OK. I am too far away from you to lend a pair of raquettes.
I have sometimes seen workable pairs in Surplus stores.
I have seen lots of pairs for sale used too. The biggest problem for me is getting them big enough.

The best ones I found in army surplus were made with magnesium frames in an Algonquin pattern. Coated steel cable was used to weave the decks.
The long tails counterbalance the deck and drag easily through the snow when you take a step. They are very effective at keeping the shoes in line.

I still like the patterns with long tails better than bearpaw patterns, but that is up to you and depends on terrain.
Most of the modern styles are more like the beavertail patterns. and the back of the frames drag a bit harder than the Algonquin styles.

Get either the neoprene or the plastic decked snowshoes if you can though.
They are lighter than the babiche decks and even more importantly they don't load up as badly from snow sifting up through them.
The fact that they don't need waterproofing or go loose and flabby when damp is a good thing too.

Remember to try them for a mile before committing to a long solitary trip. People are usually surprised at how much work lifting a snowshoe with every step you take is.

It is that lifting of your feet which makes skis easier to use for travel even though skis are not as easy to do work from.

Some things about skis to consider.
The biggest problem with skis is still the binding/boot system.
With snowshoes the binding is simple and almost any low heeled boot can work. (shoepacks or mukluks are very good)
Most skis require expensive mechanical traps and special boots to work right.
You might be able to find old skis with bindings that accept hiking or work boots but those bindings tend to increase the risk of sprain injuries to knees and ankles. (even fractures)
They are usually not stiff enough for good control going downhill either.
What you might look for are X-country/backcountry/telemark.
You will be after something that is a blend of them.X-country are usually too light and telemark are usually too heavy.
There are tons of second hand skis available. Sometimes the outfitters like MEC or REI have good deals on traded pairs in their stores. I know MEC has an online swap/sell service