Endless Bummer Athletes find a way to escape the woes of winter BY MORGAN SJOGREN
The space between summer and winter often feels like a blink. One day, I am frolicking in the high country of the San Juan Mountains in shorts — and long before I am ready, these same trails require skis for passage. The taste of this switch arrived earlier this September, in the form of a smoky, sweltering 95-degree day followed by temperatures in the 30s and thunder snow. What followed was an immediate morale dip into despair. Sure, the temperature quickly warmed up again, but I tasted the all too familiar reminder that winter is coming. I grew up in the southern California desert where the seasons fluctuate between warm, hot and less hot. Through nearly a decade of living in high altitude communities in the intermountain west, I have found ways to find joy in colder temps by running in snow with microspikes and dabbling in skiing. Yet, I am finally coming to grips with the fact that I am still not a winter person. My idea of a perfect afternoon is running on a dry trail and then literally laying on a slab of sun-baked sandstone like a lizard. The truth is, the winter activities I’ve adopted are actually self-prescribed medication to prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD) to make it through what I am starting to consider the annual endless bummer. Of course, I am not alone. For many mountain athletes who flock to the slopes for summer sports, the novelty and beauty of winter can eventually wear off — and wear you down. For those of us that love summer, the first hints of winter like browning foliage in the high country and crisp mornings in the desert can signal more apprehension than joy. If you’re not the type to start waxing your skis as soon as monsoon season ends, you may already be bracing yourself for another round of SAD or simply trying to stay in shape when the snow falls. To sustain an adventurous mountain life, it therefore becomes necessary to admit and accept your warmblooded inclination, and then make necessary adaptations. Misery also loves company, so if you start to feel like the only person dreading the winter solstice, lean into the experience and expertise of these Southwest athletes who are doing the best they can to get through their least favorite season.
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