snowshoe

Snowshoe refers to two related meanings in natural history and outdoor culture. The most common usage is for a type of footwear worn to travel over snow. Snowshoes work by distributing body weight over a larger surface area, reducing ground pressure and preventing the foot from sinking into deep or soft snow. Traditional designs featured a wooden frame with rawhide lacing and a thong-style binding. Modern snowshoes are typically built with aluminum or composite frames and a synthetic deck, with bindings that attach to winter boots. Features vary by purpose, including toe and heel adjustments, kick-steps aids, and sometimes integrated crampons for icy patches. They are used for recreation, winter camping, backcountry travel, and rescue operations.

The term also refers to the snowshoe hare, or varying hare (Lepus americanus), a North American lagomorph adapted to snowy habitats. Its large hind feet function as natural snowshoes, helping it move efficiently across the surface. The hare inhabits boreal forests, tundra, and swamps, and its fur changes with the seasons—usually brown in summer and white in winter in most northern populations, providing camouflage. Snowshoe hares have powerful hind legs and can reach high speeds to escape predators. Population levels fluctuate with food availability and predation, influencing predator–prey dynamics in their ecosystems. Both the footwear and the hare illustrate how the same term can describe distinct, but ecologically connected, adaptations to snowy environments.