“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”—Hal Borland

Wow. What a year January was. And February? She’s already threatening to outdo it. This winter has been harsh—more harsh than recent New Hampshire winters, that’s for sure. It’s reminding me a lot of the winters from when I was younger… except now it hits differently because I’m the adult. The adult who has to think about plowing, shoveling, frozen pipes, and all the other joys that come with grown-up winter survival.

So, it’s time for a mindset shift and a focus on the good.

And the good, for me, is living in New Hampshire—truly one of the best places to live if you’re a nature nut (in my very biased opinion). The access to the outdoors here is unreal—wild, even (pun fully intended). Between personal land, private land open to public use, state parks, national forests, city parks, and more, we are incredibly lucky. Even in winter, so many of these places remain accessible—with the right gear, of course.

Locally, we’re especially fortunate to have an amazing snowmobile club, the Snow Moles, who maintain and groom the rail trail system along with other private trails throughout my region. Thanks to their hard work, on any given day you’ll see snowmobiles, hikers, snowshoers, cross-country skiers, and even horseback riders all sharing the space. It’s pretty special.

While the bitter cold has kept us inside more than usual this winter, Echo and I still get out on these trails whenever we can, and we’re endlessly grateful for the opportunity. Seasonal depression is real, folks—and time spent outdoors, even in the depths of winter, helps make the gloomy months a little more bearable.