Imagine a freezing city in the dead of winter. But instead of people tucked away inside and events and gatherings canceled until the snow melts, the city brings life to the coldest season of the year by throwing parties around fire pits, holding outdoor concerts under twinkle lights, and encouraging its residents and visitors to get outside on ice skates, bikes, and听cross-country skis. These cities around the world celebrate the chillier months in a big way, proving that frigid weather doesn鈥檛 have to mean being shut in.

Denver, Colorado

From downtown Denver, you can see the snowcapped Rocky Mountains towering on the horizon to the west. A love of winter runs deep here. From held outdoors at Red Rocks Amphitheater to a in February, there鈥檚 no shortage of things to be excited about during the colder months. To get people exploring downtown during the season, the city sets up a two-mile , plus , with prizes for those who successfully make their way around Denver鈥檚 art, landmarks, and history.

, a hip zone that opened in Denver鈥檚 LoDo neighborhood in 2017, was designed to be utilized year-round, with heaters, lights, and patio dining. This year the block is hosting an every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and a February Mardi Gras celebration. The block鈥檚 boutique 172-room (from $154) has a Snowed In package that includes cookies and hot cocoa with your stay. Or head to the renovated , the historic train depot that鈥檚 now full of caf茅s and shops, where you can ride a from downtown straight to the slopes of the 鈥攕lated to launch on weekends in early January and run through late March.

搁别测办箩补惫铆办, Iceland

This close to the Arctic Circle, there鈥檚 very little daylight at the height of winter (less than four hours of sun on the shortest day of the year), but Iceland鈥檚 capital city makes up for the darkness with ample听festivities. A free-to-access pops up each winter in a downtown square, the festival celebrates contemporary music in January, and a brightens up the streets in February. To honor the Norse god Thor, some 搁别测办箩补惫铆办 restaurants host Thorrablot, a midwinter feast with traditional foods to celebrate the season.

Indoor food halls are a fun way to dine on street fare in a warmer setting than the street itself: what used to be the city鈥檚 bus terminal is now the indoor , and a former fish factory in the old harbor district is now the nine-vendor . Want to be outside? Go soak in one of the city鈥檚 many year-round geothermally heated pools鈥攖here鈥檚 even a free-to-access sandy geothermal beach at . The (from $183) rents cruiser bikes for exploring downtown all winter long.

Cambridge, Massachusetts

The college town of Cambridge gets plenty of winter storms鈥攖he Boston area averages around 50 inches of snow annually鈥攂ut that doesn鈥檛 mean residents stay inside when the weather turns cold. This is the city that refuses to close its farmers鈥� market just because it鈥檚 icy. The popular , held on Saturdays from January to April, will return to the gym at the Cambridge Community Center this year, with vendors selling local produce, seafood, and baked goods.

In Cambridge鈥檚 , what was once a parking lot has been transformed into a year-round pop-up market, with over a dozen mini storefronts selling their wares, and outdoor murals, string lights, and warming stations enhancing the atmosphere. The city is working to design protected bike lanes for snowy conditions and currently offers city-run on winter bicycling basics, where you鈥檒l get tips on route planning and layering while bike commuting during inclement weather.

Copenhagen, Denmark

The Danes invented the concept of hygge, that now global trend of creating a warm, cozy atmosphere, so it鈥檚 no wonder the capital city of Copenhagen maintains a good vibe come wintertime. Cycling is a main mode of transportation here, and that doesn鈥檛 stop in the colder months. With shorter days at this time of year, the city even swapped out its streetlights for smarter, more energy-efficient bulbs that shine brighter when a cyclist approaches.

Things to do come winter: Take in a jazz concert at , a nationwide festival held in February. Enjoy the , also in February, with light installations throughout the city. Or ski down a former power plant at . Additionally, you can ice-skate for free at public squares, like , or skate and grab food from , a street-food market with an ice rink. To warm up, go soak in a hot tub or sweat in a sauna with views of the city at , a collection of floating and stationary tubs in the harbor of northern Copenhagen. Winter swimming is surprisingly popular here鈥攍ast year听 were added to the harbor.

Edmonton, Canada

A decade ago, city planners in Edmonton got together to change the city鈥檚 approach to winter. Instead of building indoor malls and sending people inside, how could the city help people love the frosty season? Their solution was , which united a team of urban-planning experts tasked with making it easier for Edmontonians to get outside in the cold.

Local ski clubs offered free ski lessons to newbies, bike lanes were cleared of snow to promote winter cycling, and winter outdoor markets popped up around the city. Public spaces and outdoor patios were redesigned with fire pits, string lights, and heated seats. All those winter improvements now reappear every year starting around November. This February, the ten-day will feature ice skating, snow sculptures, and music, or you can compete in ax throwing and canoe races down a ski hill at 听that same month.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis is the city where ice fishing and pond hockey get folks outside in subzero temperatures, where bike paths are plowed for winter cyclists, and where the taproom and outdoor beer garden at 听are popular no matter what the weather is doing. The take place here each January, and at the ten-day , held in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul in late January, chefs cook over outdoor grills, artists and filmmakers debut their work, and experts host workshops on everything from winter bird-watching to walking meditation. This winter you鈥檒l be able to walk through LED-lit ice sculptures and tunnels as part of the new installment.

At Theodore Wirth Regional Park, winter recreation is king: the city-owned park hosts an in February and has 20 miles of cross-country trails, affordable ski rentals and lessons, sledding hills, singletrack for fat-tire biking, and lakes for ice fishing. There are many other places to cross-country ski and snowshoe, too. The state鈥檚 gets you access to any trails within state parks or state forests; it costs $10 a day or $25 for the year. In addition,听 offers free snowshoe rentals in many city-owned parks.

