Patti Singer, and Victoria E. Freile

Democrat and Chronicle

When the weather turns cold, you've got to find an activity to get you through the winter months, says Outdoors reporter Victoria Freile.

So what will it be? Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing? Freile prefers the glide and adventure of skis. Clean Living reporter Patti Singer says if you strap on snowshoes, the ease and versatility will make you ditch the skis for good.

Who's right? Listen to their best arguments, and decide for yourself.

INSIDER EVENT: Get outdoors with Patti and Victoria on Jan. 17

Patti says snowshoeing has these advantages:

Easier to learn. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. You may have heard the same thing about cross-country skiing, but you actually have to walk as though you’re scraping something off the bottom of your shoes. More balance and stability. Newcomers to skiing can feel like they’re tottering once they start moving. Snowshoes give you more stability. When you first strap on the shoes, you may feel a little bow-legged. Newer, sleeker styles in general — and shoes designed for a woman’s narrower gait — let your natural stride take over. Easier to maneuver. Common snowshoe lengths for adults are 21, 25 or 33 inches, and size depends on your weight. Because of the relative compactness of the shoes, you don’t have to worry as much about crossing your tips or your tails and crashing into yourself (see reason 1). You can corner without much worry of toppling over. But if you do … It's easier to get up after you fall. I recommend poles (more on that in a moment), but even without them it’s easier to get back on your feet because of reason 3. Full-body workout when you use poles. You can get the same upper-body motion as you would when you ski. Also, poles will improve your balance on rolling terrain and can be used as probes to figure out what’s underfoot. Easier to keep in the trunk. Go anywhere. You can tromp over open fields or navigate around trees. Go uphill and downhill with confidence (see reasons 2 and 3). The crampon under the toe helps you grip going uphill. If you have to herringbone (taking V-shaped steps), you can use the shoe frame as your edges. You may have to take more time going downhill, but the wider base of the shoe makes you more sure-footed if you have to sidestep. I actually know someone who on steep downhills will raise the ball of her foot and sit back on the tails to sort of ski down the hill. No better way to play in the snow. You can walk, run, dawdle or scurry to travel wide-open space or explore in tight woods.

Get outdoors with Patti and Victoria

Patti's experience:

My first pair of snowshoes had a crisscross binding, which were easier to lace with bare fingers, so I learned to do it quickly. It really was no different from having to tie my cross-country ski boots in the cold, knock off the snow, step into the binding, make sure it clicked and then, when I was done skiing, stab the release with the point of the pole.

Overall, I found snowshoeing so much more fun, the cross-country skis started collecting dust in the corner before they went to the secondhand store.

I have upgraded since that first purchase about 20 years ago, and I’m eagerly waiting for at least 6 inches of snow so I can try out my new pair with a newfangled binding. I keep a spare pair so I can bring a friend and let them experience my reasons for ditching the cross-country skis and strapping on the snowshoes.

DO IT: Monroe County parks are haven for winter fun

Victoria's argument for Nordic skiing:

1. You cover more territory. Since you're gliding over the snow, on groomed trails or off-track, Nordic skiiers often log more miles than snowshoers. That also means you get a wider variety of outdoor views while exercising, and you'll see places you can't always reach by foot. Both benefits can be incredibly rewarding.

2. You don't need as much snow to get moving. As long as you have enough to cover over the grass, rocks and mud, you're pretty much good to go. That said, be aware of the amount of snow on the ground. If you ski in too little snow, you run the risk of damaging the bottom of your skis. I often will ski through ball fields in a nearby park if I can't fit in a quick ski on groomed trails within Monroe County.

3. It's a low-impact, total body workout. When skiing, you're working your arms and legs while maintaining your balance. No single muscle group is overstressed, so you can keep going for hours on end, making for a great aerobic workout.

4. Burn, baby, burn! An average person burns between 400 and 600 calories per hour while cross-country skiing at a slow or moderate pace. Adventurers who race or ski uphill can burn more than 1,000 calories per hour. You feel great about the time spent outside, and a bit less guilty about treating yourself to dessert that night.

5. Nordic skis are everywhere. You can often find them for a song at a second-hand store or thrift shop. And ski sets aren't horribly expensive when new, either, compared with other winter equipment.

6. Cruising downhill. I'll admit, this always makes my heart race. On snowshoes, you simply walk, but on skis you pick up speed and glide. You are on skis after all. Those downhill sections make those tough uphill stretches well worth the effort.

7. Feel the boost. Much like the "runner's high," many Nordic skiers talk about the endorphin rush that follows a great workout. What serves as a natural anti-depressant also helps push aside stress, helping you feel fulfilled and positive at the end of the day.

Victoria's experience:

My 20-year-old skis are a hand-me-down set, from a friend when I moved to Rochester more than 13 years ago. While it took me a full season to figure out the best way to step into the binding, the skis have gone many miles through Monroe County parks, trails, fields and a nearby golf course.

I'm a bit of a thrill-seeker. While I love snowshoeing, cross-country skiing fills me with a sense of adventure and accomplishment.

Don't get me wrong: I love a good snowshoe hike. But there's just something about hitting the trail and skiing through the snow-covered trees.