The Minnesota Winter: it IS For Wimps!

December twenty-first: batten the hatches. Seal the window and door frames. Make sure you’ve stockpiled t.p., rice, canned tuna and other necessities, because when the first official day of winter hits, you have to be ready to hole up and ride out the season. Prepare to hibernate safely and securely behind your heavy, insulated front door and wait for warmer, calmer seas.|

Or not.

In Northern Minnesota, you can live paralyzed by the fear of chilly temps and frozen precipitation, or you can revel in it, surrender to it, and learn to love the unique drama posed by our particular latitudinal and longitudinal situation.

Camping: it’s not just for balmy summer days.
Winter camping was once the fringe territory of hard-core survivalists. Now, an increasing number of “normal” people are learning that with the right gear and sound precautions, winter camping is a legitimate pursuit that can be enjoyed by all kinds of adventurous spirits.

“You mean you can seriously camp, comfortably, in below-freezing temperatures?” I asked a winter camping aficionado. “Don’t you get cold in a tent with no heater?”

“I’ve actually found myself sweating,” he assured me.

If you learn how to do it safely and properly, winter camping can be a cozy, delightful, even romantic experience.

Ever have one of those dreams where you can fly, and upon waking you feel like you could totally jump off your deck and sail up into the wild blue yonder?

Well, you can’t. There is a close approximation, though: Skiing. Sure, you’re anchored to the ground once you’re off the chair lift, but in no time at all, you can be whipping down a long white hill, tossing your cares behind you in the whirling snow.

Hit Spirit, Mont du Lac, or any of the many trails for cross-country skiing. Strap on some snowshoes if plodding is more your speed. Go crunch some snow! It’s a great aggression reliever.

Hunting and Fishing: you know those critters have it coming!
The best part about chasing down your own wily and elusive dinner isn’t necessarily the food itself, but the camaraderie. There are countless places to hunt and fish in our area, and if you get lost in the woods, our local authorities are well-versed on locating wayward wanderers. Just don’t be the guy they have to rescue from the wilderness twice in as many weeks.

Kids know how to live. They never seem to notice the cold.
Take a tip from the hardier subjects, the young ‘uns: go out and ice skate (maybe start an ice derby team!), sled down hills, make snow forts, build snowmen, cut a backyard maze through the remains of the most recent snowfall, feed the hungry squirrels and birds, hang obscene quantities of Christmas lights all over your house, paint the snow with food coloring and a spray bottle– just enjoy all those things you keep telling yourself you’re “too old” to still do.

Live your life during all twelve months of the year, not just the ones that sustain your patio tomatoes and penchant for running through the sprinkler. If you do the math, it’ll work out to many more years well-lived.