Snowshoe hares live in some of the more remote parts of Door County, but we don’t seem to have snowshoes at Crossroads at Big Creek. We don’t, that is, have the large members of the rabbit family. We do have quite few snowshoes, thanks to the young people who are part of the 4-H Engaging Youth Serving Communities program.
A core group of two adults and six 4-H members representing Sturgeon Bay, Southern Door and home school communities received a grant from the USDA and National 4-H Council. After brainstorming various ideas, this group decided to address childhood/teen obesity by increasing free or low cost opportunities for physical activities outdoors during the cold winter months. To achieve this goal, they decided to enlarge the collection of snowshoes at Crossroads at Big Creek and to help develop a loaner program for families.
The Friends of Crossroads had similar plans, hoping to encourage young people to get in touch with nature while getting exercise by upgrading the cross-country ski collection housed in the lower level of the Collins Learning Center. Crossroads has just learned that they will receive a grant from the Raibrook Foundation to purchase new skis, boots and poles.
As soon as snow is adequate for grooming, Crossroads will begin loaning skis and snowshoes on Sunday afternoons, and beginning in February will expand the program to Mondays , Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. So why are skis and snowshoes so helpful in traveling over snow? For the same reasons animals have adaptations for snow travel.
Admittedly, snow can be the death of some small creatures. Unable to run in deep drifts, they fall prey to faster or flying predators. But some creatures take snow in stride, literally.
Just as good equipment like skis and snowshoes help humans traverse snow, special adaptations aid certain creatures. The best equipped “snow bunny” is the snowshoe hare. This winter-white hare has hind feet that are disproportionately large, each having four toes which spread to a great width creating a significant surface area.
The advantage of natural snowshoes is obvious to anyone who sees the tracks. These hares can bound over the snow without sinking. Their predators don’t have a chance.
Among the most familiar sets of tracks at Crossroads are those of a bird…the ruffed grouse. A grouse is approximately the size and shape of a barnyard chicken, and like a chicken, it spends a great deal of time walking around. In winter, members of the grouse family grow weird but effective comb-like fringes on their toes. These seasonal growths double the surface area of the feet, and much like a pair of snowshoes, keep the bird from sinking into the snow.
Otters don’t have built-in snowshoes. The toboggan…on their bellies. These sleek creatures decrease effort and increase speed by sliding over the surface of snow or ice. It looks like fun.
Certainly, humans who ski or snowshoe decrease effort, increase speed, and have a great deal of fun when they travel over the snow. We hope exercisers of all ages take advantage of our facilities and new equipment for this seasonal recreation.
