Snowshoes versus Skis

Hi all --

When we experience a major blizzard here in town every few years, I find myself thinking I should have something besides my Kamik boots to get around in, especially when the snow gets over waist high.

Although I live in Colorado, I don't currently own any cross-country skis or snowshoes (must be a native!) because I usually borrow them, but am now checking out the market. And ay-yi-yi, the prices are as ridiculously high as ever. In the end, I might just end up checking out Craig's List or the local recycled sporting goods store.

So people in snow country: I need your thoughts. Which do you consider better for transport during a snowed-in situation -- skis or snowshoes (or both) and why? Also, is there a certain type/brand that you've found better-suited to an urban situation than others?

Tele or Rando skis with skins and wax if you need to go any distance. Just as fast on the uphill as shoes and way faster
on the level and downhill.

Snow shoes would be easier to carry on a pack or in a car-say
when you get to the store or have to hitch a ride.

I usually like to buy snow gear new, but snow shoes and cross-country skis are two things I'm fairly certain I'd buy used if the savings are great. These are two things I won't baby, and quite possibly could ditch on the fly when I'm "out there".

I prefer modern snowshoes (with poles). They're light and handy enough to throw in the car or take on a dayhike. But I'm biased because of a trick knee that makes skiing difficult.

Note that skinny racing skis are designed for trackset conditions. You'll sink deep and fall over a lot in untracked powder -- no lateral stability. To break trail, a backcountry touring ski is the right tool for the job.

I gotta echo this. We have both, and the snowshoes are what we use the most. You don't have to pay a lot to get a decent starter shoe. These Yanes Mountain Pass snowshoes come in three sizes and several colors. The binding is a ratchet and it works great.

Shoes for slow and steady with a load. Less skill required than skis and they are pretty straightforward for hill climbing.
Takes a LOT more effort than walking to go very far.

Skis for much faster travel but with more chances of crashing and injury (even on the flats). And getting uphill requires skins or wax changes. Getting downhill without crashing a lot requires considerable training/practice. The one injury I've seen a buddy have was ACL rupture while we were XC skiing because of beginner technique (neither of us was any good).

Frankly, unless I was in the mountains, I'd just wait for the snow to melt down a ways so I could walk on it if I had to travel a long ways by manual means.

I would say snowshoes. We're discussing an urban environment, so you'll be maneuvering around other people, obstacles, potentially some cleared streets, etc. I would expect this to be much easier in snowshoes than in skis. I see very few reasons I'd want to go more than a few miles by foot in a snowed-in situation, and in an urban environment you probably wouldn't be able to maintain much speed on skis anyway due to obstructions.

I'd say snow shoes. Skis require special footwear and a certain minimum skill set. You don't want to learn the finer points of skiing in an emergency.

As for the particular kind of ski (if you're into that sort of thing:)



Really, in an emergency - do you really think you will be facing steep and fun skiing terrain? Au contraire, you'd want to make your route as efficient and boring as possible. Tele/rando with skins are a drag to walk with on flat surfaces.

If you want to use skis, use regular skis intended for off-track use. We call those "mountain skis" around here. They will typically be 50 to 60 mm at their widest point. You'd want a steel edge (full or 3/4 length) and footwear and bindings that are comfortable, robust and reliable.

That setup is MUCH more comfortable and energy efficient than tele/randone or snow shoes, and will work well both on and off tracks (the tracks are typically less wide than 60 mm, but will wear out quickly so 60mm actually fits most tracks). The wider skis and more robust bindings/boots also gives you MUCH better controll and downhill capabilities than x-country skiis for groomed tracks.

But in reality - if you don't know what kind of skis you'd want to use you are probably much better off using snow shoes.

Like so much that is involved in preparedness, your skill/experience is the most important element. You can't just jump on a pair of skis and go barreling through the woods, but if you know what you are doing, you can cover a lot of ground very quickly. You will also know precisely which items work best in your situation.

Snowshoes are simple and basic enough that almost anyone can learn the basics in about fifty yards. I would keep both handy, althoug my skiing is very rusty....

How well would I be able to pick up cross country skiing if I'm decent on alpine? I'm actually thinking of getting a pair of cross country to play with, not sure the regular or metal edged type though.

On the high cost of snow shoes, buying tip - folks who rent these in season tend to sell them off in spring. I bought 2 sets of top of the line Atlas show shoes for 12.93 each a few years back, and as often as I snow shoe the have plenty of mileage in them. Look for the rental places in your area (REI is where I got mine), and ask what they do with the rentals at the end of the season. If you can get a date out of them, go and find a pair.

Thanks for the input, all.

Lono -- Hadn't thought of that. A very good tip!

And yeah, it does boil down to what one is most experienced with, doesn't it?

Myself, I learned to cross country ski first (a.k.a. Nordic skiing), and have done so since childhood. Downhill (a.k.a. alpine) skiing on the other hand was more of a post-college activity that was only done once a season or so, and less than that now that lift tickets cost the moon.

