In the morning, I walked the entire length of beach at Simpson Bay.
December 29: The Quill (St Eustatius)
I had to fly from St Eustatius in the morning, so I got up really early and in the dark to climb The Quill by headlamp. It was raining lightly on and off, but wasn't too bad. It got light by the time I reached the crater. I then climbed the highest point and descended back down the mountain.
I didn't have time to descend into the crater so I walked down the trail back to the trailhead and then walked the road back to the hotel and then took a shower before heading off to the airport.
I saw a lot of birds and butterflies, but no other wildlife, though I was moving quickly. It was raining all the way down the mountain, but there was only a drizzle on the ascent.
The Quill
December 28: Booby Hill/The Level (Saba)
It was raining and since I has to catch a flight I didn't want to get too muddy. From Windwardside I walked the steep and narrow concrete roads to Booby Hill and The Level. I was hoping to get at least a little view, but it never did clear up.
Summit View
December 27: Mas Cahones Hill/Old Booby Hill/Spring Bay/Kelby's Ridge (Saba)
I hiked up Mas Cahones Hill from Windwardside. I had better views from here than from Mount Scenery the day before since it was sunnier. After climbing Mas Cahines Hill I then returned to Windwardside and walked down the roads to find the Spring Bay Track. After searching around a bit I found the Spring Bay Track. I hiked this down to the saddle west of Old Booby Hill. I then climbed up the steep goat tracks to the summit of Old booby, while trying to avoid the posionous Manchineel trees. After enjoying the view I returned down to the saddle and took the track down to Spring Bay where I saw a huge iguana. There were lots of goats and lizards out and about as well. There was a also a lot of birdlife.
After exploring Spring Bay, I found the track and hiked up Kelby's Ridge to the road near the airport. From there I hiked most of the road back to Windwardside before getting a ride the rest of the way back.
Old Booby Hill
December 26: Mount Scenery (Saba)
After arriving in Saba, I climbed Mount Scenery. Since the airline lost the bag on the way to Saba, I climbed Mount Scenery without a map and thus just took the standard route up and down. It was raining most of the time and there was no view, but the rainforest was interesting.
Mas Cahones Hill
December 25: Pic Paradis (Saint Martin)
I took a taxi to near the summit of Pic Paradis and then headed south along the trail that traveses the island. It was a little muddy and rainy at times, but the trail was pretty good until I hit the French/Dutch Border at Flagstaff Hill. After several probes into the forest, I was unable to find the trail. The French side of the trail must be better maintained than the Dutch side. After several probes I gave up and returned the same way. There were many butterflies along the trail and I saw several parrots as well. Some parts of the trail had spider webs with big spiders accross the trail, so I had to watch for those. A few times I wasn't paying enough attention and ended with big spiders in my face.
I found the trail to the true summit of Pic Paradis and visted the summit area. There was a nice viewpoint nearby, but the summit of Pic Paradis itself isn't that pretty since it is covered in radio towers.
After visiting the summit, I headed down the road and walked to Marigot where I took a bus back to Simpson Bay.
Simpson Bay
December 24: Simpson Bay (Sint Maarten)
In the afternoon I walked the entire length of beach at Simpson Bay.
December 22: Mount Garfield (Colorado)
In the early afternoon I headed for Mount Garfield in the Book Cliffs. I climbed to the summit using the steep trail, seeing several wild horses along the way. The way up wasn't too icy, but I took a different way down that was very icy. It was dark by the time I reached the vehicle.
December 21: Echo Canyon (Colorado)
Around sunset, Kimberly and I hiked Echo Canyon in Colorado National Monument to look for the petroglyphs. We were happy to find the panel, but sad to see that it has been vandalized.
December 18: Grand Valley Climbing (Colorado)
Gym.
December 16: Dinosaur Hill (Colorado)
In the afternoon, Kimberly and I hiked the loop on Dinosaur Hill near Fruita.
December 15: Bow and Arrow Canyon (Utah)
Kim, Justin, Bobbie, and I did Bow and Arrow Canyon near Moab. It was a nice route and had many petroglyph panels and some dinosaur tracks. Most of the rappels were easy, but one was fairly high.
December 8-9: Resolution Mountain (Colorado)
December 8
Kimberly and I snowshoed up to the Fowler Hillard Hut on Resolution Mountain. The Eagle River was not frozen over and we didn't find a snowbridge so we snowshoed down river and found a place to drop across. I had no problem jumping across, but Kim fell in, soaking her feet in the process.
We then snowshoed up to and up and over the ridge before dropping down to the hut. The weather was pretty good, but we didn't climb Resolution Mountain today because of Kim's wet feet.
December 9
It snowed during the night and was snowing by morning, but we decided to climb Resolution Mountain anyway. We snowshoed up to the ridge, but took a difficult route up since we missed breaking trail over the old one. We then broke trail up to the summit of Resolution Mountain. It was much more difficult than expected since we had to break trail the entire way and because the snow was really powdery. We didn't get much of a view from the summit, but we were glad that we made it.
After a very short time on the summit, we headed down to the main trail and snowshoed down to the river. This time we found a snowbridge that only required a short hop. After that, it was just a short snowshoe to the trailhead.
December 6: Grand Valley Climbing (Colorado)
Gym.
December 3: Grand Valley Climbing (Colorado)
Gym.
December 1: McDonald Canyon (Colorado) In the afternoon, Kim and I hike McDonald Canyon bear the Colorado/Utah border. Since we were short on time, we only had enough time to look for two of the petroglyph/pictographs panels.
NOVEMBER
November 30: Grand Valley Climbing (Colorado)
It was raining all day, but in the morning I went to the climbing gym to meet a new climbing partner.
November 25: Riggs Hill (Colorado)
Kim and I hiked a loop trail over Riggs Hill just after sunset.
November 22: Serpents Trail (Colorado)
My dad, Shaylee, Kimberly, and I took a break from moving and hiked the Serpents Trail in Colorado National Monument.
November 14: Devils Backbone (Colorado)
After work, I hiked the Devils Backbone Loop.
November 7: Goblins Forest (Colorado)
After work and in the dark I hiked to the Goblins Forest on Longs Peak by way of headlamp. There was snow the entire way, but the trail was packed down.
November 6: Prospect Mountain (Colorado)
At night at after work and in the dark, I climbed Prospect Mountain from the south. There was a little snow to walk through, but it wasn't bad.
November 4: Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
Kimberly and I did the long loop on Cedar Mountain and made the side trip to the slightly lower south peak as well. We saw several deer. It was a nice hike, but was cloudy and breezy.
OCTOBER
October 31: Epic Climbing (Colorado)
Conditions outdoors weren't great, so I climbed at the gym.
October 29: Performance Park (Colorado)
Dave and I climbed at Performance Park. We didn't start until it was dark! We didn't bring a headlamp either, so we used a cell phone light. We climbed Exit Stage Left and Rock Climber.
October 27: Signal Butte (Colorado)
Kimberly, Justin, and I climbed Signal Butte from near the Moffat Tunnel. The views were great. It was a bit breezy, but was otherwise a nice day.
October 25: Performance Park (Colorado)
Dave and I went climbing after work at Performance Park. Dave led To Infinity and Beyond and I led Enjoy the Silence and Hakuna Matata in the dark. It was a nice night out and climbing at night made things more interesting.
