Holistic Adventures

Let it snow!

It's that time again!

Yesterday I looked out my window to see the snow coming down in a trickle at first, and then as the day wore on, the harder the snow came in.

It seems you either hate it or you love the stuff! At one time, I was a snow hater, but the more I got into winter sports, the more I learned to love snow.

As winter creeps ever closer, it is important for those of us living in this country to find some sort of joy to get through the days that are getting darker for longer periods of time. Some people prefer to stay indoors curled up with a great book by a fire. Some of us prefer to stay outdoors and enjoy the splendors that winter has to offer. If you are the one who likes to be outdoors, there are a wealth of opportunities for you to get out, get fit and have some fun.

Some of my favorite winter activities include, telemark skiing (this is one I've lately discovered), cross country skiing (both classic and skate skiing) and ice walks; but the simplest one that allows me to really get out and see the wonders of winter is Snowshoeing. It is such an easy sport and anyone can do it, of course it is also suitable for those who are quite skilled and can cover a wide variety of skill levels. There are as many types of snow shoes as there are people and terrain types. There are traditional snow shoes for those just out for an amble in the deep snow of the forest, trekking snow shoes for those interested in doing a winter hike, racing snow shoes, technical snow shoes for more difficult terrain, and many more.

Whilst out snowshoeing, there are an amazing amount of treasures to find, interesting things to see and learn and an easy way to do a winter hike. Last winter one of my guided trips produced a plethora of animal tracks including a Cougars! We stumbled upon a pine martin's tracks and even saw a mouse sitting enjoying the winter sun. There are still a few winter plants around to discover and learn about their medicinal and food properties. We discovered some claw marks that a bear left on an Aspen tree, that were several years old. It was interesting to see the look on my client's faces when my husband pulled a willow branch down and told them that the marks on it were from a rabbit chewing on it. It was six feet off the ground and of course they did not believe in a six foot rabbit, until it was explained that the snow the previous year had accumulated to about 10 feet in that area (at the time we were in snow about three feet deep or so).

By getting out and learning to enjoy winter makes for a more palatable season and can even help to alleviate some of that depression that comes from the winter "blahs." There is still enough sunlight most of the time to stave off S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) and the physical activity helps to contribute to the "feel good" hormones that our bodies produce.

The amazing properties of snow can only be understood by those of us who have lived with it all our lives. There is a stillness that comes over as the sounds of the night air are muffled in the thick clouds that hang like big puffs of cotton over the Rockies. It's difficult to explain to those who don't know snow that on an evening when it is warm with snow falling in huge flakes the silence can almost be deafening and the deep peace that comes over you is profound!

*This article is not intended to teach the individual how to snowshoe, or to do any winter sports.

By Brenda Holder