How to build emergency snowshoes

 

 

Rating: ** good

“How to build emergency snowshoes” is an article about creating snowshoes from scratch if you’re stuck. The article explains 2 ways to make a pair of snowshoes if something happens to you if you become stranded, with no way to call for help.

The author describes how to make a basic set of snowshoes using simple evergreen boughs.  This method would probably be the easiest to find materials, even on the side of the road, and also the easiest to construct. These makeshift snowshoes would likely be best for travelling only a short distance to find help.  The other type requires a bit more work and knowledge of tree types and basic snowshoe construction.  The second method may take hours to find the materials needed and construct the proper snowshoe. This would definitely need to be taken into consideration – you may not have that kind of time depending on where you have gotten stranded.

The article is good because it shows what you can create items found around you. The author also points out that these techniques can be challenging and you might want to try making a practice pair sometime when you are not in a dire situation. Better yet, why not consider carrying a pair of simple snowshoes in the trunk of your car, right alongside your emergency kit and shovel.

http://ottawaoutdoors.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=446:how-to-build-emergency-snowshoes&catid=35:adventure-articles, December 30, 2012. Original article taken from Dave Brown’s Outdoor Life column, The Ottawa Citizen.