October 22: Snow Canyon (Utah)
Kessler, Kimberly, and I started at the Butterfly Trail and did some cross country scrambles up some of the domes. We hiked the trail down to the wash and then followed the wash down to the Three Ponds Trail and then we hiked that trail and the Petrified Dunes Trail back to the trailhead. We also climbed Balkans Dome along the way.
October 21: Emerald Pools, Gateway to the Narrows (Utah)
Kimberly and I hiked the Lower Emerald Pools Trail and the Gateway to the Narrows Trails in Zion National Park. It was a rainy day so there were many spectacular waterfalls spilling off the cliffs.
October 17: Performance Park (Colorado)
Dave and I head to Performance Park after work for some climbing. We climbed Unknown Route, Hakuna Matata, and Magic Ear Muffs.
October 10: Epic Climbing (Colorado)
Conditions outdoors weren't great, so I climbed at the gym. Luckily I had a partner this time to switch belays.
October 9: Epic Climbing (Colorado)
It was a snowy and wet day. I climbed at Epic Climbing Gym.
October 7: Black Canyon of the Gunnison (Colorado)
Kimberly and I hiked most of the trails on the South Rim of the Black Canyon. It was pretty sunny, in contrast to the rest of the region. The views were spectacular, as always.
October 6: Uncompahgre Peak (Colorado)
Kimberly and I climbed Uncompahgre Peak. It was cold, windy, and a little snow fell, but it wasn't bad for October. After enjoying the views from the summit, we headed down. We drove over to Mill Creek to meet others at the 14ers gathering.
October 2: Lily Lake Trail/Ridge Trail (Colorado) After work, I hiked the Lily Lake and Ridge Trail Loops.
October 1: Lily Lake Trail (Colorado) After work, I hiked the trail around Lily Lake.
SEPTEMBER
September 29: Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
Kim and I hiked the long loop on Cedar Mountain on a pleasant day.
September 28: Toll Memorial (Colorado)
On my way home, I stopped on Trail Ridge for a quick hike up to the Toll Memorial.
September 27: Deer Mountain/Peak 12,355 Trail Ridge (Colorado)
After work, I headed for Deer Mountain. Partway up the mountain, there were just too many elk around and I didn't want to walk through the herd. I then headed for Peak 12,355 on the Trail Ridge and climbed that just after sunset.
September 26: Lily Lake (Colorado)
After work, and just after sunset, I hiked the trail around Lily Lake.
September 23: Mount Ogden (Utah)
On our way back from Boise, Kim and I stopped to climb Mount Ogden. I still hadn't climb that peak, which is a rarity for me in the Wasatch Since we were pressed for time we took the tram part way up and then headed for the summit. It was cool and cloudy, but the weather was good. We took a 4wd track down, but this turned out to be a mistake since we missed the tram by quite a bit and had to climb back up the mountain.
September 21: Waterfall Canyon/Bonneville Shoreline Trail (Utah)
Kimberly and I stopped at the mouth of Taylor Canyon on our way to Boise. We hiked up to the waterfall in Waterfall Canyon. It was a steep and rocky trail, but not too bad. We were going to do the loop up to Malans Peak, but the route is now blocked with a private property sign. We headed back the same way, but did a bigger loop on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail before hitting the road.
September 18: Lily Lake (Colorado)
At sunset I hiked around Lily Lake. There were many ducks and muskrats. I got stuck in a traffic jam of elk on the drive back to Estes.
September 17: Sundance Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Sundance Mountain just before sunset.
September 15: Sand Rocks/Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
In the morning, I walked over the Sand Rocks. In the evening, Kim and I completed the medium loop on Cedar Mountain. We saw one big bull snake and one small one. We saw several rabbits and deer as well.
September 12: Big Thompson Canyon (Colorado)
I met Mike at the mouth of Big Thompson Canyon and we went up canyon a ways to do some climbs. While looking at climbs, I fell off a culvert pipe and injured my hand and leg! Needless to say, we didn't do any climbs, but only scouted some out.
September 11: Devils Backbone (Colorado)
After work, I hiked the loop at Devils Backbone.
September 10: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
At night, I hiked all the trails around Mariana Butte, including the one to the summit. It was a nice night with a pleasant temperature.
September 9: Coyote Ridge (Colorado)
Kim and I hiked to the top of the Coyote Ridge. We saw a few deer and many prairie dogs. It was a nice hike, but a bit warm.
September 7: Twin Sisters (Colorado)
After work, I climbed the Twin Sisters. There were some clouds around, but the weather was good. The views were really nice since there wasn't much smoke in the air.
September 5: Performance Park (Colorado)
In the evening, Derrick and I climbed at Performance Park. There was a 60% chance of rain forecasted, but the weather didn't look that bad. We took turns leading and we both climbed, Magic Ear Muffs, an unknown route, To Infinity and Beyond, and Exit Stage Left. It was a nice evening.
Derrick climbing at Performance Park
September 3: Reid Nelson Draw (Utah)
Josh, my dad, and I scrambled through Reid Nelson Draw in the San Rafael Swell. It was full of water, but only chest deep at the deepest, at least until the confluence of Crawford Draw. After reaching the confluence I swam down canyon alone, but never reached the end of the pool after 50 yards or so, so I swam back and headed back up canyon to meet the others.
We ascended Crawford Draw and hiked cross county back to the vehicles.
September 2: Music Canyon (Utah)
Josh, Mark, Kim, my dad, and I met early in the morning at Green River Utah and then headed for Music Canyon in the San Rafael Swell. This was my 5th trip through the canyon. We made the non-technical section quickly, but it was slow going in the technical section. My dad turns 75 soon and Josh had never rappelled, so we went a little slower than normal. It took us four hours to get through the technical section. We saw one other group.
Conditions were pretty good, but at the mouth of the canyon, there was a huge pool filled with almost waist deep sticky mud which was quite messy. We reached this point in late afternoon and still had 8.5 miles to go! We hiked trough the best part of the Chute of Muddy Creek and along the river to Hidden Splendor, reaching it just before dark. It was good timing.
It was a good trip.
AUGUST
August 29: The Needle (Colorado)
Derrick and I climbed The Needle on Prospect Mountain. It was a good climb, but it was runout for the first part. Derrick was leading. We climbed the standard route and then descended. We also climbed the Uphill Slab as well. Derrick climbed it directly, but I traversed over to the standard route about 1/2 way up.
Derrick on the summit of The Needle
August 28: Emerald Lake (Colorado)
After work, I drove to Rocky Mountain National Park and hiked the trail around Bear Lake before taking the trail to Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake. The lakes got progressively scenic and I ascended. There were many elk on the trail. One mother with calves was being very aggressive.
August 27: Coyote Ridge (Colorado)
After dark, I took the trail up to Coyote Ridge. It was dark before I reached the top. I saw several rabbits, prairie dogs, and deer along the way.
August 22: Duncan Ridge (Colorado)
Derrick and I met at Duncan Ridge for some climbing. We climbed an un-named (?) route, Corner Climb, and Conglomerate Face. It was cloudy and not too hot.
August 19: Middle Oak Creek (Colorado)
Kimberly, Ali, Justin, and I went canyoning in Middle Oak Creek near Ouray. We hiked up to the head of the canyon and dropped in. There was more water than I expected and the water was colder than that of Portland Creek. Kimberly and I also forgot our neoprene socks in the hotel, so our feet got cold.
The rocks and logs were super slippery in the canyon, but it was a nice route. There were 8 rappels, including a new one which used to be a downclimb.
Kimberly in Middle Oak Creek.
