Snowshoeing (Outdoor Pursuits Series) - Softcover

Edwards, Sally; McKenzie, Melissa

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0873227670 ISBN 13: 9780873227674

Publisher: Human Kinetics, 1995

Synopsis

Because of the invention of snowshoes that allow for greater ease of movement, snowshoeing has become increasingly popular among people of all ages and fitness levels. Now, you can join the growing number of people who are discovering the fun and fitness benefits of snowshoeing—this complete guide shows you how.

Whether you're a beginner who wants to learn the fundamentals or an experienced snowshoer who lacks formal instruction, Snowshoeing provides everything you need so you can enjoy this great winter fitness activity for many years to come.

Sally Edwards, the woman responsible for popularizing triathlons in the 1980s, and Melissa McKenzie are avid snowshoers who developed a new user-friendly snowshoe design. Combining an engaging writing style with dozens of colorful photos, they explain what you need to know before you even set foot in the snow. You'll learn how to:

- determine which type of snowshoe works best for you,
- choose the proper size of snowshoe for your needs, and
- select comfortable and safe clothing and accessories.

Next, the authors present the skills you need to learn so you can snowshoe correctly and safely. You'll find:

- illustrated instructions for 16 snowshoeing techniques, such as stamping, turning, kick-stepping, and breaking trail;
- tips for identifying snow that is perfect for snowshoeing;
- advice on how to avoid getting lost outdoors in the winter;
- a three-phase training plan to help you get your body ready for more than a leisurely walk on the snow; and
- information on how to recognize symptoms of frostbite, hypothermia, altitude sickness, dehydration, and heat exhaustion, as well as how to treat these conditions.

But you won't put Snowshoeing aside once you've mastered the basics. The book is loaded with valuable information for snowshoers of all skill levels. You'll read about creative ideas for finding great local snowshoeing sites and descriptions of 45 of the world's best snowshoeing destinations. And for those who want to pursue snowshoeing further, there's information on additional activities that complement snowshoeing, such as tracking animal prints and mountaineering.

The book also provides a glossary of snowshoeing terms as well as an appendix describing snowshoeing organizations, reading materials, and snowshoe manufacturers.

Like all the books in the Outdoor Pursuits Series, Snowshoeing emphasizes safety, environmental responsibility, and—most of all—the fun of outdoor activity!

About this title

From the Publisher:

"At last, a book that brings snowshoeing into the present and offers the basics and insights into what this too often overlooked recreation can be.

Finally, a great book of basics, and one that talks about snowshoeing as it is today—a sport with so many possibilities.

From solid basics to enjoyable anecdotes, this book reveals snowshoeing not as a relic from our distant past but as a lively, modern recreation and sport, full of variety."

Bob Woodward Contributing Editor, Snow Country magazine

About the Author:

Sally Edwards and Melissa McKenzie, both avid snowshoers, are the cofounders of YubaShoes Sport Snowshoes, a manufacturing company of high-performance snowshoes.

Edwards has been committed to fitness all her life. One of the founders of triathlon competition, she has completed 13 Ironman triathlons, finishing in the top five in the master's or open division in each. She competed in the 1984 Olympic Marathon Trials and set the women's record at the 1993 Iditashoe 100-Mile Snowshoe Race in Alaska with a time of 24 hours, 1 minute. She has won dozens of other endurance events, including the master's division of the 1994 Mt. Taylor Quadrathlon, a combination of snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, running, and cycling.

In addition to Snowshoeing, Edwards has written 7 books on sports, fitness, and diet and more than 300 magazine and newspaper articles. She is a well-known professional speaker and the national spokesperson for the Danskin Women's Triathlon Series since 1990. One of the founders of Triathlon Federation/USA, she served as its vice president for seven years.

Edwards earned her master's degree in exercise physiology from the University of California at Berkeley, in 1970 and her MBA from National University in 1986.

Melissa McKenzie left her job as a marketing executive for a cellular telephone company to launch YubaShoes with Sally Edwards. Having earned her MBA from Boston University in 1986, McKenzie was no stranger to the corporate environment. YubaShoes became her first entrepreneurial venture, allowing her to combine vocation and avocation.

McKenzie's lifelong interest in the outdoors and her bachelor's degree in biology, with an emphasis on botany and ecology, allowed her to make major contributions to the chapters in this book that focus on nature. A member of the Sierra Club and the National Audubon Society, McKenzie hopes to inspire others to become more familiar with the great outdoors.

About this edition

• Publisher: Human Kinetics
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0873227670
• ISBN 13: 9780873227674
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 128