Sapporo, Japan

Host of the 1972 Winter Olympic Games, Sapporo is known as one of the snowiest cities in the world, with an average snowfall of about 16 feet. But instead of getting buried by all that powder, citizens carve it into giant castles and snow slides. The city鈥檚 now famous , held at Odori Park in February, attracts millions of people and has been running since 1950. It features elaborate snow and ice sculptures as tall as buildings.

The festival isn鈥檛 the only thing to do in Sapporo in winter. located within the city and accessible via city bus, is open until 10 P.M.听and has lessons and gear rentals for beginners, as well as the biggest halfpipe in Japan for everyone else. Afterward, slurp a bowl of steaming ramen at , an alleyway lit up by paper lanterns, with a collection of over a dozen ramen shops, or soak in an onsen at , a hot-springs resort just outside the city.

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鈥淭he cross-country ski industry is expecting a significant increase in skiers this season, based on the increased interest in outdoor activities,鈥� says Reese Brown, executive director of the听. But don鈥檛 worry: there鈥檚 plenty of room for everyone to spread out.听If you鈥檝e never considered cross-country skiing before, this might be the winter you do. It鈥檚 a good way to get outside and explore local areas, and it鈥檚 naturally a crowd-free activity. While you can ski through the woods on your own, a designated cross-country ski area comes with grooming, trail maps, gear rental, and instruction. Either way, picture empty trails through a wide-open听forest and, unlike downhill ski resorts, little in the ways of lines, lodges, and costly tickets. Here are seven of our favorite places to enjoy this sport.

Tahoe XC

Tahoe City, California

(day tickets from $36) isn鈥檛 the biggest area on this list鈥攊t offers听around 30 miles of groomed trails, about a quarter the size of better-known听, 45 minutes away鈥攂ut it鈥檚 full of character and charm. Located in Tahoe City, California, it鈥檚 about three and a half hours from San Francisco. From the top of the Lakeview climb, you鈥檒l earn a panoramic view of North America鈥檚 largest alpine lake听and a wooden bench to catch your breath on. You鈥檒l find three warming huts, snowshoe-specific trails, and six miles of dog-friendly trails. The homemade chocolate chip cookies normally available from a jar in the lodge will be served to go this year.

Devil鈥檚 Thumb Ranch

Tabernash, Colorado

The best way to explore the 75 miles of cross-country ski trails at is by staying on the property. The resort has 15 private cabins of various听sizes, as well as lodge rooms (from $279). Spa treatments like massages and body soaks are currently being offered for lodge guests only, with COVID-19 protocols in place. But you don鈥檛 need to be an overnight guest to enjoy the trails, which are open to day visitors for a $30 ticket. Gear rental and instruction can be added. There鈥檚 also the option of fat-tire biking on the trails, as the resort offers bike rentals and guided outings. You鈥檙e just 20 minutes from downhill skiing at Winter Park Resort and less than two hours from Denver.

Methow Trails

Winthrop, Washington

It鈥檒l take you four hours to get to听Methow Valley from Seattle, but it鈥檚 worth the haul. This remote corner of northern Washington looks like Switzerland, with its jagged, snowy peaks. Home to the largest cross-country ski area in North America,听听boasts听more than 125 miles of trails (day tickets from $25; those under 17 or over 75 ski for free). Sections of the system allow fat-tire biking, snowshoeing, and skiing with your dog. The slopeside听鈥攚hich you can connect for a hut-to-hut ski experience鈥攇et booked months in advance. Instead, check out the six sleek, architect-designed听 (from $145), nine miles northwest, or search for other lodging in the nearby towns of Winthrop, Twisp, or Mazama.

Theodore Wirth Regional Park

Minneapolis, Minnesota

You won鈥檛 find better cross-country skiing this close to a major metropolis. The extensive trail system within the state鈥檚听 (day tickets from $20) has over 20 miles of trails that weave through secluded woods, all with views of the Minneapolis skyline. The听, a partner of the park, offers cross-country ski lessons for all ages. A World Cup cross-country ski event was slated to take place here last March鈥攊t would have been the first Nordic World Cup in the U.S. in nearly two decades鈥攂ut was canceled due to COVID-19.

Galena Lodge

Ketchum, Idaho

You鈥檒l come to Idaho鈥檚 (day tickets from $18) for the cross-country skiing鈥攖here are over 30 miles of perfectly groomed trails through a stunning section of 鈥攂ut you鈥檒l stay for the food. The house restaurant serves up steaming bowls of curry, soup, and chili, plus European-style charcuterie platters and freshly baked pastries. This winter听there will also be a food truck in a vintage camper offering听easy grab-and-go service. Stay in a yurt on the property (from $150) or in the nearby town of Ketchum. Downhill skiing at is just 30 minutes away.

Green Woodlands

Dorchester, New Hampshire

There is so much to love about听, a plot of private land between the towns of Lyme and Dorchester, New Hampshire, about two hours north of Boston. The family that runs the Green Woodlands Foundation has opened the land up to mountain bikers in the summer and nordic skiers in the winter, grooming about 30 miles of trails and stocking four warming huts with hot chocolate. There鈥檚 no fee to ski here鈥攁ll that鈥檚 asked of you is a positive attitude on the trail. The trails were designed by a longtime Dartmouth College ski coach and Olympic biathlete named John Morton.

Meissner Nordic

Bend, Oregon

You can also ski for free at听, a trail network on U.S. Forest Service land 14 miles west of Bend,听along the Cascade Lakes Highway en route to the Mount Bachelor Ski Area. You will need a $4听 to park here, though, and donations for trail use are encouraged. The club that maintains the area also stocks the trailside warming huts with firewood. Show up for a full-moon night ski, when the trails are lined with candle-lit luminary bags, or opt for the free learn-to-ski days, where volunteers teach lessons and local ski shops hand out courtesy rentals.

