The first lesson The best advice for a beginning skier is to For the first lesson, you will be placed in Lead the team take lessons. After your first lesson, a group of beginners and will learn on a Few winter activities satisfy a sense Dogsledding requires warm outdoor you’ll be ready to tackle all the easy gentle slope. Your instructor will check of adventure better than dogsledding. clothing. In fact, to get the most out slopes. All ski centres offer group lessons all your equipment, show you how to put Diving into the heart of untamed of the experience, you should take as well as individual ones lasting about an on and take off your skis, and explain how nature, developing a relationship with some care to dress properly. Choose a hour and tailored to the skill level of each your boot bindings work. the sled dogs, and breathing the fresh top-quality snowsuit with a good skier. air of snowy trails… there’s nothing insulated lining that allows for venti - The instructor will then teach like it for diving into the spirit of win - lation while keeping the cold out. you how to keep your balance ter. Take special care to protect your on skis, how to glide and how extremities (hands, feet and head), as to stop. When these basics are The dog team’s intense physical effort this is where you lose heat the fastest. out of the way, you’ll learn to and their pride in sharing an intense ski and turn using the snow - experience with their masters is truly There are dogsledding companies in plow technique. amazing. It’s no surprise that dogsled - all areas of the country. Ask about ding trips have become so popular in rates and whether they will allow you By now, you’ll have the confi - recent years. to take the lead. dence to stay in control when going down the runs. And your technique will improve every year. The joys of At your first lesson, your instructor will check all snowmobiling your equipment. Every year, more than 10 million Factors like the wind and the sun, the cold (Photo: Canadian Ski Council) Canadians wait anxiously for the snowy and the vibrations add up to a challenge for carpet that means only one thing: snowmo - both driver and passenger. Snowmobilers biling! Snowmobiling is love winter, and that means added respon - enjoyable, but it is also sibility: training, experience and good a demanding pursuit, judgement are all signs of a distinguished Meet the a physical and men - driver. tal challenge that modern snowshoe leaves you relaxed Before you head out, be sure to dress and exhausted at warmly. Wear several layers of clothing so As snowshoeing becomes the end of the day. that you can add or remove a few as need - more and more popular, snow - ed. A windbreaker is particularly impor - shoes themselves are adapting tant, as are warm mittens or gloves, boots to the times. While traditional and a helmet. Make sure that your hel - snowshoes were designed to met is certified for safety, fits prop - fit over special moccasins, for erly and is in good shape. A visor example, the newest models is also essential, for unfettered have bindings that attach to vision and to protect yourself any comfortable winter boots. from the wind. The chin strap must be well adjusted, too. What’s more, modern snow - shoes are made of plastic and aluminium, which makes them mush lighter than the tradi - tional kind. Some, made of aluminium or fibreglass, also come with large crampons which provide much better grip, prevent you from sliding backwards, and allow you to Before you head out, be sure to dress warmly. climb more easily. Snowshoes come in every size and use. For speed-walking, small snowshoes are best, whereas for walking in the woods or in deep, soft snow, wider snowshoes are best. Thanks to modern technology, there are even snowshoes that The very versatile modern snowshoe with thermoplastic base, nylon-thermoplastic harness, can be taken apart into two and neoprene and aluminium tube bindings. small, lightweight pieces that When folded in half, it can be carried easily in fit easily into a backpack. a snowbmobile or backpack. PAGE 14, DECEMBER 2000, TOOLBOX PHOTO OF THE HEADING AVAILABLE IN COLOUR ON YOUR CD-ROM.