by Erich Sachs

It can be hard to keep up morale in the winter, particularly on rainy, gray days without any light in sight.

At the end of the fall climbing season, I go back inside to train power. I’ll boulder and campus to get ready for next year’s sport climbing seasons. The problem we encounter up north is mid-winter cabin fever. We might be psyched when we start our winter training, but many of us can’t maintain that pace the whole winter and slowly lose motivation.

In order to combat this tendency I think it’s a good idea to book a trip for mid-winter, something to look forward to, a reason to train, and an opportunity to test your new strength and power.

(Of course, those who live in the south struggle with the opposite problem. In the summer, when it’s too hot, they have to head to where it’s cooler, either higher altitudes or up north.)

I’m fortunate. My brother Hans lives in Vegas. He’s a boulderer, so I don’t have to worry about traveling with a lot of pads or gear. I just have to show up.

I don’t have a lot of extra time or money to spend, but I recognize the advantages of a well-timed trip to get me out of town and into the sun for a few days.

If you can’t travel (we all have years when it’s out of the question), just marking on the calendar the day you hope to get back outside or taking a short road trip to a new gym—something to shoot for—is better than just hoping you’ll make it through the winter in one piece.

Just like in last week’s Goal Setting, I chose a specific time, location, and objective for my trip, and it’s guided my training for the last two months. An upcoming trip gives shape and structure to my winter. I’ve got a trip down south to prepare for.

Update: At the last minute, Hans decided to head north for some skiing, rather than me heading south for some climbing. Despite the change in plans, I still reaped the rewards of my now-imaginary trip. It kept me going when the garage was in the 20s and I had to hangboard in my puff.