August 18: Portland Creek (Colorado)
It had been raining, but Justin, Kimberly, Ali, and I decided to check out Portland Creek. Kimberly decided not to do Lower Portland Creek, but Ali, Justin, and I rappelled down in. The creek rose quite a bit (there are plenty of escapes so we weren't worried too much about getting hit by flash floods), but it wasn't that difficult. It was slightly risky though because there were rocks the size of softballs coming down with the first waterfall. The water was quite strong on the first rap as well. The exit can be dicey when wet, but this time there was a fixed rope, making it easier. After completing lower Portland Creek, we met Kimberly at the bridge and we all did Upper Portland Creek. It was a nice trip.
After canyoning, we went to the hot springs in Ouray and spent a lot of time there.
Portland Creek
August 17: Fall River Pass Peak (Colorado)
On my way home, I stopped and did the quick climb up to Fall River Pass Peak.
August 15: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
At night, I hiked up Mariana Butte in the dark.
August 14: Performance Park (Colorado)
Derrick and I head for Performance Park in Estes Park so we could do some rock climbs. It was raining, but we decided to do the climbs anyway. I lead Hakuna Matata and Rock Climber, while Derrick lead Magic Ear Muffs and Enjoy the Silence. The climbs aren't that hard, but we did them in the rain (sometimes pouring) so everything was slick.
Me leading Hakuna Matata in the rain. The rain made everything slick.
August 11-12: Red Dirt Pass/Peggy Peak (Colorado)
August 11
Kimberly and I headed for the Mount Zirkel Wilderness and hiked up Gold Creek four miles to a meadow before setting up camp. We stayed up late enough to see some of the meteor shower. We saw one really good shooting star and two other smaller ones. A few deer were poking around camp in the evening.
August 12
In the morning, we headed for Red Dirt Pass. There were many bighorn sheep in the vicinity of the pass; perhaps a few dozen of them. Kim was tired so she stopped at the pass while I headed down into Frying Pan Basin and Peggy Peak. I under estimated how long that it would take to get there (the route to the peak was very tedious), so I turned around before reaching the saddle near Peggy Lake. By Colorado standards, Peggy Peak is a pretty hard peak to access. Next time, we'll set aside more time to climb the peak.
August 8: The Thumb (Colorado)
After work, Derrick and I headed for Estes Park to climb. Upon arriving at Performance Park, we saw that they had a concert, so we couldn't climb there. We headed for The Thumb on Prospect Mountain and climbed that. We climbed a 5.6 variation of Descent Route; arriving at the summit just after sunset. We did the climb in four pitches. It was a nice little rock tower.
August 7: Sundance Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Sundance Mountain from Trail Ridge. It was a nice hike, but the views were limited due to wildfire smoke. I saw several marmots near the summit.
August 6: Round Mountain Nature Trail (Colorado)
After work, I hiked the Round Mountain Nature Trail in Big Thompson Canyon. It was dark by the time I finished.
August 5: Grizzly Lake (Colorado)
Kim and I hiked to Grizzly Lake from Buffalo Pass. We drove though a big hailstorm, but the weather was better by the time we did the hike.
August 4: Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
At night, Kim and I hiked the short loop on Cedar Mountain. It was completely dark and we did the hike by headlamp.
JULY
July 29: Little Agnes Mountain (Colorado)
Justin, Kim, and I hiked to Mica Lake and then climbed Little Agnes Mountain. It was a nice hike, but the last part of the route was a bit tedious. The views were somewhat obscured by smoke.
We saw a big bull moose on the trail on the descent. We narrowly missed a bear on the trail to Mica Lake as two other groups told us about it.
July 28: Black Mountain (Colorado)
Kimberly and I climbed Black Mountain. It was a nice hike, but some motorcycles came along the trail and were really ripping up the trail (the trail is closed to motorcycles). This is the second time in a row we saw them on Black Mountain. On our descent, it rained, snowed, and hailed a little.
July 26: Cottontail Crag (Colorado)
Derrick and I headed for Cottontail Crag near Estes Park.
It was harder than expected and after a few attempts, wegave up. All of the harder routes seemedwell protected, but the supposed moderate route didn’t have any protection atall. The rock was really abrasive as well.
July 22: Cedar Mountain (Utah)
Kimberly and I hiked the loop on Cedar Mountain in the morning, including one of the newly constructed trails.
July 15: Fins and Things Slot/North Fork Mill Creek (Utah)
In the morning, Tim Kern, Justin Kuhn, my wife Kimberly, and me met to do Fins and Things Slot Canyon and North Fork Mill Creek. Fins and Things is an OK canyon, and has a real slot, but the real attraction, especially in summer is the North Fork of Mill Creek. The last rappel in Fins and Things is rather annoying and awkward, even though it is short.
There were several waterfalls and pools in the North Fork Mill Creek that makes for a pleasant place to be in summer. We spent a lot of time at the second falls jumping off the falls and sliding down the waterfall. It was very refreshing. We stopped to look at several pictograph and petroglyph panels as well.
July 14: Bull Canyon/Medieval Chamber (Utah)
The original plan was to do Pleiades Canyon, but we changed plans due to the flash flood danger.
In the morning, Tim Kern, Justin Kuhn, my wife Kimberly, and me met to do Bull Canyon north of Moab Saturday. It is a pretty good canyon by Moab standards, but it isn't as good as the canyon in say Escalante, Zion, or Robbers Roost. It was my first technical canyon in the Moab area, but I hadn't been back in several years. The hike across the desert to get to the canyon was hot! Once in the canyon, it was a little cooler and the downclimbs and rappel was enjoyable. To exit the canyon we swam the Colorado River back to the highway. The swim was really refreshing on a hot day and we took life jackets.
In the afternoon we headed for Medieval Chamber, another canyon in the Moab Area. It was a little warm, but extremely hot since there was cloud cover. The rappels were nice and spectacular. Once we were below Morning Glory Arch, there was a gushing spring that we could cool off in. The rest of the hike out was pleasant since we were in and out of the water the whole time.
July 12: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
After work and in the dark, I hiked the trails around Mariana Butte including the one to the summit.
July 11: Marmot Point (Colorado)
After work, I took the short hike to Marmot Point. It was a nice hike, but following a bunch of incredibly slow driving tourist up the Fall River Road was not fun! I did see some marmots though.
July 9: Sandvík (Iceland)
I had a layover in Iceland so took a tour of the Reykjanes Peninsula. We were allowed to set off to do short hikes at Gunnuhver and Sandvík, so I did those. AtSandvík is the plate boundary between the North American Continental Plate and the Eurasian Continental Plate. I did a short hike along the valley and to some interesting rock formations. At Gunnuhver I hiked the short trails to the hot springs and geysers. It was an interesting experience, but it was cold and rainy for most of the time.
Rocks along the Reykjanes Peninsula. It was raining most of the time, but I did get a few photos.
July 7: Romsdalseggen (Norway) Today my dad and I hiked the Romsdalseggen. It's a one way hike, but there is a bus that goes to the trailhead. Since it was foggy up high, we took the lower route. It was still very scenic and we passed a few lakes. By the time we were nearing the last sections of the hike, the weather was mostly clear and the views were spectacular. There was an interesting viewing platform on the descent, but I had to wait for some people who were scared to move off it before I could get on. Once done with the hike, we walked back to the campground.
