Friendship, Snowshoeing and Side Quests
My girlfriends and I embraced the quirkiness of snowshoeing on three unique adventures near Vancouver, BC.
Snow crunched under my crampon-clad feet. The pine trees on Mount Seymour sported olive-green needles, appearing naked without the weight of fresh snow. Behind me, my group of three girlfriends paused, their amicable chatter fading. “I hate to say this,” I admitted, “but we’ve gone the wrong way.”On our first winter adventure of the season, we’d mindlessly followed fresh footprints on a packed down trail and missed the sign to Dog Mountain. The 4.8-kilometre trail we’d intended to take leads to a stunning view of the city; instead, we ended up on the main trail to Pump Peak. With ample crowds passing us, being lost was of little concern, but the connecting side trails were empty. I checked my map, and then checked in with my friends: “Should we go back, or take a side trail?”“I’m up for a side quest,” my friend Keturah declared. Everyone agreed. And so, we set off on a much less-trodden path.
We were hoping to test out our new MSR snowshoes, but the lack of fresh powder meant crampons (a.k.a. microspikes) were the right gear for the current conditions. Since we weren’t sinking and the snow was compact, we didn’t need the flotation offered by snowshoes—they would be overkill on this terrain. We tucked our trusty Evo Trail and Lightning Trail snowshoes into the outer pockets of our backpacks, facing the sharp teeth away from our backs and securing them with multiple straps. The lightweight snowshoes were easy to carry, so we were ready for anything—and hoping to find some fresh snow.
Alas, Vancouver’s North Shore mountains were more ice and mud than snow that day. We pushed along the winding side trail, moving away from the crowds. We carefully crossed frigid streams and listened to the nothingness that deafens the forest in winter. Our laughs, jokes and conversations interspersed the silence, brightening the cloudy day and transforming the wrong turn and disappointing crusty snow into a fun, enjoyable adventure with friends.
Luckily, Ullr, the Norse god of snow, blessed us a few weeks later. Above the dreary, grey rainclouds of Vancouver, an Eden of fresh pow awaited ambitious snowsport enthusiasts.
The morning after a heavy snowstorm, the landscape was postcard-perfect: lumps of white fluff draped across the evergreen trees; smooth white hills glistened with tiny sparkling diamonds. The sky was brilliantly blue, the trails relatively uncrowded and the temperature mild. My friend April and I slipped on our snowshoes, easily adjusting the comfortable, stretchy bindings, and started the seven-kilometre trek to First Pump Peak.
Floating over the snow, I was thankful for my snowshoes. I noticed several people who’d opted for crampons postholing (breaking through the snow), sometimes sinking in up to their hips. The wide surface of the MSR snowshoes kept us on top of the snow while sturdy trekking poles provided extra stability and traction. Other adventurers shimmied past us on skis, stoked to shred the fresh pow in the backcountry.
After about two kilometres, April and I stopped for snacks at Brockton Point. Whiskey jacks fluttered around us, curious and greedy for stray peanuts from our trail mix. One bird landed on April’s snowshoe. We laid back on the pillowy snow for some Canadian mountaintop sun tanning.
Sparse white flakes started to float down in a mist around us. Noticing our tired muscles and the impending snowfall, April and I decided to trek back down rather than continue to the summit. We were delighted with our choice when fat snowflakes began cascading down with vigour, coating our hair and exposed skin.
For our third and final snowshoeing adventure, April, Keturah and I planned an eight-kilometre jaunt around Lightning Lake in Manning Park. But the evening before our adventure, we checked the avalanche danger rating: considerable. We knew our combined skill and outdoor education levels didn’t account for avalanches. It meant more to be together and have a fun, safe adventure than to put ourselves in a risky situation, so we decided to swap the backcountry for a ski resort.
Cypress Mountain’s Hollyburn Nordic Area requires snowshoes. We paid the $21 trail fee and donned our MSR snowshoes. The in-bounds map revealed that all the area’s more advanced trails were closed, and the slushy, dirty snow at the entrance was discouraging. But we were together, the morning sky was a misty blue, and we had everything we needed for an excellent outdoor experience.
As we hiked 3.7 kilometres through the undulating, looping trails, we found better snow and the traction devices on the bottoms of our snowshoes provided grip on slippery sloped sections. We ended up at a cozy lodge where we warmed up with piping hot apple cidre. Over a dish of poutine, we toasted the experience, knowing no matter where, how or why we get outside, there is only one thing that truly matters: being together.
Safety First:
- Bring the 10 essentials.
- Start early to avoid getting caught in the dark… and bring a headlamp just in case.
- Check the avalanche conditions.
- Leave a detailed trip plan with an emergency contact.
- Never be ashamed to turn back or change plans.
Snowshoeing Tips:
- Walk like a cowboy to avoid stepping on your snowshoes. Bonus: the MSR women’s-specific snowshoes are designed for those with a narrow gait.
- Wear snowpants with abrasion-resistant kick patches to avoid scratching with the snowshoes’ teeth.
- Decide if snowshoes, hiking boots or crampons are the right tool for the conditions. (If you are sinking, you need snowshoes.) Both snowshoes are excellent options for all-terrain winter exploring and can be extended for additional flotation in less supportive snow and on backpacking trips with heavier loads. The MSR Lightning Explore also has an integrated heel lift for steep ascents.
- When purchasing snowshoes, wear your boots to the store and try on the snowshoes to make sure the bindings are compatible.
- You can rent crampons, poles and snowshoes in select MEC stores to try before you buy. Inquire at your local store for more details.
This article was sponsored by MEC & MSR
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