by Sophia Mattice-Aldous
It’s been memed to death, but the words of Ned Stark (Game of Thrones) ring true every year in the Inland Northwest: “Winter is coming.”
You’d think having lived in Washington my whole life I would be used to it, but every year it’s the same. Winter starts to wind its frosty tendrils into the colored leaves and breathe its cold breath on us. If you are the type who eyes the ski hills and checks the weather report in anticipation of hitting the slopes, it makes the dark months ahead not so, well, dark.
To be clear, I gave snowboarding and skiing several shots when I was younger. It totally makes sense in theory. But I didn’t end up giving my heart to winter sports, and I can’t say that I was terribly upset over the failed love affair. Give me a good book, a cup of hot chocolate and a warm place to park my yoga-pants-clad backside, and I’ll contentedly wait out Old Man Winter until spring lures me back to the woods.
However, this is a hiking column, and I assume you’re not here for book reviews or cocoa recipes. Having said that, does anyone have good recommendations on where to buy decent secondhand snowshoes?
Yeah, I’m going to give it a go. While my natural tendency is to hibernate and eat cheese for the next 3½ months, I no longer have the metabolism of my 20-year-old self, who could down a bag of Oreos and walk it off between my apartment and workplace. Plus, it might be unfair to love the Great Outdoors conditionally, i.e., “You used to be attractive, April through mid-November, but you really let yourself go in the off months.” (Yeesh.)
So, if you’re a snowshoer, what should I consider when finding myself a pair? Where do you like to go walking in nature during winter? Are there any local groups/clubs that come together to participate in said activity? Please email me (address below) and let me know. You’ll help me keep my dance card with nature from being completely empty during the season.
Sophia Mattice-Aldous is not a doctor, personal trainer or dietician, so if you’re looking for that kind of exercise and health column, it’s not this one. However, she is a lifelong Washington resident and reporter with an affinity for The Great Outdoors who thinks fitness should be fun, and that looks different for everyone. For her, it’s going outside. If you have questions and/or comments, including hiking suggestions, email [email protected].