July 6: Isterdalen (Norway)
My dad and I woke up to rain and cloudy skies, so we decided to hike a lowland trail. From Åndalsnes camping, we walked south along the road to the Isterdalen Trail and hiked that. I saw one deer. The mountain tops were covered with clouds, but it was still a scenic walk past several cascades coming off the mountain. From the end of the trail we walked back to the campground, ate lunch, and then walked into town to see the mountaineering museum. One the hike we saw several long slugs.
Bumblebee on the Isterdalen hike. Since the mountains were covered in clouds, I didn't get many pictures, but I did manage this one of a bumblebee!
July 5: Romsdalshorn (Norway)
Today I did one of my best climbs ever. Originally Kessler and I were going to do this one on our own, but he ended up not being able to come on the trip so I had to get a local guide (Bjorn) as my dad was not up for the climb.
We all rode Bjorn's van to the trailhead and my dad set off towards the pass while Bjorn and I headed for the Romsdalshorn. It looked intimidating from below, but more reasonable as we got closer to the technical wall. It was a spectacular climb and easier than it looked. We took a slightly harder route up the north face (to avoid other parties on the mountain) and the climbing was excellent. We did six pitches of good climbing (up to 5.7) before reaching the summit. The climbing was fun, but never desperate and easy enough that I never thought we were going to fall. Thankfully, there were really nice belay ledges to belay from on the climb.
The views from the summit were really spectacular. The route down was done in six rappels and with the angle they were done at it looked like we were stepping out into space with a void of thousands off feet down below our feet.
It was a really spectacular climb, but I was sad that Kessler couldn't come.
July 4: Troll Wall (Norway)
Today my dad and I hiked to the top of the Troll Wall. We took the bus up to Trollstigen. The bus ride was incredibly spectacular and was perhaps the most scenic bus ride I have been on. From Trollstigen we hiked up the beautiful trail to Stabbeskaret. The first half or so of the trail was really easy, but the last half was on snow and boulders. We had to cross a snowfield and then walked on the snow past several partially frozen lakes before making the final climb up to the pass.
Once we were at the pass the views were incredible and we could look straight down 1431 meters to the valley floor. The drop was completely vertical, at least up high. Once we enjoyed the views we hiked back to Trollstigen and then hitchhiked back to the main highway, where we walked back to the campground.
July 3: Trollstein Loop (Norway) Today we walked around Otta before getting on the train bound for Åndalsnes. The train ride was really spectacular and the scenery was great. We passed right between the Troll Wall and Romsdalshorn. We passed many waterfalls as well.
After the train ride we walked two miles to the campground and cabin. After checking into the campground we hiked the Trollstein Loop around Åndalsnes. It was a great way to get our bearings and to get some nice views of the mountains. We also stopped at the visitor center and watched the Troll Movie, but we didn't have enough time to visit the museum before closing.
July 2: Lomseggen (Norway)
Today my dad and I climbed Lomseggen (1289 meters), the most prominent mountain above the town of Lom. We did a loop hike of two trails. The trail to the summit was really steep, but the views were great and the trail was scenic. We passed an old cabin made for an artist in the 1800's and also saw a pheasant(?) nearby. We really enjoyed the views from the summit before heading down the trail on the north side. That trail was even steeper! It was a spectacular hike though.
On the trail to Lomseggen.
July 1: Galdhopiggen (Norway)
Today my dad and I climbed Galdhopiggen from Juvashytta. We took this route since the guidebook said that it was more pleasant and scenic. From Lom, we rode the bus to the trailhead and since we didn't carry crevasse rescue gear on this trip, signed up at the lodge to join a group to cross the glacier. Safety wise, this was a wise move as the Styggebrean Glacier does indeed have hidden crevasses, but since it was on a weekend and since the weather was completely clear, it was crowded!
Once we were off the glacier, we unroped and scrambled to the summit. The views were really spectacular and we couldn't ask for a better day. It actually felt hot at 2469 meters/8100 feet in Norway!
After enjoying the summit, we climbed back down to the glacier and joined a roped team. One girl, maybe 10 years old or so was afraid to jump the crevasses and wanted us to stop. Because it was so hot, we actually had to wade through knee deep water and slush on the glacier so everyone got very wet!
It was a great climb and after completing the climb we rode the bus back to our campground at Lom.
JUNE
June 30: Lom Loop (Norway)
After rafting the Sjoa River, my dad and I hiked the loop trail around Lom (which we rode the bus and train to). We walked the trail from the campground to the famous nearly 900 year old church and the rest of the hiking trail around town. It went past the waterfall and to an abandoned village.
June 26: Sundance Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I made a quick climb up Sundance Mountain.
June 23: Mount Welba (Colorado)
Justin and I headed for Mount Welba in the Elkheads. It was a nice hike and a deer and elk watched me on the summit while Justin was taking pictures.
June 22: Toll Memorial (Colorado)
After work and on the way home I stopped for a quick hike up to the Toll Memorial on Trail Ridge.
June 21: Performance Park/Big Thompson Canyon (Colorado)
After work I met Derick and we headed for Estes Park and Performance Park. I led Hakuna Matata as a warm up, but then there was a concert starting so we had to leave. We went to go check out some climbs in Big Thompson Canyon. We attempted the route west of Frictionite. I was able to get 20 feet of the ground, but both of us chickened out on leading higher than that.
June 20: Devils Backbone (Colorado)
After work and around sunset, I hiked the wild lopp on Devils Backbone.. I saw one rattlesnake along the way.
June 19: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
After work, I hiked alll the trails at Mariana Butte including the one to the summit.
June 18: Peak 12,355/Trail Ridge (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Peak 12,355 on the Trail Ridge.
June 17: Lookout Peak (Utah)
Kimberly and I climbed Lookout Peak in the Wasatch. We got a later start than we wanted so it was hot, but it was still a nice climb. The views were nice too. After the climb we drove back home to Colorado.
June 15: Sundance Mountain (Colorado)
On my way home from work, I stopped to climb Sundance Mountain. There were a lot of elk around.
June 11: Toll Memorial (Colorado)
After work I hiked to the Toll Memorial in Rocky Mountain National Park.
June 10: Black Mountain (Colorado)
Kimberly and I climbed Black Mountain from the Southeast Ridge. There was much less snow on the trail and on top than there usually is in June. Unfortunately, two motorcycles were also illegally on the trail and really ripping it up.
June 9: Quartzite Peak/Baby Lake Trail (Wyoming)
Kimberly and I climbed Quartzite Peak in the Sierra Madre of Wyoming. The views were great and although the climb is short, few people climb this one. We still had time left so we also hiked part of the Baby Lake Trail on the way home.
Summit of Quartzite Peak
June 8: Fall River Pass Mountain (Colorado)
On my way home I stopped and climbed Fall River Pass Mountain, which is a very short hike.
June 7: Trail Ridge/Peak 12,355
After work, I made a quick climb of Trail Ridge/Peak 12,355 in good weather.
View From Peak 12,355
June 6: Sundance Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Sundance Mountain with good weather.
June 5: Sheep Mountain (Colorado)
After work I hiked up the Round Mountain Trail towards Sheep Mountain. I made it half way, but didn't have time to go to the summit.
June 4: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
At night, I hiked the trails around and up Mariana Butte.
June 3: Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
In the morning, Kim and I hiked the long loop on Cedar Mountain. We saw several antelope from afar.
