Mental Health

[timisimaginary]

my S.A.D. seems to get a little worse each year. i always use this time to plan next year's goals and adventures. psychologists have shown that the anticipation of a trip or a goal is often more rewarding and enjoyable than the actual trip/goal itself, so planning is a good way to get a head start on that dopamine hit. also, getting outside is always helpful. make friends with the cold, make friends with the darkness, there's beauty in all kinds of seasons and environments if you can figure out how to appreciate it. i actually really like hiking among the barren trees and overcast skies, but then again, i'm pretty sure i'm a reincarnated crusty Scotsman so that may have something to do with it.

and if all else fails, make friends with video games. it's always sunny in 9th century England.

[Barnold41]

For me it's important to continue the search for new activities that motivate me and keep me sane. While hiking & climbing are definitely my go-tos, I've lived here long enough to know that I can't rely on only them to maintain a good head space, even though those are where I'm most happy. Reading, writing, sketching, and more days in the gym definitely help. I also do my best to enjoy any time spent outside.

[Skimo95]

While we all love the mountains, I believe the “online community” can be a bit harsh at times. This includes newcomers, and seasoned ones who’ve made a small mistake that the experts won’t let go. We should “gas” each other up, 99% of the time, rather than let our egos get the best of us. Colder months can be harsh, but living in an amazing state, we have endless options in order to enable our mindset for the better. That being said, Bill M. is a saint with how he’s developed this website. /rant

[randalmartin]

i always use this time to plan next year's goals and adventures. psychologists have shown that the anticipation of a trip or a goal is often more rewarding and enjoyable than the actual trip/goal itself

+1. I love the detailed trip planning. The resources available to people now with sites like CalTop is truly remarkable. Plotting routes including off trail, using satellite overlays, slope angles, water sources and other layers on your route gives you so many tools to do comprehensive trip planning. It can almost feel like you are there. To get you started you can take existing routes and create some additions or variations to explore interesting areas. Take online courses in navigation and other areas to improve your skills

[12ersRule]

Getting outside is essential. Lack of sunlight is overrated. Don't let the lack of light be a deterrent. Our ancestors still had to hunt mastadon in the dark.

[CheapCigarMan]

i always use this time to plan next year's goals and adventures. psychologists have shown that the anticipation of a trip or a goal is often more rewarding and enjoyable than the actual trip/goal itself

+1. I love the detailed trip planning. The resources available to people now with sites like CalTop is truly remarkable. Plotting routes including off trail, using satellite overlays, slope angles, water sources and other layers on your route gives you so many tools to do comprehensive trip planning. It can almost feel like you are there. To get you started you can take existing routes and create some additions or variations to explore interesting areas. Take online courses in navigation and other areas to improve your skills

Would you be interested in setting up an online meeting to demo what you've learned? There's probably several of us that would be interested in joining in. I'd love to take advantage of the tools you've learned.

[greenonion]

i always use this time to plan next year's goals and adventures. psychologists have shown that the anticipation of a trip or a goal is often more rewarding and enjoyable than the actual trip/goal itself

+1. I love the detailed trip planning. The resources available to people now with sites like CalTop is truly remarkable. Plotting routes including off trail, using satellite overlays, slope angles, water sources and other layers on your route gives you so many tools to do comprehensive trip planning. It can almost feel like you are there. To get you started you can take existing routes and create some additions or variations to explore interesting areas. Take online courses in navigation and other areas to improve your skills

Would you be interested in setting up an online meeting to demo what you've learned? There's probably several of us that would be interested in joining in. I'd love to take advantage of the tools you've learned.

Great idea!

[randalmartin]

i always use this time to plan next year's goals and adventures. psychologists have shown that the anticipation of a trip or a goal is often more rewarding and enjoyable than the actual trip/goal itself

+1. I love the detailed trip planning. The resources available to people now with sites like CalTop is truly remarkable. Plotting routes including off trail, using satellite overlays, slope angles, water sources and other layers on your route gives you so many tools to do comprehensive trip planning. It can almost feel like you are there. To get you started you can take existing routes and create some additions or variations to explore interesting areas. Take online courses in navigation and other areas to improve your skills

Would you be interested in setting up an online meeting to demo what you've learned? There's probably several of us that would be interested in joining in. I'd love to take advantage of the tools you've learned.

Would be happy to do that. I think in a 30 minute Zoom meeting we could cover a lot of key things I have learned and would love to share. Let me know how you would like to organize.

[climbingyogi]

+1. I love the detailed trip planning. The resources available to people now with sites like CalTop is truly remarkable. Plotting routes including off trail, using satellite overlays, slope angles, water sources and other layers on your route gives you so many tools to do comprehensive trip planning. It can almost feel like you are there. To get you started you can take existing routes and create some additions or variations to explore interesting areas. Take online courses in navigation and other areas to improve your skills

Would you be interested in setting up an online meeting to demo what you've learned? There's probably several of us that would be interested in joining in. I'd love to take advantage of the tools you've learned.

Great idea!

+1!

Also - thank you to everyone who has shared. I have really enjoyed reading every comment on this thread. I'm not much for snow sports myself, but I've discovered that I can rock climb almost all winter long in Colorado, which has been a huge blessing for me. It definitely doesn't light my soul on fire the way that hiking mountains does, but it keeps me sane and motivated. I also really enjoy reading and catching up on books during the colder, darker months. I hope to start journaling/writing this winter as well, as I've never done a good job at keeping up with it. Connecting with others as much as I can is beneficial for me in all months of the year. Calling up a friend or family member when I feel down almost immediately cheers me up.

I hope that everyone can find healthy ways to enjoy the winter season.

[Above_Treeline]

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a thing. Something like 30 million Americans suffer from it? If you feel like crap during the shorter days there's stuff to do for it

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20364651

[shepherdkyle]

It’s been great reading the posts. The reason for starting this thread was to create a sense of community. Feeling alone and trapped is a miserable feeling and seeing that other people struggle as well can be cathartic. It’s also been great to see that folks are going to learn trip planning skills from another climber.

[greenonion]

While we all love the mountains, I believe the “online community” can be a bit harsh at times. This includes newcomers, and seasoned ones who’ve made a small mistake that the experts won’t let go. We should “gas” each other up, 99% of the time, rather than let our egos get the best of us. Colder months can be harsh, but living in an amazing state, we have endless options in order to enable our mindset for the better. That being said, Bill M. is a saint with how he’s developed this website. /rant

+1