Is there a better way to start or end your day than with a little fresh air and some exercise? Thankfully Durango offers no shortage of outdoor activities that you can enjoy, even in those cold winter months. If you are looking for a mid-week activity that doensn't require driving to Purgatory, you can consider fat biking, snow shoeing, ice skating or even a good in-town sled. However, my favorite in-town winter destination is Hillcrest Golf Course. They have snowshoeing, skate skiing, and classic cross country skiing, which is all maintained regulary on a donation basis. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine taught me how to skate ski when she was 37 weeks pregnant. While I was busy flailing around and crashing myself with my own poles, she was effortlesly gliding along, barely breaking a sweat. Needless to say, after a few sessions, I was hooked! It's such a fun way to get outside, breathe hard and enjoy the views of the snow capped peaks from the rim of the college. The other good news about skate skiing is that the conditions are best when it's cold and there isn't fresh powder on the ground. This means that on the dreariest of days, you can still get a fabulous outdoor workout... and don't worry, you have NO chance of geting cold when you're working that hard! Next time you’re looking for something to do and don’t have all day to spend in the high country, consider a quick trip to Hillcrest! If you are new to the sport, Pine Needle Mountaineering offers a couple of demo days each year where they bring in gear for people to try out, and they also offer free clinics. You can also check them out for ski rentals. The last thing that makes Hillcrest so special is the very short window of time we have to enjoy it. In winter of 2018, there wasn't a single day of skiing up there. John Wells announced at our office meeting today that he mowed his lawn on March 1st last year! It's crazy to even think about considering we still have several feet of snow on the ground. Every time it snows in town, I smile because it means we have that much more time to enjoy the tracks at Hillcrest. Be on the lookout for me at Hillcrest! I'm not fast, but I will be rocking out with my headphones in and gasping for that fresh moutnain air!