To Do in 2015

WasatchWill said:
Having not been down Spring Canyon myself, I have to question how reliable are any water sources in Lower Spring Canyon? Google Satellite makes it look like there's a good flowing spring about half way down but park literature says the most reliable spring is in upper Spring Canyon. Another question is how solid is the bypass trail around the narrows in Lower Spring?

Anyone else keen?

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Sounds like fun. Depending on the dates, I would love to join you for this.
 
There is an elegant loop hike I have been looking at for a while on Cedar Mesa, I would like to explore as much of the mesa top as possible, dipping into the canyons only for water, a food cache or 2. I have to figure out how to do it without signing up or reserving anything with the authorities. Hard to do but not impossible.
There are a few loop hikes in Dominguez Canyon (near Grand Junction) I am going to do, exploring the upper sections of both canyons.
 
Nick said:
Congrats, Andy! Sounds like you better get hiking! :)
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Thanks. We planned it so I would still have the best part of the summer to backpack. That was the stipulation of having another, that I could still get my backpacking in this summer. I'll pretty much be going every weekend in July-August.
 
1) Fly fishing/backpacking trip with my dad in Shenandoah Nat'l Park
2) Backpacking trip to Zion (Planning on Zion Traverse + Narrows hike in May!!)
3) Not a backpacking goal, but I want to go bird hunting for the first time this year and eat something I've successfully shot.
 
I anticipate doing 80% of these.

Jan
16-18 Bluff balloon fest
30-31 5th Water Hot Springs

Feb
13-16 TBD
20-21 Mt Bike St. George
27-28 Bone cave (AF Canyon)

March
6-7 Antelope Island (MTB, hiking, overnighter)
12-16 Mountain Biking the White Rim Trail
26-29 Maze District (by raft/kayak)

April
2-5 Escalante/Hole in the Rock Trail (not road) backpacking
10-11 Upper Muley Twist - Capitol Reef NP
17-19 Zion Traverse
24-25 Notch Peak Delta

May
1-3 Moab River Trip (Colorado or Green)
25 - Salt Creek in the Needles
30 - San Rafael Swell River (depending on flow rates, we only get a 4 day window)

June
Havasupai - Davy to plan and pick dates
5-7 Great Basin NP & Goshute Caves
11-15 Yosemite - Half Dome (if we get a permit). Shooting for mid June
26-28 Escalante/Boulder

July
4 - Float the Provo River
14 Packraft/Float the Escalante River (we have to keep an eye on the levels to catch it at the right time)
9-12 Packraft/Hike Tetons & Yellowstone area
24-25 Lone Peak, Pfeiferhorn, Hardy, and maybe Bells
31-A 1 - Dry Creek to AF Canyon

Aug
J31 - 1 Dry Creek to AF Canyon
14-20 Oregon & Nor Cal bike/camping/redwoods trip
28-29 Uintas

September
4-13 Backpacking 90 miles in the Wind River Range
25-26 Pittsburgh Lake or Silver Lake or Uintas

Oct
2-3 paddle lake powell
15-18 Blanding - Bear's Ears, Natural Bridges

Nov
6-7 Thunder Mountain mountain bike

Dec
11-12 Limber Flat Yurt
 
steve said:
14 Packraft/Float the Escalante River (we have to keep an eye on the levels to catch it at the right time)
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I think the peak on that is usually in the May/June timeframe. Maybe even April depending on the year, but July seems way late. I've been thinking about it too though. It could be particularly cool to ride it all the way into the lake to get picked up instead of hiking out at Crack.
 
Nick said:
I think the peak on that is usually in the May/June timeframe. Maybe even April depending on the year, but July seems way late. I've been thinking about it too though. It could be particularly cool to ride it all the way into the lake to get picked up instead of hiking out at Crack.
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Good catch, thanks. I checked the flow rates and the highest flow was in July. Now I realize that was probably a flash flood due to monsoons. I'd love to float that with ya when the time comes.
 
steve said:
I anticipate doing 80% of these.

