Get Wild: Forest bathing in winter?

The idea of ​​“forest bathing” sounds tempting in summer, but what about winter? It could be just what you need to “relax” and recharge on those overloaded, stressful winter days.

The term forest bathing was coined in Japan in the 1980s and referred to as “Shinrin-Yoku”. But in many ways, it’s just the latest label for what many of us have long known – that quiet, contemplative time and reconnecting with nature is a wonderful elixir for what ails us.

We’re not talking about racing through new powder on skis or a board, although that’s fantastic too. Forest bathing is not as aerobic. It’s about standing, sitting or walking quietly and using all your senses to take in – and be absorbed by – the forest around you.

Slow down, calm your mind, let your breathing and heart rate decrease. Open your eyes to see, your ears to hear, your nose to smell, and your skin to sense your surroundings, without intention. Just be here now and a whole new world will open up to you – a world that is always there, but for which we rarely make time in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives.

Not only is it relaxing, but it’s also good for you. Research has shown that forest bathing can reduce stress hormones, lower blood pressure and help with depression. It takes an hour or two to get the most benefit, but just 30 minutes will improve your well-being.

But what about the cold? Most of us in Summit County love winter and have the clothing and equipment we need to stay warm. But usually we are active and burn calories when we are outside. Therefore, dress particularly warmly when forest bathing in winter, as you will be relatively quiet then. And choose your day. We have a lot of 40 degree days and sunshine in Colorado, even in the mountains – choose one of them. Look for a fallen tree to scrape the snow off and lay down an insulating pad to sit on. Find a spot in the sun so you can feel the warmth.

You may have to snowshoe or ski to find a good spot. Once you’ve done this, sit down, relax, and take 10 to 20 deep breaths to slow your breathing and heart rate. Turn off your phone. Empty your mind. Close your eyes for a while to activate your other senses. Can you smell the spruce? Can you hear the breeze through the pines? Taste the fresh winter air. Feel the sun on your face. Open your eyes and observe the tranquil beauty of the forest around you.

Luckily, there are plenty of places for forest bathing here in Summit County. Our nearby wilderness areas are perhaps the best, with trailheads that allow relatively quick access to areas beyond the noise of cars and crowds. These special areas, so popular in summer, can be all yours in winter.

Wilderness areas were created under the Wilderness Act of 1964 “to ensure that increasing population, accompanied by increasing settlement and increasing mechanization, does not occupy and alter all areas within the United States and its possessions and that no lands are left therein suitable for use.” Preservation and protection is intended for the natural state.” In fact, wilderness areas are said to provide “excellent opportunities for solitude…”

So when life feels overwhelming, when stress becomes debilitating, when you want to reconnect with something beyond yourself, head to our native wilderness areas for renewal and perspective – even in winter.

Mike Browning is a lifelong climber and has climbed the Seven Summits (highest points on every continent) and hundreds of other peaks in Colorado and around the world. Mike is a volunteer wilderness ranger for the US Forest Service and the Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance.