Already Using Snowshoes To Haul Firewood

[Todd67]

It didn't take me long to realize that I need a good quality pair of snowshoes when I started burning wood in 2012. I didn't hesitate to invest in some military surplus magnesium snowshoes. I spent 3 years in Alaska, stationed at Fort Richardson. I was in the Army Infantry, and these snowshoes we're absolutely necessary in that deep snow. We put them through the ringer in unforgivable conditions, carrying heavy loads over muskeg, through forests, and over mountains. Those GI snowshoes held up to everything we could throw at them!

Edited to add that I was stationed in Alaska from 1987-1990, when we still used old school gear from the 1950's, like wool field shirts and field pants. Those were the days!

We got 20+ inches of snow this past Thursday, so it was a no-brainer to get the snowshoes out so I could drag 10 loads of firewood 75 yards from my wood rack to my porch. The snowshoes pack the snow down real nicely, which makes it easy to walk on AND drag a sled full of wood. The pic was taken after I hauled 10 loads to the porch.

Does anyone else have a pair of snowshoes that you like to use for work or recreation?

 

[salecker]

Ha and Ha
Meanwhile up here in the Cold White North...
Plus 4C and no snow.
Winter started to come in the beginning of Oct,then left and Fall came back,i actually delayed my first boiler fire for a month partly because it was so warm,and seeing the weather was so nice outside i was able and still am working on getting ready for winter,when ever it comes.Even cleaned out the back of my pickup usually the snow comes and hides my stuff till spring or i really need something that is buried and shovel around till i find it.
We all ways have more than enough Winter,so it is fun to share with others that don't get the joy of Winter normally.

 

[peakbagger]

I have the same pair that I picked up surplus. They are great powder shoes but the military bindings that came with them were not great. I switched them over to Iverson bindings (broken link removed to https://iversonssnowshoes.com/product/iverson-aa-neoprene-binding/) and really improved them.

If the snow is packed down or there is a crust I use a pair of mountaineering showshoes. They are a lot shorter and easier to move around..

My experience is that living in a snow zone I need several varieties of snow shoes to match the conditions. I think I have 5 pairs around the house.

 

[firefighterjake]

Here's my "snow shoes."

 

[Slocum]

Envious, no snow here yet. I’ve always wanted a pair. I’m going to check out the surplus


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[Chimney Smoke]

I have a pair of Cabelas Alaskan Guide snowshoes. They do pretty well walking around the woods. For hauling wood I just run two passes to my woodpiles with the snowblower. That keeps it easy to run the wheel barrow all winter.

 

[Todd67]

Thanks for the link on the Iverson bindings!

I had snowmobiles for two years and sold them. I don't need any more toys to maintain. But they were handy for hauling firewood in my bigger sled from the woods to my house.

 

[peakbagger]

Right up there with the Army surplus magnesium snowhoes are older pairs of Sherpa Brand Snowshoes. They made a couple of sizes. As long as the lacing is in good shape, they are pretty bombproof. The search and rescue folks in the White Mountains of NH use them.

I you look at the Iverson binding you may see some big similarities to the Sherpa Bindings.

 

[VirginiaIron]

I have the same pair that I picked up surplus. They are great powder shoes but the military bindings that came with them were not great. I switched them over to Iverson bindings (broken link removed to https://iversonssnowshoes.com/product/iverson-aa-neoprene-binding/) and really improved them.

If the snow is packed down or there is a crust I use a pair of mountaineering showshoes. They are a lot shorter and easier to move around..

My experience is that living in a snow zone I need several varieties of snow shoes to match the conditions. I think I have 5 pairs around the house.

I wanted a pair for a long time, but after performing some reseach, I too realized the need for several types due to the varying snow- oh, then there was the need to replace bindings. Finally, I ended up breaking out great-grandad's circa 1920 shoes to give them a try. They worked real well compared to walking without them.

Photo depicts David with his dogs Camp(?), Boss, and Bestgirl, Ontario Canada(?)

 

[Todd67]

VirginiaIron, those are some great-looking snowshoes! Are the bindings and pad made of leather and canvas? The ol' timers knew a thing or two about getting it done outdoors.

Peakbagger, I've never heard of Sherpa snowshoes, so I'll have to check them out too.

