I’ve always associated snowshoeing with snowy places – really snowy places, like Alaska, Antarctica or the Great White North. In my head, snowshoeing seems more like an alien mode of transportation than a recreational activity. Something like the stereotype that everyone up north uses dog sleds instead of cars. Snowshoeing is what Alaskans do when they want to go for a walk around the neighborhood, right? Or maybe when they head over to the next igloo for a barbecue.

So maybe my stereotyping isn’t quite so dramatic, but I didn’t consider snowshoeing to be very popular as a recreational activity – until today. The folks over at South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks are organizing a snowshoe hike tomorrow along the Mickelson Trail to take advantage of the good snow that’s been falling in the northern Black Hills. They’re inviting hikers of all skill levels, so if you know as much about snowshoeing as I do, you’ll still be safe.

Because it’s been kind of toasty lately – even up in the higher elevations (NOAA says it’ll be 57 degrees F/14 degrees C today in Deadwood) – SDGF&P isn’t sure where they’ll start the hike yet. Since it would be a bummer to pick a spot that gets a lot of melting between now and then, you’ll need to call the Northern Hills Trail Office at (605) 584-3896 to find out where to meet. They can also hook you up with a pair of snowshoes – you know, just in case you left yours in your other pair of pants.