Tom Stienstra's favorite snowshoe treks

Snowshoeing to an epic payoff view is cheap and exhilarating, as thrilling as sailing down a black diamond run. But unlike skiing and boarding, snowshoeing is available to just about anyone in shape who has the spirit for adventure.

You strap on the shoes and go. There are no lines, and parking is no problem. No ambulance is waiting at the bottom of the hill. It has become more popular than cross-country skiing.

With the big early snows in the mountains, the opportunity for winter adventures couldn't be better - a four-month season has begun.

Many snowshoe destinations provide world-class views: Dewey Point at Yosemite National Park, perched on the south rim, where you tower over the entrance to Yosemite Valley directly across from El Capitan; the Rubicon Trail at D.L. Bliss State Park, with its shoreline panorama of Lake Tahoe; in the Trinity-Divide, the route to Castle Lake, with a jaw-dropping view of Mount Shasta. There are many others.

These are trips you can repeat over and over, and yet each outing feels new. That's because the snow texture is constantly changing, from a compressed ice block with an obvious trail to deep virgin powder that looks like a moonscape.

The first time I trekked in snow to Dewey Point, I was following a well-worn, hardened route, and it couldn't have been easier. The last time out, I blazed a route in fresh, deep powder, a physical challenge that took all day. Another time, we trekked off the main route, ventured over a ridge to take in a long-distance silhouette view of Mount Diablo on the western horizon and then dropped down to the canyon rim.

Each trip stands apart. This is what keeps you coming back. Each time, you wonder: What will the day bring?

Here are five favorites:

1. Badger Pass to Dewey Point: This is a 7-mile round trip from 7,200-foot Badger Pass up a sub-ridge and then down to 7,385-foot Dewey Point on the Yosemite south rim. At the rim, the full scope of the view hits you in a single moment: directly across to El Capitan, directly below to the right to Cathedral Spire, and up canyon to Half Dome and beyond to the Clark Range. Badger Pass Ski Area is open weekends only for now, starting Saturday, so on those days the road to trailhead parking and the rental/mountaineering center are open for the winter season. Shuttle-bus rides will be available from Yosemite Valley and Oakhurst. For information: On the park, (209) 372-0200, nps.gov/yose; snowshoe rentals, $22.50 full day, guided trips available, (209) 372-8444, yosemitemountaineering.com; lodging at yosemitepark.com.

2. Green Butte Ridge, Mount Shasta: This is a mountaineer's trek, a 2,293-foot climb in a 2-mile span from 6,900-foot Bunny Flat to 9,193-foot Green Butte. Start to finish, this one is epic, with great views across to 9,025-foot Mount Eddy to the west, and far to the southeast horizon to Lassen Peak. From Green Butte, the ambitious can board into the old Ski Bowl (monitor avalanche conditions) for a wild ride back down. From the town of Mount Shasta, Everitt Memorial Highway is now plowed clear to the trailhead and snow-play area at Bunny Flat. Information: Fifth Season, daily updates and rentals, (530) 926-5555; lodging at (800) 926-4865 or mtshastachamber.com.

3. D.L. Bliss to Lake Tahoe shore: Located near South Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay, the access road to D.L. Bliss State Park is gated and closed in winter along Highway 89. Park and trek in along the snowed-over access road. It's a half mile to the entrance station, then 1.4 miles to a cliff-top bluff that overlooks Lake Tahoe. This is a sweeping panorama, breathtaking and unforgettable. In summer, this is trailhead parking for the Rubicon Trail, one of the most heavily traveled trails in the state. In winter, you often can have this view all to yourself. Easy and beautiful. Winter park information, (530) 525-3345, parks.ca.gov; lodging: VisitingLakeTahoe.com.