Snowshoeing is a winter activity involving specialized footwear designed to distribute a person’s weight over a larger area, allowing travel over snow. This activity evolved from a necessity for travel into a popular form of outdoor exercise. It is essentially a modified form of walking or hiking, but the gear and snow resistance considerably increase the physical demand. To understand the fitness value, it helps to quantify the energy the body uses during a typical session. Calculating energy expenditure requires looking at standard metrics and how individual factors influence the effort involved.
Baseline Calorie Expenditure During Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is an effective way to burn calories, demanding more energy than regular walking or hiking due to the resistance of the snow and the added weight of the gear. A person weighing approximately 150 pounds can expect to burn between 325 and 400 calories per hour at a moderate pace on a packed trail. This moderate effort is comparable to a brisk walk or a slow jog. Moving at a faster, vigorous pace can raise the calorie expenditure for that same person to over 600 calories per hour.
These figures are derived from standard metabolic equivalent (MET) values assigned to physical activities. A moderate effort is often rated at about 5.3 METs, meaning the activity requires over five times the energy expenditure of resting. Increasing the intensity to a vigorous effort can nearly double the MET value, accelerating the rate of calorie burn. The continuous lifting and pushing motion against the snow engages large muscle groups, contributing to the high energy cost.
Key Factors That Adjust Energy Output
The actual number of calories burned will deviate from the established baseline due to several physical and environmental variables. Body weight is one of the most significant factors, as a heavier individual must exert more energy to move their mass and equipment over the snow, leading to a higher total calorie burn. Intensity is also a major variable; a leisurely stroll across a flat, groomed track requires substantially less energy than a speed hike or running effort.
The terrain and snow conditions play a substantial role in adjusting the energy output. Traversing a flat, well-packed trail is the easiest condition, while climbing an uphill slope drastically increases the energy demand. Moving through deep, fresh powder snow can increase energy expenditure by as much as 40 to 60 percent compared to traveling on a hard-packed surface. Carrying a heavy backpack or extra equipment also requires the body to work harder, adding a further 10 to 15 percent to the total calories burned.
Snowshoeing Compared to Other Winter Sports
Snowshoeing ranks highly among winter activities for overall energy expenditure, providing a workout similar in intensity to other popular cold-weather pursuits. When performed at a moderate pace, the calorie burn is comparable to cross-country skiing, which is considered one of the most physically demanding aerobic winter sports. Snowshoeing burns more calories than the highly variable energy expenditure of downhill skiing, which includes periods of rest on chairlifts.
The continuous, rhythmic motion of snowshoeing provides a steady cardiovascular workout, unlike the stop-and-go nature of many downhill activities. While high-intensity cross-country skiing, especially the skate-skiing technique, can exceed the calorie burn of moderate snowshoeing, breaking a trail in deep snow can rival it. Compared to general winter hiking without snowshoes, the added resistance and necessary lift of the foot ensure a higher rate of energy consumption. Snowshoeing offers a reliable and accessible way to achieve a vigorous full-body workout in a snowy environment.