Snowshoeing experience is somewhat less, as well; mostly something I did at scout camp with old-school ashwood and rawhide gear; I've not yet tried out the aluminum variety, but am very interested now that I've seen how compact they are.

The reason I was asking which was better for an urban situation, I suppose, is because I could totally see myself XC skiing, due to ease and speed, but then thought that there might be a snowshoeing advantage that I'd be missing out on -- and now this has been confirmed by the helpful posters here. (More maneuverable in tight spaces, easier to store, etc.)

I'm thinking my scouting experience of clumsily trudging in oversized tennis rackets might need an update...

A Ford F150 4x4 and pac boots are all I've ever needed in Colorado for the last 30 years. But if I were living out in a cabin in the woods, rather than in the suburban area that's my home, I'd definitely opt for the snow shoes. It just seems like they'd have a much shorter learning curve. Plus, much easier to transport.

Depends on if you're going to do Nordic or skate skiing. You won't have any need for metal edges with Nordic.

The two types compete for space on groomed trails. Nordic is a peaceful and quiet type of skiing, with the skis running in parallel groves, where as skate looks more like speed skating but with skis instead of skates. It's more like racing.

With downhill experience, you would have no trouble transitioning between the types.

Haertig -- Better a Ford than a Dodge, eh? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3wAy59Kq6I

That storm in late '06 was a doozy...

Pretty well, I guess...
Coming from alpine means you're used to balancing on a pair of skis. Which is a huge plus. But you'll probably find x-country skis incredible flimsy when going downward.

Skiing isn't not rocket science. Walk/jog like normal, just kick the foot agressively downwards instead of just stepping on it. (Think: Kick the binding DOWN). You want the ski to stick (and not slide backward) when you apply force to accelerate yourself forward.

Skating is similar, just that you are... skating. You're sigsaging, balancing on one ski and applying a kick with the other ski at an angle to your direction of movement. Easier done than to explain it.

As always: It takes some practice before those movements become natural and fluid.



People made do without steel edges for ages before they became the norm for "mountain skis". Although a huge plus for a wide range of conditions they can't be said to be mandatory.

Metal edge really shines if the surface is very hard and icy. Otherwise, they're not nescessary. On grommed tracks they won't be needed - but they will be really nice to have when the wet/warm track has frozen into concrete over the night.

If you plan to go "off track" you'll encounter a much wider range of snow conditions than on carefully groomed tracks, including ice hard rain crust, sastrugi and wind crust. It's like choosing a car: If you want to go offroad you'd buy a car with 4WD and all-terrain tires. If you want to go outside tracks you'd by (slightly) wider skis with a steel edge.

Skis made for going as fast as possible on groomed tracks typically won't have steel edges. Skis intended for off-track ("mountain skis") or combined track/off-track use will typically have a 3/4 or full steel edge.

As always, you adapt to local conditions. Where I live we have a coastal climate, so there will be episodes of rain all winter. Which means you have to be prepared to meet icy hard crusts any time you step outside the "paved" tracks... Even if the low lying areas have nice fluffy snow the wind exposed ridges will often be wind blown, hard and icy.

Skis when going any distances. Snowshoes are labor intensive, skis not so much.

If you can walk you can crosscountry ski.

Used both in Alaska back in the early 80s, courtesy Uncle Sam, who thought I needed to learn Artic warfare. Snowshoes were used mainly, as stated by others - shorter learning curve and with the loads we carried, more efficient.

Before I enlisted, I would x-country ski to work. My car at the time was hell in snow.

Thanks for the info Byrd_Huntr and MostlyHarmless. I looked up a few videos and I think I prefer the walking style, although with this craptacular winter we are having I'm not sure about icy surface without metal edge. Now I need to go look up the wax vs. wasless type.

Never tried snow shoeing before but I have done some hiking in the snow and it is a lot of work. It has to be easier to walk on the snow with snow shoes than boots.

My wife and I have Fischer skis that we like really well for all kinds of tooting around in the woods and touring on slopes. We bought them at a ski swap with bindings for around $150 bucks per pair. (Add shoes to the cost).

Mine are the "Boundless" model with no wax base, metal edges, wider
for deep snow. With 3 pin boots and skins they are a go anywhere ski. I use them at the down hill area with tele boots when teaching beginners.

My wife has "rebounds" with waxless base and narrower width that fit in groomed tracks a bit better. Stiff enough and short enough for off piste skating when the snow is firm too. Some friends use these for 50 mile backcountry day trips when the snow is perfect for skating.

That said, for emergencies, snow shoes fit most any shoe, most anyone, and store in more compact spaces. I made my own once from aluminum tubing, polypro rope, wire and webbing.

Skiers remember too that you can make rope climbers from P-cord
or polypro rope that will enable you to climb even icy slopes.