A fun way to try out snowshoeing right now it Yosemite. Look at the Web-Cam! They have snow on the valley floor! Nice civilized walking, great views and you can get hot cocoa at several spots around the valley. The road to the Badger Ski area is open and you can snowshoe on the road to Glacier Point.

I use Camp 4 (no reservation , $7 an night, open year round) and take two sleeping bags and eat breakfast at Yosemite Lodge or Curry Village. (Curry Village has the best coffee.) The great thing about winter camping in Yosemite is that they heat the bathrooms! And you can take a hot shower for $2 at Curry Village.

Also, you may just want to go up into the foothills and stay on a road. That way it is hard to get lost. Don't forget that darned Sno-Park pass. You have to pay to park at most areas where there are snowshoe trails. Be sure to go with someone. I think the groomed ski trails have fees. I never do these so do not know.

I also hate cold and true winter hiking (nasty windy below 0F stuff). I primarily use snowshoes in late Spring to get into areas I could not otherwise get to before snow melts off. The new MSR snowshoes are really nice - you can walk pretty natural. I use ski poles (or my trekking poles) and this helps too.

As for avalanches, the 24-hour period immediately after any snowstorm is the most dangerous. Look at avalance reports on the internet before you go out.