Field trip: Basic Snowshoe School
BSS - DEN - One Day Session – Course Venue TBA
Learn about snowshoe selection and fit, appropriate dress and keeping warm, prepping for a trip, trail techniques, breaking trail, and fall recovery. You'll be able to select a snowshoe trip off the CMC calendar with confidence. Brainard Lake is our default location. Actual location and carpool details TBD the week before class day depending on where the snow is. Sign up for ONE class date only -- more information below. Look for follow-up First Snowshoe Trips for School graduates.
Contacts
- Sat, Jan 9, 2027
- Denver
- Snowshoeing
- Adults
- For Beginners (Getting Started Series)
- 12 (12 capacity)
- 2 (3 capacity)
- Thu, Oct 1, 2026 at 2:40 PM
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
This Denver-based one-day-in-the-field course supplies each student with a snowshoe/pole kit for the day. If you prefer, bring your own kit (snowshoes and ski/hiking poles with snow baskets). Wear your own waterproof boots and tall gaiters. See the Equipment List.
Do NOT buy or rent snowshoes before class day! If you already have snowshoes, bring them for show-and-tell even if you intend to borrow the Club's kit for the day.
IMPORTANT: Sign up for ONE class date only and if all the classes you'd like to join are full, join NO MORE than two wait lists. If you are moved from a wait list to a roster, please immediately cancel out of any other wait list, to give others a chance.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: Follow-up your class with your first snowshoe trip. BSS Instructors will lead a series of optional Basic Snowshoe Trips to practice skills and boost your confidence in choosing snowshoe trips from the CMC calendar.
Youth Participants (14 years +) can sign up with a parent/guardian and leader permission. Make sure all youth forms are filled out in their CMC profile.
Questions? Write your trip leader or CMCDenBasicSSSchool@gmail.com- Meet at 8am at CMC Basecamp (15605 W 32nd Ave, Golden, CO 80401)
- Field venue: Trip Leaders will advise you where we are planning to go a day or two before class day with updated weather and venue info. Where we go will depend on snow conditions (and if there is snow). Each Lead Instructor has a favorite venue.
Badges
students will earn:
Basic Snowshoeing Course
Required Equipment
Come dressed for a day in the snow (and possible wind). Use glove and boot liners under warm gloves or mittens and thick wool socks. Add Hot Hands and Toes (or similar) if your hands and feet tend to get cold. This is what it means to dress in suitable layers: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/layering-basics.html. If you dress correctly, you will not be cold and learn to love recreating in the snow.!
Bring your ten essentials including a water and lunch or hardy snacks you can eat on the move. Wear sunglasses and sunscreen. Many use a brimmed hat under a jacket hood to cut glare.
The snowshoe kit does not include boots, because any water resistant boots will work. Wear your own waterproof/winter hiking boots and high gaiters.