Cooped Up? Get Uncooped.

Going into the winter season, I figure this is a good time to write a reminder of all the different things there are to do outdoors when the mercury plummets and the white stuff piles up. I know that when I was living in the Midwest, I would have days where I'd wake up, look outside, and think, "No way. I'm going to watch a movie and stay in my PJs all damn day, because there is NO WAY I am dragging myself out into that freezing mess. No way, no how."

Everybody has days like that once in a while, but if you do it for months on end you'll get cabin fever and go crazy. In order to forestall that outcome, here's a list of things you can do outdoors in the winter, to remind and inspire you.

-snowshoeing

-cross-country skiing

-telemark skiing

-downhill skiing

-ice climbing

-Nordic skiing

-ice skating

-camping

-trail running

-snowboarding

-snowkiting (this looks like serious fun)

-hiking

-mountaineering

-making snow angels

-building snowpeople 

-dogsledding/mushing

-SNOWBALL FIIIIIIIIIGHT!

Odds are, you don't know how to do all of these activities. That just adds to the fun. Really! Check out the calendars of nearby outditters and the outdoor-rec departments of local colleges for classes and outings. Also check out community e ducation classes, where you might find a guided evergreen-identification hike or a workshop on building your own traditional snowshoes. 

• winter
• sports
• kiteboarding
• snowkiting
• snowboarding
• skiing
• ice
• climbing
• camping
• running