Jan
16-18 Bluff balloon fest
30-31 5th Water Hot Springs

Feb
13-16 TBD
20-21 Mt Bike St. George
27-28 Bone cave (AF Canyon)

March
6-7 Antelope Island (MTB, hiking, overnighter)
12-16 Mountain Biking the White Rim Trail
26-29 Maze District (by raft/kayak)

April
2-5 Escalante/Hole in the Rock Trail (not road) backpacking
10-11 Upper Muley Twist - Capitol Reef NP
17-19 Zion Traverse
24-25 Notch Peak Delta

May
1-3 Moab River Trip (Colorado or Green)
25 - Salt Creek in the Needles
30 - San Rafael Swell River (depending on flow rates, we only get a 4 day window)

June
Havasupai - Davy to plan and pick dates
5-7 Great Basin NP & Goshute Caves
11-15 Yosemite - Half Dome (if we get a permit). Shooting for mid June
26-28 Escalante/Boulder

July
4 - Float the Provo River
14 Packraft/Float the Escalante River (we have to keep an eye on the levels to catch it at the right time)
9-12 Packraft/Hike Tetons & Yellowstone area
24-25 Lone Peak, Pfeiferhorn, Hardy, and maybe Bells
31-A 1 - Dry Creek to AF Canyon

Aug
J31 - 1 Dry Creek to AF Canyon
14-20 Oregon & Nor Cal bike/camping/redwoods trip
28-29 Uintas

September
4-13 Backpacking 90 miles in the Wind River Range
25-26 Pittsburgh Lake or Silver Lake or Uintas

Oct
2-3 paddle lake powell
15-18 Blanding - Bear's Ears, Natural Bridges

Nov
6-7 Thunder Mountain mountain bike

Dec
11-12 Limber Flat Yurt
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That's quite the list, Steve! Even if you only get 80% done, that will be awesome! If you make it down to Capitol Reef for Muley Twist on your April dates, we'll have to meet up for dinner on the 11th or something. That's when I plan to finish my loop on the other side of the park. Though, if weather is too threatening that Thursday, do you mind if I make it a contingency to join you all on the run up UMT?

And for the Wind River Trip...Will you be doing something along the Highline/Fremont route from Green River Lakes down to the Cirque? That's something on my list, but wasn't thinking I could get to it until next year at the soonest. Variations of the route, this or this, have me salivating. If you all end up doing something similar to such a route, it may be too tempting for me not to see if I could request some additional vacation days for the year and permission from my wife to tag along and even help to be a shuttle if needed.
 
i don't have many details sorted out yet on many of my trips, that'll come as it gets closer.
 
I'm not sure if I'll be up for the Escalante float this year. Maybe I'll get lucky though. Over the past few days I've just broken through a 'wall' in my knee recovery to the point that I now am starting to feel very confident in my ability to backpack significant distances this year. Time to start planning. I only wish my friends were as receptive to locking in dates as yours are, @steve! I'm like you and like to plan everything out early, but most people I usually go with seem to find that annoying or something and prefer to wait until it's a few weeks out. :confused:
 
you've got me beat. My friends don't RSVP 'till 2 hours before we leave. :)
 
if the San Rafael is doable again, I will definitely join you again. @steve

Other than that my year is planned for most parts. Nothing yet for Thanksgiving and December, but my summer is completely planned with lots of solo trips. A lot of first time trips to some parks for a lot of photography
 
I'll just post this to publicly shame myself if I fail to accomplish my goals :)

Major (week-long) backpacks -

Hayduke Trail sections 2-3 (Hurrah Pass-Hite, UT) - 125 miles
A week in the Winds (route and mileage as yet unknown)
Hundred Mile Wilderness (ME) - 115 miles
Hayduke Trail sections 5-6 (Poison Springs Canyon - Crack-in-the-Wall UT) - 125 miles

Minor (long weekend) backpacks -

Lower Grand Culch (Collins TH-San Juan River) - 35 miles
Ruby Crest Trail - 40 miles
Delano Peak Loop - 33 miles, maybe more if USFS maps are lying to me

Cumulative Goals -

500 trail miles
50 sleeping bag nights
At least one backpacking trip every single month

Doable? We'll see!
 
Jealous! I've got a couple boats you're welcome to borrow if you need them.
 
I just got a new job so my vacation time is limited this year. The two trips that I do have planned for sure though is a week in the winds and a three nighter up to kings peak.
 
trasmuson3 said:
I just got a new job so my vacation time is limited this year. The two trips that I do have planned for sure though is a week in the winds and a three nighter up to kings peak.
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Two great ways to spend time off. When do you think you'll be doing them?
 
LarryBoy said:
I'll just post this to publicly shame myself if I fail to accomplish my goals :)

Major (week-long) backpacks -

Hayduke Trail sections 2-3 (Hurrah Pass-Hite, UT) - 125 miles
A week in the Winds (route and mileage as yet unknown)
Hundred Mile Wilderness (ME) - 115 miles
Hayduke Trail sections 5-6 (Poison Springs Canyon - Crack-in-the-Wall UT) - 125 miles
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Wow, once wasn't enough for you on the hundred mile wilderness? Or do other trails go through there besides the AT?
 
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