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On May 29, Brianna Noble was one of thousands of people who attended an Oakland,听California, protest in honor of George Floyd, who鈥檇 been killed by a white Minneapolis听police officer four days earlier. But unlike the other protesters, Noble hadn鈥檛 come on foot. Instead, she held her fist high as she rode through downtown on the back of her horse, Dapper Dan. A cardboard sign that read 鈥淏lack Lives Matter鈥� hung off Dapper Dan鈥檚 flank. Without even knowing it, Noble says, the crowd started following her, and drivers stopped in their cars to honk and stick their fists out in solidarity. Where she went, they went. Where she stopped, they stopped.

In one already-iconic from that day, Noble wears an expression of solemn tranquility as she and Dapper Dan lead the crowd. Behind her, protesters raise听their signs and听fists high. Local street artists have since this visual听on a boarded-up storefront in the center of the city.听

Noble, 25, is the owner and founder of , an equestrian business听where she trains and sells horses听and teaches beginner听riding lessons. This wasn鈥檛 her first time standing up against police brutality鈥攁t age 14, she听organized youth town halls to discuss the issue in response to the 2009 killing of by a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)听police officer in her hometown. But May 29听was her first time protesting on horseback, and the image sent a striking听message. 鈥淚f you look at a textbook, you usually see someone leading an entire army into war with a horse,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd I think me standing at the front of that protest was just a revamping of those images in our textbooks.鈥澨�

As protests against police violence听swept through all 50 states and more than 60 countries, Noble wasn鈥檛 the only one to show up on horseback. On June 2, at least听30听members of , an urban trail-riding group for Black听equestrians in Texas, joined a protest in Houston. On June 7, the , a collective of Black cowboys in Southern California, organized and led a march of thousands through their hometown. In all,听more than a hundred Black equestrians have joined protests听in the U.S.听in the past month, emerging as a powerful force in the fight against police brutality.听

A few days before Noble rode Dapper Dan through Oakland, Adam Hollingsworth, who calls himself , drove his horse听from Chicago to Minneapolis to ride in the streets with others听in solidarity. Hollingsworth witnessed police officers teargassing and shooting rubber bullets at protesters, he says, but as he entered the sea of 3,000 people in front of a Minneapolis police station, everyone stopped what they were doing. People cleared out the walkway, made a circle around him, and gave him a bullhorn. It was as if he had been leading the protest all along.听

Hollingsworth鈥檚 nickname,听the Dreadhead Cowboy,听is a听nod to the Black cowboys who鈥檝e played an important role in American history. Black trail-riding groups have existed for centuries as a way for Black equestrians to subvert their exclusion from White cowboy culture;听in , they trace their roots back to the 1700s. After the Civil War, herding was one of relatively few job options available to recently freed Black people, and ranchers badly needed their skills. Historians estimate that 19th-century cowboys were Black.听

Despite this history, Black cowboys have often been left out of popular media narratives of the Wild West. Before he started riding in his early thirties,听Hollingsworth, like many other residents in 颁丑颈肠补驳辞鈥檚 Englewood neighborhood, had only ever seen a horse at a circus, in a movie, or with a police officer seated on top. During the Minneapolis and Chicago protests that Hollingsworth attended, children and adults alike stopped him to ask whether he owns his horse and why he decided to buy one. In the past, he鈥檚 even been asked if he was a cop.

In Chicago, mounted police patrol the city daily. Their horses, labeled 听by the police department, are used to make officers look more approachable to the public. But mounted police also have a dark history of racial injustice, one that鈥檚 often ignored in the TV shows and films that lionize forces like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, known as the Mounties, and the Texas Rangers.

鈥淩angers and Mounties听were thought of as a way to wrest control of portions of the plains from their native inhabitants and were used to police people of mixed ancestry,鈥� says historian Andrew Graybill, author of a about those听two police forces.听Rangers in particular have a long history of racial animus and violence. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, they hundreds of Mexicans and Mexican Americans, hunted enslaved people who had run away, refused to investigate lynchings, and tried to force the NAACP out of Texas. 鈥淚t was an open secret that an untold number of Rangers held Klan sympathies, if not memberships,鈥� reporter Doug Swanson writes in ,听an account of听the Rangers that came out earlier this month.听

Most mounted forces have a more ceremonial role today, but they鈥檙e also used to break up civil unrest. Since Floyd鈥檚 death, have shown up at protests in several cities, charging at civilians and dividing crowds.听In both and , police horses听even trampled protesters, leaving people hurt and scared.听

The shift in power dynamics is not lost on protesters, as Black equestrians join their ranks in the fight against police brutality. They鈥檙e sending a message that, as Hollingsworth says, 鈥測鈥檃ll aren鈥檛 the only ones with horses out here.鈥�

Hollingsworth says听riding on horseback also allowed him to protect his fellow protesters. At the Chicago demonstration听he attended, officers seemed to be taking extra care not to harm his horse, so he stood in front of the crowd to shield others听from rubber bullets and tear gas听and听used his position to de-escalate situations. 鈥淚 stopped a lot of people from getting hurt that night,鈥� Hollingsworth says.听鈥淢y horse is Batman, and I鈥檓 Robin.鈥澨�

In the days since those initial protests, Noble and Hollingsworth have received a flood of attention, and their images have circulated all over the internet. Recognized trainers have even reached out to Noble, asking her how they can help Mulatto Meadows. Emboldened by the听outpouring of support, Noble and Hollingsworth both want to train youth of color to hold the power that comes from mounting a horse. 鈥淔rom a very young age, I had two dreams鈥擨 wanted to be the first Black woman to jump in the Olympics, and I wanted to have a program to help inner-city people of color get into this sport,鈥� Noble says. Beyond the fact that riding is often associated with White people, the costs associated with it can be astronomically high, making equestrian sports out of reach for many.听

Noble grew up riding horses, a rare hobby for a Black girl in Oakland, she says. When she and her sister were young, they worked at stables to help pay for lessons at a听United States Pony Club. At 14, she adopted a horse who鈥檇 been abused, persuading his owners to give him away for free. Noble would travel three hours each way by BART, bus, and on foot to reach the barn where she kept him听and spent what little money she had dragging bales of hay onto public transportation to take to her horse.听

After making so many sacrifices just to be around horses, she wants to crack the gates open for young kids of color and help close the income gap听in the equestrian world. 鈥淭here are low-income听programs just to help kids get into听basketball, but there鈥檚 nothing like that in the horse world in my community. I could only go so far, because I didn鈥檛 have the money to sponsor a horse,鈥� Noble says.

