How long have snowshoes been around?
Snowshoes have been used for thousands of years. The current belief is that snowshoes developed in central Asia some 6,000 years ago. As people migrated from east to west, they brought their shoes with them. Along the way, changes were made for different types of snow conditions. Eventually, snowshoes evolved into skis in Scandinavia. Why were snowshoes invented? People need to eat during the winter, too! They relied upon their hunting skills to feed their families. These hunters observed the feet of the animals, like snowshoe hares, that were able to travel easily in the deep snow and tried to mimic them for themselves. Snowshoe design The first snowshoes were nothing more than bent twigs with rawhide lacing. Ash became the wood of choice, though birch, willow and spruce have been used, as well. North American Indian tribes are credited with perfecting the features with four distinct styles: Alaskan, Ojibwa, Michigan and Bear Paw. The long, narrow, and upturned toe of the Alaskan shoe
