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<p>Winter sports enthusiasts can finally play a little bit, thanks to some of the fresh snow that&#8217;s dropped. Skiing and snowboarding are among some of the most popular activities, but snowshoeing can offer a peaceful hike as well as a solid workout.</p><p>On a recent Tuesday, I joined a group led by avid snowshoer Leo Hennessy of the Idaho Parks and Recreation Department.</p><p>Five hours (including maintenance stops at the yurts) and 5 1/2 miles later, my body was exhausted, my hips felt like they were going to shut down and I had a new appreciation for the sport I took up last winter, when powder was almost impossible to find.</p><p>Said Hennessy: &#8220;When you get out here, stay on the trails initially just so you feel comfortable. And then after you get comfortable with the trails and how to read maps, then you can take off off-trail and see beautiful places. There&#8217;s some amazing stuff when you get off-trail.&#8221;</p><p><strong>What I learned</strong></p><p><em>Pack well:</em> You&#8217;ll work harder than you think, so make sure you have plenty of water and food for the day. Hennessy recommends a second pair of gloves, a whistle, headlamp with extra batteries, sunscreen, maps, sunglasses, a GPS to mark your starting location, a lighter, fire starter and handwarmers. Good leg gaiters also are necessary if you&#8217;re going into the powder (my boots were waterproof and I wore snow pants but my feet still got soaked). And don&#8217;t forget your poles &#8212; they might seem unnecessary on the groomed trail by parking lots, but you&#8217;ll miss them later. A shovel is a good idea for your car in case of a storm.</p><p><em>Dress in layers:</em> If you dress for the cold, you&#8217;ll be peeling off clothes quickly.</p><p><em>Don&#8217;t go alone:</em> Twice on our trip, someone ended up needing assistance. One of the snowshoers in our group fell and landed in a way that prevented him from moving. Without friends on the trail, he would have been in trouble.</p><p><em>Powder is where the fun is:</em> Snowshoe trails, Hennessy explains, are for climbing. Powder is for going downhill. On gentle slopes, try running with short, choppy steps like you&#8217;re riding a bicycle. For steeper slopes, you&#8217;ll need to slide &#8212; put one foot forward, toe up, and shift your weight back. If you&#8217;re good, you&#8217;ll slide. If not, you&#8217;ll fall on your rear and slide like a kid. Either way, it&#8217;s a good time. Also, going downhill, fresh tracks are slick. Make your own trail. When you&#8217;re on flat ground or climbing, rotate trail-breakers to spread the considerable workload and follow in your friends&#8217; footsteps. Try to avoid wet, heavy snow and make sure you know where the groomed trails are so you don&#8217;t get lost.</p><p><strong>Hennessy&#8217;s winter packing list:</strong></p><p>1 liter water in a Nalgene bottle</p><p>2 Bic lighters</p><p>1 small fire starter</p><p>1 pair of warm gloves</p><p>1 pair of mittens</p><p>1 warm cap</p><p>1 insulating coat like polar fleece or down</p><p>1 small tube of sunscreen</p><p>1 lip block</p><p>1 emergency whistle</p><p>1 space blanket/bivy sack</p><p>1 sun hat with brim</p><p>1 sunglasses</p><p>1 full rain/wind shell (top and bottom)</p><p>1 small first-aid kit catered to your personal needs</p><p>1 head lamp with extra batteries</p><p>1 roll of toilet paper in a zip lock bag</p><p>2 chemical hand warmers</p><p>1 compass</p><p>1 map of area</p><p>1 GPS with backup batteries</p><p>snacks</p><p><strong>Get out there:</strong></p><p>Many local venues offer snowshoeing trails, lessons and other opportunities. Here is a short list of places to check out if you&#8217;re interested in learning more about how to snowshoe or if you want to get out on some trails.</p><p>As Nescopeck State Park, 1137 Honey Hole Road, Drums, snowshoes are available to borrow. There are a limited amount of snowshoes so it is recommended to get to the park early. Snowshoes and cross-country skies are offered for lend between 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays during February. For more information call 570-403-2006.</p><p>The Pocono Environmental Education Center, 538 Emery Road, Dingmans Ferry, will offer an introduction to snowshoeing from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 21 and 28 and from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 27. Registration is required and costs $10. All equipment is provided. For more information or to register call 570-828-2319.</p><p>Frances Slocum State Park, 565 Mount Olivet Road, Wyoming has snowshoeing trails available. At 1 p.m. Feb. 28 the North Branch Land Trust will host a Shoe &amp; Brew event where participants can snowshoe (or hike if there is no snow) two and a half to three miles. Then after the hike, enjoy pizza and beer at Sabatini&#8217;s Beer Bar. For more information or to register call 570-696-5545.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_snowshoeing.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">In this Jan. 26, 2016 photo, Leo Hennessy, from left, DeEtta Petersen and Bea Purchase snowshoe toward the Banner Ridge yurt in Idaho City, Idaho. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_snowshoeing.jpg</photo0><caption0>In this Jan. 26, 2016 photo, Leo Hennessy, from left, DeEtta Petersen and Bea Purchase snowshoe toward the Banner Ridge yurt in Idaho City, Idaho. </caption0><photoCredit0>AP photos </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_snowshoe2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">In this Jan. 11, 2016 photo, members of a snowshoeing group take advantage of ample snow for an outing at Fish Lake, northeast of Medford, Oregon. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_snowshoe2.jpg</photo1><caption1>In this Jan. 11, 2016 photo, members of a snowshoeing group take advantage of ample snow for an outing at Fish Lake, northeast of Medford, Oregon. </caption1><photoCredit1>AP photos </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Tips and other important info to know before you head out</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Chadd Cripe</p><p>Associated Press</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the arts and entertainment department at 570-991-6111 or email us at ae@www.timesleader.com.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Make the most of a snowshoeing adventure with these tips and other important info to know before you head out