On Saturday I took a beginner women's snowshoeing class from the Hope Mountain Centre for Outdoor Learning. We
met at the parking lot for the very easy Cambie Creek trail
in Manning Park and waited while 25 women lined up for the outhouse.
What I learned: my feet were cold and I need better boots.
This is not something I knew even though I've been snowshoeing and
winter hiking many times. I wear an excellent pair of hiking boots, with good socks and toe warmers and I'm usually fine. I know I have poor circulation, but we take off and I warm up.
Not this time. We stood in the parking lot while 25 women, plus leaders, got it together. What if I had to spend the night? If an hour or two in the cold was painful, what would an unscheduled overnight trip bring?
The leaders recommended good Sorel boots rated for cold weather and I'm looking into it. It's a good time of year to get winter gear on sale.
More things I learned:
- Avalanche safety: check avalanche.ca before heading out, don't stand on top of a cornice overhang, space out group members when walking past an avalanche path, turn on your avalanche beacon on and carry a shovel for digging out your friends.
- Tips for peeing in the woods: buy a bag of resealable chocolates in a dark bag, eat the chocolates all at once and use the bag for paper and sanitary products
- Flora and fauna of Manning Park: snowshoe hares are yummy for lynx and bobcats (no one talked about cougars, bears and grizzlies, which are bears on steroids)
- The 10 essentials: what do they mean to you? It might be different for you than for others.
I highly recommend this
course for anyone who goes into the back country and needs some basic skills
delivered with humour and enthusiasm. I'm planning to go back for beginner backpacking. I'm also interested
in learning how to use a compass and map properly, but I haven't found that
course yet. Please message me if you find such a course offered in the Fraser
Valley area.
