Over the past two months I have read some very sad articles that have affected snowshoers all over the world.
To start, Jeremy Wright – snowshoer and overall super-athlete – lost his life as a soldier overseas. Our condolences are extended to Jeremy’s family and friends. I’ll come back to this in a few paragraphs further down.
As I mentioned, the headlines have been really dreary lately. Many snowshoers are losing their lives (aside from Jeremy Wright’s circumstances). And those lives are being claimed by the very thing that lured them into the wild: Snow.
Avalanches are reported almost daily during this time of the year and it’s become a cancer among the snowshoeing community. From Utah to Italy, snowshoers are up against an extreme amount of danger when snow builds in the mountainous areas of the world.
In fact, according to published reports, snowshoers can be fined hundreds of dollars for snowshoeing in out-of-bounds and marked areas near some ski resort locations in the United States. Of course, not all snowshoers trek to resorts to find trails, they tend to go where they want…and not many are watching out for their well-being.
For those of you snowshoeing during these snowy months, I urge you to be careful. And, if you have the time, I would advise you to find seminars that educate on avalanche awareness and cold-weather survival. There are basic steps and precautionary measures to enact when snowshoeing and avoiding the dangers of possible avalanches.
Although I’m no expert, I would suggest never going shoeing without a partner. Or, let somebody know where you are at all times. Bring a cell phone and a GPS device to deter the small chance of getting lost and rummaging around unknown areas of the backcountry. Be smart.
Our hearts go out to the families that have been affected by the dangers of avalanches and the wrath they leave behind. A number of snowshoers and other winter sports enthusiasts lose their lives to avalanches every year. Please take the proper precautions when snowshoeing and take advantage of the education and seminars available to the public.
For information on seminars and awareness campaigns, visit your local mountain outfitter and/or outdoor gear retailer.
Snowshoe Magazine would like to congratulate the winners of the Jan. 9 Beaver Creek Snowshoe Adventure Series 10K race: Josiah Middaugh and Lindsay Krause.
The Beaver Creek Snowshoe Adventure Series will continue Feb. 12, with the final event (renamed the Jeremy Wright North American Snowshoe Championships) on tap for March 5. Both races will be held at McCoy Park in the resort. For more information on the series, visit http://www.bcsnowshoe.com.
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In partnership with The Breast Cancer Fund, the Winter Snowshoe Challenge will be held Feb. 26 in Keystone, Colo., and March 5 in Kirkwood, Calif. Come out and experience some great snowshoeing and some great community. To register for the event and for more information, visit http://www.breastcancerfund.org.
Also, visit our forums for access to a growing community of snowshoers around the world: https://www.snowshoemag.com/forum.cfm. We need more registered members and we are holding contests sponsored by Clif Bars and Rockstar Energy Drinks.
Tell a friend and let them know about Snowshoe Magazine. We need all the support possible to keep this wonderful project progressing. Thank you for your support and have a great snowshoeing season.
Oh yeah, sorry the newsletter was a day late. It wasn’t intentional, we promise.
