SNOWSHOEING, SLEDDING, SKIING: FAMILIES NEED TO GET OUT IN WINTER

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Skiing, sledding, snowshoeing -- snowshoeing? Doesn't that prompt images of remote Northern climes reachable only by dogsleds? Not any more, according to Doug Knapp, an outdoor recreation specialist at Indiana University.

"Snowshoeing is one of the fastest-growing winter sports," said Knapp, the coordinator of Outdoor Recreation Management for IU's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

"It's a great family sport because it doesn't involve the cost of skiing, which can be a barrier for some families, and it isn't generally restricted to a certain age group. Most snowboarders, for example, are not raising families."

Snowshoes allow easier, more enjoyable "hiking" in the winter "because you're on another level of forest than you've ever been before, walking lightly across the top of the snow," Knapp commented. "It has definitely caught on, and there's the added bonus of not being harmful to the winter environment."

While traditional snowshoes consisted of wood with leather binders, consumer demand has resulted in newer, plastic models. "The best are still wood, but regardless of whether they're wood or plastic, the new ones are easier to slip on and off," Knapp said.

Learning to walk on snowshoes takes some time, and there are classes now offered at some state parks and outdoor recreation stores. In fact, Knapp noted, "the parks are staying open longer hours and providing more of all types of programs throughout the year, instead of shutting down when winter comes. I was at a state park the other day and there were plenty of people there enjoying the winter surroundings. Winter sports and activities are alive and well; more families than ever before are deciding to get out of the house."

Such activities are important to families, Knapp feels. "It doesn't matter if you're skiing or sledding or snowshoeing, the point is to get out with your children and enjoy yourselves outdoors."

More demanding sports, including snow and ice climbing, are also on the upswing, but Knapp recommends that families stick with activities that don't require as much training and can involve everyone.

Well, ALMOST everyone. It might be wise to leave Fido at home, Knapp says. "The most obtrusive thing I've observed in outdoor activities during the past few years is pets. There are more people with more dogs than ever before, and unfortunately for others, many are not abiding by the leash law."

This has a negative impact on others' enjoyment of outdoor activities, Knapp said. "Whether you're alone or with your family, when there's a big dog charging down the trail after you, and its owner is a quarter-of-a-mile back, it detracts from your experience of the surroundings."

Knapp said he understands that bringing pet canines along provides a feeling of security for women who are alone in parks and on trails. "But all the others don't understand that dogs in parks and wilderness areas intrude on solitude, and they also impact the wildlife in the area."

If you have to bring your pets along during winter excursions to outdoor recreation areas, "at least keep them leashed," Knapp advised.

For more information, contact Ellen Mathia, Office of Communications and Marketing, 812-855-0085 or 812-855-3911, emathia@indiana.edu