DCHP-1 Online
break trail 
move ahead of a dog team, a vehicle, or a party of people, making a way through heavy snow, often on snowshoes.
See also: beat the path break v. def. (2a)
- 1748 [In long Journies, through deep Snows, the Men generally go before them to beat a Path with their Snow Shoes.]
- 1896 It was impossible for me to wear snow-shoes in breaking trail for the dogs. . . .
- 1936 Such difficulty can be anticipated the first trip of each freighting year, but it can be greatly lessened by having two tractors in operation breaking trail, as they can then assist each other.
- 1961 . . . the reconnaissance engineer, on snowshoes, broke trail ahead with the aid of a small pocket compass. . . .
- 1748 [In long Journies, through deep Snows, the Men generally go before them to beat a Path with their Snow Shoes.]