Colorado Snowshoeing FAQs

What is appealing about snowshoeing in Colorado?

The combination of beautiful scenery, peace, and solitude with a fitness challenge! Traversing snow-covered trails, exploring untouched landscapes, and immersion in tranquil nature while engaging in a physical activity are enchanting to many people. It is an exhilarating way to escape the hustle and bustle of resorts and to enjoy the majestic serenity of the mountains.

Can anyone snowshoe the first time? Or do you need specific skills??

Snowshoeing is a fantastic activity for everyone, including families with kids and beginners. Beginner-friendly, snowshoeing requires minimal skills or experience, making it highly accessible. Families bond while exploring snowy trails together. The kids will have fun in the snow and adults will enjoy the exercise and opportunity to connect with nature. On the flip-side, if you want more of a challenge, snowshoes can be used to access higher peaks or to approach more technical mountain objectives.

What are the risks associate with snowshoeing?

Don’t be fooled by how easy it is to pick up snowshoeing. Remember that anytime you access snowy, mountainous terrain by any method, you need a solid understanding of the snowpack and the risk for avalanches. Always bring the appropriate gear while enjoying a snowshoe trip, even on lower slopes. We like to check the forecasts at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center before heading out.

What’re the best places to snowshoe near Breckenridge, and why?

The choice of a destination depends on the day and group going out, which dictate the duration and difficulty level of the trip. For shorter, more relaxed tours, choose from great nearby forest trails. Looking for a more challenging and adventurous experience? We can take you on longer trips with a peak ascent for stunning views and a much more rigorous workout. Wherever you go, remember to assess the weather and avalanche conditions, and choose an appropriate difficulty level for your group. Give us a call for some local recommendations or if you need help understanding the weather conditions.

Where can I rent snowshoeing equipment in Colorado?

Adventure enthusiasts can find snowshoe equipment rentals and guided expeditions with Colorado Adventure Guides, stationed in Silverthorne, Colorado. Our headquarters are conveniently located about 1.25 hours away from Denver, a mere 20-minute drive from Breckenridge, and only half an hour from Vail.

Visit our Backcountry Demo Center . We’ll get you set up with snowshoes, boots, poles and even a backpack for your lunch, water bottle, and extra layers. If you’re going somewhere more technical, we have avalanche safety equipment and the latest avalanche weather forecasts, too. Be safe out there! 

Are there different kinds of snowshoes?

Certain features optimize performance and comfort during snowshoeing, namely, their size, length, binding size, and materials. The correct size of the snowshoes depends on the wearer’s weight, with larger ones appropriate for greater weights. Snowshoe length should match the intended terrain and activity, with shorter shoes being more maneuverable and longer ones offering better flotation in deep snow. Smaller snowshoes offer increased maneuverability and agility, making them suitable for steep or icy slopes. Choose bindings that are compatible with your footwear size and provide secure and adjustable fastening. Finally, the materials used in construction, such as aluminum or composite, can impact the snowshoe’s durability and weight.

Are different types of snowshoe bindings?

Bindings for snowshoes do vary! Different types of bindings are available, including strap, ratchet, and boa bindings. Each has advantages and disadvantages – ease of use, adjustability, and stability. Choose bindings that are comfortable, provide a secure fit, and are compatible with your boots. In the end personal preference and the intended snowshoe use guide the selection of bindings.

What boots are best for snowshoeing?

Wear sturdy and waterproof boots with higher ankles to help protect against moisture and potential ankle injuries. Consider snow gaiters to help keep snow out of your boots and pants. These protective coverings are worn over your boots and lower legs and extend up the calf to the knee. Typically made of waterproof or water-resistant materials, gaiters are secured by adjustable straps or closures. Especially useful in very deep or wet snow, they create a barrier that prevents snow, moisture, and debris from entering your boots and keep your feet and lower legs dry and warm.

Do I need to be in good shape to go snowshoeing?

Snowshoeing can be enjoyed by people of various fitness levels, as it can be as easy or as challenging as you make it. It’s a low-impact activity that provides a good cardiovascular workout and strengthens muscles, particularly in the lower body.

For beginners or those who are less physically active, it’s advisable to start with shorter and easier trails to build up endurance and confidence. As you become more accustomed to snowshoeing, you can gradually increase the difficulty and duration of your outings.

