned about your kid getting tangled and tripped by a snowshoe that swings down and away from the foot, these are an excellent choice. Max performed an unauthorized (Mom note: at least I did not authorize it!) experiment and proved that, with these snowshoes on, when Mom’s back is turned, you can actually climb into a freestanding wheelbarrow without tipping it over or falling on your head. So the snowshoes get an A+ for maneuverability. And because the boot is so tight to the deck you don’t get the snow-catapult action you get with a tight toe cord. Add the bonus that these will fit just about the tiniest foot out there, and overall we’d have to say that these are the best entry level snowshoes for really little ones.

TSL 302 Freeze: Dimensions: 7 x 19 Recommended Shoe Size: junior 11-men’s 6, Recommended Weight: 40-110 lbs Toe cord: full rotating

Logging roads and hunters' trails are our stomping grounds. Max had no troubles with the rotating toe cord. (Kate Goodin photo)

Do not let the wild look of this snowshoe fool you. They really work. We had our doubts whether plastic toe crampons and a few steel nubbins in the back would provide much traction, but they really do the job. Max hiked up a hill with snow-covered ice in spots and never slipped once. (Mom note: What kind of mother am I that I guide my child towards the ice to see if his crampons work? The kind of mother who wants to know if his gear works before I let him get into real trouble on what he’s gonna try anyway…)

This snowshoe was one of only two that had a full rotating toe cord, unusual in a kids’ shoe, for the maneuverability reasons stated above. The first time Max tried these it seemed like it might be a bit of an issue, but not much. The second time, he hiked about a mile in the woods on snowmobile tracks and unpacked trails, through puckerbrush and over logs, and he never had a problem. He ran in them, crossed brooks and stone walls,  played hide-and-seek behind trees. Now, don’t get me wrong. He’s not quite three-and-a-half, but he’s been using snowshoes for a year and has tried different snowshoe models all winter. Be realistic when assessing not just your kid’s age and abilities, but temperament and interest level. If she’s easily frustrated or only tentatively interested, then getting tangled up a few times might just make her want to throw the snowshoes in the closet forever.

TSL’s website says shoe sizes for this model start at girls 13, a retailer says they fit junior 11 to men’s 6; we found that they fit Max’s 11s just fine. The binding on these shoes, like the snowshoe itself, is a bit weird looking, but again, don’t be put off by that. Pull on a tab and slide the heel cup back and forth to adjust the length for the individual boot. Once that is set, two Velcro straps hold the boot in. Just Velcro? Yup, just Velcro. As noted, Max walked a mile, over hill and dale, he crawled, he rolled, and the snowshoes didn’t budge.

TSL lists 110 pounds as the weight limit for these. It’s on the higher end, and one independent website says 90 pounds, but they are 19 inches long, two inches longer than the MSRs, so we can believe they’d give a little more flotation. And even as long as they are, the hourglass shape seems to make it easier for a little kid to walk with what amounts to really big feet.

Yukon Charlie’s Junior Series   Dimensions: 16 x 7, Recommended Shoe Size: none given, Recommended Weight: up to 100 lbs, Toe cord: tight

The Yukon Charlie's in action. (Kate Goodin photo)

The Yukon Charlie’s Junior Series Mountain Goat was the big surprise of the test. This is a really nice all-around snowshoe for kids! It has crampons where it needs crampons, front and back. They are aluminum and that’s more than fine on a kids’ snowshoe. Stainless might last longer but aluminum weighs less and if that means another quarter of a mile, out of him before he says, “Mommmmm…carry me!,” I’m good with that. Probably even more to the point, he isn’t likely to be in too many situations where he’ll be putting a lot of wear and tear on the crampons. When you’re crossing a rocky summit and the bare rock alternates with solid ice…that’s when your crampons really take a beating. It’ll be a few years before he’s on a winter hike of that caliber. Several of the other models we tried also had aluminum crampons, as do my snowshoes.

The toe cord on these is fixed. Does it throw a little snow? Yeah, a little. I see no reason to worry about this on a kids’ shoe. If your kid is anything like mine, no snowshoe can compete with the amount of snow he gets plastered on him just by being out in it. And at only 16 inches, there isn’t as much surface area to collect and throw snow to begin with.

I can’t find any mention of what size boot these Charlie’s will fit. They fit on Max’s 11s just fine.

The super-fast release cord on the binding of the Yukon Charlie's. (Kate Goodin photo)

The binding is super easy, not just to get into, but also out of. When the wearer is only three, “out-of” can be just as important as “in-to”. Emergencies happen.

The Yukon Charlie’s Juniors  are rated at 100 pounds of flotation, which seems a bit high for the 16 inch long deck. But even as big as Max is, it’s going to be a while before he comes close to that. If you are looking for a quality first snowshoe for a little kid, these deserve serious consideration. They have become our go-to shoe for everyday use, and with Max, snowshoeing is an every day activity.

If It Ain’t Broke . . .

Tubbs Storm  Dimensions: 19 x 7, Recommended Shoe Size: junior 11-men’s 6, Recommended Weight: 40-90 lbs, Toe cord: tight.

The new Tubbs Storm is a fine snowshoe--except for the difficult-to-use binding. We liked the old style much better. (Kate Goodin photo)

These snowshoes get a kind of lopsided thumbs-up from us. We’ve tried it in two versions, old and new and our verdict is: This snowshoe was perfect…before they changed it. The traction is great, right where it needs to be. The documentation that came with the shoe says the crampon is aluminum, while their website says it’s all stainless. It looks stainless. The deck gives plenty of flotation for his weight, and is rated up to 90 pounds, so there’s lots of room to grow. The toe cord is tight. With a 19 inch long deck you do get a little more snow thrown than with the Charlie’s, but again…adults may want to be out in the snow without being in the snow, but that’s not so true with a kid.

The primary difference between the old Storm and the new Storm, and the reason for our lukewarm recommendation of the new ones is in the bindings.  The old Storm had a binding similar to the the React binding that’s on my adult snowshoes and it worked perfectly; easy to put on, and it stays secure forever. I believe it is the same binding they still use on the Glacier, for older kids. But someone, somewhere in the universe, decided to “improve” a binding that worked perfectly . . .It’s now a single very stiff plastic strap with a ratcheting buckle that requires you to pinch, push and pull all at the same time to  snug it up adequately on small boots. While the new binding will fit Max’s boots, it ain’t quick or easy. When all is said and done, the bindings keep the snowshoes on, which is the point. But . . . based on our experience, we’d recommend looking for a pair of the older style. Some retailers may still have some in stock or you may find them on the used market.

Thumbs Down . . . For Specific Reasons

Redfeather Youth 20 Dimensions: 7 x 20, Recommended Shoe Size: none given, Recommended Weight: up to 80 lbs. Toe cord: tight

Otherwise a fine shoe, the Redfeathers didn't make the cut because they lacked heel traction of any kind. Max slipped and fell several times on a crusty hill that gave him no trouble on other snowshoes. (Kate Goodin photo)

These snowshoes are pretty neat looking. They are 20 inches long, but part of that length is just tail, so it doesn’t add as much flotation as you might think. Redfeather rates them at 80 pounds.The toe cord is the common fixed style (Redfeather calls it a “live action hinge”). We didn’t get to try them in soft snow, but wouldn’t be surprised if the tapered tail reduced any snow-throwing tendencies. We didn’t encounter any “flip” as we tested these on hard-packed snow. And this brings us to our one complaint with this shoe: Where we live and play, crampons are really important. These shoes are lacking 50% of what they should have. There’s a perfectly respectable toe crampon, but nothing under the heel. And that causes problems.

Using these shoes, Max fell three times in rapid succession on a small hill covered with crusty, packed snow. He’d already negotiated this same hill without any trouble on several other shoes. Based on those falls, we  immediately wrote these off as unacceptable for our needs. Yes, snowshoes were originally designed to keep the wearer from sinking in deep powder, but we all use our snowshoes for a lot more now and hard snow on hills is part of life, especially in the East.

However, if you live somewhere where the snow conditions are more consistently fluffy powder, or you always stay on level ground this might be a perfectly good choice; they are clearly well made.

We also had a minor complaint about the toe cap on these binding, a sort-of folded up rubber the toe of the boot slides into. No matter how they shape it, this type of binding while easy to use, always seems to fit less snugly than other designs, especially with a smaller boot. That being said, the bindings fit Max’s 11s, and the rest of the binding, two rubber straps with many holes (similar to the MSRs), was easily adjustable and easy to put on.

If it had a heel crampon, we’d have found this shoe recommendable.

L.L. Bean Winter Walker 16 Dimensions:16 x 8, Recommended Shoe Size: none given, Recommended Weight: up to 60 lbs, Toe cord: fixed

The underboot plate of the L.L. Bean binding creates a tripping hazard when adjusted to the smallest setting. (Kate Goodin photo)

These snowshoes get some rave reviews from folks on the L.L. Bean website. I can only imagine they are from people with larger kids who don’t have to adjust the binding size to fit a little one. In all the above snowshoes, binding size is either adjusted by simply having a binding that cinches down to fit the boot currently in it (the most basic adjustment I can imagine). In the case of the TSLs, adjusting for larger or smaller boots is a very simple matter: Lift the tab and slide. Takes about five seconds. Tip: do it with an empty boot so you’re not trying to hold your kid’s weight up off the thing you are trying to slide, while trying to slide it.

The L.L. Bean shoes annoyed me right out of the box when I realized that, to properly adjust them, I was going to need a socket wrench and a screwdriver. We tried them without adjusting for length, but found on our first outing that with the heel cap in the “larger “position, Max had almost no weight over the toe crampons, rendering them basically useless.

That meant I was going to have to go the wrench and screwdriver route to have any sense of whether or not the shoes performed well for Max.. Now, I don’t mean to be a whiner, but having little fiddly bits of snowshoe (nuts, bolts, crampons) loose on the living room floor was not my idea of fun, especially with an anxious three-year-old on the prowl… Perhaps it annoyed me in particular because it’s not necessary. Not one of the other snowshoes required me to disassemble the binding to get Max’s weight functionally distributed on the heel and toe crampons.

The real problem with the Bean binding revealed itself only after the bindings were correctly sized for Max’s boots. Once the heel cap was adjusted so that his weight was properly over the crampons, the flat plastic bottom of the binding protruded beyond the tips of his boots, tripping him. After less than five minutes, he’d had it and asked to take the shoes off.

