Nanette Burke of Mountainman Outdoor Supply Co. shows a snowshoe model
The Kiwanis Club of the Central Adirondacks will sponsor the 13th Annual Kiwanis Winter Sports Challenge at McCauley Mountain Ski Center on Saturday, February 16.
The event is part of the Old Forge Winter Carnival and will include snowshoe and cross-country ski events.
Held in cooperation with Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company and MSR snowshoes, the event will also include a New York State-USA Sanctioned Snowshoe Race.
Snowshoes for the challenge will be provided free of charge by Mountainman, and the outdoor outfitter’s staff is expecting more participation than in previous years due to the recent surge in popularity of the sport.
According to Mountainman staffer Chad Hiatt, snowshoe sales caught up with those of cross-country ski equipment last winter, and have eclipsed them by 30 to 40% this season.
Store manager Nanette Burke believes there has always been a core group of people who enjoy getting out on snowshoes because of the opportunity it affords them as non-skiers to get out in the fresh air and wilderness.
“Snowshoes have been an integral part of the fabric of this community since time immemorial. People who work here in the Adirondacks use snowshoes for getting in to camps they caretake.
The utilitarian part of snowshoeing was a huge thing here before it became a popular sport. The police keep snowshoes in the back of their cars, in case they have to trek in the woods,” Burke said.
Hiatt attributes the increased popularity of snowshoeing in part to the fact that people can just head out their back doors and go—there’s no dependence upon groomed trails, and no maintenance required for equipment.
Registration for the Snowshoe Challenge will begin at 9 a.m. at McCauley and the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Kommunity Youth Activity Center (KYAC) in Old Forge.