That said, if you have any concerns about your fitness level or any underlying health conditions, it’s always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new physical activity. Additionally, being properly prepared with appropriate clothing, gear, and hydration can contribute to a more enjoyable experience regardless of fitness level.

What other equipment is necessary to have fun while snowshoeing?

You want to be warm and comfortable, but not get sweaty, so be sure to wear appropriate yet flexible gear. You need gloves, warm socks, a hat or beanie, a base layer, an insulating layer, and a waterproof layer. Wear waterproof and sturdy footwear, and protect your eyes in sunny, high altitude Colorado with good sunglasses or goggles. Bring sunscreen. Snacks will give you consistent energy, and water is most important to stay hydrated (especially at high altitude.) Depending on how long or far you will be going, consider a small first aid kit, repair kit, satellite phone, and a headlamp. 

Snowshoe trekking poles, similar to poles used in hiking, provide additional stability, balance, and support on uneven and slippery terrain. Snowshoe poles help reduce leg strain and provide leverage when traversing uphill or downhill. Adjustable in length, they typically feature a wider basket at the bottom to prevent the poles from sinking too deep into the snow. Using snowshoe trekking poles can greatly enhance your experience, especially in more challenging conditions.

What is the minimum age for snowshoeing?

Snowshoeing doesn’t have a rigid age limit; it relies heavily on a person’s physical capabilities and the judgment of their parents or guardians. Generally, kids aged 4 or 5 can start snowshoeing if they have the right gear and supervision. Making sure children are adequately attired for the climate and have perfectly fitting snowshoes is crucial for their safety and enjoyment. Furthermore, when participating in outdoor pursuits such as snowshoeing, minors should always be in the company of adults or seasoned individuals.

How much does it cost to go snowshoeing in Colorado?

Guided snowshoeing excursions with Colorado Adventure Guides start at $100 per individual. The cost covers both the guide service and the rental of snowshoes.

*All prices are per person and include snowshoe rentals

1 person : HD $300 : FD $385

2 people : HD $170 : FD $215

3 people : HD $145 : FD $170

4 people : HD $115 : FD $145

5 people: HD $105 : FD $125

6 people: HD $100 : FD $110

*For larger groups please inquire!  [email protected]

Looking to rent your own equipment and embark on your own adventure? Snowshoe rentals start at $25 per day. Visit our backcountry demo center for more information.

Colorado Ice Climbing Guide Interview

Get to know Patrick “Perry” Johnson, one of Colorado Adventure Guides professional ice climbing guides.

What is your current ice climbing experience and background?

I’ve been climbing ice for 10 years. I learned how to swing into ice and hook my tools on rock at Chalk Creek. In the years since, I’ve climbed ice on trips all over the US, Canada, Nepal, Peru, and France.

What is your favorite part about ice climbing?

I love the combination of the physical and mental parts of climbing coming together. It may look like you can just swing and kick anywhere to get up the ice, but you have to learn how to read the ice; where to swing and kick, when to trust your tools and when to swing again

Do you recommend that people have certain experience before trying ice climbing?

Rock climbing experience is helpful as the top rope systems we use are similar, but it is not necessary as the climbing is quite different.

What kind of clothing should somebody have to go ice climbing?

Your typical ski gear will work for the most part. You’ll want to dress warm as you’ll have plenty of time hanging out in the belay area when you’re not climbing. Smaller, lighter gloves are better for gripping the tools while climbing. And pants with tighter legs help prevent crampon tears around the ankle.

Do you have any favorite ice climbing areas?

Chalk Creek is great for a relaxed day and some sunshine in the belay area (a rarity and a nice treat on a cold day,) and Mt Lincoln delivers many options in an alpine setting!

Any pro tips for new or aspiring ice climbers out there?

Climb as many laps as you can and learn to read ice in all conditions, learn how to dress and have fun especially when it feels like suffering!

Book an ice climbing tour or lesson with Perry! Don’t hesitate to connect with our accommodating booking staff, ready to assist you with any questions or worries about ice climbing trips. You can reserve your place either via our digital booking platform or by reaching out to us personally to complete your reservation.

