Don’t let cold and dark stop you from enjoying the Potomac River

IMAGE COURTESY OF GEOFF LIVINGSTON/FLICKR

Ok, we admit it. Despite being eager beavers for all things Potomac River and outdoors, we’re getting a little sick of taking the same walks all the time to try and stay active during the pandemic. And the short days and chilly temperatures in winter aren’t helping.

Yet, now more than ever, we all need the mental and physical health benefits of getting outside.

Study after study confirms that fresh air and exposure to natural spaces can relieve stress, reduce blood pressure, boost your immune system, and more. So how can you take advantage without it feeling like a chore?

Check out this list of how to prepare for cold weather, new activities to try, wildlife you can only spot in the winter, and even how to stay in touch with the natural world when you’re determined to stay indoors.

Embrace the morning. There’s little daylight after work hours these days, but plenty of time between sunrise and 9 am for a proper outing. Studies have shown that exercising in the morning gives you more energy for the rest of the day, so take advantage of this time to break your snooze button habit and actually watch the sunrise.
Embrace the moonlight. Alright, so you’re not a morning person. Luckily, early nightfall means more time for stargazing. This winter has already blessed us with the Great Conjunction, find out what else to look for in our local galaxy (Wolf Moon, anyone?).
Warm up your muscles. Not surprisingly, warming up before exercise is especially critical in winter. Here’s how.
And know how to warm up. The correct ways to warm up after coming inside from the cold aren’t quite as logical. Experts recommend stripping down to your base layers and not taking a hot shower after cold-water swimming (as warming up too quickly can be damaging). Sipping on a warm drink, however, is perfectly fine (and cozy).
Get good gear. You don’t need to spend a lot to stay warm, but you do need to stay warm. Good socks, gloves, hats, base layers, and long, insulated outerwear are the key to feeling comfortable outdoors. Take advantage of sales that happen after the holidays, buy used gear, and pick items you love and that will stand the test of time so you don’t have to buy it all again next year.
Donate the old. If you have outgrown or no longer need your cold weather clothes, give them to used clothing stores, clothing drives, or Goodwill to help bring down the cost of good gear for others and reduce waste.
Learn to repair what you have (or have someone do it for you). One more time - the cost of winter gear can add up and the clothing industry is hugely wasteful, so there’s no time like the present to take advantage Patagonia’s Worn Wear initiative and similar programs to extend the life of cold weather clothing.
Watch for winter birds. Did you know that for some birds, “flying south for the winter” means flying here? That’s right, there are dozens of species - particularly waterfowl like geese, ducks, and swans - that can only be spotted in the Potomac River region in winter.

Tundra swans in Maryland in February. Image courtesy of Steve droter/Chesapeake bay program via flickr.

9. Help over-wintering birds. Whether they’ve just arrived from the north or simply never left, our native birds need a little extra help finding food and staying warm in the winter. All of these backyard projects will get you outside for a tolerable amount of time and keep our local bird population biodiverse and abundant.

10. Try alternatives to over-salting. If you’re like some of our staff, you actually find shoveling snow a meditative and rewarding form of winter exercise. And if you’re really like us, you’re annoyed with how over-salting of our local roads in winter is harming the Potomac’s water quality. So why not use this winter to test out environmentally-friendly (and pet-friendly!) methods of de-icing?

11. Protect your pup. Thank goodness dogs need to go outside even when it’s wet and cold because they drag us with them. Here are some of the best local hikes to take with your pup and here are the ASPCA’s cold weather safety tips for dogs.

IMAGE COPYRIGHT WILLIS KLIEFOTH/POTOMAC CONSERVANCY

12. Become a salt-watch warrior. There’s nothing to distract you from feeling cold like the feeling of taking action. Sign up here to join the Izaak Walton League’s Winter Salt Watch and help protect our local waters and wildlife from road salt pollution.

13. Take food to a community pantry. Winter (this winter in particular) is especially tough on our unhoused community and anyone struggling to feed their family. Change up your daily walk by directing it towards a local community food pantry. Here’s a list of Washington, DC pantries.