June 2: East Fork Williams Fork River (Colorado)
Kim and I hiked the East Fork Williams Fork Trail in the Flat Tops. We hiked to just beyond the junction with the Transfer Trail. We were going to take the Transfer Trail back, but the stream was too high to cross, so we returned the same way. There were a lot of bear tracks on the trail, but we didn't see any bears.
Bridge on the East Fork Williams Fork Trail
June 1: Tombstone Ridge (Colorado)
On the way home from Estes Park, I stopped along the Trail Ridge Road to hike Tombstone Ridge. I climbed the highest point on Tombstone Ridge, seeing many marmots and an elk along the way.
MAY
May 31: Devils Backbone (Colorado)
After work, I hiked the Wild Loop on Devils Backbone on a nice evening.
May 30: Duncan's Ridge (Colorado)
After work, I met Derick at Duncan's Ridge and we did several climbs, including two un-named(?) climbs, Apples, and a new climb towards the north end of the cliff.
May 28: Ruple Point (Utah)
Ali, Chad, and I made the beautiful hike to Ruple Point in Dinosaur National Monument. It was a nice day and the weather was great. The views were really impressive, as always.
South Split Mountain as viewed from Ruple Point.
May 27: Millers Creek (Colorado)
Ali, Chad, and I explored Millers Creek in the Skull Creek Basin. Just as we were above ready to give up on the canyon, it dove into a nice narrows. Several other narrows were in the canyon and it turned out to be a really good one with several deep pools, potholes, and narrows. We also rescued a snake in a pothole. There were bear tracks in the upper canyon. It was a real gem of a canyon and probably a first descent. The exit wasn't that bad either.
May 26: Snake Pit/Harpers Corner (Utah)
Ali, Chad, and I met at the Dinosaur Visitor Center to explore a new slot canyon. The approach was pretty long, but not that bad. The canyon was nice, but it was not a classic. The end was really impressive though and had a nice chamber. There was also a neat petroglyph of a snake at the mouth of the slot. The hike back seemed long and it was hot too.
After dinner, we drove to the Harpers Corner Trailhead and hiked to Harpers Corner.
May 25: Fish Creek Falls (Colorado)
Kim and I hiked to Fish Creek Falls and then beyond. Since we had to get home, we didn't make it to the Upper Falls, but it was a nice hike.
May 23: Big Thompson Canyon/Frictionite (Colorado)
Derick and I met at Big Thompson Canyon to do some climbs. We tried a newly established route, and it was a good route, but it was a little tough between the second and third bolts, so we didn't make it. We both tried leading it. After failing on the new climb, we headed for Frictionite. We both tried a few leads before Derick climbed it. We both climbed it a few times before heading home.
May 21: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
In the dark and after work, I hiked the trails around Mariana Butte including the trail to the summit.
May 19: Twin Sisters (Colorado)
Chad and I had planned to go climbing in Eldo today, but it was raining in the morning. When it cleared a little, I headed for Estes Park and attempted Twin Sisters. I turned back in heavy rain, hail, and snow.
May 18: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Mariana Butte and hiked the trails around the butte.
May 17: Prospect Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Prospect Mountain from the south.
Longs Peak and Mount Meeker
May 16: Duncans Ridge (Colorado)
Along with Derrick, I climbed Conglomerate Face, Corner Crack, and an un-named climb.
Duncan's Ridge Climbing
May 15: Coyote Ridge (Colorado)
After work I hiked up to the top of Coyote Ridge. I stopped to watch the prairie dogs for a little bit. It was dark before I got back.
May 14: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
After work and at night, I hiked all the trails around Mariana Butte, including the one to the summit.
May 10: Emerald Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Emerald Mountain near Estes Park. I climbed it from East Portal. It was a nice climb, but I got two ticks on me.
Longs Peak
May 9: Lily Mountain (Colorado)
After work I climbed Lily Mountain. SAR was on the mountain doing a rescue. I made it to the summit and enjoyed the views before heading back down.
View from Lily Mountain
May 8: Lily Lake (Colorado)
I got a late start so only hiked the trail around Lily Lake at sunset.
Lily Lake
May 7: Gem Lake (Colorado)
After work I hiked to Gem Lake near Estes Park. It was a beautiful hike with lots of interesting rock formations. I got back just after dark.
May 6: Jurassic Park (Colorado)
Chad and I met at Lily Lake to go climbing at Jurassic Park near Estes Park. Chad led Your Possible Past on Long Wall (with a detour to the true summit) and Strategery on Dinosaur's Foot. I led Coloradoditty on Big Ass Slab and Byron's Ladder on Left Hand Rock. The rock was fantastic and the climbing good on all routes. The weather was nice as well. Our original plan was to climb the Fin, but we decided not to walk through the snow which was present at the bottom of our planned route.
May 4: Prospect Mountain (Colorado)
After work I climbed Prospect Mountain alone and with good weather.
May 3: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
After work I climbed Mariana Butte and hiked all the trails around the butte. It rained all day and finally cleared around sunset, so that's when I climbed.
May 2: Ascent Studio (Colorado)
It was raining, so after work Derrick and I climbed at the Ascent Studio.
APRIL
April 30: Prospect Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Prospect Mountain from the south.
April 28: Hanging Lake (Colorado)
Justin, Kimberly, and I hiked to Hanging Lake and Spouting Rock. It was a beautiful hike.
April 26: Bobcat Ridge (Colorado)
I did the Valley Loop Trail at Bobcat Ridge on a beautiful evening.
April 25: Horsetooth Mountain/Aggie Peak (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Horsetooth Mountain, my favorite hike in this area. The weather was nice and so were the views. After climbing Horsetooth Mountain, I headed for Aggie Peak near Horsetooth reservoir and climbed that too. It was after dark, but the climb was not long.
Summit of Horsetooth Mountain
April 24: Meadowbrook Natural Area (Colorado)
At night, I hiked the trails at the Meadowbrook Natural Area in Loveland.
April 23: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
At night and after work I climbed Mariana Butte. It was very windy and with light rain, so I just did the short hike to the top.
April 22: First Flatiron (Colorado)
Chad and I met in Boulder to climb the First Flatiron. We planned on climbing Fandango, but we didn’t have a good route description printed. We ended up on Kamikaze Overhangs and the Zig Zag route (or at least a variation of those routes) instead. Chad did most of the leading, but I led a pitch on Zig Zag, but got off route (we didn’t have a route description for this route). I ended up on a long runout section (X rated) that ended on some scary ledges. It was really intimidating. I descended back down to a minor ledge that I could place a little protection on and belayed Chad up. He climbed to the dead-end, pulled a sketchy camp placement I places and then headed right over some easier ledges.
The climb was fun, except for the scary runout moments. One and a half pitches from the top, we hit the much easier North Arete route and followed that to the summit. After that, we rappelled off the backside and hiked down.
Chad high on the Zig Zag route of First Flatiron
April 21: Ascent Studio (Colorado)
It was a very wet snowy day, so after work I went climbing at the Ascent Studio.
April 19: Prospect Mountain (Colorado) After work I climbed Prospect Mountain near Estes Park. I climbed it from the trail on the south side. It was a nice day and the views were great.
Longs Peak from Prospect Mountain.
April 18: Devils Backbone (Colorado)
I hiked the loop Devils Backbone. It was a much nicer day than yesterday and there was only a light breeze.
April 17: Devils Backbone/Morrison Trail (Colorado)
After work I hiked the Morrison Trail and part of the Devils Backbone Trail. I didn’t complete the loop since it was extremely windy and the wind was blowing dirt in my face.
