HikeArizona.COM

How are things progressing this year? In keeping with the idea that you are only as good as the numbers you post, I'm up to 61,436' of elevation for the year and a modest 132 miles.

Added August 2019: Looking back 10 years later, I honestly can't think of anything more offensive or unhealthy to say about one's hiking, than the above statement. Thats was my OP in 2009. Hiking should never just be about the stats recorded.

January 31, 2023: Have at it.

Jim, did you keep any old calendar books or anything around? Maybe you have a record of some of those hikes if you wrote them on a calendar. That is how I plan eventually to retrieve a whole lot of hikes I have never recorded on here, since I do save old calendar books in a file. One of these days...

Jim_H wrote:How many million vertical footers do we have on HAZ?

Geez... I only began logging in November 2008... I have those other 45 years of outings not noted on this site! Oh, well... guess I could look at just putting in a good year to play catch up... hmmm... million foot year???

I guess with folks who have a life time of hiking we could have 10 million footers, or far more than that. I hardly hiked (I rode my bike) before I moved to Flagstaff and if I did hike it was on mostly flat ground as I lived on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. I didn't keep track of all of my hikes and I have no way of back tracking. Even though my figures won't match what actually happened, I'd rather play it safe and reach 1 million feet later than sooner and possible have a false accomplishment. It's just that when I official hit 1 million feet, I will have really passed it sometime before.

I was hiking in Colorado back in 1966... went up there each summer. But most of my 20's (1970's) were vested on the bike, as a goodly bit of my 30's. !980's were mostly spent in boats (canoe/kayak), although I spent 9 months out in Big Bend hiking...1982.

I did hike in California 1980-1990. Tucson in 1991 and the 90's were spent doing more and longer hikes... and after a three year layoff, 2003-2006... started again there and out here in New Mexico. I expect my heaviest mileage/elevation to score between 2008 and 2020.

It is fun!

176 miles/23,341ft as of today. Fully content with these numbers.

While out on Humphrey on Tuesday, I crested 250,000' and am basically at 750 miles. I'm happy with them, but with a good amount left in the year I'll add to that pretty well.

Jim_H wrote:While out on Humphrey on Tuesday, I crested 250,000' and am basically at 750 miles. I'm happy with them, but with a good amount left in the year I'll add to that pretty well.

You should go for 300,000 ;)

It would be nice, but I don't think I'll have the time or weather. With the way it got so cold so fast here this last week, I'm going to have a hard time keeping my motivation up.

Jim_H wrote:It would be nice, but I don't think I'll have the time or weather. With the way it got so cold so fast here this last week, I'm going to have a hard time keeping my motivation up.

All you have to do is climb Capitol Butte 28 times before New Years.

This is tough crowd, hiking the AZT barely gets me into the top ten, and then probably only momentarily. ;)

@Sredfield
But look who's number 1 in the average mileage category

Well, with so many months missed this year, not going to set any records, but I notice that Joe could log in a record month and beat out my AEG for last year! Might as well go for it! ;) I'm hoping for a nice hit in 2011... record month and record year for me if all goes well.

No more logs on the fire
I was hoping to simply slip in a half million

500,000' is still incredible. I'm hoping to crest 275,000'. We'll see though.

joe bartels wrote: I was hoping to simply slip in a half million

500,000 is impressive... looking back over prior years, it appears you have really upped the AEG over the last few years. Does that translate out to being a stronger hiker for you? More or less fun on the trail? When I've mentioned training for hiking to a number of folks they react negatively, as if that somehow despoils the activity. Odd, in biking and running, training is just assumed to be a necessity...

I have to think you're redoubling of efforts on AEG has a bit of training mentality behind it?

You appear to be our only million feet logged hiker!

imike wrote:Does that translate out to being a stronger hiker for you?

A moderate 14mi hike with 2k would have left me crawling the next day back in 2001. I'd guess I'm at or near the best shape of my life. Yet it's not an exciting thing as I can barely hang with the top dogs.

imike wrote:More or less fun on the trail?

I wouldn't do it if wasn't fun yet I'd prefer to be out photographing. Currently just filling the gap.

imike wrote:I have to think you're redoubling of efforts on AEG has a bit of training mentality behind it?

It comes and goes

joe bartels wrote:A moderate 14mi hike with 2k would have left me crawling the next day back in 2001.

Its amazing how much stronger the body can become as you keep stepping things up. You'd be surprised to see how much better I keep up than just a few months ago when we did a couple hikes together. Last month when I did Ord and got back home, I realized I had done a 4,100 foot day and felt great the whole time. This would have for sure destroyed me for days earlier this year. Before I started hiking weekly, I used to have to plan for at least one painful day afterwards and now that NEVER happens. Hiking rules.

joe bartels wrote:Yet it's not an exciting thing as I can barely hang with the top dogs.

...there is always someone out there faster, or going longer... but given that your 500,000' year puts you at the top of this pile and in the top ten for the over the top folks on 14ers.com, you are one of the top dogs! 6 billion people... probably less than 50 (20!?) hit 500,000' in any given year. As always, it is just a race and celebration with yourself, so if you are smiling at the end, no matter the miles or elevation, you are on top.

imike wrote:if you are smiling at the end, no matter the miles or elevation, you are on top.

excellent philosophy

juliachaos wrote:

imike wrote:if you are smiling at the end, no matter the miles or elevation, you are on top.

excellent philosophy

Well said. I will not ever top a leaderboard. I use the excuse that my miles and AEG is more difficult than most. Still, I consider myself lucky to be able to visit the places I have.