Nearly every Indigenous peoples of the Americas culture developed its own particular shape of shoe, the simplest being those of the far north. Despite their great diversity in form, snowshoes were, in fact, one of the few cultural elements common to all tribes that lived where the winters were snowy, in particular, the Northern regions. Different shapes were adapted to the different conditions in each region. The Indigenous peoples of North America developed the most advanced and diverse snowshoes prior to the 20th century. Modern Athabaskan hunting-style snowshoes Dene snowshoes Traditional Montagnais Beaver-tail snowshoes. Drawing by George Catlin Traditional snowshoes of the Yukon Valley. North American Indigenous peoples Plains Ojibwa performing a snowshoe dance. 164), "Winter, when there is much snow, they (the Indians) make a kind of snowshoe that are two to three times larger than those in France, that they tie to their feet, and thus go on the snow, without sinking into it, otherwise they would not be able to hunt or go from one location to the other". Samuel de Champlain wrote, referencing the Huron and Algonquin First Nations, in his travel memoirs (V.III, pg. However, the "traditional" webbed snowshoe as we know it today had direct origins to North American indigenous people, e.g., the Huron, Cree, and so forth. Strabo wrote that the inhabitants of the Caucasus used to attach flat surfaces of leather under their feet and that its inhabitants used round wooden surfaces, something akin to blocks, instead. British archaeologist Jacqui Wood hypothesized that the equipment interpreted to be the frame of a backpack of the Chalcolithic mummy Ötzi was actually part of a snowshoe. The origin and age of snowshoes are not precisely known, although historians believe they were invented from 4,000 to 6,000 years ago, probably starting in Central Asia. Several animals, most notably the snowshoe hare, had evolved over the years with oversized feet enabling them to move more quickly through deep snow.
1900–1930īefore people built snowshoes, nature provided examples. However, doing so in icy, steep terrain requires both advanced skill and mountaineering-style pivoting-crampon snowshoes.ĭevelopment Origins Traditional snowshoe maker, c. Snowshoeing is easy to learn and in appropriate conditions is a relatively safe and inexpensive recreational activity.
However, their greatest contemporary use is for recreation. They retain that role in areas where motorized vehicles cannot reach or are inconvenient to use.
In the past, snowshoes were essential equipment for anyone dependent on travel in deep and frequent snowfall, such as fur trappers. Modern snowshoes are made of lightweight metal, plastic, and other synthetic materials.
Traditional snowshoes have a hardwood frame filled in with rawhide latticework. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwear. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Modern tubular aluminum-framed, neoprene-decked snowshoesĬlassic wooden-framed, rawhide-latticed snowshoe (metal frame components and coarse weave) ( November 2020) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations.
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