14. Take up running. Remember, local summers are hot, sticky, and getting hotter and stickier. So if you’ve been wanting to try running or hiking, now is really the best time.

15. Or go for a plog. Need your runs to be a little extra fulfilling? Take a garbage bag (and gloves, if you’re not already wearing them) and give yourself a point for every piece of trash you pick up. Our river will also thank you.

16. Pick a new podcast. Need even more motivation to get your outdoor exercise?? Try the practice of habit bundling - where you only let yourself take part in a rewarding habit (say, listening to a podcast or audiobook) if you pair it with something you’re struggling to do (say, going for a jog). This list of the best climate change podcasts has us sprinting out the door.

17. #Wearamask. It keeps your face warm! And no, an open weave scarf is not a mask.

18. Recreate responsibly. Follow these rules from the winter edition of the #RecreateResponsibly guidelines, and the outdoors will be a safer, more welcoming, positive, and inclusive place for everyone in our community.

19. Do a walking meditation. Movement keeps you warmer, it’s a fact. While sitting quietly by a babbling brook or lying in the sun might not be comfortable in the cold, you can still find peace in the outdoors by engaging in a mindful, walking meditation.

20. Sip a local brew. If you’ve already caught on to the joys of hanging out around a fire pit this winter, mix it up by choosing beers, wines, spirits, kombuchas, or sodas that were brewed in our region with Potomac River water. It’s a great way to support local businesses, try new flavors, and stay connected to the river. Try making a hot toddy with a whiskey from one of these local distilleries.

21. Take advantage of the least crowded season. While the ongoing pandemic means park usage is still high, January and February are reliably the slow months on local trails. If there was a dream destination where you just couldn’t find parking this summer, now’s the time.

22. Learn to recognize animal tracks. Snow (and the mud that comes after snow) is a great medium for capturing animal tracks - which means you can feel close to wildlife even if they bound out of sight. Use this guide to either test yourself and hone your tracking skills, or just try to see how many different types of tracks you can spot in a single hike.

23. Workout like an Olympian. Can’t wait for paddle season? Try these training routines from world-class athletes: Strength train inside (and dream of the river) like this gold-medal slalom canoe champion or take your cardio outdoors like this Team USA kayaker.

24. Tend to your winter garden. Yes, you can garden in winter (you can even grow food). In fact, there’s a lot to do to prepare for spring. Here are some projects you can do in your winter garden to help wildlife survive the cold.

25. Make a homegrown soup. We know you’ll probably do your cooking indoors, but these tips will help you choose local produce and seafood that benefits our local businesses and environment. And all you need to take a warming winter dish on a picnic is some good, reusable campware.

26. Take a meeting outside. Missing talking to your co-workers not through a Zoom window? If they live nearby, and it’s safe to do so, mask up and head outside for a socially distanced walk-and-talk.

27. Work on your tree IDs. Spend some time inside with a hot drink and tree identification chart, then go outside and test yourself, and you’ll be more than prepared to volunteer at our next native tree-planting or seed collection event!

28. Stay warm…sustainably. Name a nicer way to spend a morning than taking a walk with a warm beverage in your hands and hand warmers in your pockets. We will! Reduce waste by choosing a reusable, insulated mug that will keep your coffee hot and these reusable hand warmers (that can switch to serving as ice packs in a few months).

29. Keep peeing. You heard us. One of the *number one* ways to keep your body temperature up during a long outdoor excursion is to relieve yourself regularly, because a full bladder can make you colder. (This doesn’t mean you should stop drinking - hydration is as important as ever.)

30. Know the signs of spring. So you’ve read all of our other 29 winter tips and you’re still adamantly a warm weather person. That’s ok. There’s nothing like winter to help you appreciate the dawning of spring. Start taking note of the subtle ways our little piece of earth changes from day to day as it travels around the sun. Whether through your window or on (reluctant) walks, look for the shifting quality of light in the evening and the ground slowly softening from from frost to mud. Listen for the choruses of frog calls in the evening as they start their breeding season and for how the morning bird song strengthens. Watch for the vees of geese heading back north and the first daffodils to break the ground. Spring is really only weeks away.