You could cut the excess off the front of the plate, but in so doing you would eliminate the possibility of adjusting the binding when your child grew. With the flotation listed for this snowshoe at 25-60 pounds, it’s not like Max was on the small end of the spectrum of potential users of the snowshoe.

Everything else about this snowshoe is fine and it should work very well for larger kids with feet large enough to use the larger binding setting. It has a fixed toe cord, aluminum crampons at toe and heel—all good. Change the binding to something like the one on the Yukon Charlie’s have and you’d have…well, the Yukon Charlie’s…one of our top choices.

The “Kiddie Shoe” Conundrum

While the other snowshoes we tested were, in essence, downsized versions of adult shoes, the two that follow are clearly designed as “kiddie shoes,” and they simply did not perform as well in our conditions.

Atlas Sprout 17 Dimensions: 6.25 x 17, Recommended Shoe Size: none given, Recommended Weight: 30-80 lbs., Toe cord: Rotating

Snow packed in the bottoms of the Atlas Sprout model. This wasn't a wet snowfall. (Kate Goodin photo)

Some of the snowshoes we tested were as short, or even shorter, than the Sprout, but those all had the bonus of looking, and generally, behaving like a small version of an adult shoe. The Sprout has hard plastic decking, like the MSR Tyker, but the MSR is a mini-version of a well-respected adult shoe. This isn’t.

The Sprout , like the TSL Freeze, features a full rotating toe cord. We found it puzzling that Atlas advertises the fixed toe cord on the Spark 20 model (for older kids, remember) as allowing easier maneuvering and then puts a rotating toe cord on the snowshoe for the younger, presumably less coordinated kids. But be that as it may, Max showed us with the TSL 302 that it’s at least possible for a three-year-old to handle a rotating toe cord.

The trouble with this shoe is similar to the problem we had with the Redfeathers reviewed above. While not totally lacking in rear traction, these have no crampon. The underside of the decking is molded into a snowflake pattern—which makes prints in the snow that your kids are supposed to love, by the way. It provides some traction, but not enough for our conditions. And, worse, even in dry snow (at least by eastern standards), we found that the whole bottom of the snowshoe filled up like a cookie cutter with the cookie still stuck in it. This wasn’t in super dry powder, but here in New England we have very variable snow conditions. We might have cured the problem buy spraying the underside of the deck with silicone spray, but that shouldn’t be necessary. Frankly we don’t want snowshoes that don’t perform admirably in, at the very least, most of the conditions we are likely to encounter.

Atlas rates these snowshoes at 80 pounds of flotation. The binding was OK. The toe cap didn’t fit as snugly as others, but it seemed fairly secure and was pretty easy to put on. They don’t mention what boot size it is supposed to fit, but say that the snowshoe is recommended for ages 4-8.

Atlas also makes the the Spark 20, which we did not review. It looks like a miniature version of an adult shoe with front and rear crampons, fixed toe cord, and 120 pound maximum weight. In retrospect, this model would have been more comparable to the others in the test. We intend to test this model as soon as possible. It has the same binding as the Sprout, meaning it should work reasonably well with Max’s boots.

TSL Trappeurs  Dimensions: 20 x7, Recommended Shoe Size:10.5-4, Recommended Weight: 30-65 lbs., Toecord: tight

Max showing off the tails of the TSL Trappeurs. Unfortunately, they easily tangle in the slats of the decking. (Kate Goodin photo)

The TSL Trappeurs looked, on paper, like they might be a good first snowshoe for little kids. They mirror the shape of old-style snowshoe designs, including tails, but they are molded of an extremely rugged plastic that will stand up to hard “kid use.” When we first tested these last season, we went out in after a late-winter storm with no concerns about him getting in the mud where it was exposed. The snowshoes are very simple and plastic and muck rinsed off easily before we put them away.

The recommended weight range for the TSL Trappeurs is 30-65 pounds. The bindings on these are super-simple, just a rubber galoshes-type toe with an elastic heel loop, and should fit boot sizes 10.5 – 4. For some kids this might be great as they would be able to easily put on their own snowshoes as long as they had the finger strength to pull the sturdy rubber. Max. like most kids, likes to do things on his own; and that increases his desire to participate. But we found that, while the simplicity of this design is a great idea, the rubber is, by necessity, such a tight fit on the boot that we can’t imagine a little kid being able to pull it on all by himself or herself. Once they are strong enough to deal with the Trappeur binding, they are probably ready to figure out and use a more “complicated” design.

When Max was two-and-a-half, he had one issue with these snowshoes. He frequently tangled the tails in the lateral perforations in the decking. That long, skinny tail kept catching in the other shoe and tripping him up, which he found frustrating. An older kid with more experience just-plain-walking might not have so much trouble, but since these are supposed to be for little kids…

Our other concern with this shoe was traction. With three rounded-off metal points, two under the ball of the foot and one under the heel, they offer some traction, but it doesn’t compare to our recommended models above. On perfectly flat ground or always in soft snow, this might be fine, but I challenge you to stay on soft snow and flat ground while tramping in the woods in New England.

While it looks simple and cute, these shoes are too simple and too cute to really function. We felt that they would end up disappointing and frustrating a child rather than encouraging him or her to really develop a love of snowshoeing. Fortunately, TSL also makes the excellent 302 Freeze, a much better investment if you want serious snowshoes for your child.

The Takeawy

What’s really amazing in this whole test is that we found so many quality snowshoes for  kids. We proved that, literally, if your child can walk independently, you can choose snowshoe options that will work. Even the snowshoes we didn’t particularly like for our uses were well made and would likely suit someone else. In other words, you definitely don’t have to settle for cheap junk, nor do you need to spend a fortune to get snowshoes that will keep your child smiling and happy on snow until he or she is ready for adult-sized shoes.

Bon Jour! Comprenez-vous Anglais? Thank goodness, because that is the extent of my French besides “fromage” and “la bière s’il vous plait”. While I always plan to learn at least basic conversational French before making a trip north of the border, I typically get distracted with trip plans instead. There was no difference while planning my trip to the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec in February of 2011. This would be my 3rd trip to the Chic-Choc mountains to partake of some of the best backcountry ski terrain outside of the White Mountains.

The summits of the Chic-Chocs may be flat, but the slopes that lead up to them aren’t. (Brett Lund photo)

This trip would be different from past trips. I wanted to venture deeper into the Parc de la Gaspésie to explore some terrain farther away from the better traveled roadside attractions I had skied previously. Secondly, I was going to take this trip alone versus with a backcountry ski partner. Little did I know that David, our associate editor would be backcountry skiing and snowshoeing in the Gaspésie the following weekend, though he had much swankier plans (is that a real word? I’m too cheap to know . . .) The Gaspésie and the Chic-Choc mountain range lie near the tip of the Gaspé penninsula, which is the thumb shaped peninsula that sits directly below the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. These are the northernmost mountains of the Appalachian range, and unlike the Appalachians of New England, they have expansive plateaus with a lot of terrain above tree line. The proximity of this highland land mass to the waters of the Saint Lawrence, and, to its south, the Baie-des-Chaleurs mean that the Chic-Chocs get copious amounts of snow. The northern latitude ensures that this snow stays consistent and bountiful. Each time I travel to the Chic-Chocs I am happy with the snow cover, even when New England is starved for snow. Especially when New England is starved for snow!

To plan my trip I searched the SEPAQ website (the Quebec Park system). This is really a wonderful website with informational links to all of Quebec’s parks and their amenities. One of these days I may even be tempted to travel to another part of Quebec but for now I still have too much to explore in the Gaspésie. Initially I focused on 2 possible destinations to ski within the Park and adjacent nature reserve. One of the destinations was Mont Logan, which is in the westernmost portion of the park. Getting there would mean a mandatory 5 day loop, with 2 days at a hut near Logan. Mont Logan would be the best opportunity to make some fun and maybe steep descents, and it looked spectacular.  However, there were also rumors of avalanche risk at that point…hmmm.

The other option was an area called  ”Mines Madeleine”, which was highly recommended by backcountry skiers as an excellent destination with a good variety of terrain. According to all information, there was no lack of steep or tree skiing opportunities in this area as well. Due to the level of uncertainty around the Logan tour, and the need to spend 2 days touring to get to good vertical terrain, I opted for Mines Madeleine. I wanted to get to Logan, but I also did not want to trek into the woods for 3 days only to have avalanche hazard keep me from skiing. I love to tour, and there is plenty of touring to be had in the Gaspé, but I really like to go downhill. I had planned to do a couple nights in the park system huts, and a couple of nights tenting. This would allow me some flexibility in traveling, but would also help to keep costs down.

My home for the first night, a sturdy 3-person winter tent from LL Bean. It offered plenty of protection from the weather, but i was worried about a moose stepping on it. (Brett Lund photo)

I booked 2 nights at the Mines Madeleine hut, and planned to camp en route to the hut on the first night I arrived in the park. The drive to the Gaspé is a long one, fully 12 hours from the Concord, NH area. Maine can seem to go on forever, but at the same time this is a lovely drive, especially when you get to Quebec. You could go straight north and stop in Quebec City and out from there. (see the “swanky” article previously mentioned), but I prefer to drive through Maine, then short cut across New Brunswick to the beginning of the Gaspé peninsula. The drive along the Baie-des-Chaleurs is beautiful, with lovely coastal towns. After an hour or so of coastal  driving a left turn brings you north toward the Parc de la Gaspésie. Even in the dark pulling into the Chic-Choc mountain range is impressive. The snow is always piled high and the trees are caked with it like giant popsicles.

I arrived at the Parc Headquarters at 8:30 pm on Sunday, and immediately inquired about potential campsites or shelters along the way to the Mines Madeleine. Unfortunately and unbeknownst to me the Parc has very strict rules about camping outside of designated areas, and in winter the only tenting allowed is a half mile from the Park Headquarters. I leased a tentsite for the clear and starry night, found a nice site that had been packed down a bit. There, I put down my tarp, and set up the winter tent I had been asked to review. The LL Bean Backcountry Dome 3 was easy to set up and very roomy for one person (yes, we’ve had people take it out with 2 people and been happy with it, as well). After getting myself situated, I had to make one more quick run to the car for my toothbrush. As I rounded the corner of the tentsite trail, two large forms came walking out of the woods, not very gracefully either. Two huge moose, who, thankfully, were afraid of my headlamp. They wandered across the trail and back into the shoulder-deep snow and through the woods. I was hoping that they wouldn’t stumble through my tentsite during the night, or decide that nylon tasted good.

