They call it boot-packing. It means that one slings one's skis over one's shoulder – or holds a snowboard across one's back – and climbs the hill in boots, stomping firmly into the snow to create a foothold.
The first person up the hill is blazing trail. Everyone following tries to step in the tracks he's made: to use his foothold. Sometimes a follower will slip and have to stomp a new hold, and in this way (if it's not storming) a path will form, set a foot or two feet or even three feet lower than the surface of the rest of the snow, and snaking all the way up the hill.
1 comment:
I was doing something similar this morning to get across our lawn, where a foot of heavy wet snow fell overnight.
I think you were having more fun - I was retrieving the suet feeder.
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