 

[peakbagger]

Here is some history on Sherpa https://www.snowshoemag.com/2007/02/01/a-history-of-sherpa/

The big claim to fame was the metal hinge rod combined with a claw under the front of the binding. If you use a normal old style snowshoe and you need to climb uphill on crust, its can be an exercise in futility. The Sherpa patents combined a steel rod that ran from one side of the snowshoe to the other with a flat plate that the binding was attached to that pivoted on the rod. Added to that was a claw attached to the front of the binding lined up with your toes . When climbing up hill, the snowshoe body rotates to adjust to the slope while the binding rotates with the foot. The net result is the front of the binding and the claw is now sticking out under the deck of the snowshoe and the claw has great traction. They had the patent and stifled technical snowshoe design for around 15 years. They got lazy on marketing and they only sold through high end gear outfitters with high markup. The year after the patent ran out Tubbs rushed in with the Katahdin series which cost less despite being made in VT for many years and had a better binding (TD-91) for an average boot (they didn't work as well as the Sherpa design for very small or very large boots. Sherpas were sold with binding sold separately and I saw a few Sherpas that had been retrofitted to the Tubbs TD91 bindings. Other companies slowly moved in and then MSR came out with the plastic climbing shoes that were superior for climbing. Tubbs is offshore these days, they still have innovative designs but I have two pairs of the MSRs as they were made in the US (not sure if they still are).

Sherpa lost relevance for the recreational crowd although still popular with industrial customers. There was even a firm Yukon Charlies that got its start selling Chinese knockoffs for Walmart for several years. Some of the early versions were crap as they used the wrong plastic for cold conditions. If you look in the Ebay listings you will see the knock offs with Sherpa in the name. There still is firm in Canada selling the same design, not cheap but popular for folks who needs snowshoes to work for a living.

 

[Todd67]

That's some really cool information and company history, thanks for sharing!

 

[firefighterjake]

I dug out my ash and rawhide leather snowshoes last year to play around with . . . not something I would want to use day in and day out . . . or go on a super long hike . . . but for walking around the deep snow around the house they worked well enough.

 

[VirginiaIron]

VirginiaIron, those are some great-looking snowshoes! Are the bindings and pad made of leather and canvas? The ol' timers knew a thing or two about getting it done outdoors.

Peakbagger, I've never heard of Sherpa snowshoes, so I'll have to check them out too.

Todd67- The material looks like fire hose. I do not know if this material is the original. I was under the impression he made them.

 

[Todd67]

Thanks for the reply VirginiaIron! I was trying to think about what material they would've used for snowshoes in the 1920. Firehose is some really tough stuff! But maybe not original, like you said.

 

[peakbagger]

Looks like canvas belting to me which is approximately the same material as fire hose.

 

[maple1]

I have a couple pairs of the mag ones. Frames broken on each of them.

 

[Todd67]

I have a couple pairs of the mag ones. Frames broken on each of them.

They're not indestructible, that's for sure. But I've never seen any break.

 

[peakbagger]

Worst case is they should make for some real nice fire starters (Magnesium alloy)

 

[Todd67]

Worst case is they should make for some real nice fire starters (Magnesium alloy)

Lol, we always wondered about that but we never tried it. That was 1987-1990.

 

[VirginiaIron]

I have a couple pairs of the mag ones. Frames broken on each of them.

I am no expert, there is definitely a specificity to snowshoe ownership and use due to the shoe design/purpose, type of snow, weight of user, terrain, type of load, and weight. I like the idea of using a sled similar to the type Todd66 has posted. This method could significantly reduce the variables and requirements while using snow shoes.

 

[VirginiaIron]

Looks like canvas belting to me which is approximately the same material as fire hose.

If it is fire hose it doesn't look like it is lined. I do know the current material was present circa 1977, and at that time it appeared old. There was no knowledge/rumor they were reworked at that time.

 

[Todd67]

I am no expert, there is definitely a specificity to snowshoe ownership and use due to the shoe design/purpose, type of snow, weight of user, terrain, type of load, and weight. I like the idea of using a sled similar to the type Todd66 has posted. This method could significantly reduce the variables and requirements while using snow shoes.

You are correct about snowshoe type/design/intended purpose/weight of user/etc. If I recall correctly, we had a guy in our platoon that was 6' 5" tall and played as a defensive or offensive lineman for the University of Montana. He was so big (not fat) that we all called him Moose. Not even Moose broke a set of our GI snowshoes. The blue sled that I use really glides well on the snow, especially after packing the snow down with snowshoes. I also have one of the US GI Ahkio sleds but it's bigger and doesn't slide as easily as my blue sled. Besides, the Ahkio sled can get too heavy to pull up the slight incline to my house when I load it with firewood!

 

[Todd67]

If it is fire hose it doesn't look like it is lined. I do know the current material was present circa 1977, and at that time it appeared old. There was no knowledge/rumor they were reworked at that time.

I'm not 100% sure, but I do believe they had canvas back then. That was my first thought when I saw the pics.

 

[Todd67]

I had to do some searching on my computer to find this picture. This was when my son and I would walk out to our forest on snowshoes and cut down dead ash trees, buck them to size, then haul them back in this US GI Ahkio sled. It took one person pulling and one pushing the sled to get this thing back to the house. It was very heavy and no fun at all.