My House! Comfortable, and no moose came calling. (Brett Lund photo)

The following morning when I woke and began to pack, I noticed that these same two moose were in a nearby campsite. I have been around moose many times, including when they ambled through my campsite a few feet from my tent at 2 in the morning near Mount Carrigan in the Whites. Despite many pictures from previous encounters I felt the need to try to”sneak up” on them to take a picture of the large female moose and her yearling munching on the vegetation near the edge of the campsite. Just as I rounded the corner to snap a picture, the young moose, who was broadside to me, wheeled and started running toward me. Now, moose are big and look slow, but they can get moving quickly. I think Carl Lewis would have been impressed with my aceleration. Thankfully the yearling stopped, but I am sure that he had a good laugh with his moose friends about the old guy sprinting down the trail.

I had a long slog out to Mines Madeleine and wanted to get an early start. At  Park Headquarters, I checked in quickly with the front desk and was advised that I should indeed get started as my trek would be long and uphill. I had borrowed a Nordic Cab pulk from our Executive Editor, planned to load my backpack and other necessities into the pulk and tow it to the hut. A “pulk” is essentially a trailer for humans. It attaches with a waist belt, and two slender poles back to a sled. I would be traveling on Telemark gear with skins.

The long trek to Mines Madeleine started the real adventure. (Brett Lund photo)

The track to Mines Madeleine is basically a park road that is not plowed in the winter. The park services shuttle gear to the hut via snowmobile, and some group outings on snowshoes are brought out the 12 miles for better views and solitude. The day was beautiful and while it was cold (around 20) I quickly began to warm under the bright blue skies.

The accursed Pulk! It enticed me to take more gear than I really needed and slowed me down too much. (Brett Lund photo)

The grade was a fairly steady climb all the way to Mines Madeline, with a few short downhills. While the pulk was easy early, the longer I trekked, the more tired and frustrated I became. I found myself working much too hard to tow the pulk and wishing I had just stuck to my 5000 cubic inch backpack. Whenever you have more room to bring gear you will fill it, usually with crap you really don’t need. Those “extras” in the pulk were killing me by late afternoon. For the last mile of the slog a snow squall kicked up, and I wound up getting to the hut about an hour before dusk, frustrated and exhausted.

The Mines Madeleine hut was a welcome site after a long day. Warmth awaited inside! (Brett Lund photo)

The Mines Madeleine hut is an old mining crew bunkhouse, and was well equipped with a woodstove, running water, and a bathroom. Upstairs were beds for 14 or so people in a relatively open space, divided by half walls. It is very inexpensive to stay, a little more than 20 dollars per night. I was there alone for about an hour and took a nap until awakened by a young couple from Montreal who were touring from another nearby hut (the Gaspésie has many backcountry huts that can be rented and toured on cross country skis). They would be my only company this evening.

Getting ready to return to the hut.

Though it was dark, I wanted to venture further up the trail to get a view of my surroundings. There was still a bit of twilight lingering, and though the snow was still blowing I put on my head lamp and skis and headed uphill. The service road runs to the top of Petit Mont Sainte Anne,and I went about half way up before turning back to the lodge. I stripped off my skins and had a fun solo run in the dark back to the hut by the light of my headlamp. The trail was smooth and about 15 feet wide, and I could see the distant glimmer of the lights in the hut as a reference. Otherwise I was alone in a sea of blowing snow. It was simply spectacular. I returned to the hut, prepared dinner and chatted a bit with the couple before retiring for a long and welcome sleep.

The next morning I woke early to a partly cloudy day with blowing and drifting snow. After breakfast I said my goodbyes to the young couple and set out for the summit, packing lunch and planning to explore. My plan was to summit, then continue across the plateau to Mont Comte and Mont Jacques Cartier to see if I could find some skiable terrain a bit farther away. I had read on many web blogs that Mines Madeleine apparently had a lot of terrain right outside the hut door, but due to the blowing snow I couldn’t see it. I wanted to find somewhere that was more wind protected.

Halfway up the trail, a pause for a beautiful view of what I hoped to ski. (Brett Lund photo)

This plan would require about 4-5 miles (one way) of travel and route finding across the plateau. As I climbed toward Petit Saint Anne the new snow hung precariously on steep slopes above me.  I stayed on the road to minimize my exposure, and felt generally safe because there were many trees anchoring the new snow. Once I reached the top I was well above treeline and I knew right away that summit travel would be difficult and my plan would likely have to change. I was blown over several times by 80-90k gusts and had a very difficult time seeing my hand in front of my face. I pressed on for about 3/4 of a mile before I realized that route finding was simply too risky in these conditions, especially alone in unfamiliar terrain. It was cold, and the wind chill was substantial.

Caribou tracks! I knew they were close, but they can hide and I never saw the animals! (Brett Lund photo)

I paused by some caribou tracks (the Gaspésie is home to the southern-most herd of caribou in North America). They were fresh and the animal was likely close by watching me, though I could not see it. She knew where she was going. I didn’t. I returned to the summit trail, stripped off my skins and began the long winding decent to the hut. I didn’t realize how cold I had become on the summit, so I was glad to return to the warmth of the hut. The couple had left, but two Parc Snow Rangers were inside warming by the woodstove. They were evaluating the avalanche hazards in the area following the new snow. We discussed conditions for the day, and all agreed that, with the blowing snow, the local bowls would be unstable and dangerous. Not that we could even see them anyway! I asked if they could recommend some good low angle tree skiing close by, and they directed me back down the trail to a side road used by SkiChicChocs, a local cat skiing operation.

A break from the wind! The area around the snowcat operation was choked with snow! (Brett Lund photo)

About  kilometer down the road, I found a turn for the snowcat operation. Another kilometer or so through the woods brought me to a snow covered snowcat, at the bottom of what appeared to be a narrow road going up. This road actually led up the other side of Petit St Anne from where I had been in the morning. It was much more sheltered in the trees than near the hut, and I was able to gain quite a bit of vertical in short order. The trees were loaded with snow, and I could see steep chutes through the trees to my left, down into a drainage. While it looked appealing, I didn’t want to ski steep trees while alone, especially with no one at the hut or within many miles, so I stuck to the road and safety.

It was a nice pitch down through shin deep powder, and where I could get enough speed up I ventured through the trees on the edge of the trail. I took 3 loops before my weary legs told me to wrap it up. I put on my skins for the climb back to Mines Madeleine.

When I reached the hut a friendly and athletic group of backcountry tourers from New Brunswick had just arrived. They traveled in from a nearby hut, and had an adventureful ski on the way. Many falls and a lot of laughing. Skiing on cross country gear, and carrying fairly large packs, they took a beating but had a blast. They showed me many pictures of their faceplants. We chatted into the evening over wine and dinner. They were well prepared and had a snowmobile deliver a “restocking” of wine and a birthday cake for one of their party. What a wonderful way to spend a birthday!!

A ridge above Mines Madeleine, deep snow everywhere! (Brett Lund photo)

I planned to leave Mines Madeleine early the next day if the weather had not changed. If the weather was better and the snow had stabilized, I would take another trip up Petit St. Anne for some touring and descents. I slept hard that night, and woke before the sun. The wind of the past two days had abated, and I dressed quickly, made some tea and oatmeal, packed my bag and went out the door just as the sun began to crest the hills. For the first time in 36 hours I could see the terrain around the hut, and it was spectacular. The ski opportunities were limitless, enough for many days of fun, but  I had to leave that day. Grabbing my skis and backpack I made for the summit to get in as much skiing as possible while I could.

A path through the trees. Bonjour soft beautiful snow! Pure bliss! (Brett Lund photo)

Checking for snow stability.The recent wind loading left several hard slab layers that made skiing this angle unsafe. (Brett Lund photo)

It was a sunny morning, with bluebird skies, and I knew that I wanted to get some skiing in before I left. I assessed the “tube” which is the most obvious line off the hut side of Petit St. Anne, and after digging a hasty snowpit found a weak snow slab that made this aspect (the direction the slope faces) too scary, so I opted for a lower angle and slightly different direction off the summit which had softer snow, and finished through some nice snowladen trees.

While I was disappointed not to be skiing the bowls and gullies, this was the safer choice and still spectacular skiing. After a few laps, and one run down the shoulder of Petit St. Anne I realized that I needed to pack up and start my trek. Around 11:30 I descended the trail I had taken to the summit, and ducked through a short stand of pine trees to get my last fix before I needed to grab my gear, load the pulk and start the long trek out.

The shoulder of Petit St. Anne

I wanted one more night at the tentsite, and a day skiing Champs de Mars, before heading back to New Hampshire. Headed out on the long push back to the car, I was hoping that the pulk woud be easier to manage going mostly downhill. Much to my chagrin, and largely due to the new snow, the pulk acted like an anchor all the way back, so no rest for the weary.

Five hours later, I made it back to the car, and drove back to the campground to pitch the tent. I did not see my moose friends that night, but had more time to cook a proper dinner. I also had more time to evaluate the 3 man LL Bean tent, which functioned very well. It assembled easily for a large tent, and ventilated well during the night, keeping me comfy and dry, and the design is bombproof.   That’s of real importance in a multi-night trip in an area like the Gaspésie, where heavy snows can fall at any time. As a bonus for cheapskates like me, it’s also one of the most affordable 4-season tents out there; the tradeoff being that it’s somewhat heavier than the higher end versions. The following morning I made breakfast, packed my car and drove a short distance  to one of the easy-to-reach and very rewarding roadside backcountry skis.

Champs de Mars at its best! (Brett Lund photo)

There are several daytreks for backcountry skiing just down the road from Parc headquarters…Mt Hogsback, Champs de Mars, Mont Blanche La Montagne and a slightly longer trek to Mont Albert. Within the Parc, skiing is limited to particular zones, primarily due to the caribou herd preservation. Champs de Mars and Hogsback are the easiest to get to in a short period. For a longer day trek, the runs on Mont Albert are great fun, but I didn’t have time. At Champs de Mars, I quickly set skins to skis and began the 2 kilometer trek up a winding trail to the summit.

About two thirds of the way up, a cleared birch glade seduced me, and I took a nice run about halfway back down the mountain. Then I skinned up again and continued to the top. At the summit I took in the beautiful views; as the cloud cover lifted I could see Blanche le Montagne and other peaks in the distance. I set off down the center snowfield, and had knee deep turns all the way to the bottom. It was too good, so I skinned up one more time and this time went as far right as I could, weaving through patchy trees and tops of scrub pine. Two top to bottom runs on stable and soft snow with the mountain to myself….could not have been more perfect.