April 16: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
After work and after dark, I hiked all the trails at Mariana Butte, including the trail to the summit.
April 14: Horse Mountain/Little Horse Mountain (Wyoming)
Justin and I went to Wyoming to climb Horse Mountain and Little Horse Mountain near Savery Wyoming. We climbed to the saddle of the two peaks before climbing Horse Mountain first and then Little Horse Mountain second. There was more deer and elk on the two mountains than we had ever seen. It was a cloudy and rather gloomy day, but the views were still nice. I got another two ticks on me by the end of the hike.
Columbus Mountain from Little Horse Mountain.
April 12: Eagle Cliff Mountain (Colorado)
After work I climbed Eagle Cliff Mountain just before an approaching storm. The route was steep, but not difficult. I got back right when the storm hit. At the hotel, I noticed two ticks on me.
Longs Peak from Eagle Cliff Mountain.
April 11: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
After work, I hiked to the top of Mariana Butte.
April 10: Estes Cone (Colorado)
After work, I headed for Estes Cone. The route was almost all on snow, but since the snow was firm, I left the snowshoes behind. I noticed that the headlamp wasn't in my pack, but I thought I could retrace my steps in the dark. I got to the summit just after sunset and I headed back down the mountain. I lost my tracks and Moore Park and was unable to find them. I kept running into waist deep snow as well. I knew that I was not headed the right direction, but rather than try to fight the waist deep snow, I headed east along some drier slopes (still snowy, but not as deep) until I hit the highway. I walked the highway and the Longs Peak access road back to the vehicle. It was about mid-night when I reached the vehicle.
April 9: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
The weather was bad today, so after work I just hiked the trails around Mariana Butte, including the one to the top.
MARCH
March 27: Duncan's Ridge (Colorado)
Some 14ers.com members and I met at Duncan's Ridge for some after work climbing. Various people did various routes. I climbed Oranges, Corner Route, and Face Route.
March 24: Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
I completed the long loop on Cedar Mountain.
March 21: Levada Nova (Madeira/Portugal)
Today Kimberly and I hiked the Levada Nova with a group since it was cheaper and easier to do that than to find transport. It was a nice hike and gave us a good look at rural life in Madeira. After completing the Levada Nova hike, we had the mini-bus drop us (only Kim and I) off at Cabo Girão so we could walk to the cliff and take in the views. The views from this, one of the highest sea cliffs in the world were spectacular. After enjoying the views and walking around, we headed back to Funchal.
Lilies along the Levada Nova
March 20: 25 Fontes (Madeira/Portugal)
Kimberly and I did the hike to 25 Fontes today. It was easier and even cheaper to go with a group, so we just did that. The largest waterfall was very spectacular; one of the best waterfalls that I have seen. We saw several other smaller falls as well. We took the alternate route back through the long and wet tunnel. The tunnel was 800 meters long. It was a great hike.
Looking down valley from near the 25 Fontes.
March 19: Levada do Ferado (Madeira/Portugal)
Today Kimberly and I did the popular hike along the Levada do Ferado between Ribeiro Frio and Portela. We went with a group since it was easier than the bus schedule. It was a nice hike and very easy. There were several waterfalls along the way and we saw several birds as well.
View from the Levada Ferado
March 18: Monte Botanical Gardens (Madeira/Portugal)
It was an easy day today. Kimberly and I went dolphin watching in the morning (we hoped to see whales but didn’t see any this time). In the afternoon we rode the two cable cars to the Botanical Gardens and then walked the trails there. The trail from Monte to the Botanical Gardens was closed, so we only did the trails in the gardens.
March 17: Ribeiro Frio Canyon (Madeira/Portugal)
Today Kimberly and I did the Ribeiro Frio slot canyon in Madeira. We went guided (Discovery Island) since we didn't want to haul all of our gear overseas just for one day of canyoneering. The water was very cold in the canyon, but it was a really good one complete with some real slot sections.
The canyon was a lot of fun and there were several rappels and jumps along the way.
Canyoning Ribeiro Frio Canyon.
March 16: Pico Ruivo (Madeira/Portugal)
After a long day of travel the day before, Kimberly and I got up early and took a taxi to Pico Ariero for our hike over to Pico Ruivo. Once we reached Pico Ariero, it was snowing with freezing rain and very cold and windy. We put on our coats and raingear and headed for Pico Ruivo. We were in the clouds for much of the way, but when the clouds broke at times, the views and scenery was amazing. The mountains in the area are very steep and rugged, but there was a good trail to Pico Ruivo which included several cables, staircases, and tunnels. It was a spectacular hike. It never did rain hard, but we had light rain and high winds for much of the hike.
Once we reached the mountain hut below Pico Ruivo, we took a rest and ate some snacks before heading for the summit of Ruivo. The trees and everything else around the summit of Ruivo were coated in ice, with some snow as well, but we didn’t get any views from the summit. The route was still a spectacular one though.
After enjoying the summit, we decided to head down the trail to Teixeira. We were originally going to hike the trail all the way west to Encumeada, but there wouldn’t have been any views anyway, so we decided not to.
Once at Teixeira (the route down was easier, but less spectacular than the route from Pico Ariero), we caught a ride down to Santana. After checking out Santana, we took a bus back to Funchal. It was a great day.
On route to Pico Ruivo
March 12: Duncan Ridge (Colorado)
Derick and 12ers rule from 14ers.com and I met at the Duncan Ridge Trailhead. It was nice to take advantage of the extra daylight. We climbed on un-named route, Conglomerate Face, and Corner Route. It was some great climbing. My favorite route was the Corner Route.
Me climbing Conglomerate Face.
March 10: Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
Shaylee, Kimberly, and I climbed Cedar Mountain. It was a nice hike, but there was snow and mud to walk through.
March 8: Lily Mountain (Colorado)
After work I climbed Lily Mountain near Estes Park. It was a nice peak with nice views, but the last part of the route was icy.
Longs Peak from the summit of Lily Mountain.
March 7: Duncan Ridge (Colorado)
After work, I met Derick at the Duncan Ridge Trailhead. We hiked to the top of the Duncan Ridge highpoint and then down to the rock climbing areas. We did some nice climbs including some un-named ones and Apples and Oranges. I chickened out near the top of Oranges though.
March 6: Peak 7778 (Colorado)
After work I climbed Peak 7778 in the Big Thompson Canyon area. I wasn’t sure if Sullivan Gulchhad public access (I should have read Lists of John logs before I went), so I climbed a more difficult route from the Crosier Mountain trailhead. After reaching the plateau, I headed crosscountry to the saddle above Sullivan Park and then to the summit. The summit was a nice surprise and wasactually quite interesting, especially the class 3 scramble. I got back right at dark.
From the summit of Peak 7778
March 2: Sneak Canyon (Utah)
After leaving Craig late morning and driving to Utah, Justin, Kessler, and I canyoneered through Sneak Canyon south of Green River. While on the rim of the canyon, Kessler’s helmet blew away and flew all the way to the bottom of the canyon.
The canyon had some avoidable potholes and was nice as always . We used a new exit that uses a technical climbing route out of the canyon. We arrived at the vehicle right at dark.
Justin and Kessler in Sneak Canyon.
March 3: North Fork Robbers Roost Canyon (Utah)
Justin, Kessler, and I canyoneered through the North Fork of Robbers Roost Canyon. Years ago, I had seen the lower half of the canyon, but not the upper, so it was nice to do something new. The first two rappels were awkward, but overall the canyon was quite easy. It was nice and unusual that most of the slot sections had a flat and sandy bottom. There were enough technical sections that made the route interesting.
