Product Review: Atlas Snowshoes

For the 4th or 5th time I went to my knees...the snow, which was around 20 inches deep made for a soft landing, but also complicated getting up. It took some practice before I learned to use the poles to pull myself upright. Snowshoes, I found, are a lot like skis...you have to keep the tips up or you'll fall. And they don't keep you on top of the snow, but instead of falling through to past my knees, I only sunk to ankle depth.

I put a lot of thought into buying my 1st pair of snowshoes. We got our winter gear list in early December, so I had time to shop around. I'm a traditionalist, and like the way the old fashioned leather and wood variety look. But in the damp Pacific Northwest, they aren't very practical. I knew I'd have to settle for a modern metal and plastic pair. I had no idea how many brands and styles of snowshoes there are!

First, I read all I could about the art of snowshoeing...even back in Missouri I thought it sounded like fun. Once I figured out the key to choosing the right pair, I started to narrow the field. Here are the 2 most important things to know before your buy snowshoes.

• How much do you weigh - and how heavy will your pack be? Snowshoes are rated for a weight range, and the more you weigh or carry, the longer the snowshoe should be.
• Will you be snowshoeing on groomed trails and level ground, or will you be going off trail over uneven terrain, or will you be making your own trail on steep and/or dangerous terrain? Again, there are snowshoes for each degree of difficulty.

Given that my weight plus a full pack would run about 170-180 pounds, and that while we would be off trail and in the mountains, we were not likely to get into seriously dangerous terrain, I wanted 27 inch women's snowshoes for moderate terrain.

After studying several snowshoe company web sites, I decided on the Atlas Elektra 927 with poles and a carrying case. This brand boasts what they call a "spring-loaded suspension" which I felt would be gentler on my old lady ankles. They also have a binding that's easy to cinch and easy to remove. The women's style is a bit narrower than the man's style which makes for a more natural gait. They have toe crapons and a heel cleat for traction. The Aluminum frames are sturdy but light weight, and the Neytex decking remains flexible when cold. The 927 is rated for moderate terrain and a weight range of 120-200 pounds. The poles are 2-part and adustable, and the carrying case keeps them nice and neat for travel, and is ventilated so they dry well.

I ordered them from L.L.Bean at the sale price of 179.00. They were delivered promptly and served me well on our winter camping trip. I would recommend them to weekend and beginnig snowshoers. The value for the price is very good. I expect to use them for many winters to come.

Welcome 2008!

I've decided to start keeping a weather journal again. The journals were an important part of the WAS experience. At least 3 times a day, I would log on to the local weather report and take notes, then journal what I observed about the weather, and how animals, birds, and even plants reacted. After graduation, I got lazy, and haven't kept one since June.

At 8 am it's 36 degrees, the humidity is at 80%, and the sky is light, with high, streaky clouds. There's a brisk breeze bouncing the tree tops around. We are under a wind advisory until 10pm. There's a bit of snow on the mountain peak that I can see from my front window. I love living where the mountains are close enough to see every day. Stevens Pass is 40 miles to the east...if I were a skier, that's where I'd be today.


Some years back, we (the Rat B*****d and I) went to Colorado with friends who had access to a cabin near Monarch Pass in the Sangre de Cristo range. The Wet Mountain Valley is still one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. There was a small ski resort called Conquistador at the little town of Westcliff. The first year was a spur-of -the-moment thing. We took group lessons and I stunk. I struggled the whole weekend to stay upright on the skis, and found the ski lifts to be a really scary experience. Conquistador was on the flight path of the Air Force Academy, and planes would zip just over the tree tops at high speed, flying so low that the pilot's faces were visible for the fraction of a second that they were overhead. When sitting on what amounted to a moving, suspended park bench, I swear I could see them smile.

The most interesting thing I learned about skiing that first year was that the young, good-looking instructors gave the private lessons. I started saving money right away so that I could get a day's instruction the next year. On our next trip, I happily paid for a day's lesson...her name was Monique, and the guys all thought she was very attractive. I know that she earned her money that day. I lost count of how many times she picked me up out of the snow, and how many times she drug me off the ski lift and out of the way so the next person wouldn't run me down. At he end of the day we were both exhausted...but the last run down the mountain (green bunny slope) was amazing...By being slow, I was the last person on the trail, snow was falling, and it was absolutely silent. That was the only good ski run I had in 3 years of trying.

The next year, we had a horrible experience in a white-out on the road, and I never put on skis again. I'll tell you about that in a later post on inutition.

6:30 pm- I'm home from my part-time job at Ben Franklin's here in Monroe...the wind is still gusty, and the area remains under an advisory. I can't see stars like I did last night...the sky is hazy, the temperature is 37 degrees, and the humidity is 75%.