Hard not to get excited as you take off the skins and prepare to ski all this untouched powder all by yourself. (Brett Lund photo)

It was approaching noon and  knew I had a long drive ahead of me. I took a cut-through trail to the summit trail, then skied part of the birch glade one more time, finishing through some narrow pines and chutes at the bottom.

What a great way to end the trip! As I was loading into my car and getting ready to leave the lot a large party arrived, and we exchanged knowing smiles and a nod that said it all. “Was it good?” “Oh Yeah, its good…go get it!!!”  My Gaspé adventure was finished, theirs about to begin.  How about YOURS?

Like many of you, I obsess about snow. During the 10 days prior to our trip I kept a daily vigil on Smuggs’ No Bull Snow Report, which I’ve found to be reliable and accurate in the past. Like everyone else this season, my family and I lamented the lack of natural snow. But temperatures were good for blowing the manmade and I knew the snowmakers at Smuggs’ would do a good job. And, we got lucky. Madonna and Sterling mountains, the twin peaks that make up the greatest portion of the resort, were blanketed with between 10 and 12 inches of the real thing during the 48 hours before we arrived.

Chilcoot, an intermediate trail from the summit of Madonna Mountain, shows evidence of Christmas week snowfall. (Gary Hopper photo)

Aside from loving Smugglers’ Notch for its challenging terrain, I have also come to appreciate Smuggs for its attention to families with mixed abilities. In our case, we have two kids who are progressing skiers and my wife is a continually improving intermediate. Sounds like your family, doesn’t it? Smuggs is consistently top-rated for its concentration on the family experience, and  our boys have enjoyed the benefits of the Smugglers’ Notch children’s programs.

On this trip, the boys, Ethan (14) and Becket (12), were booked into a two-hour morning lesson with the Kids Notch Squad and my wife Laura would join the resort’s Snowsport University for two hours of instruction while I re-familiarized myself with the available terrain.

After handing the boys off to Sam Lotto for their group lesson, and telling my wife I’d see her at lunchtime after her class, I joined our friends John and Lisa Stitt and their daughter Emily for a trip up Madonna, the tallest of Smugglers’ three mountains. As we neared the top I drank in the drops and bare boulders of Upper Liftline and looked longingly at Freefall and The Black Hole. Freefall and Upper Liftline would open a week later. The Black Hole was probably another one, or even two good storms away from getting enough cover to ski.

Snow lovers take Rumrunner to get access to Pipeline, Upper Exhibition under the Sterling lift, Highlander Glades and Lower Rumrunner. (Hugh Johnson photo, Smugglers' Notch Resort)

At the top I only glanced south for a minute because we were socked in (on clear days the 360-degree views are stunning), then looked at the ropes blocking the entrance to Liftline. I realized then that in 20 years of skiing at Smuggs, I had never skied Upper Liftline and I’d  only been on the wooded pitch of The Black Hole once – and had to take off my skis and scramble out at that. One of these days, they are going to get ticked off my list.

On this day we were limited to probably 20-25 percent of the area’s trails, but the cover was excellent. Two trips up Madonna revealed loose surfaces integrated into a good carving base on the intermediate ridge-hugging Upper Chilcoot, Link, Lower Liftline and Drifter. Noiseless skiing. And, despite the tops of tall grasses poking through the surface, there was enough fluff on the steeper lead-in to Lower Liftline for a fun dash under the chair with just enough bumps to keep you honest.

But the best run of the morning, and I would repeat it two more times that afternoon, was McPherson’s. It’s a “double falline” pitch connecting Drifter to the M2 liftline. It’s rated an intermediate but that’s only because of its brevity. Ungroomed that day, it was a bit bumped up with  boot-deep “chowder.”

After a trip up Sterling and finding better-than-expected surfaces of dry and loose snow on Rumrunner and somewhat mixed cover on Exhibition, I pulled up at the Ski School building to meet Laura and the boys and get a report on their lessons as our hosts headed back up for another run before lunch.

Over sandwiches and cookies, Ethan, Becket and Laura all reported successful mornings. Becket was pleased that Lotto took the kids into Highlander Glades and down Treasure Run to work on edging skills and planting their poles to initiate turns. (Was it possible I no longer had to chant, “use your poles, use your poles” when I skied with them?) Laura said her instructor, Gary Hopper, offered good advice on keeping her hands up front with her elbows out to “open the gate” with her poles. He also had her rest her poles horizontally on her forearms while skiing to get used to the proper positioning of her upper body. We all commented on the surprisingly good snow conditions as we quickly finished our refueling. We were in a hurry to get back outside and enjoy the snow.

Laura demonstrates her new "open the gate" use of poles and a relaxed stance during her lesson at Smuggs'. (Gary Hopper photo)

We all paired up for another trip up Madonna and another run on Chilcoot. I hung back to watch the kids and Laura ski and could see immediately that all three were skiing with more self-assurance than I had remembered. Becket was flicking his poles on turns, Ethan was more upright and had developed a more fluid turning style and Laura was skiing with hands up and skis shoulder-width apart. Maybe they’d be joining me in Doc Dempsey’s Glades or on Upper F.I.S. on a successive trip!

At $75 for a two-hour lesson, the collective expertise of the Smugglers’ Notch Snow Sport University is well worth the new skills and confidence gained. Whether  you are just starting out as a beginner, (regardless of age), or getting a technique tuneup as a level 8 skier, the instructors are ready to help any snowboarder or skier improve to have fun on the resort’s classic New England trails.

Smuggs is still all about families and our family is looking forward to another visit. More snow and more terrain would just be the icing on the cake.

If you are looking for a safe, easy way to bring your family on an outdoor adventure this winter, Lucie Villeneuve can help. (Tim Jones photo)

The little town of Errol in the Great North Woods Region of New Hampshire, is kinda quiet, out of the way (on the Maine border, 20 miles or so north of Berlin), and surrounded by hills, lakes and rivers. In other words, it’s the perfect town if you are looking to find or hold onto winter, or if you enjoy hiking, mountain biking and, especially, paddlesports in summer.

I was in the Errol neighborhood on a winter camping by dogsled adventure on beautiful Lake Umbagog, and built in an extra day to explore a little more of the area. An extra week would have been better. I still wouldn’t have seen it all.

I’d first gotten the idea from the folks at the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. The NFCT is a magnificent 740-mile water passage from Old Forge, New York to Fort Kent, Maine. It’s a paddler’s dream in the summer, but often forgotten in the winter. The NFCT is building partnerships along the trail to help get more people out and exploring year ’round. Worthy goal, and they are doing a great job.

It's the guide's job to break trail up steep slopes for the clients, and Lucie attacked the steeps with glee. (Tim Jones photo)

In Errol, they have partnered with Lucie Villeneuve of Outdoor ESCAPES New Hampshire,  who will arrange guided paddling or hiking adventures in the warmer months and cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in the winter. There are several lodging options for these packages in Errol. The one I selected was 150 Main Street Lodging On The Androscoggin, where owner/hosts Debbie  and Bill Freedman operate a very cozy, comfortable and welcoming guest house right on the banks of the river on the edge of Errol. The Androscoggin here is, of course, part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, and it’s literally, steps from the backdoor. Bill is an avid fly fisherman, and would be a terrific resource if you want to fish the area in summer. I ate dinner with the Freedmans that night at the Trading Post Restaurant, a few miles north of Errol in Magalloway, Maine. Bill and I talked fishing all night. Debbie looked like she was used to it. My other meals I took at the Northern Exposure Restaurant, practically next door, hearty home-cooked food to fuel an outdoor adventure.

Speaking of outdoor adventures . . .since I’d just come from three days and two nights of dogsledding, skiing, and winter camping on flat, packed trails around Lake Umbagog, and since there was more than a foot of fresh powder on top of a deep base of snow, I asked Lucie if she’d mind searching for some untracked snow on a slope. She was happy to oblige and made it clear that she will customize adventures to her clients’ desires and abilities.

Since it was just the two of us, and since we are both experienced and avid backcountry skiers, we decided to ski up (“up” being the operative word–remember this for later) the summer access road to Munn Pond, just south of Errol. Even with skis on we were sinking knee deep into the soft snow in the woods. At one point, where the snow-covered road was narrow and especially steep, we detoured onto the packed snow of a nearby snowmobile trail to scale the slope more easily. Sometimes, the longer route is the faster (and easier!) one.

Munn Pond was beautiful, nestled among quiet hills. Though we knew from having skied up a bit of it that there was a snowmobile trail not far away, we couldn’t hear it, and we skied across the lake hearing only the soft sigh of the wind and the hiss of our skis on the snow. Just beautiful. We saw tracks of moose, coyote, ruffed grouse and snowshoe hare, but no tracks of other people. Lucie is a born teacher, good at pointing out and explaining the wonders of nature you see on a trek like this. After a couple of hours of pushing our ski tips into lovely, silent places, we reluctantly headed back down the hill toward the car.

Wheeeee!!!! The payoff for climbing up was skiing down through some deep untracked powder. We enjoyed it so much, we went back up and did it again! (Tim Jones photo)

Remember all that “UP” I mentioned before? Well, baby, this was payoff time!!!

The steep slope we had avoided coming up was now a quarter-mile narrow ribbon of pristine, deep, untracked snow winding through the trees. I went first, swooping down through knee-deep snow, whooping all the way for the pure joy of it, breaking tracks for Lucie to follow. My tracks allowed her to gain speed and she flew past me as I stood to the side of the trail. We were both giggling when we stopped.

In fact, we  had so much fun, we decided to follow our original tracks out to the snowmobile trail, back up the hill and do it all over again. This time, the extra speed and momentum carried us back into the tracks of our original climb and we coasted all the way down to the car. What a great finish!

The  Guided Advantage

By choosing a guided trip, I found not only good companionship, but also a place I probably never would have explored on my own. Not all of us are lucky enough to know someone experienced who can inspire us to try something new and get us started safely. Many of us need outside help with getting motivated, planning and safely executing an outdoor adventure.

Joining an outing club or a group like your local chapter of the AMC, Green Mountain Club or Adirondack Mountain Club is always a good way to meet people who can show you how to get started. You can also get help getting started from outdoor equipment companies like L.L. Bean with their “Walk-On Adventures” programs at many of their stores, REI with its Outdoor School, and EMS with its climbing, kayak and ski schools. All are good options.

