Drifts and Dreams

Snowshoeing becomes more than a walk in the woods

Story by Jenna Burleigh

Photos courtesy of Eric Willis and Dewey Peacock

The earth is swaddled in a thick, snowy quilt, sewn by footprints of those who venture beyond the reaches of civilization. The sun shines brightly, causing the temperature to dance around a cool 30 degrees, and a gentle wind rustles through tree branches, brushing off the powder of recent snowfall. As the tiny flakes flutter to the ground, the silence is shattered. A hollow thumping resounds from the depths of the woods. Branches crack and birds twitter their annoyance as they soar away. Here they come.

More than 100 racers, clad in fleece and snowshoes, romp along the trail, running as fast as their little weighted feet will carry them. First to finish is Nikki Kimball, a national snowshoe-racing champion who claimed titles in 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2007.

Kimball has won so many races that she loses track. “I don’t even know,” she says, adding that she was undefeated in all of her races for six years and 11 months.

Kimball races, not only on snowshoes, but on skis, as well as normal running. Formerly of Plattsburgh, N.Y., she moved to Montana for better racing opportunities. “I didn’t have enough running partners,” she says of Plattsburgh.

"Nikki is one of those iconic athletes. She pretty much does it all"

Though Kimball’s main focus is running and ski racing, she races competitively in snowshoes for training. “If you want something to do in the winter, there’s not a lot of running races,” she explains. “It doesn’t take any particular talent to do it, it’s just really fatiguing,” she says.

Elmore has organized snowshoe races for nearly 10 years, which amounts to about 22 races each year. He says each race is supposed to include a variety of different elements.

“We try to throw a little bit of everything at athletes,” he says. Trails for national championships are supposed to have areas that are uphill, downhill, and flat, with sections of groomed trail as well as loose powder.

“National championships tend to be pretty tame,” Kimball says of the 10 km race. 

Andy Weinberg is the director of the Peak Snowshoe Challenge, a 26.2-mile snowshoe race in Pittsfield, Vt. March 6 will be the fourth year for this particular race, and Weinberg says about 300 people are expected to show, snowshoes in hand, ready to race.

“Some people train specifically for this race,” he says, adding that most participants are “rookies.” Weinberg says it is a difficult race, and with 7,200 feet of elevation change and a 10-hour time limit, only about 50 percent cross the finish line in time.

There are three possible distances for a snowshoe enthusiast to choose from at the Peak Snowshoe Challenge. There is the 26.2-mile marathon, a 13.1 half marathon, as well as a 10k race.

Weinberg says the race in Pittsfield is one of only two snowshoe marathons in America and winds between Wilcox and Ausable Mountains. Many racers sign up for the challenge it presents.

“People like to test their limits,” he says.

Jim Tucker, coordinator of intramurals and recreation programs at Paul Smith’s College, has organized snowshoe races in the area for 21 years. He says the races he organizes usually draw in 120-130 racers, and a sizeable crowd consisting mainly of family and friends.

"If you can walk, you can snowshoe. It’s not like you’re waddling around like a duck"

“A good share of [the racers] are endurance athletes looking for something to do in the winter,” Tucker says. “It’s good for them to get off the road.”

Elmore says one of the biggest perks of snowshoeing is the simplicity and convenience of it. A snowshoeing enthusiast can simply take their shoes and mosey around in their own backyard. He adds that it is not difficult to learn how to use snowshoes.

“If you can walk, you can snowshoe,” he says. “It’s not like you’re waddling around like a duck.”

Tucker says racing in snowshoes isn’t much more difficult. “After you’ve done a few, it’s just like regular running.”

Despite whether someone laces up their snowshoes for the next big race, or just for a casual stroll in the woods, snowshoeing provides an excellent form of winter entertainment.

"You can go places on snowshoes that you just can’t go in the summertime,” Tucker says.

Have you ever raced on snowshoes?