Missouri Botanical is a treasure. I used to go there often during my younger days in St. Louis.

2@SeaRay215ex

The Healing Power of Nature

"Japanese researchers found that people who spend 40 minutes walking in a cedar forest, had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is involved in blood pressure and immune-system function, compared when they spent 40 minutes walking in a lab.

Another researcher, Dr. Quing Li, a professor at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, found that trees and plants emit aromatic compounds called phytoncides that, when inhaled, can spur healthy biological changes. Li has shown that when people walk through or stay overnight in forests, they often exhibit changes in the blood that are associated with protection against cancer, better immunity and lower blood pressure. Recent studies have also linked nature to symptom relief for health issues like heart disease, depression, cancer, anxiety and attention disorders."

From "The Healing Power of Nature," Time magazine, July 25, 2016.

@LiterateHiker I can totally relate. I eat natural foods and take several supplements. I walk for an hour a day, a few times a week at the beach. As far as many of the illnesses you mentioned many have been cured by naturopathic methods. A diet of natural foods, a one hour walk a day, drinking 8 bottles a day of purified water, taking several dietary supplements, such as Vitamin D, and E, a whole food supplement which contains fruit and Vegetable extractions, calcium, and I even take a sea vegetable supplement, which have vitamin and cofactors that defy explanation. Fasting is another thing I do 4 times a year for 3 days. Over 15 years I’ve only had one very short lived cold and about 7 or 8 times just developed sniffles that lasted for about 6 hours. Naturopathic remedies correct your body’s imbalances that are the cause of disease unlike most pharmaceuticals that are designed to just “suppress” symptoms.

@Robert_2001

Usually it's icy at the bottom with deeper snow at higher elevations.

Then I want micro-spikes AND snowshoes.

@BudFrank

Photos of animal tracks in snow rarely turn out. Not enough contrast.

@GeorgeRocheleau

Jackrabbit fur turns white in winter. Good camouflage in snow.

@GeorgeRocheleau

I love snowshoeing because you can see who lives there.

@LiterateHiker I remember walking home from a late movie, when it snowed while we were inside. There were bunny tracks in the perfect snow going up the street. Of course all of Coulee Dam was three blocks from the edge of town.

@GeorgeRocheleau

Last winter, Karen and I were thrilled to see wolf tracks in the snow near Blewett Pass, WA. The track was huge.

A newly-established wolf pack travels between Blewett Pass and Mission Ridge Ski Area, Wenatchee.

Two wolves were spotted on a trail above Icicle Road, Leavenworth by a family of hikers last Spring.

A friend who lives in Forest Ridge subdivision near Mission Ridge Ski Area heard wolves howling for the first time in her life last winter. She was thrilled.

@LiterateHiker I was at a friends place out in the desert at sunset a few years ago, I heard howling, but it didn't sound like coyotes.I could have sworn it sounded like wolves. Later I found his neighbor raises wolves.

@RoyMillar

Karen has studs instead of micro-spikes. She had more trouble.

@dalefvictor

Good question. I clarified that paragraph.

I felt delighted to see bunny tracks. I carefully stepped downhill to join the trail below the icy corner. The rabbit took the same path.

@LiterateHiker The only reason I brought this forward was a program on National Geographic, about a research group researching ancient civilizations in Central America. They had been dropped into a forest location by helicopter and started to set up campsites. One of the sites was below a tree full of monkeys that made noises and howled during the placing of the tent. Finally, the tent was placed and the person who was staying in it went to eat with the others. Upon returning to the tent they found a large Fer-de-lance laying waiting for a monkey to fall from the tree that would become dinner for the snake. I thought it was interesting that it could be said the monkeys were trying to warn of the snake ultimately placing itself where the tent was located.

We get lots of snow. But that also means noise from snow machines. there’s no silence anymore.

@ADKSparky

Motorized vehicles are forbidden on many trails, including this one.