Snowshoeing, it turns out, is now the fastest-growing winter sport. In a recent tally, from 1998 to 1999, the number of snowshoers increased 38 percent, from 2.9 million to 4 million.
Internet sites list snowshoe trails and events, even in Manhattan's Central Park.
Ski resorts now offer snowshoeing. And behind it all lies new technology. Made of wood and rawhide, these traditional snowshoes go back to prehistory. Since the late 1980s, however, new space-age snowshoes have all but taken over. These techno snowshoes are small, maneuverable, lightweight, with aluminum frames, tough synthetic decks and engineered bindings.