HikeArizona.COM

I suspect many of you include hiking-related items on your list of new year's resolutions. with the new year upon us, what are your goals? hikes to accomplish, mileages to beat, peaks to bag, routes to find, gear to acquire (and..injuries to avoid)?

just curious what you crazy hikers have planned for the coming year!!

Rainbow Bridge in April.
GG in March.
I'd like to finally get the The Maze this year since I've finally got a 4x4 vehicle again.

To boldly go where no one has gone before!!!! Or at least watch Star Trek movies in my non=hiking moments.

To finally thru-hike from San Diego to Denver

Very modest goals. Getting to an area of the Blue I haven't visited before. Hiking Boucher in the fall or other GC trail I haven't hiked before. Staying in shape by doing longer dayhikes of 15-20 miles more frequentlly. Along in that vein. I'll be working 2 jobs and doing full time school as well, except in the summer. Not sure what I'll be doing in summer. Not sure if I will be wintering elsewhere starting next fall.

My goal is to actually go on at least one of Rob's trips. I hope I don't have to retire to make that possible.

big_load wrote:I hope I don't have to retire to make that possible.

I hope not either!

Having knocked out most of my dream destinations I'm just hoping I find something that makes me toss and turn at night with anticipation.

Sheep moutain El Recortado is a little tossy/turny ;) . Having had to cancell Rainbow Bridge in Nov. I'd say a long weekend....Rainbow Bridge...and Salty to the Blow hole.

Carrying over the unrealized goal from this year of hiking a Finger Rock Quad (March 2010?)... some 14's in Colorado this summer... Rock Creek Stumpjumper 50K in the fall... and hitting at least six different state highest points over the course of the year. Also, hope to make it over to Palm Springs to play on San Jacinto Peak. A visit to Tucson to hit the Pillars and Thimble Peak, for old times sake...

Galiuros West Divide
Highline either Uintahs or Winds
Dirty Devil River length Pack raft/backpack
Dark Canyon revisit
El Camino--get Tinaja Altas peak, backpack around Cabeza Prieta peak area.
Special canyon to the south--- border patrol and ranchers be d&$((@mned !!!
Cave stuff
Small wilderness area northern New Mexico.
Death Valley revisit.
Etc-----

more . . .

Grand Enchantment Trail from Phoenix to Safford
Table Mtn.
At least two trips to the GC
Mt Lemmon to Catalina SP via Sutherland
Ragged Top
and on a related note: complete my book about my Arizona Trail hike

It will be tough to top this past year- my best hiking year ever. I climbed my first mountain (Babo), spent almost two weeks in the GC, hiked Humphreys, and finished the Arizona Trail.

- rappel down at least one waterfall
- visit "the wave"
- paria canyon
- do another 1-day GC hike, this time without feeling like I'm going to die!
- get going on my trail running endeavors
- take a wilderness first aid class
- sharpen my route-finding skills (because they really suck)

- and, get awesome photos while enduring all of the above

keep up with HAZ group next time...

Arizona - Superstitions:
Take my three Queen Creek grandsons in February through the Lower Barks Canyon Loop and then up and back in Upper Fish Creek. Then do an overnight in Angel Basin if we have the time and good weather.

Utah:
In July through early October backpack the Unita's north of Mirror Lake Highway and look for the remains of a missing Boy Scout.
Any one wanting to join me on this search is welcome to tag along. High and rough country but very very beautiful.

I had forgotten about that missing Boy Scout. How long ago has that been now?

500 miles!
*A lot more in the Superstitions.
*White Tanks. I know they're nothing special, but I need to hit them up.
*Four Peaks!!!!! We're trying to organize a trip in my MBA cohort for March or so.
*The Carrizo and Lukachukai Mtns in NE Arizona.
*Hualapai Peak.

Did imike post that he wants to do Mt. Kimball 4 times in 1 day? Actually, my goal is to be in good enough shape to do that! Of all that is holy.....

JamesLyding wrote:
Did imike post that he wants to do Mt. Kimball 4 times in 1 day? Actually, my goal is to be in good enough shape to do that! Of all that is holy.....

The goal should be to be in shape to do it 5 times in one day... but only do it 4, so that you can enjoy the day!

Sweet Jesus.
I forgot to mention that I also want to get over to Guadalupe Mountains National Park and the Lincoln National Forest. I was hoping that the U of A would get into the Sun Bowl in lovely El Paso so I could hit these up on the way there and back, but I'm pretty happy with the Holiday Bowl as it's a better bowl.

azbackpackr wrote:I had forgotten about that missing Boy Scout. How long ago has that been now?

Garret Bardsley who had just turned 12. Lost on a Scout outing with his Troop on a fishing trip. Had got up early with his father to go fishing and after slipping and getting his feet and pants wet went missing when he attempted to hike back to camp (200 to 300 yards) from the lake to put on a dry outfit. This was about 8 am in the morning. Later that day or evening it rained and then the temperature dropped to near freezing that night. Camp was approximately at 10,000 feet in altitude or higher.

Many many thousands of man hours were spent looking for him from August 20th until the snow fell that year (2004) in early October. The search continued the next year with a massive three day grid search for his remains. There probably has never been this large of a search in Utah before or since. Not one sign of his whereabouts has been found. No clothing, bones or his fishing pole.

If any of you would like to experience the Unita's come on up and join me as I would like to find Garret but not join him. My wife gets upset when I go up there alone. This year I expect to at least be carrying the SPOT just in case.