But hiring a guide like Lucie makes it very personal. You get to dictate the schedule and the activities you desire. The guide provides the expertise to help you enjoy the adventure without worry. A good guide is well worth the price if you are exploring something new or an area that’s new to you.

We had perfect weather and snow conditions for the ski trip we had planned but she made it clear that she was well prepared with other options if Mother Nature didn’t cooperate. That willingness to go with what the client and the weather dictate makes her a great resource for individuals, but especially for families looking for adventure. Lucie, I discovered, is the mother of two beautiful kids, and a former cross-country ski instructor at both The Balsams Wilderness (which will be closed for the winter of 2011/12 and reopening in summer 2012) in nearby Dixville Notch, N.H and at Gunstock Nordic Center in Gilford, N.H. She also has other guides who work with her throughout the year. As a young mother herself, she’s particularly attuned to the needs of families with young kids. She operates trips throughout New Hampshire, almost year ‘round. In the summer, she specializes in canoeing, hiking, and biking.

People tend to underestimate how steep King Pine can be; a quick look at the lift angle will correct that impression! (David Shedd photo)

A little background. We’ve skied the area before; it’s a short hour from our house, and has a great deal that allows you to downhill ski, XC, skate, you name it, all on the same ticket. Fun way to spend a day! Except when Mother Nature hasn’t provided any snow for XC, and it’s been generally too warm to make the ice safe for skating…in other words, today. We were looking at downhill skiing only. But, we decided to head over anyway, for two reasons. First, we knew that they’d done a major snowmaking upgrade over the summer; replacing their diesel system with an electric one for both environmental and operating cost reasons, and in the process increased capacity by 50%. We’d been impressed by the snow quality before, so thought…well, maybe we’d get lucky. Second, we had two reasons to go to a mountain that had more relaxed terrain than we often ski. I’d recently picked up an AT (Alpine Touring) setup. With new skis/boots/bindings, all with VERY different characteristics than my regular skis, I wanted some time to learn without scaring the daylights out of myself. And, Susan, as a relative newbie to downhill, wanted to work on some specific training techniques; that’s hard to do on an icy black diamond. Off we went!

Talk about "boards"...my Karhus utterly dwarf Susan's Blizzards. (David Shedd photo)

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is a busy one for ski areas, and with a small area like King Pine, that can be a concern. We didn’t need to worry, though. As busy as it looked in the parking lot and the lodge, we found that the multiple trails down from the summit allowed skiers to dissipate and keep it from being crowded. Ideal conditions for our goals, in other words.

And speaking of ideal conditions, we were spot-on about their snowmaking improvements.  The majority of their trails were open, including the black diamond Jack Pine, and in over 4+ hours of skiing, we didn’t encounter even one patch of ice. Period. Sure, there was some of that hard, scratchy stuff, but nothing that we couldn’t put an edge into, and in some ways the conditions improved during the day as skiers “groomed” it and created a nice, soft layer on top, particularly near the edges of the trails.  In the afternoon, the left side of Red Pine was simply outstanding, with about 4-6″ of the soft stuff to play in.

One of the most overrated facets of some mountains is “feet of vertical”.  King Pine doesn’t carry any bragging rights in that world; 350 feet of vertical is, um, pretty small. But, they make use of every foot of it; there’s no runout at the bottom, no skating along a flat trail, hoping you don’t have to pole for a  hundred yards to get to the lift.  Skiing is fun right to the bottom.  And when you’re trying to work a technique, you get tired a lot faster than when you’re simply skiing. For us on this day, 350 was perfect; we could focus on our turns, maintain as perfect form as we were capable of, right to the bottom, then relax and keep fresh legs on the way up.  There was no “dude, we got 12 runs in!”…we had more than that before noon!

I learned that the Karhus can carve...but look at the snow under my left foot, and you'll have an idea of the great conditions we had at King Pine! (Susan Marean Shedd photo)

Did we accomplish our goals?  Oh, yes…Susan was looking to move her turns to more “S” than “Z”, and  worked over and over on the “$100 bill” technique (if you want details, email us!). By late in the day, she looked like an entirely different skier than the one I’d started the morning with, both in technique and actual speed on each run. And my skis?  Going from a pair of Blizzard Magnum 7.6 and custom Dalbello Kryptons to a pair of vintage-ish Karhu BC100s (yes, that means 100mm underfoot) with AT bindings and Garmont G-Ride boots definitely meant a steep learning curve. Each run gave me more confidence, and allowed me to test how the tips and tails reacted to balance shifts; to try them in big, swoopy GS turns as well as tight, short radius blasts along the edge of the woods. End result…love the skis, feel confident on them, and now have a built-in muscle memory for the way they react. Now, when I take them into some unexpectedly difficult terrain, I’ll feel confident and prepared!

We’d have had fun at King Pine even if we’d simply gone there to play in our usual way on the slopes; the trails are well laid-out, fun, and have enough difficulty that it’s up to us to ski them in the way that we like best. But on a learning day…it truly was a great time! Now, we just have to wait for some  natural snow so we can go back and play on the few trails we missed. It’s funny how many skiers we know who have never tried King Pine, or some of the other smaller mountains around; we’d say that it’s a shame, but on the other hand, what they don’t know equals better skiing for us…

The only problem is that after a few days of rich, heavy, wonderful food, we often feel like the Hindenburg before it exploded. And, getting out for a bike ride or a run isn’t usually in the cards; there’s usually ice and snow as far as the eye can see.  How to solve the problem?

The water's boiling, the cocoa will soon be ready, all's right with the world! (David Shedd photo)

The answer is simple. Most of us have some place that we can get away for a quick hike on shoes or snowshoes. Town parks, local mountains, even a nice drive through the winter wonderland to a national forest; any of them can get you to a place where you can get out, shake off the blahs, breathe in some cold, clean air…oh, and eat some more!

In our family, stockings are often stuffed with delicacies…and, just as often, those delicacies sit in our pantry waiting for the “right occasion” to use them. And, sometimes, after a few years we look at them, question our sanity for keeping them around that long, and pitch them before we contemplate seat-of-the-pants testing for botulism. Why not solve the problem by throwing them into a backpack instead of the pantry?

Dogs are allowed at Bradbury, which means that Barley gets the rare treat of begging from a rock shelf ABOVE us; didn't change his success rate, however. (David Shedd photo)

2011 was kind to us; December 26 turned out to be a sunny, relatively warm day with just enough bite in the wind to make hot cocoa on top of a mountain sound really appealing. Even with a slow start, Bradbury Mountain in Pownal, ME, was easily do-able for us, about a 40 minute drive from our house. You have your choice of  there’s a short, relatively steep climb to the summit, or longer trails that wind around the mountain. Either way, the views from the top are lovely, and there’s a nice rocky section to put down camp chairs and spread out your picnic. Plus, dogs are allowed and encouraged; for us, that meant that not only we, but also Barley our mutant Golden, could enjoy the fresh air.

So, up we went. With little snow, ice is a guarantee, so traction aids like Kahtoola Microspikes or YakTrax are a good idea when getting out until the snow is deep; trekking poles are even more important. We equipped ourselves with both…a little more weight carried = more calories burned, right? We ended up only using the poles, but there were times we questioned our wisdom, and were glad we had the Kahtoolas in our packs just in case.

And…it was lovely.  A short hike, and we were at the top right at 1 o’clock, perfect timing for lunch. Even after the gastronomic insanity of the past few days, we were hungry; fresh air will do that for you! Out came the “fun food”: smoked baby clams, black olive tapenade on Triscuits, duck pate, and dried figs for dessert. Our Jetboil Sol produced hot water in minutes, and we had Swiss Miss hot cocoa (the sugar free kind, of course; we wouldn’t want to overdo it!) to wash it all down.Pure decadence!

Some good food, hot cocoa, the enjoyment of a lovely day outdoors...our "blahs" are all gone! (David Shedd photo)

After an hour or so of relaxing, watching a few clouds blow by and a few birds flying around, we packed back up again and headed down, Barley taking the lead. The conversation was lighter, the laughter more regular than on the way up; there’s something about being outside that takes away all of the sludge in our bodies and minds. Thanks to our little picnic, in a matter of hours we’d beaten the physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that so often comes after the holidays!

The moral of the story? When you’ve been overstimulated for days and have zero energy, force yourself to get out into Mother Nature’s back yard; it won’t take long before you regain your perspective, your energy, and your sense of humor. And, perhaps best of all, you won’t end up wasting pantry space on those Christmas goodies!

The Kifaru "Circus Tent" has lots of space and woodstove for warm and comfortable camping in cold weather. We'll be setting it up as part of our Lightweight Winter camping seminar 2012. (Susan Marean photo)

Every January (for 2012, it’s January 7), the Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee, Vermont offers “Winter Skills Day” which is a chance to comfortably and safely learn outdoor skills that will help you get the most enjoyment from winter. They offer two sessions, morning and afternoon, so you can take two different classes in one day. Price for each seminar  (including lunch) is $35-40 per person depending on the seminar.

The seminars offered this year include: “Principles of Winter Survival and Winter Clothing,” which is something everyone who explores outdoors in winter should understand(and not bad information for anyone who drives in rural areas to know!); “Building Snow Shelters” –haven’t you always wanted to build an igloo or a quinzee in your backyard and sleep in it? This is also essential survival knowledge if you are ever somehow stranded in the winter wilds; “Introduction to Backcountry Skiing,” which will focus on off-trail travel on moderate terrain, “Icefishing 101 (icefishing, particularly combined with snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, Nordic skating and winter camping, is a whole lot of fun); “Basics of Dogsledding,” (you can leave Fido at home; they provide the dogs and sleds), and “Winter Fire Skills” (please re-read Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” if you don’t think this skill is important to safe winter travel).

Setting up a "cold camp" at the Hulbert Outdoor Center's Winter Skills Day in 2011, (Susan Marean Shedd photo)

And, just as they did last year, they are also offering two seminars on Winter Camping. The morning session is on “Traditional Winter Camping.” It’s  taught by Andy Williams who is a very experienced winter traveler in the wild country of northern Canada. Andy  is an affable teacher and a pleasure to spend time with. He will show you a full set up of traditional gear, including wooden toboggans, woodstoves and sturdy canvas tents, and how to use it to travel comfortably and safely through the winter wilds. If you are going to camp in one spot for several days or more, this is an extremely comfortable way to go. Andy has the depth of knowledge that only comes from vast experience, and, no matter how much you’ve camped in the winter, you will learn something from him. And if you are just beginning to wrap your head around the notion of winter camping, this is a wonderful way to see how it was done before the onslaught of synthetic materials changed the world.