We went all the way through the canyon and climbed out the crack exit, which requires a bit of technical climbing. The exit crack had sand on many of the technical moves, making the route more difficult. After climbing the strenuous crack, we headed back to the trailhead.
Kessler in North Fork Robbers Roost Canyon
FEBRUARY
February 28: Lion Gulch (Colorado)
After work, I took a hike up Lion Gulch to the homesteads. The trail was quite icy in places. Around sunset, I actually did see a mountain lion near the homesteads, so I guess I know why it's called Lion Gulch! It was chilly and snowed a bit, but it was a nice hike.
February 27: Deer Mountain (Colorado)
After work I climbed Deer Mountain. It was a nice late afternoon/evening hike and the views were great. It was a little windy, but still pleasant.
Mount Ypsilon as viewed from Deer Mountain.
February 26: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
After work and at night I hiked all the trails around Mariana Butte, including the trail to the summit. It was long after sunset, but the moon was bright and I didn’t need a headlamp. Hiking at night also had the advantage of having all the mud frozen!
February 25: Old Town Hot Springs (Colorado)
Shaylee, Kim, and I climbed or attempted the climbing wall at the Old Town Hot Springs.
February 22: Ascent Studio (Colorado)
Two friends and I met at the Ascent Studio in Fort Collins to do some climbing. It was a fun night.
February 19: Kegger Slot (Utah)
Shaylee, Justin, and I explored a new slot in the Keg Springs area south of Green River. Two of my brothers and I found it on December 26 1996, but I hadn't been back since (mostly because we knew it was short).
We found and explored the slot. There were two really good slots in the drainage. After reaching a big falls, we followed the rim to an old and historic sheep trail that my brothers and I found in 1996. We hiked up to the area around the falls, but there was a lot of bushwhacking.
It snowed a little and the wind was quite nasty at times.
February 18: Bell/Little Wildhorse Canyon/Wildhorse Window (Utah)
Shaylee, Justin, and I hiked up Bell Canyon and down Little Wildhorse Canyon. We took the more scenic, but more rugged shortcut through a notch and down a side canyon of Little Wildhorse. It was a nice hike, but the narrows weren't quite as impressive as the slanted slot in West Fork White Roost. We had to stem across several pools. I was able to stay dry other than dipping the bottom of my shoe in one pool, but the others got wet.
After hiking Bell and Little Wildhorse, we headed for the Wildhorse Window, which is a big potty arch. It was really windy and the blowing sand was unpleasant at times.
February 17: West Fork White Roost Canyon (Utah)
After driving down from Craig in the morning, Shaylee, Justin, and I went through the West Fork of White Roost Canyon. I wanted to do this one since I hadn't done it yet. The upper end is interesting and has some interesting downclimbs and rappels, but the best part is the slanted slot below that. It is very deep, dark, and impressive. It was a lot of fun too.
After getting through the slanted slot, we headed down canyon and then hiked up the East Fork of White Roost to where another group was coming down that canyon. After chatting with them a bit, we hiked down canyon to the horse trail and then out.
West Fork White Roost Canyon
February 15: Triangle Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Triangle Mountain. The false summit before the true summit was sketchy because there were ice covered rocks and I was still wearing my steel toed work shoes. The rest of the climb was fine.
Summit
February 14: Reservoir Trails/Rock Climbing Areas (Colorado)
I was going to climb Peak 5773 near Horsetooth Reservoir, but the trail was closed due to mud. Since the gate was a little down the trail, I didn’t notice this until I had already paid my $7.
Instead, I hiked the trail down to the reservoir and checked out the rock climbing areas. I also stopped at the trailhead to the south to check out the rock climbing area around Piano Boulder.
February 13: Waterfall/Timber Trail/Well Gulch/Valley Trail (Colorado)
After work, I had to go to Fort Collins to pick up a part for my work truck. Since I was in Fort Collins anyway, I drove to the Reservoir Ridge Trails since the website said that they were open. They weren’t so I headed to Lory State Park.
I hiked the Waterfall Trail before making a loop of the Timber Trail, Well Gulch Trail, and Valley Trail. It was a nice hike, but there was lots of mud in places. Half of the trail had better conditions. I saw several deer as well.
Waterfall
February 12: Ascent Studio (Colorado)
I had to be in Fort Collins anyway and the weather was bad, so I did some indoor climbing.
February 7: Knapps Knob/Crosier Mountain (Coloroado)
Today after work I hiked up Knapps Knob and Crosier Mountain. There wasn’t that much snow around, but there was some snow and mud. The views were nice and it was a very quiet hike.
February 6: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
Today after work, I planned to hike the Devils Backbone Trail, but it was closed due to mud and I went over to Mariana Butte and hiked all the trails there, including the trail to the top. It was a nice hike.
February 3: Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
Kimberly and I climbed Cedar Mountain today. It was muddy and snowy in places, but snowshoes were not needed. This is the least amount of snow I have ever seen on the mountain this time of year.
JANUARY
January 31: Mariana Butte (Colorado)
At sunset and after work, I hiked all the trails around Mariana Butte and then hiked the trail to the summit. I saw several deer along the trail and then several elk on the golf course. It was cold and windy due to an approaching storm.
Mariana Butte
January 30: Spring Creek Trail/Coyote Ridge (Colorado)
I had to get my truck fixed in Fort Collins, so I hoped to hike some of the trails in the Pineridge Natural Area, but they were closed due to mud. Instead I hiked the paved Spring Creek Trail and then the Coyote Ridge Trail to the ridge. I stopped to watch the entertaining prairie dogs for a while.
January 29: Devils Backbone (Colorado)
After work, I hiked the loop on Devils Backbone. There wasn't much snow on the trail and it was a nice day.
Devils Backbone
January 28: Chamber of the Basilisk/Goblins Lair (Utah)
After getting a flat tire fixed in Hanksville, Shaylee, Keith, and I did the canyoneering route through the Chamber of the Basilisk/Goblins Lair. As usual, it was great.
January 27: Angel Slot (Utah)
After leaving very early in the morning and driving to Utah, Shaylee and I met Keith at the trailhead and we all did Angel Slot near Hanksville. It was a really spectacular slot canyon; better than expected. It was easy except for the last downclimb. I downclimbed it about 2/3 of the way, but it was hard after than and I slipped on the last part, getting scraped up in the process. After exiting the slot, we made our way down to Beaver Canyon and then hiked along the Dirty Devil River to Angel Cove Spring. We relaxed a bit before heading back out.
January 26: Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area (Colorado)
After work, I did a hike along the trail at the Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area. It was paved, so there was no snow to walk through. I saw one coyote eyeing a colony of prairie dogs.
January 25: Horsetooth Falls Loop (Colorado)
I still hadn't done the Horsetooth Falls loop, so I hiked it today after work. It was a nice hike and most the trail was snow and ice covered.
January 23: Knapps Knob (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Knapps Knob in the snow. The views were great, but I still don't have a camera. Because of the snow and lack of snow equipment, I didn't continue on to Crosier Mountain.
January 22: Coyote Ridge (Colorado)
After work, I did a hike up Coyote Ridge. I turned around at the high point of the trail. It was a nice day, but the trail was snow and ice covered. The prairie dog colonies were interesting and I saw same small rabbits as well.
