In my quest for a healthier lifestyle, I’ve embraced a straightforward exercise plan I outlined earlier. The goal is to find joy in movement and nurture my body through activities that bring both physical and mental well-being. Today, I would like to expand on this and focus a little more on a challenge to overcome with friends to achieve healthy mental stability.

I always view any physical exercise as an excellent opportunity to release stress and relax the thinking process. I find running especially good at this. It is a sufficiently demanding activity that allows me to focus my thought process in one direction. I like it when I can let go of everyday duties and be able to sort out priorities. I can then continue with my work in a much more organized way!  

Biking, and even more so mountain biking, can be even more demanding and requires complete focus on the trail and allows for complete relaxation for the brain. These activities are essential for the optimal output of my creative thinking.

The stress and strain of everyday life and work can still build up, though. A change of scenery is helpful to me sometimes. I seek an activity that can be done with a group of people and far outside of the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Today, I will focus on skiing. Of course, the same concept can be extended to mountain biking, hiking, or any summer activities in the backcountry.

Skiing and Winter Mountain Adventures

As I already described in my exercise plan, skiing at least once a week provides a fantastic full-body workout and injects a dose of winter magic into my routine. Let me speak some more about the magic! Somehow, once I leave the city and head up to the mountains, it feels like I leave all my worries behind.

I always carry a phone with me, and especially on business days, I like to stay in touch and check email regularly. However, it does not have the same effect on me as when I am around the office. Even when something urgent and unpleasant happens, I resolve the problems, but it does not stress me out that much. The mountains and the pleasant feeling I have connected with skiing make me less vulnerable.

And there is even a way to boost this bonus further! I can go to the mountains and ski together with my family and friends! That can make me burst with happiness and fill me with peace. I am unsure how to describe it in words, but I can try; could it be sharing an experience and overcoming challenges together with friends? The challenge can be skiing a 40-degree slope shown in one of the images below, for example.

All of the above can be achieved within a ski resort that offers some safety net. Help is always nearby, and a rescue can come swiftly if any accidents happen.

However, I have been skiing in ski resorts and watching the beautiful mountains outside for a while now. I always wanted to explore those peaks. Another resort disadvantage is finding fresh powder snow, which is always the most fun to ski. As a result, I have been dreaming of going backcountry skiing for a while now! So, here is another great skiing challenge for me.

Backcountry Skiing Adventure

Colorado offers some great terrains for backcountry skiing, which almost always offer ample untouched snow. The danger is that the safety net of the resort is removed in the backcountry. And it isn’t just the ski patrol and proximity of facilities. The ski patrol also ensures that all avalanche risks are mitigated and excess snow is removed. More safety precautions are needed!

One of the most important precautions I will be taking is to find someone with backcountry skiing experience in the area. And yeah, that makes the backcountry skiing adventure yet another challenge to be overcome together with friends!

I realize that I am no longer twenty-something years old, and I have a potentially debilitating medical condition. So, it made me very proud that after dreaming of it for many years, I have been finally able to put together an experienced backcountry skiing buddy group. We headed to Berthoud Pass and tackled both slopes on the west and east sides right next to a road and parking lot. Make no mistake, though; these slopes can be a serious threat if there is enough fresh snow.

I got a bit nervous when I found out that a skier died here under an avalanche last year. All this happened while skiing and snowboarding with his three sons. Our group leader, Kevin, calmed us down that this could not happen today. “There isn’t much fresh snow, and avalanche risk is very low,” Kevin declares.

We started hiking on the west side and reached the top in about 40 minutes. Reaching the top was very rewarding! The views were breathtaking, and I enjoyed the view of a nearby resort. I saw the place from where I observed the mountain I am now standing on for a long time!  

We started our descent through an avalanche gully near the place where the horrible accident happened just about a year ago. It was amazing this time! You can check out a video I recorded to document the rest of the trip. I hope you can enjoy it and feel the positive energy!    

   

Tracking Progress and Outlook

I have recorded the workout on a smartwatch showing 1300 kCal burned. This was high-intensity training! What is even more important, though, is the really good feeling and peace we all felt after completing this adventure! Moreover, we all agreed we must keep doing this more! Having friends, challenge and activities to hold onto to solidify healthy mental stability is amazing.  

We still have a few months left of this skiing season, and I plan to make the most of it! With spring approaching, it is about time to get the mountain bike ready! Of course, I also keep following my base exercise routine. That is essential so I can keep up with all of the exciting challenges. I can already feel that this is going to be a great year.