Through Mulatto Meadows, she is now developing听, a project that will open a fully-funded training program for kids from marginalized communities. Noble听says she鈥檚 inspired by the success of other nonprofit programs that provide free equestrian programming for urban youth, such as the , run by the Compton Cowboys, and . She鈥檚 currently听听for the initiative on GoFundMe. For his part, Hollingsworth has been training kids from the barn outside听Chicago where he stables his horses,听and he hopes to eventually open his own barn in the city.

Noble knows that system-wide upheaval doesn鈥檛 happen overnight.听

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the chance that I鈥檓 going to be able to change the fact that police unjustly kill us?鈥澨齭he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge issue, and it鈥檚 a systemic problem, but I am going to change what I can control, and horses are my thing. Maybe one of these kids will be able to change the world because we were able to change their story and their lives听through these horses.鈥�

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The cave鈥檚 entrance was a rusting, three-foot-tall, red casing pipe rising out of the ground behind a Minnesota farmhouse, surrounded by a quiet, flat stretch of prairie grass. Just 2.5 feet听across, it was topped with a green, diamond-plated steel cover听and might easily have been mistaken for a well听or a piece of farm equipment听rather than the mouth of a 120-foot shaft leading into some five miles of subterranean passageways. The cave鈥檚 owner, a furniture-restoration specialist named John Ackerman, pulled a hefty ring of keys from his pocket, unfastened the padlock, and swiveled open the lid, revealing a ladder bolted precariously to the wall of the opening, which disappeared into blackness only ten feet down. From the surface, I could hear the sound of distant, surging water.听

Ackerman is 66, but except for the presence of a very subtle hearing aid, he looks 10 or 15 years younger, with intensely blue eyes and the handsome face of a local news anchor. His hands are massive and weathered, which made me slightly nervous each time we shook, and he speaks with a lack of affect that projects supreme confidence. He was, in short, someone with whom I felt perfectly comfortable descending 12 stories through a hole in the middle of a Minnesota field. Following his lead, I clambered over the rim of the shaft and started slowly climbing down into Tyson Spring Cave.

Ten minutes later, I landed on the bank of a subterranean river, its waters a chilly 48 degrees, corresponding precisely to the surrounding air. Ackerman began to guide me, midstream, through the central passage; the water was ankle-deep at first, then, a few steps later, it rose to our chests. Broad stretches of the cave鈥檚 walls, floor, and ceiling were marked by formations鈥攆lowstone, helictites, rimstone dams鈥攖hat looked like the kind of Gothic ornamentation advertised by roadside commercial caves and from which visitors are normally required to keep their distance.

While much of the river was placid, certain sections were more turbulent, the water wending its way down sudden drops and around piles of听 limestone boulders. Glinting in the light of my headlamp, a small aggregation of foam鈥攖he product of nitrogen leaking into the cave system from nearby farms鈥攚as the only sign of human presence. When I asked Ackerman how many people he allows into the cavern each year, he held up an outspread hand. 鈥淔ewer than I can count here,鈥� he said.

Some distance into the cave, Ackerman stooped over to pluck a small bone from a dark alcove听and then placed it daintily on a ledge. He told me he planned to send it, as he does all the bones that frequently turn up in Tyson Spring Cave, to the , in Saint听Paul. Occasionally, Ackerman鈥檚 finds听prove significant: in 2008, a pair of prehistoric antlers he happened upon in the cave were determined to be the first evidence of the long-extinct stag moose听in the state. The discovery of a in a nearby passage that same year shifted estimates of the creature鈥檚听range some 600 miles north. Around us, undoubtedly, were plenty of other paleontological curiosities, but Ackerman had yet to survey the entire cave鈥攈e didn鈥檛 even know how big it was, let alone what might be hidden within.

That day听I saw only a fraction of what Ackerman had explored in Tyson Spring. He told me of other听distant caverns, more spectacular than anything I鈥檇 seen鈥攅laborate and dense arrays of formations, vaulted rooms as large as single-family homes. 鈥淚f you could see the entirety of the cave,鈥� Ackerman said, 鈥測ou鈥檇 think, One person shouldn鈥檛 own this.鈥�

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I went for a mountain bike ride on Saturday morning. My friends and I had been looking forward to riding these trails all week, so I should have been excited. But my heart was heavy. Earlier in the week, I鈥檇 woken up to news about George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin鈥攜et another black person killed brutally on video, with little hope for repercussion. The night before, I鈥檇 read that protests over the killing had turned into riots in Minneapolis and other cities, and that President Trump had appeared to of protesters on Twitter.

The ride was fun. My friends conquered technical features they were scared of, we cheered for each other, and for a few hours, we escaped the news cycle. But when I came home and started browsing my social media feeds, it became clear that the situation at the protests had deteriorated and was developing faster than news outlets could cover it. Jumping back and forth between Twitter, Instagram, and news sites, I watched a video of a seven-year-old girl in Seattle crying after being pepper-sprayed by a police officer.听 I watched an NYPD SUV . I read stories of reporters being arrested and shot at by police with and . I saw post after post by black activists and athletes, and non-black allies, expressing heartbreak and rage about the loss of black lives.

