GEARREVIEW

You can go uphill, but can you Swiss Bob?

We all know that what goes up must come down. Many uphillers, those hearty souls who scale the local mountains for a workout, appreciate this law of nature on a regular basis. For the most part though, athletes who go uphill for exercise either snowshoe down, ski down or download on the lifts to complete their quest. Well, I've got a brand new way to descend the mountain and it's unbelievably fun. It's called "Swiss Bobbing" by those followers who've been enlightened.

To ride a Swiss Bob, is to fly down the mountainside. Similar to a luge, the swiss-crafted molded plastic flier is lightweight, making it comfortable to carry on your backpack. After you've completed the "great outdoor stairmaster" and summit, you can simply detach the sled from your pack and get set for some sick fun!

Before ripping down your favorite local ski area or snow-packed trail, take some time to practice stops and turns on a gradual downhill section of terrain. That's exactly what I did with a good buddy, who was bobbin' for the first time. After we topped out on our hike, the two of us were like a couple giddy kids getting ready for some real kid-like fun! >From a standard seated position on the sled, we practiced stopping- a process of leaning the upper body slightly forward, while pulling back on the side handles. This motion causes the pointed rear end of the sled to dig into the snow, scrub speed and eventually come to a halt. Since the sled is less than 3 feet long, your legs will be straight out in front of you. It's important to practice stops, then turns to feel confident with speed. And believe me, there's plenty of speed to be had.

After you've practiced stops, try a few turns. Turning is kind of like carving on a ski or board. To apply the edge of this downhill toy however, you'll need to lean into the turn. While leaning to the right to make a right turn, pull up on the left handle at the same time. Then do the opposite to initiate a left hander. All of a sudden you're linking turns! Simultaneously a smile and uncontrollable laughter will occur, as if on cue.

To start out your very first Swiss Bob top-to-bottom run, simply lift your feet off the snow and lean back slightly. Very soon you'll pick up speed, especially on hardpacked (ideal) conditions. Continue honing your skills- slowing down, stopping and turning at will. Then you'll be comfortable taking on more and more speed and more adrenalin! Like skiing look where you want to go. That means NO focusing on trees or lift towers-objects that don't provide much fun. Like magic, you'll steer and go where you're looking. As you push it and go even faster, you may set off sonic booms as you enter the realm of mach speed. Go Speed Racer go!

One great thing about each new season is the opportunity to try something fresh, perhaps a sport you've never experienced. So borrow a Swiss Bob sled from a friend (the legion of "swiss bobbers" is growing by the day) or purchase one at a local sporting goods shop like Aspen Sports and check it out after your next uphill hike. I actually learned right after a full moon snowshoe trek last winter. That evening, I saw the light. I discovered that Swiss Bobbing is yet another great reward for a healthy uphill workout. You may even flash back to childhood like I did, if you're lucky.

Up, up and away

To earn your bobbin' experience, you'll need to get up the mountain first.

On hardpacked or groomed terrain, nothing beats a Snowtracker by Atlas Snowshoes to efficiently get you where you want to go. These traction devices, which are basically the snowshoe's binding and front cleat, grip better than Stabilicers with less weight. In fact, when you pass people wearing Stabilicers, those "cleated things", you're required to turn and give a knowing nod and chuckle to the less efficient traveler.

Snowtrackers have been utilized for years in climbing circles and now by winter recreationalists in certain snow conditions. Although I love my Atlas snowshoes, the Snowtrackers are now another arrow in my winter quiver. Check 'em out at your favorite local snowshoe dealer. They'll only set you back a few bucks. Dinero well spent.