In sharp contrast to this traditional method of winter camping, EasternSlopes.com editors David Shedd and Tim Jones are once again teaching a session on “Lightweight Winter Camping,” showing the most modern gear and techniques available. Most of what we are showing is the stuff we use to stay warm and happy while traveling (relatively) light and fast on snowshoes or skis with a big backpack and/or small pulk (a lightweight plastic sled with a rigid pulling harness). It’s just like summer backpacking except there aren’t any bugs (and the snow is usually deeper though that may not be the case this year if this “winter that isn’t” continues).

We'll also be setting up a Titanium Goat tipi that sleeps three and weighs less than 7 pounds—WITH the woodstove! (Susan Marean Shedd photo)

Ours is a very hands-on seminar. As a group, we’ll be setting up two “cold” (unheated) winter tents camps with tents from REI and Easton Mountain Products. We’ll also be setting up at least two lightweight nylon tipis, possibly three...with woodstoves. Yes, you heard that correctly. Lightweight, spacious nylon tipi-style tents with woodstoves. One of the tipis we use is made by Titanium Goat. It will sleep two comfortably with extra space for gear. The whole rig weighs less than 7 pounds WITH the wood stove and stovepipe. We’ll also set up the “Circus Tent,” an 8-man tipi from Kifaru that Tim has owned for more than 20 years and used in the winter wilds from the Adirondacks to northern Labrador. We’ll also be showing some of the latest in backcountry skis and snowshoes, pads, sleeping bags, lights, stoves, cooking gear, and more (our thanks to the manufacturers named above, as well as LL Bean, Mountainsmith, Lowa, GSI Outdoors, Polarmax, Coleman, MSR, Primus, Leki, Life-Link, Therm-A-Rest, Jetboil, Black Diamond, Underwater Kinetics, Sierra Designs, Patagonia, Red Ledge, Revision Military, Osprey, Kelty, TSL Outdoor, Hillsound, Outdoor Research, Katoohla, and others for providing samples for you to check out). None of the gear we are showing is custom made; it’s all available in stores, through catalogs, or on the web. So, anyone who has the desire can fully gear themselves up for winter camping, and we’ll show you how.

We’ll also help participants assess any gear they already have for winter suitability…bring your favorite toys with you!  After this course, you’ll know everything you need to do your first backyard or roadside winter campout comfortably and safely. From there, you can progress in increments to full-on winter travel and camping.

All the seminars offered at the Winter Skills Day are by pre-registration only: visit their website for a full PDF course description, call 802-333-3405 or email Lynn_daly@alohafoundation.org. If you have any questions about the lightweight winter camping seminar, don’t hesitate to email : timjones@easternslopes.com or dshedd@easternslopes.com.

Lake Morey Skate-a-thon, Too

While all this is going on at Hulbert Center, the beautiful Lake Morey Resort  just down the road teams up with Nordic Skater to run the all-day Skate-a-thon where, for a $25 donation for adults ($15 for kids) they’ll fit you with Nordic skates, teach you how to use them, send you out on the longest cleared skating track in North America around Lake Morey. That’s assuming we have safe ice by then, of course…but, at least Mother Nature is cooperating as of this moment!

If you haven’t tried Nordic Skating, you owe it to yourself. It’s like cross-country skate-skiing on ice, easy-to-learn, a great aerobic workout and just plain fun.

We hope to see you at the Winter Skills Day!

Cold Country Cadillac. A dog team travels quickly, quietly and comfortably on snowy trails and lets you carry more gear than you ever could on your back. (Tim Jones photo)

When the Inuit (which is what “Eskimos” call themselves) people crossed the frozen Bering Sea from Siberia to Alaska they brought with them an utterly amazing technology which allowed them to successfully colonize the northern coastal fringes of North America and western Greenland. Where other people had barely clung to life, the Inuits thrived. The technology that gave them the edge they needed to survive and thrive was the dog sled and the dogs that pulled them. Using dogs, Inuit hunters and their families could travel many miles over ice and snow with all that they needed to live well in a harsh environment, find food, and even protect themselves from marauding polar bears.

If you are looking for an easy, safe, fun, winter Active Outdoors adventure, and a way to escape from all the pressures created by today’s technology, dogsledding may be just the way to go. Traveling by dogsled, I’ve found, is like taking a trip back in time.

One cold nose! Kjeran in the dog box for transport but eager to be out running. (Tim Jones photo)

In late January 2011, my sweetheart Marilyn and I were cross-country skiing from Little Lyford Pond Camps to Gorman Chairback Camp in the AMC’s Maine Lodge program. A visit to these Maine wilderness lodges is pretty much an annual event for us, something we look forward to every winter.

Sharing the camps with us on this trek were three guides, four clients and six dog teams from Mahoosuc Guide Service. Master Guides Polly Mahoney and Kevin Slater were leading four clients who each got to drive their own teams. They were visiting all four of the lodges in the AMC winter program: Medawisla, West Branch Pond Camps, Little Lyford Lodge and Cabins and Gorman Chairback Lodge and Cabins in five days and four nights. They also had an assistant guide, Joey Shaw, following on a snowmobile towing all their gear and supplies.

Don’t confuse a Mahoosuc adventure with a typical tourist “dogsled ride” where a musher will bundle you into a sled and haul you around like human cargo for an hour or less. Mahoosuc does offer some tourist rides from their base in Newry, Maine, but their real niche is an authentic, active, hands-on experience with the clients learning how to care for the dogs, hitch up the sleds and drive them for many miles each day. Driving a dogsled is actually a pretty darned good workout; the dogs are a handful to hitch up, the sleds require both muscle and finesse to steer and you don’t get to just ride up the hills (though the dogs will help pull you along . . .).

Dogsledding with Mahoosuc is a hands-on adventure . . . (Tim Jones photo_

For anyone who loves dogs, and who wants to get actively involved with them, this would be a wonderful way to visit the remote AMC Maine Lodges. The dog teams move a lot faster than most folks on cross-country skis, which meant the guests traveling by dogsled had time to explore around the camp each day on snowshoes.

While I was talking with Polly and Kevin one evening at the dinner table (good conversation with interesting people is one of the highlights of any AMC stay), they mentioned that they did ski/dogsled trips to traditional tent camps they maintain on Umbagog Lake (pronounced umBAYgog) near Errol, New Hampshire. I immediately signed up for a long weekend adventure in late February when Marilyn was stuck in a work seminar.

The trip begins at Polly and Kevin’s Mahoosuc Lodge in Newry, Maine (near Sunday River), where 9 of us (3 guides, 6 client/adventurers) gathered to meet each other, hear Kevin’s stories of the history of dog teams in North America and Mahoosuc’s line of dogs in particular. We spent the night in a comfortable bunkhouse, ate a hearty breakfast, then went out to meet all the dogs (wonderfully eager, enthusiastic, friendly beasts!) and get them loaded into the truck.

Guide Joey Shaw loading Aiofe into the dog box. (Tim Jones photo)

We had 3 dog teams and sleds. Kevin always drove the lead team. The clients took turns mushing and skiing. Several had never been on cross-country skis before–this really is an ideal entry-level adventure. Mahoosuc provides excellent ski equipment with wide waxless wooden touring skis mounted with Berwin backcountry ski bindings (which can be used with super-warm Pac or “Mouse” boots). No cold feet on these trips! The trek to the camp was between 4 and 5 miles, flat, packed by snowmobiles and dog teams, and perfect for learning the basics of kick-and-glide skiing.

The 4 skiers left immediately while the others hitched up dog teams and packed sleds with food and supplies. We skiers carried light packs (one pulled a small sled) and skied through a heavy snowstorm. Still, the trip took under three hours with a stop for lunch on the trail. Even though the dog teams started much later than we did (it takes time to hook up a dog team), they beat us to camp. Dogs move fast once they are moving.

We skied to camp through a heavy snowstorm, no views but still lovely. (Tim Jones photo)

With the snowstorm, we didn’t really get to see any views until the next morning. Then, the sun came out in skies as blue as only winter skies can be and the view over the empty lake was breathtaking.

Even with no sun and no view, the ski into camp was fun and a snug camp and good food were most welcome.

We got to see more of the view on our “off” day when we skied or mushed out to a predetermined meeting point and ate lunch together before swapping conveyanaces for the trip back to camp.

Cozy Canvas Camp

The camp on Umbagog was very comfortable for 9 humans and 18 dogs. There’s a big “kitchen tent” where Brian (ski guide and camp cook) prepared tasty, filling meals on a two-burner propane stove and a big wood stove. This was where we all gathered in the warmth of the wood stove around a low table for meals. There was always hot water available for tea or coffee and snacks handy if you were hungry. It was a perfect place to talk and tell stories.

The human accommodations included this big canvas kitchen tent with plenty of space for everyone to gather. Each of the tents had a woodstove for warmth. (Tim Jones photo)

The 3 canvas sleeping tents could each hold 3 sleepers in comfort. These roomy tents had a woodstove near the door, a drying pole along the peak, and a thick floor of springy, soft, fragrant balsam fir boughs. It all made a very, very cozy refuge in the winter cold.

Mahoosuc provided double sleeping bags that would have kept us toasty warm to way below zero (had that been necessary it never got colder than the low 20s), and several layers of foam pads on top of the bough floors. I slept warm and very comfortably–not hard to do after an active day. We had extra space in camp because our youngest guide, Joey, and his “client” father slept out in a “Quinzee,” a snow-mound shelter someone had built on the lake.

Snow is a marvelous insulator and their body heat actually kept their shelter  warmer overnight than the canvas tents after the stove had gone out. Of course, we had a woodstove, they didn’t, which gave us an advantage in the morning once the fire warmed the tents up.

Two of our campers chose to sleep in this traditional Quinzee snow shelter (Tim Jones photo)

The necessary “facilities” was an outhouse (minus the house), set away from camp behind a privacy screen of small balsams. It had a comfortable, padded toilet seat and a tarp overhead to keep off the snow. Entirely adequate if not exactly cozy enough to make you want to linger and read the newspaper.

