2012 hiking backpacking goals

“What kinds of goals do folks have? Here are some of mine

Backpacking:

1) Get out for more short trips (2 -3 days).
2) Get in one 2+ week backpack. Probably repeat the Cohos or the Long Trail.

Hiking:

1) Progress on some peak bagging lists for New England and New Hampshire (starting with winter lists, but including finishing my dogs trip through the 48 major peaks of New Hampshire - she needs 3 more).

2) Get in some bombastic hikes. Last year I did a series starting with the Wapack Trail (22 miles + just a few thousand feet of elevation gain), then the Presidential Traverse, a Pemi Traverse, and finally the Pemi Loop (31.5 miles, 9,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain). This year, I'd like to do more, further and faster. It's getting addictive.”

“right now it is just to get out but it won't be anytime soon :(”

“I'm trying to get 7+ day range for a possible at thru with my daughter. Not sure I'll be able to take the time or when she'll be able to go but we've been working on it just for kicks.

Great goals pedx! Good luck with 'em. I'm guessing your dog just wants to hike and doesn't really care what peaks you do, lol.”

“I plan on reading TT about all the killer hikes I missed because they are too far away, I'm broke that week, or I have to work.”

“Yes camper - much to my surprise, she didn't complain once last week when we went back and did a peak she'd already been to!



I'm looking forward to reports about your trip with your daughter.
last edited: 1/03/12 4:21:32 PM”

“Mt. Rainier again + some other volcanoes.

A whole bunch of local trail recon & work.

Still trying to do a week out of Mineral King.”

“Holy crap Ped, I s^|T my pants if that came runnin out of The woods.... Are you sure it's not a Yeti?”

“Hi everyone im new to this site but not to this hobby. I would like to finish the marked trails in the red river gorge by the end of jan and do a solo 4-5 night trek in the cumberland gap area in feb. I would also like to take both of my young sons 8 and 9 out for thier first back country overnite loop.”

“My big goal is to hike the Maze in Canyonlands this spring. Outside of that, I'd like to get up into the high Sierra once this year, and get in a lot more dayhikes than last year”

“In April I am planning to visit with relatives and friends in the Republic of Panama. While there, I would like to backpack to get to the top of Volcan Baru, from where, weather permiting, I hope to view the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans at the same time. It may be posible to include part of Gatun Lake in the same view. The lake is part of the Panama Canal

When the dates of my trip are firm, I will post the details of the trip.”

“One of my goals for 2012 is to hike a portion (even a small portion) of the Appalachian Trail. It was on my list for last year and I was never able to make it happen.”

“I will be happy to be able to do just one backpacking trip. But in the mean time I plan on doing a bunch of basecamp hiking :)”

“Not sure yet, just keep getting out there. I may do kettle moraine in feb with some friends but don't know dates yet.

This coming saturday we are getting out to hunt down some snowy owls.”

“Slim - that sounds like a great trip!”

“More 2-3 day trips to the Catskills. It's closer but the place I get to the least.

More 14er's. The trip to Colorado was one of my most memorable ever and I am making what I call plans for my next peaks there.

More yoga”

“I will be real lucky if I get every one of these this year but goals are meant to be a challenge.

- Bryce Canyon loops (already completed)
- Cassidy Arch, Hickman Bridge, and Grand Wash Narrows (already completed)
- 3 Sisters Falls (scheduled for this weekend)
- Telescope Death Valley (already scheduled for this month)
- Baldy winter climb
- Santa Rosa mountains Peak Baggers special (Rosa Pt, Mile High, Pyramid, Peak 5300, Peak 5340, Villager, and (possibly) Rabbit
- Inaja Falls
- Weekend Barker Valley backpack
- Extended Sierra backpack maybe the HST (difficult car shutle), if HST it ideally includes Muir, Whitney, and Russell peaks
- A Sierra weekend backpack w/ a 14K CA Peak that I have not already bagged
- Shasta (already scheduled for July)

Orizaba, Iztacchihuatl, and Ranier have been on my desired list for a few years but I doubt I can get them this year.”

“I'm thinking an overniter or two, and certainly get back to the 48 4K's. I am at 32 now, I think. I'll have to check.”