Colorado Winter Hiking Difficulty Levels

Winter Hiking in Colorado: Difficulty Levels

Whatever your goal, you’ll enjoy pristine winter beauty and uncrowded trails.

The national forests and mountains around the Breckenridge area boast some of the world’s best hiking, and that’s true even in winter when trails are much less busy. Hiking is an activity that almost everyone can do, and it’s great for groups. Most people vacationing in the area in summertime hike to at least one lake or peak, but hiking in wintertime allows you to experience the sparkling beauty of untracked, fresh fallen snow, snow-tipped pines, and soaring blue-white mountain peaks. Just choose the difficulty level that suits you and your group, and everyone will come home red-cheeked and happy with great memories.

Level One: Local walking trails – No Special Gear, No Guide Needed

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The Towns of Breckenridge, Silverthorne, Dillon, and Frisco maintain paved, mostly flat, pathways beside the lovely rivers that run through town or alongside nearby reservoirs. In winter, lakes and streams are quiet, frozen, and often covered with snow, but ice on rocks and snow on trees make them so much nicer than sidewalks beside streets.

The pathways are often cleared during the winter months so that people can wend their way to restaurants and stores, but we recommend wearing warm boots with soles good for some ice and snow. Take a ski pole for extra stability. Learn about these trails at town information offices or through their webpages, like Silverthorne’s. 

Level Two: Snowshoeing – Let us Guide Your Group and we Provide Snowshoes and Poles

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Exploring Summit County’s backcountry routes on pillow-soft powder in winter is scenic, peaceful, and gives the illusion of having the mountains all to yourself. Snowshoeing is easy to learn, fun for everyone, and, if you choose a trail with some serious altitude gain, can be a great high-energy cardio workout. There are so many beautiful Colorado backcountry trails to choose from! Snowshoe a high, tranquil loop around a pristine mountain meadow, explore a shady canyon, or embark on a heart-pounding trek up a snow shrouded peak to witness spectacular winter views.

Nothing quite compares to the silence of walking through the woods and seeing the snow shimmer in the sun. Snowshoeing allows individuals and groups with varying levels of fitness to achieve this bliss. We recommend wearing layers, including a warm and a wind/waterproof layer, and bringing a small backpack with water, snacks, and extra clothes and gloves. If you don’t have suitable boots, we have some for rent. We provide snowshoes. Learn more and book a full or half-day trip here.

Level Three: Ascend One of Colorado’s 13 or 14,000 Foot Peaks

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Most people think about hiking up Colorado’s highest peaks in the summertime, and, well, trails can be crowded if you don’t have the local knowledge to find other, less-used routes. In contrast, when you summit a peak in the winter, you and your guide might be the only people on the trail the whole day! That said, while summer peak bagging might seem more straightforward to some, wintertime ascents require careful planning and route-finding, but can be very rewarding and singularly beautiful. Our guides have years of experience climbing our mountains year round. There is no such thing as an easy fourteener, and our guides will help to minimize risk while maximizing enjoyment with an understanding of local weather patterns, snowpack conditions, a thorough knowledge of trail systems, and an ability to keep morale high. Choose from half a dozen very high peaks of Summit County, each with varying winter snow conditions, and all will give you exhilarating vistas after traversing pristine snow fields. Your guide will contact you in advance to discuss your group’s goals, fitness and ability levels, and current snow conditions; and together we’ll make a decision about routes. Whether you ascend in boots, snowshoes, or on skis and splitboards with skins, we’re game. Learn more about possible routes here.

Don’t hesitate to contact our accommodating booking staff, who are ready to assist you with any questions or issues related to guided winter hiking trips in the heart of Colorado. You can reserve your place either through our digital booking system or by reaching out to us directly to complete your reservation.

(970) 893-8007

How To Get Into Backcountry Snowboarding

The First Steps

Breckenridge and Vail ski areas average about 1.6 million skier visits per season.  If I break out my calculator and do some quick math, based on a 150 day season, that’s a crapload of skiers!  Using a standard conversion scale, a ~crapload of skiers~ equals….long lift lines.  But, luckily, there’s an alternative.  Over the last decade, backcountry skiing and snowboarding has taken the world by storm (pun intended). 