Hands-On Adventure

Mahoosuc encourages its clients to become part of the hands-on adventure in its winter camps. Though the guides will do the bulk of the work, everyone willingly helped keep the tents supplied with firewood and fresh boughs for the floor. And everyone pitched in make sure the dogs were comfortably bedded in mounds of hay with food at water available. These dogs are clearly cherished and clearly love what they do. They were a pleasure to share a camp with.

Part of the fun is actually learning to drive a dog sled. (Tim Jones photo)

If you aren’t an experienced winter traveler, this is an ideal introduction to winter camping. Mahoosuc provides all the outer clothing and gear you need, including super-warm footgear and multi-layer sleeping bags. The guides will start the stove for you (if you don’t want to do it yourself) so you go to bed and get up warm and dry. They provide hearty food, and do the cooking. You get a chance to enjoy good company (human and canine), enough exercise to let you really enjoy your food and a good night’s sleep, and the profound quiet and spectacular scenery of a winter wilderness without having to provide your own gear or plan your own itinerary. Great experience!

On the last day, we reluctantly packed up camp and skied or mushed out. I think everyone would gladly have stayed an extra day or three if we could have. It’s amazing how comfortable you can be in the winter wilds, how soon a lonely spot beside an empty lake can feel like “home” after a day outdoors.

The Call of The Wild

When the running’s done, these hardy huskies bed down comfortably in a little pile of hay on the snow, (Tim Jones photo)

Though there are a few permanent camps (used mainly in the summer) along Umbagog’s shore, much of the land is a National Wildlife Refuge and a New Hampshire State Park. While there’s a snowmobile trail in the middle of the lake, we hardly saw any machines, even on a holiday weekend. We might as well have been in the wilds of northern Canada. With the only visible electric lights miles away in Upton, Maine, the stars shine incredibly brightly here, and the silence of a windless winter evening is profound.It’s something that absolutely everyone should experience.

One night as we ate dinner, something (moose? coyotes? a restless Native spirit?) set the dogs howling. For a moment, we were living in the world that Jack London wrote about in The Call of the Wild, far from cell phones, computers and TVs and, I believe, much closer to reality.

Gifts that get used! Any of these gifts ($8-$120) are likely to please an active outdoors enthusiast. Merino wool zip-neck top from Icebreakers, Leki trekking poles, 3 AAA headlamp from Princeton Tec, Steripen water purifier, Swiss Army knife, Insect Shield bandana, Kahtoola Microspikes,.(Tim Jones photo)

Let’s face it…outdoors enthusiasts are all about the toys. When hubby says “Honey, I really NEED that $400 tent; it’ll take 4 ounces out of my pack weight!”, what he’s really saying is “That thing is SO cool, and I want to play with it!” It makes them easy to buy for…a gift certificate to LL Bean, EMS, REI, or a million other places will allow them to  indulge. But what if you want to actually have a package for them to open?

The real problem is that anyone who is contemplating buying a gift for an active outdoors enthusiast is putting themselves in real danger of getting it wrong. You can buy something that isn’t outdoor related and watch them try to think of something polite to say (“What a lovely new tie…I can use it to hang my lantern!”).  Or, you can buy something outdoorsy—with the attendant potential for getting it wrong. There’s a flip side, too; enthusiasts who buy “agenda gifts” to try to encourage non-believers to get more active are walking on dangerously thin ice (trust us, we speak from experience on this, and have the scars to prove it). If you are going to buy an outdoorsy gift for someone, make sure it’s something they, not you, would like.

Here at EasternSlopes.com, we get to test a whole bunch of new gear (heaven for a gear junkie). And, we have lots of long-proven gear as well. So here are our carefully considered suggestions to avoid gift-giving disasters. Chances are, most active outdoors enthusiasts would use and enjoy these and picking them isn’t as difficult as choosing something highly specialized like a tent or backpack or skis. And, for the AO enthusiast that wants to subtly  encourage someone to get out there, some of the items are “everyday life friendly”; who wouldn’t appreciate a way to keep bugs away, or a light they could carry in the car and use in their hands or on their head?

One-Size-Fits-All Gifts

Trekking Poles ($50 to $120): If the active outdoors enthusiast you are gifting is still using old ski poles for hiking, or isn’t using poles at all, consider giving a pair of modern, adjustable trekking poles. It’s hard to describe how much difference they can make. When the going gets rough or slippery, they are a remarkable aid to balance,  saving you from many a fall. On long downhills they help ease your knees. They can serve as an emergency tent poles and fishing rods. And when you don’t need them, they collapse down and ride on your pack (or in your car, where they can literally be a lifesaver when you have to navigate an icy parking lot). There are many poles on the market and all of them are better than old ski poles. Our personal favorite is the Leki Corklite Makalu Ultralite ($120). They aren’t cheap, but they have comfortable, versatile grips, an easy-to-use external locking system and snow baskets are a cheap ($8) add-on.  A great budget choice is the Gabel Mont Blanc Lite ($75), which has external locks and includes snow baskets. And, for the backcountry ski enthusiast, the Easton CTR-65 ion($99) is an ultralight, 2-piece external lock pole with an extended grip; perfect for when they’re skinning up a steep hill.

The Steripen quickly turns water from almost any wilderness source into safe drinking water. (Tim Jones photo)

SteriPEN($50-100): Safe drinking water is essential for all outdoor activities. All untreated water sources are suspect and can carry a host of diseases. You have two choices when playing outdoors: either carry the water you need or treat the water you find. Of all the water solutions we’ve tried, the SteriPEN is the lightest, most compact, and easiest to use. It takes just moments to purify a liter of water with the ultraviolet light. Instant safe drinking water from almost any source, anywhere!

Waterproof Camera ($100 and up) The newer ones cost more, the older designs still work. Taking pictures make any outdoor adventure more memorable and these are wonderful cameras for taking along anywhere they can get wet, and the newest models are shockproof as well. You can pick up a refurbished model on eBay or Amazon with a warranty for relatively cheap money and not worry about how abused it gets…that’s a great option for your budding Eagle Scout. For the more serious photographer, new models from Olympus, Canon, Nikon, and all the other big names have 12 megapixel and up sensors and will take photography-contest quality photos in the right hands (if your outdoorsman doesn’t have the skills, think about a gift certificate to a local photography workshop!).

Bheestie Bag ($20): Speaking of electronics, most of us have lost at least one piece of e-gear to water damage, and probably more due to long-term corrosion. This slick little item reminds you to drop your phone, camera, iPod, whatever into it after you’ve been in wet or snowy conditions. It’s got a pouch of superabsorbent beads that suck any humidity out of it. Get caught in a unexpected rainshower when running? In goes your music player, and it has a chance of surviving. If you’re a parent, this is a stocking stuffer that could pay for itself many times over!

Clever Wraps ($10-15, packs of 5):  We tend to stick our phones, etc., into Ziploc baggies, which works in most conditions. But, if you want a more tailored option, or want a little extra protection for that rafting trip through the Grand Canyon, these do work. We wouldn’t use them for sticking in our bike jersey pocket on a daily ride; they’re pretty pricey for that use, and definitely overkill, but they’ll give you some extra security on a big, wet day.

If you want to see someone light up, put one of these in their stocking! (David Shedd photo)

LED Headlamp: ($15 to $100): The most useful, versatile light we’ve found  for the outdoors in general and especially for the long nights of cold-season camping is an LED headlamp.  You can use it hands-free or carry it like a flashlight.  And, if your enthusiast has one that’s more than a couple of years old, virtually ANY new one will be a big improvement…the technology has changed a lot.  Two notable new models for winter are the Black Diamond Storm ($50) and the Underwater Kinetics Vizion Arctic ($45).  Both have technology designed to recycle heat from the LED to warm the batteries; that translates to significantly longer battery life in the cold. The Black Diamond is the tech freak’s dream: 2 sets of white LEDs that both have infinitely variable output, and maximum blowtorch level of 100 lumens, plus red LEDs for close up work that preserves your night vision. The Underwater Kinetics is the absolute opposite; it has two levels (65 and 35 lumens), and uses a rotating filter to diffuse the light or give you red output. BUT, it’s about as bombproof, bulletproof, waterproof, and idiotproof as it gets, and has the added advantage that the light capsule comes out of the housing and doubles as a lantern so you can play cards in your winter cabin.

With a magnet to secure it to your car, an articulated rotating head, and bright LED/strobe modes, the Streamlight Knucklehead can put light exactly where you need it (David Shedd photo)

Streamlight Knucklehead (from about $65, depending on model): Here’s a great one for the non-outdoor enthusiast that just MIGHT get borrowed. Hands down, the best light we’ve ever seen to keep in the car. The 360 degree articulating head means you can aim the light wherever you want it. The magnet means you can stick it on your car’s fender and aim it backwards as a warning strobe, or aim the light to where you’re changing your tire, or even stick it on the hood to use as an emergency headlight when yours short out. If you’re feeling wealthy, get the rechargeable version with the clip; you can mount it permanently in the car and ALWAYS know you have light when you need it, plus can attach it to your belt if you’re working away from the car.

Swiss Army Knife ($20-$50): We’ve had a Swiss Army knife of some sort made by either Wenger or Victorinox in our pockets almost every day of our adult lives and wouldn’t consider going for a hike without one. Choose a basic model like the Wenger Commander ($25) or Victorinox Tourist ($23) or something a little fancier like the Victorinox Camper ($30) or Wenger Traveler ($45). Either way, it’ll get carried and used. Particularly if you get a model with a corkscrew…

An $8 lifesaver! The insect protection in this bandana is certified for 70 washings. (Tim Jones photo)

Insect Shield Bandana ($8-$12): We doubt we’ll ever leave the house again between April and October without one of these. When the bugs aren’t out, it rides in your pocket like any other bandana and serves all the same purposes. When the bugs show up, use it as a headscarf or neckerchief, and the bugs stay away from your face. Protection lasts for 70 washings—give another one for next year!  Of course there’s a whole lineup of Insect Shield clothing, too, which we’ve tested extensively and reviewed; everyone loves socks for Christmas, and what better than a pair that will keep ticks away!

GSI Pinnacle Dualist ($60) We find it hard to imagine anyone who plays outdoors who wouldn’t enjoy this compact cooking/eating kit for two. It’s just plain cute, and very very functional whether you want hot soup on a picnic or are cooking in a backcountry camp.  Pair it with a tiny canister stove and one of those Swiss Army knives that will fit inside it, and you have a totally self-contained system for eating anything everywhere.  We keep it in the car for impromptu picnics; give it to your favorite non-AO enthusiast, and maybe they’ll start wanting to picnic farther afield (or, perhaps you can borrow it once in a while…)!

