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In article .com,
xcwhite wrote:

.

This may be heresy, but if you really look at the issues
of speed, complexity, cost and weight, snowshoes almost always
win out in the long run. Skis are a lot more fun, but
they are heavier and ultimately slower particularly if
you get skis beefy enough to do more than survival kick
turns on the way down.

So when trying to get from point A to point B as fast as possible you
would choose snow shoes over skis? Interesting. I might choose snow
shoes over alpine skis that do not allow the heel to release but
otherwise........


_ If it involves a significant amount of steep climbing on
unpacked ungroomed snow, the answer is yes snowshoes are faster.
If it's mostly flat ground skis can be faster. There is a reason
snowshoes are banned from Rando Mountaineering races. Races
up/down mountains where both snowshoers and skiers compete are
generally won by snowshoers. ( i.e. The Billy Dutton Up/Down race at Squaw
Valley).

_ If you're also hauling along all gear needed for an ice climb,
snowshoes generally win just on the weight factor.

_ Booker C. Bense


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