Why this spike in interest for the backcountry?  There’s a variety of reasons, but the most common that I’ve heard are: the lift lines and long waits or the fact that the mountain gets tracked out by 9:30am on powder days, resulting in the phenomenon we refer to as “powder panic.”  Surely there are other contributing factors.  But, what is clear is that there’s a decreasing quality of the skier experience at these busy resorts.  Ultimately, these factors have begun pushing people off of the ski area and into the backcountry.

Insights for Beginner Backcountry Skiers

The backcountry, however, isn’t controlled in the same manner as a ski area.  There are no visible boundaries, no ski patrol to scoop you up if you get hurt, no avalanche mitigation to ensure your safety, and no lifts to whisk you to the top in under 10 minutes.  Instead, backcountry travelers create their own boundaries; carry gear for self-extraction; study, learn, and practice how to avoid avalanches; practice avalanche rescue techniques; and spend countless hours skinning up mountains for mere minutes of actual downhill skiing. For some, the concept is ridiculous.  For others, the rewards are worth all of the work.  For those of us who prefer to color outside the lines, backcountry skiing is a lifelong pursuit.

So, you might ask, how does one become a backcountry skier or snowboarder?  My immediate, (and more philosophical) response is patience.  What I mean by this is, don’t rush.  Backcountry skiing is a journey.  There is a lifetime of information to ingest and understand in order to explore a lifetime of terrain.  Being in a hurry will only increase your risk.  But, a more helpful answer is this question:  you need the correct equipment and know how to use it properly, you need the education and you need to apply and practice your skills often.  Seems simple enough and it can be.  However, the backcountry and the snowpack are very dynamic, meaning, often changing so we must stay on top of our game to keep ourselves and our partners safe.  Let’s take a look at the professionally recommended progression for folks interested in making the transition from lift-service skiing and snowboarding to the backcountry.

Step 1: Clinics and Info Sessions

There are numerous clinics, avalanche awareness classes, and/or basic information sessions held around the Front Range of Colorado. They are commonly held at various breweries and ski shops in Denver, Colorado Springs, Golden, and Boulder, as well as, in the high-country in places like Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Silverthorne and Vail.  These sessions usually cover the basics of what you need to know just to dip your toes into the backcountry scene and you’ll have an opportunity to ask any questions that have been burning since the backcountry piqued your interest. 

Typically you can find these clinics via your local mountaineering/backcountry shop, your local guide service and avalanche course provider, or the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.  Your best bet is to follow their social channels to keep up with announcements on these types of community events.  You can also check out books like Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain and Snow Sense to get a jump on your avalanche safety knowledge.  Ortovox, a mountaineering and backcountry safety equipment manufacturer from Germany has some great resources in their Ortovox Safety Academy web page.

Step 2: Introduction to Backcountry Skiing and Splitboarding

This one-day, on-snow course is designed with the “never-ever” backcountry skier/rider in mind.  Students should have the opportunity to learn about the equipment and how it works, put it to use, and travel in the backcountry with a professional instructor.  Avalanche educators recommend a course like this prior to taking an AIARE avalanche course to learn the foundational skills of ski touring or splitboarding.  Backcountry skis and splitboards are  not the same as the equipment we use at normal ski resorts.  There are many moving parts which provide the ability to ski uphill to reach the point from which you’ll ski or snowboard down. Its important to take the time to learn the ins and outs of over-snow travel and associated techniques, like how to apply and remove skins, adjust alpine touring boots, get into and out of your binding, switch bindings between ski and walk mode, how to dress for uphill and downhill, skinning technique, setting skin tracks, performing kick turns, and a variety of other important basic skills. 

What’s Next? – Avalanche Safety Training Courses

Once you’ve taken the steps to gather the basic information about backcountry skiing and splitboarding and have spent some time out in the mountains in low-consequence terrain honing your skinning technique and practicing with your equipment, whether in a formal course environment or with knowledgeable friends, you’ll be ready for the next step.  From here, you’ll begin looking for the right avalanche safety course.  In the next blog, we’ll go over the progression of avalanche safety classes, AIARE Level 1, AIARE Avalanche Rescue, and AIARE Level 2 and do a simple breakdown of the curricula.

Januburied – Backcountry Skiing in Summit County