But interspersed among these posts were other posts. Posts from friends and acquaintances and influencers, doing things they loved. Rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, hanging out by a campfire. Most of these people were not black. It was jarring, to see the juxtaposition of the anguish against that of the joy. It felt like I was attending a funeral, while across the street from the cemetery a large group of people played a rambunctious game of Ultimate Frisbee at a park.

Look, I get it: a lot of people have had a difficult year. Many of us are just starting to emerge from our local coronavirus lockdowns. Many lost loved ones to the virus (though the African American community suffers by COVID-19). People lost jobs, or were hit hard by life in other ways. Many of us are probably also upset by the news about the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, , and too many other black Americans; the story of , a white woman, attempting to weaponize police against black birdwatcher Christian Cooper when he asked her to leash her dog; about the unlikelihood of obtaining true justice for any of these acts of violence. For all of us, the outdoors are an escape from heavy feelings. The mountains, the desert, the ocean, are immovable, awe-inspiring natural wonders that put our own problems into perspective.

But this moment is historic. If there has ever been a time for the outdoors community to resist the urge to escape into nature and to instead lean in and stand up against racism in this country, it鈥檚 now.听

But what鈥檚 the harm, one might ask, in posting a fun or beautiful photo of my weekend adventure? Isn鈥檛 it also important to spread positivity amid so much sad news? What difference does a social media post make anyway?

A lot, actually. Whether we like it or not, social media plays an important role in creating our culture. Culture then drives behavior. Look how quickly, for example, it became normalized for us to wear masks in the outdoors鈥攑osting a photo of yourself in April recreating without some sort of face covering wasn鈥檛 a good look. The velocity with which the George Floyd protests reached a fever pitch at the national level is a testament itself to the very real impact of social media鈥攚hile sharing the violent video is highly controversial for good reason, it鈥檚 undoubtedly what sparked widespread outrage. Through what we choose to post and choose not to post, we send powerful signals to one another about where we stand on issues, and on which issues matter at all.听听

When we scroll through our Instagram feed and see a stream of images from non-black people going about their lives right now as if nothing is happening, it has the effect of normalizing violence against black people, whether we intend it to or not. These posts send a message to black people and other people of color in the outdoors community who are hurting deeply: I鈥檓 not hurting with you. I can choose when to be affected by this and when to shut it off. That鈥檚 why, to many people of color, that pretty photo of you smiling on top of the mountain isn鈥檛 uplifting right now, it鈥檚 upsetting. Those who have experienced racism can tell you that it鈥檚 not just the original racist act that traumatizes, but the tacit acceptance鈥攐r appearance of acceptance鈥攆rom white people who witnessed it, too. Over the weekend, I saw posts from black outdoors athletes calling out the pain of this silence from non-black peers. 鈥淚鈥檝e felt alone,鈥� wrote one black influencer. Another pointed out the hypocrisy of a community that touts diversity and inclusivity on social media, but suddenly seemed to have become relatively quiet on the topic of violence against black people.听

I鈥檓 not saying you can鈥檛 go out and find some therapeutic escape through a run, ride, surf, or hike. If you鈥檝e already posted your photo, I鈥檓 not here to shame you or judge you.听 I鈥檓 saying that now is not the time to fill the Internet with more images of ourselves playing outdoors. That epic sunrise shot can wait a few days or a week. Consider joining #blackouttuesday today on Instagram, though some activists are critical of the movement to post black squares in solidarity with the protests鈥攊f you do post, consider adding a proactive anti-racist message or action item, and don鈥檛 use the hashtag #blacklivesmatter, in order to avoid overrunning the useful information in that feed. Let鈥檚 take a moment on the platforms where we spend so much of our free time, to show some respect and solidarity for the people who can鈥檛 simply escape from this painful reality through a photo or an adventure right now.

Better, post something anti-racist instead鈥攚hether that鈥檚 a suggestion for a book to read, a place to donate, or a repost from a black activist. You can also join the challenge, started by activists and , which asks people to mute white activists and repost BIPOC activists from June 1 to June 7.听Instead of contributing to a culture where racial tension is normalized, contribute to a culture where we normalize empathy for others.

But perhaps most importantly, do something anti-racist instead.听If posting about race or politics on social media isn鈥檛 your M.O., holding back your typical photos and taking action offline can be an equally powerful way to support anti-racism too. Because ultimately, posting or not posting on social media is the bare minimum. All of us need to take real, tangible action. (.听Grace Anderson also has specific suggestions for those .听I鈥檇 add to these recommendations: follow black activists, attend or support protests, and for God鈥檚 sakes, vote. Don鈥檛 just vote in general elections, vote in your local elections too, where the officials who听make decisions on police funding, police leadership, and criminal prosecution are elected.)听

One of the hallmark traits of the outdoors community is our relentless pursuit of joy. Most of the time this is a wonderful spirit, and it鈥檚 our collective superpower as individuals: to find adventure in every day, to see beauty all around us. This optimistic quality is what makes many of us so resilient against adversity.

But true resilience is the ability to acknowledge both beauty and injustice, and the strength and character to help and support others who are hurting when we are hurting less. Racism and violence against black people in America is much bigger than an outdoors issue, but that doesn鈥檛 absolve non-black people in the outdoors community from the responsibility of acknowledging it, and fighting it. The very least we can do is put a pause on our constant promotion of 鈥渟toke鈥� for a moment, to signal that these times are not business as usual. We can stop contributing to the noise that doesn鈥檛 add to this conversation, to allow those who have been silenced for too long to be heard. We can use our platforms to amplify black voices. To say #BlackLivesMatter.

