During Ely's Winter Fest last February, Peta Barrett, owner and guide with Women's Wilderness Discovery, led a small group of us as the first ever from the public to be invited by the Foundation to visit Sigurd Olson's Listening Point during the hard water season. We traveled on Ojibwa snowshoes that she had laced from a kit from Country Ways. We loved how the pointed tips and tails allowed each step to "nest" with the previous, eliminating the wide-legged waddling I remembered from previous outings on snowshoes of other designs.

Last weekend, my wife and I had the opportunity to lace our own shoes in a class Peta offered at the new Ely Folk School.

Challenging, to say the least. Rewarding, of course. As teachers, it was humbling to be challenged with something (way) outside of our comfort zone. Fingers soon were a bit sore from holding the tension, and also from tearing out and starting anew upon locating a mistake made (usually a ways back!) in the demanding lacing pattern. After quite a bit of head scratching and re-reading the instructions, the 'golden rule' of weaving the lace together, along with the slip knot, girth hitch, clove hitch... all became (somewhat) second nature. Three dips in urethane and some bindings and they'll be ready for the winter!

Family Christmas presents are a distinct possibility!

Nice job, they look great. You now have something that can hopefully be passed down to future generations of your family. You should put your name and date you made them on them for future reference. I know my son and grandson get a kick out of some of the things my grandfather and great grandfather built and it has their names and date on them.

those are great looking! what will you use for bindings?

quote Mocha: "those are great looking! what will you use for bindings?"

We used and enjoyed the GV Flexy rubber bindings on the shoes used last February, so that's what we are starting out with.

OldFingers: Names were written in marker on the bottom of the tails, but that was a hasty "don't get these mixed up overnight" sort of thing for the class. I am thinking of sanding those out and wood burning our names and date at some point, but they have been dipped at least once already so that will mean a little re-varnishing. I will have to think a bit harder about this when it comes to gift giving, perhaps. Coincidentally, I am re-finishing a chair for the grandkids to use that was signed and dated by their great-great-grandfather.

Here's a neat and easy binding from my friends at Lure of the North

Lampwick bindings

quote awbrown: "Here's a neat and easy binding from my friends at Lure of the North


Lampwick bindings "

We looked at those. I know they work well with mukluks and other soft leather boots.

I laced up my Country Ways Ojibwas about 20 years ago and have only had to refinish once or twice. Love them. Here they are in action two years ago. Snow shoes....

quote Jaywalker: "
I laced up my Country Ways Ojibwas about 20 years ago and have only had to refinish once or twice. Love them. Here they are in action two years ago. Snow shoes.... "

Great video. I love the short and sweet that tell a story so well. Looking forward to floating on mine in similar fashion this winter.