two snow shoe adventures

There have been 2 snowshoe adventures since Christmas 2010 when we bought each other snowshoes.

Check out this marvelous winter wonderland! It's amazing how beautiful 12 F degree weather can be!

Me gear!

My snow shoe guide.

Adam and I went on a snow shoe "date" 3 years ago (I invited him). I like playing in the snow, but I don't have a lot of experience since I grew up in southern California. Adam is much more adventurous than I and knows good tips like "run more if your toes are stinging." I like that he makes our outings more challenging.

Adam took this photo of slow, pregnant, me...way down there, barely hanging on (but happy, of course).

Snow stools! (like toadstools)

more photos:

Snow shoe trip number 2 was much warmer, luckily.

We walked up Denny Creek, passing under the I-90. It made for an interesting post-apocalyptic urban forest feel....

We went as far as the boy scout group ahead of us and then decided to ford the creek and climb up the steep snow bank using our ice axes, no big deal.

It actually really wasn't that bad. I had never used an ice axe before, so I didn't think we would make it up the snow bank, but after Adam showed me what to do with this wonderful tool, it was easy.

see? You jam it in to the snow, make sure it is solid, then pull yourself up using it like a handle.

We kicked steps up the bank and Adam taught me how to self belay as we climbed.

Once on the other side of the creek, we realized there was no way we'd make it past the lake and to the peak we had intended, so we hiked up a steep snow field and practiced glissade-ing (sliding on your bum, using an ice axe as a break).

Very graceful. Kind of difficult with snow shoes....

Then we walked over 5 miles back to the car in the dark. I was so tired, and somehow had a sprained/strained groin muscle...so I was lifting my leg with my hands for the last mile or so, hahahaha!

And then I forgot I was pregnant and took some ibuprofen.