January 20: Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
It was a snowy day, but Kimberly and I completed the short loop on Cedar Mountain. There was a thin layer of snow over a layer of ice, so it was slippery in places.
January 16: Devils Backbone (Colorado)
After work, I hiked the Wild Loop on the Devils Backbone. There was snow and ice on the trail, but it wasn't bad. It was a bit chilly after the sun went down.
January 14: Greyrock Mountain/Peak 7180 (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Greyrock Mountain. Unfortunately, my camera was dead so I didn’t get any photos of the beautiful peak. I went up the Greyrock Mountain Trail and climbed The Crest along the way. After enjoying the summit (It was windy, but sunny), I headed back down. I took the Greyrock Meadows Trail down, completing a loop and climbing Peak 7180 along the way. I also helped two girls who kept losing the trail.
It was a beautiful hike and there was only a little snow and ice. There were lots of other people climbing the mountain as well.
January 13: Crosier Mountain (Colorado)
I got off work a little earlier, so I planned to climb Crosier Mountain and East Crosier since I hadn't done that one yet. About half way up Crosier, I noticed that I left the water bottle! I decided to go up anyway, but I ate a few handfuls of snow. The camera was also dead, so that was a disappointment as I wanted to get some photos from the summit with some light left (the summit was reached in the dark the previous two nights).
I reached the summit after sunset, but before dark and the sunset colors were still there. I decided not to do East Crosier since it looked far away and since I didn't have any water. The route looked like it would be pretty rugged in the dark too.
I walked down the trail to a saddle and then climbed Point 8430. It was probably good that I didn't climb East Crosier since I was tired by the time I reached the vehicle and it was well after dark.
January 12: Crosier Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I again climbed Crosier Mountain. I had a later start, so much of the climb was done in the dark. There was a skiff of fresh snow, but it wasn't a problem.
January 11: Knapps Knob/Crosier Mountain (Colorado)
After work, I climbed Knapps Knob and then Crosier Mountain. I was able to reach the summit of Knapps Knob before sunset, but it was well after dark before I reached the summit of Crosier.
It was a nice hike, but a long one to do after work. I saw a fox in the dark on the way down, but it took me a few seconds to figure out what it was.
January 10: Devils Backbone (Colorado)
I am working day shift now and went for a hike of Devils Backbone after work. I was worried about getting locked in the gate since it supposedly closes at sunset, so I hurried and finished the loop as fast as I could!
January 8: Cedar Mountain (Colorado)
Today I climbed Cedar Mountain, completing the shorter loop. There was snow and some slippery ice, but snowshoes were not needed, which is very unusual for January. I saw several deer and some elk tracks.
January 6: Indian Lookout Mountain (Colorado)
Today between shifts, I climbed Indian Lookout Mountain near Lyons. I started at the Antelope Trailhead and hiked up to the junction before heading cross country to the peak. The route was OK, but there was some bushwhacking. I eventually reached the base of the summit block and found a 5.2 route up on the southeast side. Once above the cliff band, I made my way to the summit.
From the summit, I noticed a cairned route heading north. I followed this route for a little while, but I was not sure if it headed back to the trailhead I was parked at so I bushwhacked east and found an easier way through the cliff band. There was more bushwhacking though. I made my way back to the junction and then back to the trailhead. I saw several deer along the way.
January 5: Coyote Ridge (Colorado)
Today and between shifts, I hiked up to the highpoint of Coyote Ridge. There was a nice trail to the ridge, but after that the route to the highest point took longer than expected since there was some mud (and snow, but it wasn't much of a hindrance) and minor bushwhacking. The peak isn't quite ranked, but had nice views.
Along the trail, I saw several of the big prairie dogs and a rabbit.
January 4: Horsetooth Mountain (Colorado)
Today I climbed Horsetooth Mountain between shifts, making a loop hike. Conditions were icy in places, but not too bad. It was a beautiful sunny winter day.
January 3: Green Ridge/Bobcat Ridge (Colorado)
Between shifts (I am working nights), I hiked the Green and Bobcat Ridges near Loveland. I went up the Ginny Trail and down the Powerline Trail, while taking the side trip to the high point of the ridge. There was some snow around, but not that much.
While it was a nice hike, it was too long (10+ miles) to do between shifts and I should have slept more instead. I saw several elk along the way.
January 1: Angels Landing (Utah)
Today Kimberly, Kessler, Shaylee, and I climbed Angels Landing in Zion National Park. It was a perfect day and the temperature was perfect. As always, the climb was very scenic. It was a great way to start off the New Year!
Accumulated Totals and Goals
Accumulated Totals for 2018:
Days that I went hiking or climbing: 198
Summits Climbed: 113
Summits Attempted: 117
Rock Towers/Technical Buttes Climbed: 5
Rock Towers/Technical Buttes Attempted: 6
Technical Rock or Ice Routes Climbed: 50
Technical Rock or Ice Routes Attempted: 52
Technical Canyons Completed: 16
Technical Canyons Attempted: 16
Overseas Climbs: 10
Goals for 2018:
Days to spend hiking or climbing: 150
Summits: 100
Rock Towers: 5
Technical Rock or Ice Routes: 25
Technical Canyons: 20
Elevations
Highest Elevation Reached
14,314 feet (4363 meters) on Uncompahgre Peak (Colorado); October 6.
Highest Elevation Reached in USA
14,314 feet (4363 meters) on Uncompahgre Peak (Colorado); October 6.
Highest Sleeping Altitude
11,500 feet (3505 meters) at Resolution Mountain (Colorado); December 8-9.
Highest Sleeping Altitude in USA
11,500 feet (3505 meters) at Resolution Mountain (Colorado); December 8-9.
Highest Elevation Climbed To By Month
Month
Feet
Meters
JAN
9250
2919
FEB
10,013
3052
MAR
9786
2983
APR
11,006
3355
MAY
9800
2987
JUN
12,466
3800
JUL
11,909
3630
AUG
12,466
3800
SEP
12,466
3800
OCT
14,314
4363
NOV
10,120
3085
DEC
11,805
3598
Highest Outdoors Sleeping Altitude by Month
Month
Feet (USA)
Meters (USA)
Feet (World)
Meters (World)
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
1253
382
JUL
1253
382
AUG
9860
3005
9860
3005
SEP
6535
1992
6535
1992
OCT
NOV
DEC
11,500
3505
11,500
3505
Personal Records Set
December 26
Highest ascent in Bonaire, St Eustatius, and Saba; 2910 feet (877 meters) on Mount Scenery. The previous record was 791 feet (241 meters) on Mount Brandaris on December 2 2016 on Mount Brandaris.
December 25
Highest ascent in Saint Martin/France; 1391 feet (424 meters) on Pic Paradis.
December 25
Highest ascent in Sint Maarten; 1253 feet (382 meters) on Mont Flagstaff.
October 6
Highest October ascent; 14,314 feet (4363 meters) on Uncompahgre Peak (Colorado). The previous October record was 14,270 feet (4349 meters) on October 31 2015 at Quandary Peak.
July 1
Highest ascent in Norway; 8100 feet (2469 meters) on Galdhopiggen.
June 9
Highest June ascent in Wyoming; 9863 feet (3006 meters) on Quartzite Peak.
April 14
Highest April ascent in Wyoming; 8025 feet (2446 meters) on Horse Mountain.
March 16
Highest ascent in Portugal; 6106 feet (1861 meters) on Pico Ruivo.
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