The outdoors community, being mostly white, has had the privilege of being able to avoid openly discussing social issues for a long time. The work of fighting racism in the world and within ourselves is deeply uncomfortable, but if there鈥檚 one other universal characteristic of people who love the outdoors, it鈥檚 that we voluntarily wade into discomfort with enthusiasm and resolve. It鈥檚 time for us to channel that energy into something far more important.听

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In most places, winter is when bikes are stowed away until spring. Not in Minnesota. 鈥淧eople from around the country would make fun of me,鈥� says Hansi Johnson, a former regional director at the . 鈥淭hey鈥檇 say, 鈥榊eah, mountain biking in Minnesota is great four months of the year.鈥� I鈥檇 tell them, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e missing the point.鈥欌��

The point is that many Minnesotan cyclists actually crave winter. There鈥檚 a surreal magic to those moonlit, subzero winter nights when you can bundle up and set out into the snow like a two-wheeled Jack London. Counter to what cyclists in more forgiving climates might believe, it鈥檚 possible and鈥攜es鈥攅ven fun听to ride in Minnesota year-round.

Minneapolis maintains 128 miles of all-season bike trails and lanes, and Saint听Paul has 88, which makes the Twin Cities one of the biggest year-round urban cycling hubs in the world. To stay sane in the shoulder seasons, when mud makes mountain biking impossible, cyclists hit dirt roads on their gravel bikes. In summer听there are hundreds of miles of singletrack and paved rail-to-trail routes across the state. Riding all year may require a full set of bikes but, as Johnson says, 鈥淚n Minnesota听you can鈥檛 be a one-trick pony.鈥�

Winter

At this latitude, winter is cold enough that snow and ice stay on the ground all season, which makes for excellent fat biking. While the official season is December through March, snow consistently falls October through April. Minneapolis鈥檚听 has more than six miles of designated fat-bike trails, and even makes snow on its lighted five-mile cross-country ski loop that opens for听riding Friday through Sunday evenings. Fat bikes for sale and rent听as well as hot cocoa are available at the , a new chalet with lockers, showers, and a fitness center. From January 30 to February 2, the park is the epicenter of the , a celebration of everything winter that includes four fat tire events, including sprint races and an urban tour.

Two hours north of Minneapolis, is a former iron-ore mining quarry turned mountain-bike park, with 25 miles of trail spread over 800 acres, all groomed for fat biking in winter. Ratings range from green听to double black diamond, and wind past snow-covered mining lakes. In February, it hosts the , with 10-, 20-, and 30-kilometer races on snowy singletrack.

Then there鈥檚 next-level winter riding: the , a frostbitten ultra that starts near the Canadian border. It鈥檚 scheduled for late January when the temperature can drop to negative 60 degrees. The race traverses south for 135 miles through remote wilderness, where wolf packs have been known to circle, before ending near Tower, Minnesota. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e in the middle of nowhere and are on your own for hours,鈥� says Pat Greehan, who finished the race last year in 22 hours 6 minutes, right before the temperature plummeted to minus 40. 鈥淏etween miles 90 and 110, there are 41 hills, most of which are not rideable when you鈥檙e pushing 50 pounds of gear in snow.鈥� What more evidence do you need that Minnesotans like to suffer?

Spring

When the trails turn to slush, cyclists use their GPS to link dirt roads into gravel routes, from the rolling bluffs of Mississippi River country in the southeast corner of the state to the wooded Forest Service roads farther north. Most are training for races like May鈥檚 , northern Minnesota鈥檚 premier self-supported spring gravel event that offers 20-, 54-, and 110-mile rides. Starting on the shore of Lake Superior in the quaint harbor town of Grand Marais, the 110-mile ride climbs 5,500 feet on gravel roads through the Sawtooth Mountains near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The ride ends with a beer or three at .

Summer

After the trails dry out in May, Duluth, the hilly, hipster-filled industrial city of 86,000 that sits on the western tip of Lake Superior, turns into a mountain-biking mecca. Over the past decade, Duluth,听in conjunction with local non-profit , has invested millions of dollars into building more than 100 miles of that stretch from the Chambers Grove Park along the Saint听Louis River in the west to the flowing waterfalls of Lester Park in the east. The 85-mile Duluth Traverse hugs the city鈥檚 coastline and has jaw-dropping views of the lake. Spiraling off it are separate loops that offer expert-only trails, from the 3,500-foot downhill insanity of Calculated Risk,听at in the south, to the steep bedrock roll downs of DM,听in Piedmont farther north. The outfitters host a three-hour tour of the Duluth Traverse ($79; hardtail rental included) and offers two-to-three-hour private lessons from a guide certified by the听 Professional Mountain Bike Instructors Association ($75).

Less extensive but equally exciting is the expanding network of trails in the 460-acre 听near Grand Rapids, a wooded playground overlooking Pokegama Lake and the Mississippi River, three hours north from Minneapolis. There are currently 22 miles of completed trail, offering variety in difficulty and style, from rocky, technical cross-country routes to jumpy downhills for advanced riders. in Grand Rapids rents hardtails and full-suspension bikes, starting at $45 for two hours.

Fall

To cycle through a flaming array of fall colors and get a serious hill workout, head south with a road or gravel bike to the and 听Trails, a 60-mile, Y-shaped, rail-to-trail network in the southeast corner of the state between Houston and Fountain. The route undulates through river-bluff country, historic small towns, and traditional Amish communities of southern Minnesota, a vast change from the dense pine forests of the north. Book a night (and a massage) at the funkily renovated (from $90), then set out on the town for a play at the renowned .

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It was an unremarkable game. Two teams, a cheering crowd, squeaking sneakers, the whistle, and the jump ball鈥攋ust as always. But something set this game apart, something that most people wouldn鈥檛 even have noticed: One of the players, determined not to be restricted, had decided to remove her hijab.

