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Date: 1/11/2023
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Looking for a winter sport you may not have considered? The West Springfield Park and Recreational Department suggests snowshoeing.
West Side resident and Park and Rec Commissioner Tim Urban and his wife had been looking for a winter exercise program and began snowshoeing about a decade ago. He is helping the Park and Rec Department present an introduction to snowshoeing program.
“If you can walk, you can snowshoe,” he told Reminder Publishing. He explained, “It’s not impactful like skiing.”
Urban said the program got off to a start last February when the department was looking for ways to get people to enjoy Mitteneague Park in winter. Once Christmas time is over, the Santa House is not used, he explained, and people don’t walk through the park if there is snow on the ground.
Colorado Bike & Ski donated a dozen pairs of snowshoes to the department and when the last storm of the season dropped enough snow last February, Urban led a group of people for a hike through the park.
Before they started their walk, Urban hosted a 10-minute orientation session in the Santa House. He explained there are different styles of snowshoe for different uses and went over basic instruction such as don’t step on your snowshoe, be careful in backing up and hydration is important.
“The program is: let’s go for a walk in the park. So, once we’ve gathered and folks have their shoes, we’re going on walk about,” he said.
Participants walked around the park at their own pace, with Urban setting up points along the hike for people to catch up and regroup.
The route included walking from the Santa House along the trail near Route 20 to locations such as the Frog Pond, the greenhouse, the Altamount House and the UNICO playground. After a rest on the swings there, they retraced their steps.
“Everyone did really well,” he said. He added that hike in the park is designed to stay near shelters.
Snowshoes are fitted according to weight, he said, adding that snowshoes are designed to have “flotation” on snow deeper than 12 inches. Hikers wearing snowshoes don’t sink into the snow as much as they would simply hiking with boots, he added.
The bindings on the snowshoes are designed to fit most boots, he said.
For those participating in the program, the department has more than a dozen pairs of snowshoes. Urban said those interested in buying a pair for themselves can find them for as little as $100 to $150 to $240.
If the program draws enough people, Urban said he would like to consider expanding it to include hikes in places such as the Bear Hole Reservoir.
Interested people should email Casey Nicoll in the Park and Rec office at cnicoll@tows.org to register for the program.
“Now,” Urban said, “we’re waiting for snow.”