If the shoes fit …

Coeur d’Alene massage therapist Kerry Koerner is an outdoor recreation die-hard.

She fly fishes and rafts and snowmobiles and cross-country skis.

But one of her most back-to-basics pursuits also gives her the most pleasure:

Snowshoeing.

Koerner, who snowshoes at least once a week in the winter, looks back fondly on an outing last year with her mom near Wolf Lodge east of Coeur d’Alene.

“It had just snowed,” says Koerner, whose e-mail address is even ‘snowshoekk.’ “The sun was coming out and the snow was just sparkling. It was super quiet. It does not get better than this. Oh, it was perfect. It was one of those things where you go, ‘Man, it’s good to be alive.’”

Plenty of folks like Koerner are discovering the simple charm of snowshoeing. And it’s easy to see why it has become one of the fastest-growing winter recreational activities:

Snowshoeing requires no special instruction.

You don’t need to travel far; you can do it anywhere there’s snow.

You can trek deep into the wilderness, including scenic spots inaccessible by skis or snowmobiles.

Just about anybody, regardless of age or fitness level, can snowshoe.

It doesn’t cost much.

And, depending on how hard you push yourself, snowshoeing can give you one heck of a workout.

“It’s a huge leg workout and cardio, too,” Koerner says. “With walking, you don’t have to lift your feet up. With snowshoes, you have to lift your feet up.”

Estimates vary depending on your weight and exertion level, but studies say snowshoers can burn anywhere from 500 to 1,000 calories per hour, much more than walking, skiing or cycling. Tromping at a brisk pace through deep powder will give you the best workout. But even a leisurely stroll on snowshoes will help work off those holiday treats.

Ryan Alford, who publishes the Denver-based online snowshoeing publication www.snowshoemag.com, has seen the health benefits of the sport first-hand.

Alford, who is 6-foot-4, weighed about 320 pounds last year. Snowshoeing has helped him drop his weight to about 275 pounds, and he’d like to get close to 200.

“It’s been a great way to get healthy and to really get out there and enjoy the environment,” he says. “If you’re doing an exercise and you’re not sitting there like a hamster running around a wheel, if you’re outside, in the middle of nature and you’re the only one around for miles … It just can’t get any better for exercise.”

Unlike many equipment-heavy sports, you don’t need much more than a pair of snowshoes to get started.

If you’re just thinking about giving snowshoeing a try, it might be smart to rent a pair before investing in your own.

You can rent snowshoes for around $10 a day from REI and other outfitters, or at resorts such as Elkins in Priest Lake, or at ski areas, including Silver Mountain and Lookout Pass.

When choosing snowshoes, the biggest factor to consider is your weight, along with the weight of a backpack or gear your might carry with you. Snowshoes are designed to help you float across the snow. Get the wrong size and you’ll sink instead.

At Spokane’s Mountain Goat Outfitters, you can buy a basic pair of snowshoes for $89. Fancier versions run a couple hundred dollars.

“The main thing you’re going to get is a nicer binding,” says Mountain Goat owner Lon McRae. “A binding that’s easier to put on.”

At REI, top-of-the-line snowshoes are about $290. Pay a little more, and you’ll get better traction and higher-quality decking — the material that provides the floatation, says Diane Nations, REI’s outreach specialist.

Many outdoors stores also carry specialty snowshoes, including ones for jogging.

Once you have snowshoes, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got some good, waterproof shoes or boots to wear with them.

“Proper footwear is important,” McRae says. “A lot of people snowshoe in pack boots, like Sorels. That boot is not designed to walk miles and miles.”

McRae recommends wearing a waterproof hiking boot.

If you’ll be going for long hikes, you may want some poles to help with balance and support. Old ski poles will work. Or you can buy telescoping poles that can be lengthened or shortened depending on the grade of the hill you’re climbing. Mountain Goat has them, starting at about $40.

Since you’ll work up quite a sweat snowshoeing, it’s crucial to dress in layers. Make sure you wear synthetic fabrics, so moisture is wicked away from your body.

“It’s really important to not have cotton layers against your skin,” McRae says. “That could create a hypothermic situation pretty easily. Even a day-hiker could get far enough away from the car, they could get into trouble.”

As with all pursuits that take you into the wilderness, you’ll want to think about safety. Nations says you should consider packing a small first-aid kit, water, energy bars, a trail map and compass, sunscreen, a flashlight, matches, a knife or multi-tool, and extra clothing.

Plus, she says, “Be aware of changing weather conditions. Let people know where you’re going.”

If you want to take up snowshoeing, consider yourself lucky that you live in this part of the country. You have an endless number of spots in which you can strap on your shoes and make some tracks.

“You can go right outside your door and walk around,” Koerner says.

Koerner also likes snowshoeing on Tubbs Hill and the Fourth of July Pass.

“You don’t need a trail and you can go anywhere,” she says. “It’s pretty awesome. You’re out there in the middle of the woods.”

Just be sure to stay out of the tracks made by cross-country skiers, she advises.

Other people like to snowshoe at golf courses or state parks. Several ski areas and resorts also have snowshoeing trails.

At Elkins Resort on Priest Lake, snowshoers can walk right out from their cabin or lodge onto trails. Or they can drive a bit to access even more trails, co-owner Tracie Szybnski says.

At Silver Mountain, snowshoers can trace a 3-mile scenic loop.

“It’s getting more and more popular,” spokesman Stephen Lane says. “That’s why we added snowshoes last year for rentals.”

And if just clomping along in your snowshoes enjoying nature isn’t good enough for you, you can, as they say, kick it up a notch.

There’s the annual snowshoe softball tournament held each January and February in Priest Lake. Yes, softball. In snowshoes.

“It’s so popular, there’s a waiting list to get in for teams,” Szybnski says. “People fly in from all over the country.”