The inconvenience of the prone-to-unraveling hijab was a common complaint in the Brian Coyle Community Center, in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. The center鈥檚 biweekly basketball practice attracted Muslim girls ages seven to 18 from across the city, and it brought out a determination to win that coach Fatimah Hussein had not anticipated. Her standout players were not going to let anything stop them. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen girls building their confidence, loving the sport, wanting to play. I鈥檝e seen the hunger of just winning and getting accepted,鈥� Hussein says. 鈥淏ut there was one thing hanging there鈥攖he hijab.鈥�

As a dedicated jogger who has worn the hijab from a young age, Hussein, now 30, knew that the garments were usually designed with fashion, rather than athletic performance, in mind. Sports hijabs were rare and needed to be imported at a high cost, making them unfeasible for most schoolgirls.

The girls who ditched the hijab while playing also stopped inviting their families to watch their games at school. This realization would change Hussein鈥檚 life: It triggered the creation of her brand, , which sells the first sports hijabs designed and manufactured in the United States.

Born in Mogadishu, Hussein came to the United States at age six with her parents and younger sister, fleeing civil war. By day, she is a social worker, caring for elderly people who, Hussein says with a laugh, regularly try to convert her. She also cares for her three children, including a five-month-old; attends her son鈥檚 soccer games; coaches basketball; and checks in with her parents every day. Hussein talks frequently of identity, community, and taking pride in being a Muslim. For the past 12 years, she has volunteered in hospitals and at community conferences, where she makes phone calls and home visits to help immigrants.

And, of course, she also coaches basketball, a sport Hussein has played since elementary school. Her parents fondly refer to her students鈥擜merican girls with roots in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and East Africa鈥攁s her first babies. When Hussein noticed some players competing without the hijab, she understood that they were driven by a determination to win. 鈥淚t was much easier to put the hijab away in their backpack and wear it when they come out of the game,鈥� she says. Hussein points to social pressure to conform, the lack of hijabi athletes until recently, and the environmental conditioning that tells young Muslims that wearing the hijab is antithetical to being a good basketball player. 鈥淭hey feel like they鈥檙e not accepted, and that鈥檚 not something I want to be a part of.鈥�

But Hussein was also considerate of family and community values and realized that by creating this sports opportunity for girls, she had inadvertently fostered a problem between generations. 鈥淚 was helping girls to be physically active, but I might be taking their identity away at the same time.鈥� For Hussein herself, the thought of leaving the house without her hijab is inconceivable, 鈥淛ust like I can鈥檛 leave the house without my eyeliner each morning.鈥� Realizing she had set in motion the eschewing of the hijab by her players, Hussein reevaluated her role.

If the girls could neither play comfortably in their traditional hijabs nor find performance options at the right price, Hussein figured she could fill that gap. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 a clothing problem, we can find a solution,鈥� she recalls telling her players. 鈥淵our parents are going to be proud of you. You want your younger sisters to come and say, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 my sister playing.鈥� You鈥檙e stronger when people know your real identity.鈥�

In 2016, Hussein, who had no prior interest or experience in business before Asiya, partnered with Jamie Glover, a Carlson School of Management student who does consultancy and now works full-time for Asiya, to create a business plan. Together, they attracted the support and attention of Minnesota Senator Kari Dziedzic. Between crowdfunding on Kickstarter and winning startup prizes, Hussein and Glover raised more than $100,000 in seed money; they launched Asiya on International Women鈥檚 Day in 2017.

Early on, Hussein鈥檚 players helped sample fabrics and hijab prototypes at school, improving and nitpicking to get just the right breathable, flexible, but sturdy materials. They brought in designer and pattern maker Ida Elsie Van Hove, who usually creates activewear and couture garments, to help to create an athletic, adaptable pattern. Today, Asiya sells three different sports hijab models in four colors, each offering a different amount of coverage for clients鈥� varying levels of observance. 鈥淲e offer the ability to add your team logo or mascot on the side of the hijab, which really makes the girls feel like part of the team,鈥� Glover adds. All options feature a sweat-wicking polyester/spandex blend, and all sell for under $40.

The day before Asiya launched, Nike announced its Pro Hijab, which was released nine months later. But Hussein sees the sports company鈥檚 move as a positive influence鈥攂oth solidifying Muslim women鈥檚 place in the sports market and providing awareness and a sales boost for her own company.

Asiya now sells direct-to-consumer in 25 countries to teams, athletes, and individuals, occasionally partnering with retailers that serve the Muslim community. Hussein says it can be a struggle to keep up with the booming demand鈥攖heir sales to school athletic programs have grown tenfold since inception, says Glover鈥攁nd, despite its new competitors, the Asiya sports hijab is a firm favorite among many hijabi runners, weightlifters, and school sports teams. Hebaallah Nossier, a 28-year-old professional squash player who ranked eighth in the 2018 U.S. Nationals, said she searched a long time for a sports hijab to no avail until Asiya arrived on the scene. The Egyptian-born, California-based athlete later became an ambassador for Asiya, describing the company鈥檚 hijab as 鈥渓ight and easy to wear,鈥� and commends Hussein for creating a product that allows women in sport to practice their religion free of obstacles.

Hussein also acknowledges that the prevalence of sports hijabs can be a cultural game changer, opening up avenues for Muslim women into sports at increasingly high levels. 鈥淚n a couple of years, we鈥檙e going to see more Ibtihaj Muhammads playing sport, proud of who they are,鈥� she says, referring to the first Muslim American hijabi to , who returned from Rio with a bronze in the team sabre event and is a Nike Pro Hijab ambassador.

