Arboretum walks worth the risk of hat hair

As gray November days close in, I confess I find myself indoors more often than not.

To be perfectly frank, there are days when the longest walk I take is from my computer to the mailbox. That would be an attached mailbox. It's cold, it's bleak, it's winter.

I need a reason to go outdoors. To don the layers and layers of clothes, the boots I can never find, the mismatched gloves, the goofy looking hat that arranges my hairdo in such unfortunate styles. I need a reason, and it better be good.

The folks at the Morton Arboretum are ready for winter couch potatoes like me. They have devised just-in-time, just-the-right-size walks for the winter-challenged.

In December, Conifer Countdown walks let visitors explore the magnificent evergreen collection. Details are on the arboretum's Web site, mortonarb.org.

What's to see, and is it worth hat hair to see it?

Mary Samerdyke, coordinator of docent and tram interpretors, says there's plenty.

"One of the neatest things is the shape of the landscape," she says. "There is a lot of dimension to the landscape that's best seen in winter."

Without the camouflage of summer greenery, we can actually see -- holy smokes -- hills! Ravines! Creeks! We have topography here in the Midwest!

Samerdyke notes that the walks are held rain, snow or shine, unless the weather is dangerous.

"Sometimes it's fun to be out there when it's cloudy," she says. "With filtered shadows in the woods, you can often see wildlife a little better."

Tracks of deer and squirrels, and evidence of skunks digging, are on her list of wildlife signs. Birds are easier to see without leaves on the trees.

December walks promise to be refreshing with strolls through the conifer collection. See red pines, weeping white pines, spreading English yews and the many plants in this popular grove.

Because many of these trees have fruit on them, Samerdyke says they are very popular with wildlife. Arboretum visitors may borrow binoculars at the Visitor Center to spot those elusive birds.

Doug Ward has been a docent for about seven years and helps visitors appreciate a variety of walks.

In the conifer collection, he explains selection factors in choosing conifers, such as which trees grow quickly or slowly, which need lots of space and which are sensitive to salt (from winter streets).

People often come on his walks to take notes while they are planning their gardens for next year.

"In winter, you can see the color of bark and buds, which is often obscured during the seasons where there's foliage," Ward says.

Throughout the year, Ward leads visitors through the variety of tree and shrub collections, different habitats and nature experiences. Winter is especially enjoyable, he says, because of the interesting patterns and silhouettes of trees.

Most winter walks take 30 to 45 minutes. That's just enough time to immerse yourself in nature without freezing to death. It's definitely worth hat hair and finding boots.