Looking for a fun, family-friendly outdoor activity this winter in Anchorage? How about a nice trail walk?
We know, we know, the deep snow makes hiking tough in the winter—but not with snowshoes!
Strap on a pair of snowshoes, and join Stephen Nickel and Jason Moan from the Division of Forestry, as well as Patrick Ryan from the Alaska Botanical Garden, for a snowshoe tour through the Garden’s beautiful trails. The walk will take place on Jan. 11 from noon to 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on the Eventbrite site.
During the winter nature walk, learn about winter tree identification, forest pests, and more. REI has donated 30 pairs of snowshoes for the event, so don’t worry if you have yet to buy a pair. If you already have snowshoes, bring them along for the trip!
If you’ve never used snowshoes before, we want to help prepare you for the walk. Here are some snowshoeing tips from REI:
- Use poles. These help with balance and make crossing slopes easier. You can use snowshoe poles, ski poles, or trekking poles.
- Bring a repair “kit.” This could include duct tape, plastic tie wraps, or baling wire for on-the-go repairs.
- Warm up your muscles. Walking on snowshoes means taking longer steps than normal, especially if travelling uphill. Lightly stretch your hamstrings and hip flexors to help your flexibility.
- Drink plenty of water. Just like on summer hikes, you need to stay hydrated when exercising.
- Bring an insulated bottle. When you need warmed up, having something warm to drink is essential.
- Take turns breaking trail in fresh snow. The leader of the group will always experience the most work, as those behind him or her walk on the already-packed snow. Switch up leaders as you become tired.
- Use hand-warmers. Your trip will be much more enjoyable if your fingertips aren’t numb from the cold.
From all of us at Kelley & Canterbury LLC, we hope you take advantage of this great day out on the Anchorage trails. Enjoy the winter fun and the snowshoeing experience!
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