The day is bright, clear and sunny as we drive up Capilano road, on our way to the north shore mountains. Heading into higher elevation, the road starts to turn slushy and snowbanks and evergreens line the edges. We follow the winding twisting road. Suddenly the shadowy sky gives way as we enter a snow covered world of Mount Seymour, filled with brilliant blue sunshine. “Welcome to my office,” states Lois Tomlinson, my guide and owner of Natural Trekking, proudly.

Only 25 minutes from downtown Vancouver, lies a snowy mountainous playground. We have come to play. Even though the ski hill has yet to open for the season, the parking lot is full. It seems others are here enjoying the fresh powder too.

Tomlinson makes sure we are well prepared for today’s adventure. Prior to our trip, she advises me on what to wear and what not to wear. “Wool, or polyester tops and bottom should be warn as a base layer, followed by fleece and Gortex. Dress in layers,” she recommends. “Never ever wear cotton. It can accelerate hypothermia and cause death.”

Tomlinson pulls the lightweight metal snowshoes from her bag, along with adjustable ski poles and gaiters, to be worn around our pant cuffs to keep out the white stuff. Weight and height determines the size of a person’s snowshoe. It’s important to factor in the weight of your pack as well. Good snowshoes will have crampons or sharp metal teeth around the bottom of the frame and a big crampon in the toe area. Compared to the old wooden bulky snowshoes I’ve used, these ones are light and feel very flexible when my boot is strapped in. “Snowshoes have come down in price the last couple of years. Expect to pay around $200 - $300 for a pair,” Tomlinson says. “Mountain Equipmnent Co-Op is probably the best place to buy them.”

After adjusting our hats, sunglasses and knapsacks: filled with water, snacks and camera, we are off. The trail has been tramped down, thank God. We start climbing and with a few breaks here and there, don’t stop until we get to the top. The trek, although sweaty, is beautiful. It really should be called snow hiking, because that’s exactly what we’re doing. “It’s actually safer than hiking,” Tomlinson explains. “You’re not going to trip over trees and roots.” Just like hiking though, you can get lost, so it’s recommended that first time snowshoer go with an experienced guide.

The same rules of engagement seem to apply to almost every outdoor activity. Never snowshoe alone. Always tell someone responsible where you are going and when you’ll be back, and be prepared. Tomlinson cautions, “Don’t go light one day, because that will be the day that something happens.” Make sure one of you is carrying:

• a flashlight
• whistle
• candles & matches
• Swiss army knife
• grand sheet - preferably orange so it can be seen
• blanket
• flares
• extra food
• water
• extra clothing

I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed our day on the mountain. Tomlinson is an excellent guide, and her enthusiasm for the sport is contagious. This is a fun activity that anybody, regardless of their age, can do.

Cheers,

Julie

This entry was posted on Friday, November 30th, 2007 at 10:50 am and is filed under Road Trips, Toys. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.