That鈥檚 especially important considering the barriers鈥攁nd often, outright prejudice鈥攖hat hijab-wearing athletes face. In 2012, a Saudi Arabian judo Olympian was from competing in the hijab. In 2014, FIFA on head coverings, including hijabs. And it wasn鈥檛 until January 2017 that the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) . Hussein believes that governing bodied like FIBA were left with no choice but to revoke the bans upon the release of numerous sports hijabs that comply with safety regulations, featuring quick-release and pinless designs that addressed authorities鈥� concerns that a hijab could be a choke risk in hands-on sports. If these bans had been upheld, Hussein believes it would mean admitting that their objection was never an issue of safety but of Islamophobia.

Amina Farah was one of the first players to grow up on Hussein鈥檚 court. Now 27, she continues to attend Hussein鈥檚 sessions, providing mentorship and guidance to the younger players. She sees the training at Brian Coyle Community Center as a safe space for the next generation of young girls. 鈥淭his is where we all express ourselves.鈥�

Farah was one of the original girls to trial and improve the Asiya hijab, and she continues to use the product to this day, even at her job as a technologist in a medical lab.

Though Hussein is keen to avoid politics, she still acknowledges that it鈥檚 not an easy time to be a hijabi in America. 鈥淭he community is scared of their family members getting deported. They鈥檙e scared of their homes being searched. They鈥檙e scared of being stopped, being put in jail,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey have a fear that this person might not be here tomorrow.鈥�

The players at the Brian Coyle Center are still too young to truly understand the changing world around them. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e at that young age where they think they can do everything themselves,鈥� Hussein says. She tries to teach them caution, 鈥淵ou have rights,鈥� she tells them, 鈥渂ut the environment has changed, it鈥檚 not the same鈥ou have to always look after yourself.鈥� Hussein finds it paradoxical that a country founded by immigrants is turning into the persecutor of immigrants. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very different environment right now.鈥�

Hussein is hopeful that life will improve for the next generation. In her home state, after all, State Representative Keith Ellison, who is Muslim, has been in office since 2007, and the first Muslim House Representative, Ilhan Omar, was elected in 2016. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to make a lot of young Muslims dream that they can write policies and laws,鈥� Hussein says, pointing to a generation of young people who understand their rights, justice, and social movements.

Her message to her players: You can do anything. Perhaps it is lost on Hussein that, if proof of this axiom were ever needed, she is it. 鈥淪he is a well-respected coach and passionate about sport,鈥� Farah says. And as a pioneer in the burgeoning industry of sports hijabs, Hussein has done more than just provide girls in Minnesota with the chance to play basketball.

At the end of our video call, Hussein asks her six-year-old, Suehalia, what her dream is.

鈥淲hat do you want to become, Suri?鈥� she asked, playfully. 鈥淓ach week it鈥檚 different,鈥� Hussein explained to me. 鈥淲hat do you want to become this week?鈥� she repeats.

Suri, who plays soccer and loves the sports hijab her mom designed so much that she asked to change her own name to Asiya, is quick to answer. Her dream is one that few Muslim girls would have believed achievable a decade ago.

鈥淎 ballerina.鈥�

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Overnight camping doesn鈥檛 have be a weeklong, use-all-your-vacation-days affair. Do it right, and you can pull off a solid one- or two-night trek into the wilderness during a weekend. This is true even for major cities like Denver or Boston. You just need to know where to go.

From: Denver, Colorado

Indian Peaks Wilderness

Towering above the town of Boulder in Colorado鈥檚 Front Range, is about 90 minutes from downtown Denver. Plan a two-night backpacking trip starting from the Fourth of July trailhead or the trailhead and you鈥檒l have access to 133 miles of trails, dozens of lakes, and six mountain passes that cross the Continental Divide. Be sure to in the backcountry before you head out.

From: Seattle, Washington

Alpine Lakes Wilderness

奥补蝉丑颈苍驳迟辞苍鈥檚 is as vast as it is accessible. Less than two hours east of Seattle, the area covers 394,000 acres, with 600 miles of trails and peaks that look like the Alps. Start at the and backpack听eight miles and 3,000 vertical feet of elevation gain to Tuck and Robin Lakes. Both are downright gorgeous spots to pitch your tent, and camping permits will be easier to secure than the Cascades鈥� popular Enchantments area.

From: Boston, Massachusetts

Long Trail, Vermont

crosses the Green Mountains from the southern end of Vermont to the Canadian border. There are more than 70 first-come, first-served backcountry campsites along the way. For the closest trailhead from Boston鈥攁bout three hours by car鈥攕tart at the trail鈥檚 southern terminus, near Williamstown, Massachusetts, and point it north, hiking a section of the trail that coincides with the Appalachian Trail. Your end goal could be Bennington, Vermont, 18 miles away. Prefer a point-to-point over an out-and-back? Luckily, a few local taxi services and bus lines will .

From: San Francisco, California

Desolation Wilderness

, which spans 63,960 acres and is filled with granite slabs and crystal-clear lakes, isn鈥檛 that hard to get to. But once you approach the south end of Lake Tahoe, 3.5 hours from San Francisco, you鈥檒l feel a million miles away. Start at the Echo Lakes trailhead and hike in six miles along the famed Pacific Crest Trail to Lake Aloha for an overnight destination. Be sure to in advance.

From: Salt Lake City, Utah

High Uintas Wilderness

鈥攖he largest wilderness area in Utah鈥攆eatures 545 miles of trails and endless backpacking options. You can set out for 鈥攐r try an out-and-back section of the , which runs east to west for more than 70 miles and can be accessed via the Mirror Lake Highway trailhead. Both are about a 3.5-hour drive from Salt Lake City.

From: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Superior Hiking Trail

The climbs along a rocky ridgeline above Lake Superior and has more than 90 backcountry campsites perfectly built for multiday outings. You can hike out and back or walk one direction and back to your car. The closest trailhead from Minneapolis is about 2.5 hours away, near Duluth.

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