Dr. Drip makes it easy to get that caffeine fix in any situation! (David Shedd photo)

Dr. Drip ($8.99/5 pack): Got a java junkie on your list? For years, we’ve searched for an easy way to make quality coffee in camp, and finally found it. Dr. Drip is a single-serving all-in-one coffee/filter/carrier setup. Open one, put it over your cup, put hot water through it, and you’ve got cafe-quality coffee in minutes. We carry a few inside a Primus EtaSolo on backpacking trips or day-long snowshoe jaunts (yes, we know that hot cocoa is more traditional for that, but some people HAVE to have their coffee); pull over by the side of the trail, and in 5 minutes you’ve got your hot caffeine fix!

Windbloc Fleece Hat ($20): Fleece hats are good: lightweight, warm, comfortable. But Windbloc Fleece is even better, especially if you are out for a long time. Many companies make windstopper versions. Look at the L.L. Bean Wind Challenger Fleece Hat ($19.50)  as a great example. Even warmer, the Arctic Shield Fleece Beanie($14) uses a radiant barrier to hold heat in (weakness:  it doesn’t breathe as well as plain fleece, so isn’t as good for highly aerobic activities).

Highgear Traildrop ($50):  Sort of an electronic Swiss Army knife, the Traildrop is a watch, thermometer, electronic compass, stopwatch, and level in one neat little package, allowing you to replace multiple items.  We’ve used it for checking temperatures to determine sleeping bag ratings, to time how long isobutane canisters run in real-world conditions, how long it takes to boil water, you  name it.  Being throwbacks to the dinosaurs, we’re still not fans of electronic compasses, but having a backup is always a good thing.  The level…well, we haven’t figured out a trail use for it, but it’s handy for setting up the gas grill for tailgating.  It’s always clipped on one pack or another, ready when we need it.

Air Grill Blower ($10):  One of our favorite “luxuries” when we’re backpacking, the imaginatively named “Blower” does exactly that…blows air. Anyone who has put their head sideways on the ground to blow at the base of a fire knows how miserable that is, and how quickly you start to feel dizzy, even when the fire isn’t blowing smoke in your face. This nifty tool weighs almost nothing (4.1 ounces), and allows you to blow a steady, controllable stream of air exactly where you want it. In dry conditions, it’s great; in wet, invaluable. Useful for backyard grilling, too!

Whatever knife you have, the Sterling will sharpen it quickly and easily (David Shedd photo)

Sterling Knife Sharpener($15):  We’re freaks for sharp knives, and have tried pretty much every tool to get them sharp and keep them that way. But with all those toys, we doubt there’s been a single backpacking trip in the last decade where we didn’t carry a Sterling with us. Small, light, ridiculously easy to use, it’ll sharpen your knives in the field or the kitchen. There’s nobody who can’t use one or more of these; 30 seconds, and you can go from dull to sharp on virtually any knife.  One in the kitchen, one in the backpack, one in the car or tool kit…you get the idea. At this price, you can own several, and you can’t go wrong. A simple, brilliant design with a lifetime warranty.

Small, Medium, Large . . .

Road ID ($20-30; ): It can (and does) happen: You are out for a bike ride or other outdoor adventure and end up in the emergency room—and no one knows who you are, who to contact, or what special medical needs you might have . . . Road ID solves that nicely and is comfortable enough to wear 24/7. The Elite is the highest end model; there are other models for wrist, shoes, you name it.

Little Hotties Toe Warmer Insoles ($15 + heat packs): These can be hard to find (they aren’t even on their website), but are worth it for any kind of foot travel in cold weather. These are NOT the disposable heater insoles, but a thick, supportive foam insole with a plug where you can insert an adhesive toe warmer and walk, skate, or ski in comfort.

If you hike in the winter, you need these traction aids. (Tim Jones photo)

Kahtoola MICROspikes ($60) By far the best traction aids ever devised for hiking on icy trails (or sidewalks). One step down from crampons, miles ahead of other slip-on traction aids when the going gets nasty. If you hike in the winter, you need these. (For the non-outdoors enthusiast, a pair of YakTrax to keep in the car shows that you really care about their safety.)

Lightweight Longies($25-$80) Whether you choose polyester or wool, lightweight longies tops and bottoms are essential equipment and no one can have too many sets. We’re now totally hooked on the superfine merino wool versions from Icebreaker  and Minus33, but we’ve happily used cheaper polyester from EMS, Marmot, Patagonia, Hot Chillys and others for years. The waffle pattern cotton ones at the local discount store? Free is overpriced for them.

Any of these under the tree will warm the heart (and other parts!) of your favorite outdoors enthusiast or not-so-enthusiast.  Don’t forget birthdays, either…and if you’re the hopeful recipient, you can always print this, highlight a few favorites, and leave it around the house!

The Tuckerman Sport Boot from L.L. Bean looks pretty normal...but in use, it's super! (Warner Shedd photo)

With age often comes a touch (or more) of arthritis. Even for those of us lucky enough to not have major problems, it can still add  a level of difficulty to everyday tasks. Add in the fact that it’s consistently worse when it’s cold and/or wet, and it becomes obvious that one of those problem areas will be lacing up winter boots. The boots themselves are typically stiffer than summer boots due to the insulation layers, the laces are thin and hard to grasp, and the fact that the boots are usually higher means that you have to pull the laces even harder to snug them around your feet and ankles so that you don’t slide around in them. Truly, an unpleasant trifecta!

There are solutions, of course. Slip-on boots or Velcro straps make life easy; the problem is that if you’re trying to hike in serious backcountry conditions, they simply don’t provide the kind of support and control that are needed. I had resigned myself to limiting my hiking, particularly when the weather is transition between seasons (deep snow is actually easier to walk in than a few inches on top of slippery leaves!). Not an ideal situation, but safety trumps fun.

It was early November of last year when son David arrived at our house and handed me a pair of L.L. Bean’s Tuckerman’s Multisport Boots ($129). With a thick layer of very wet leaves topped by a couple of inches of wet snow on the ground, the going in our woods was extremely slippery, and on steep slopes (which we have in abundance) the footing was often downright treacherous. In other words, exactly the conditions that I’d decided to avoid. In spite of that I spent two days traversing the woods without slipping even once! The traction of these boots was amazing: the sole lugs appear to have their bottoms composed of a soft-but-tough material similar to that on the outside of really top-notch snow tires (a word of caution, however: no footwear is non-slip under all conditions. On ice and hard-packed frozen snow, for instance, nothing short of real traction aids like creepers or, in worst case, crampons will give you non-slip traction. Just be aware that even these boots have limitations, and act accordingly).

The Boa lacing system is easy to use, and incredibly effective (Warner Shedd photo)

But…what about these boots made it possible for me to take advantage of the traction?  It comes down to a lacing system called “Boa”.  The lacings themselves are what appears to be a thin but sturdy plastic cable of some sort, but in fact are twisted bundles of impossibly thin stainless steel! These are connected to a dial about the size of a fifty-cent piece, located at the top front of the boot. Simply insert your foot into the boot and push the dial in toward your shin, whereupon it will engage with an audible click. Then start turning the dial clockwise. You will hear a clicking or racheting sound, and the laces will quickly tighten. How much the dial is turned determines how tight the lacing will be, and you can make it as tight or as loose as you wish. To remove the boot, just pull the dial out away from the shin, and the lacing immediately opens up. Pull the dial and tongue outward a little farther and presto!, your foot will easily come out of the boot. For anyone who, like me, has problems lacing up boots, the ease and simplicity of this system is a godsend.

The well-spaced, soft lugs on the Tuckerman's sole provided amazing traction in all winter conditions (Warner Shedd photo)

That was the beginning of my love affair with these boots, which I’ve affectionately dubbed “Superboots.” Beyond the ease of lacing and the superior traction, these boots have a plethora of other sterling virtues. Let’s see, where to begin? We can start with the extremely light weight – 34 ounces, or, if you prefer, two pounds and two ounces. That’s in the weight range of my summer hiking boots! They are also extremely comfortable, at least on my feet; a happy side effect of the lacing system is that the boot snugs down with very consistent pressure all over my foot. Next comes the waterproof quality of these boots. They’ve got a nylon composite outer that doesn’t look as if it would stay dry for long; however, I’ve worn them in wet snow, slush, and several inches of water, and my feet have stayed dry. Then there is the matter of warmth. My feet get cold very easily and quickly (with age comes limited circulation!), so I’ve been astonished at how warm my feet have been in these boots. Traveling in wet snow, at temperatures just about freezing, my feet stayed warm. Then, at the Winterfest, I hiked in snow for several hours in the morning (yes, the sole is designed to work with snowshoes), with the temperature about 20 degrees, and my feet…warm again. But, that wasn’t all; I spent most of that afternoon standing around in the snow watching Tim and David put on an amazing seminar on winter camping gear and techniques, and only near the end of a long afternoon did my feet begin to get cold.

I also tried the boots on an ice fishing expedition.In preparation for that, I removed the inner soles from the boots and substituted Little Hotties inner soles. These have a little hollow that holds one of Hotties’ foot warmers – those little gizmos that warm up when removed from their package and stay warm for nearly six hours. Those worked very well, although, with the temperature about 20 degrees, it was difficult to tell how much the Hotties extended the lower range of comfort for the boots.Obviously, these lightweight boots have limitations as far as hyper-cold temperatures are concerned. I haven’t tried them at temperatures much below 20 degrees, and even with Hotties inner soles I ‘m skeptical that they’d be comfortable, at least on my feet, at temperatures approaching zero during long periods of standing around. Still, considering their light weight, these boots are amazingly warm.

Added to all this, the boots are sufficiently good looking that I’ve even worn them to meetings in our State House. Admittedly, the Vermont legislature, as a concession to Vermont’s harsh winters, is probably more relaxed about winter footwear than are its counterparts in the Banana Belt; still, it’s formal enough so that ties and jackets are more or less de rigeur for men. As a matter of fact, I’ve worn these boots everywhere outside the house this winter. It used to be that my feet were generally cold when driving my car in winter, even with the heater working well. Now, I’m happy to say, my feet have been warm while driving all winter.

If you’ve been looking for a winter boot solution that’s got great traction, support, warmth, waterproofness, and ease of use, you owe it to yourself to give these a try.  With Bean’s legendary guarantee, you can’t go wrong…and you may just find yourself spending a lot more time outside in the winter!