“I plan on taking my kids down the PCT from Manning Pk to the WA/OR boarder. Need to leave mid July and wrap up by me Aug so as not to interfere with #2's HS football sched. I hiked quite a bit years ago but nothing other than day trips lately. I'm here looking for advice on gear, chow and to keep to teenage boys engaged after the first 5 miles.”

“Hey Monkeyboy - let me know which of the 48 you want - I'd like to do at least one with you.

Loki needs Adams, Jefferson and Owl's Head - but I'm happy to hike any of 'em.”

“Heuschele - I'm planning to climb Shasta July 1. I know some great places for winter/spring backpacking just north of Santa Barbara. Lemme know if you are interested.


ped - when you are ready to do Adams (WA, 12,281 ft) and Jefferson (OR, 10,497 ft) give us a shout!”

“Pedxing, I haven't done owl's head yet. Done the other two.

That thar dawg of yours is a better hiker than ah am!

I only did one 4K last year, on 9-11, did Mt Tom. A repeat. Mostly I have the peaks near wildcat to do. I'll have to take a better look when I am near my home with all the info.

Not sure how this year will shake out, but it has to be better than last year. I may finally get my home sold and build another in Woodstock Maine. I've been skiing a good deal lately, midweek, no crowds. A little work so I ski when I'm off.”

“MB: Sorry to see you move out of that great spot on the water, but I guess there is no reason to stay. On other hand, Woodstock sounds like a great location for a skier and hiker. Not much more than 1/2 hour from Grafton Notch and the AT?
You might have at least one TT'er begging to visit!”

“Yeah, maybe 45 minutes, depending on which end of Grafton Notch. I'm figuring on building an extra bedroom or two for guests!”

“I plan to read up on the AT and hope to get out there and get moving this year. After a long absence from any real hiking (read lazy mom who spent so much time chasing kids had no time for more than occasional day hikes)I am seriously looking at thru-hike in 2013. If anyone has any stories, warnings, suggestions, or thoughts on the viability of a 40-something woman hiking for four months alone, please go ahead and send them to me. In the meantime, I'll be hunting here for any helpful information I can locate. :)”

“Our latest vicarious AT hike:

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/54813,-1,1.php

A bunch of us would enjoy it if you started a thread and blog so we could follow your progress and offer encouragement. Hyway didn't do the whole AT, but I admire him for what he did. It was fun to follow remotely.”

“What Toe said, eh?

Doug”

“I admire anyone that makes a serious go of it, even if they don't make it. Too many years of nothing ventured, nothing gained in my life not to. Thanks for the encouragement. I did start a thread here in the chatter section to chat about thru hiking the AT, long distance hiking, equipment ideas, and just general shoot the breeze stuff, so feel free to wander over and chat. http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/56693.php

I saw someone had posted a link to a blog hm maybe it was in one of the news articles I read about the AT and not here. haha I've been browsing around quite a bit since I got interested. Anyway, I was thinking I would try to do a blog along the way, but remains to figure out how I'll handle that. I think the one I saw was done via iPhone, but I'd really prefer to get away and not be tethered to technology for the entire trip like that.”

“Get my scout troop the hiking/backpacking merit badge
JMT
Hike the MST. (In 2 sections)
Finish the Catskill 3500 with Gemimi
Finish the Palmetto Trail
100 more miles of the Florida Trail
200 new miles in Shenandoah National Park

Theres a feeling more but my d@mind hard drive crashed and I can't get to my list now.”

“I've added another goal - do a lot moe bushwhacking. I'm acquiring a taste for it. I spent the day (a little bit of the evening, unfortunately) yesterday bushwhwacking to a trailless peak. Happily we arrived at the peak and made it out - despite stumbling around a bit too much.”

“I just want to get out a whole lot more!”

“My new years resolution was to put in at least one weekend of backpacking a month. So far January is covered with a 2 night 3 day for 27 miles of the Pinhoti in Alabama. February is up in the air depending on work schedule. Next opportunity is 2-3-12 to 2-5-12. I'm planning on section hiking the Pinhoti before it gets too hot. After that maybe the next trail will be the Ozark Highland or Quachita Trail in sections. Somewhere 2020-2023 I plan to attempt an AT through hike as a retirement present to myself.
That's a long way off but, it gives me something to plan for and force myself to keep in decent shape along the way. I've finally reached 5 weeks of vacation per year. I'll ration that as best possible till then.”

“That is a great plan.”

“Agreed”

“Live the dream, Skipper.”