Winter Trail Stomping
Do you have a pair of snow shoes and some free time? We can use your help!
We hope to organize a number of snowfall-dependent trail packing days in later 2022 and early 2023. These will be organized on short notice after snowfall, depending on leader availability.
If you want to be notified of snowfall-dependent stomps, please join our notification list!
Why stomp the trails with snow shoes?
Snowshoes are amazing grooming tools to prep trails for winter use that can be enjoyed by the trail running and fat biking communities. Snowshoes can operate in any depth of snow, and can access any terrain, anyone can use them and create a great riding surface.
How to be a good stomper
Grooming a trail with snow shoes is a pretty simple operation but there are a few things you can do to be a star stomper.
The goal of trail stomping is to fully flatten the snow down evenly. One set of tracks doesn’t accomplish this and can actually make the trail trick by leaving alternating offset packed and unpacked snow. This uneven terrain can be tricky to run (or ride) on.
Instead, it's best to work as a team of two or more people; this is why we need you to join us! With a group, the second, third, and fourth (etc) snowshoer can aim their snowshoes outside of the steps of the lead stomper and in an alternating foot-fall pattern to widen the track and avoid those offset tracks we talked about earlier.
Tip: If you head out to stomp a trail solo in fresh snow then plan on doubling over your tracks at least once to even out the trail.
Secrets of a good stomp
Take short steps to maximize the number of stomps you get in per mile.
Try to land flat footed to compress the snow nice and evenly.
Follow the trail.
Smile!
Tips to make it extra enjoyable for people we share the trail with on fat bikes
Aim for the best line, the path you lay down might be used for weeks or months so make it a fun line.
Spend a little extra time fully packing in berms so they get a nice firm base… our fatbiking friends will love us for this!