Becca, Backcountry Ambassador
I woke up really early to catch the sunrise from Hyalite Canyon, outside of Bozeman. It’s my favorite place to snowshoe because of all of the acreage of forest land and I can go out on a trail and not see more than a few people all day. Because it can be so remote, I always carry these ten essentials into the backcountry with me.
- Binoculars—for bird and wildlife watching
- Water and tea—Ginger tea is my favorite to bring with me
- Bear spray—I always have it with me in the mountains
- My camera—as a photographer, I rarely leave home without it. You never know when a great moment will happen!
- My dog—more than any person I know, Veda loves the snow! If it’s cold out, I will pack a jacket and boots for her to keep her more comfortable.
- Poles—having poles helps for stability and helps take weight off of your joints
- Food—I love Epic bars, banana chips, dried mangoes or yogurt covered pretzels. Anything that is lightweight, and is easy to eat on the trail works great.
- Headlamp—More than once I’ve gotten stuck in the woods without a headlamp. It can be scary and disorienting, so I always pack one- even if I am intending to be back at noon.
- Layers—the weather in Montana changes rapidly, so I always make sure to have a baselayer of long underwear, a fleece or light jacket, a down jacket, and a shell. Also, a hat and gloves!
- My Tubbs FLEX VRT snowshoes—they are easy to control and sit well on top of the snow. The heel lift is great for steep uphill, and the dial makes them convenient to loosen or tighten, depending on what shoes I wear hiking.