To Do in 2016

[LarryBoy]

Major (week-long) trips
Hayduke Trail Sections 5&6 (Hanksville-Hole-in-the-Rock Road)
Beartooths Traverse (east-west)

Minor (weekend) trips
Ruby Crest Trail
Little Death Hollow
Hayduke Trail Section 1 (Arches-Moab)


Other Random Goals
Take an avalanche safety course
Jackson Hole ski trip
Assist skiers with disabilities through NAC
Sleep in a snow cave at least once
Get above 10,000 feet at least 9 months out of the year
Get in 40 sleeping bag nights and 500 trail miles
Finally see a bear
Lead at least one trip for first-time backpackers


The back burner (stuff I'm contemplating but am not ready to commit to)
Collegiate Loop (CT-CDT)
Hayduke Trail sections 7-8 (Hole-in-the-Rock Road - Willis Creek)
Delano Peak Loop
Middle Grand Gulch (Bullet Canyon-Collins Spring Canyon)
Slickhorn/Lookout Canyon loop



My time will be a lot more limited this year, probably not hitting the 50-day mark for bag nights. If I complete my two major trips and three minor trips, as well as my random goals, I'll be happy. I anticipate doing some, but not all of the back burner stuff, and I'm sure that more things will pop up as they hit my radar during the year. We seriously need to come up with a comprehensive list of winter-friendly backpacking destinations in Utah.

 

[balzaccom]

That's a nice list!

We've got a couple of plans ourselves:

Weeklong trips
Cathedral range in Yosemite
Cloud Canyon in SEKI

Minor trips:
Death Valley this spring
Duzy Basin
A bunch of short fishing trips in the Emigrant Wilderness

Other Random Goals
Finish the changes for the third edition of my wine marketing book
Write the final version of my artisan food production marketing book
Finish phasing out my day-to-day responsibilities where I work

Backburner...
Way too many to mention or list here!

 

[Jeremy C]

Your trips are looking pretty sweet, I just started planning some jaunts myself for 2016, most are entirely dependant on our work based environment and whether we have the funds going forward.

Major
May - Dinosaur Provincial Park
June - Jasper National Park + Icefields parkway (multiple homebase camps for multi day excursions)
August - Waterton National Park
September - Grasslands National Park (east park)

Minor
Sheep River Valley in K-country
Writing on Stone PP
Dry Island Buffalo Jump
Elk Island PP
Mt. Assiniboine
Rockwall/Floe Lake

Random Goals
Take Wildlife CPR Certification
Try and regain some of my lost time from the office
Take my wife on some of my solo-trips
Celebrate my 10 year anniversary with my wife in style (haven't figured that one out yet hehe)
Continue working on my "From the Burnished HIlls" Photo project on the badlands of Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan

 

[Blake Merrell]

Major trips

• Backpack in the Uinta's with 1yo old son
• Southern Wind Rivers Loop
• Canyoneering in Hawaii
• Kayak Lake Powell with Scouts
• Zion Traverse
• Canyoneering in Ouray
• Staff Scout Timberline Course

Minor trips

• X-country ski in the Uinta's
• Take Scouts Canyoneering
• Visit Jackson Hole/Island Park with Family
• Hike to Observation Point with Family

Other Random Goals

• Ski Sundance a few times
• Hike some of my local peaks
• Go on as many hikes with family as possible

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

I have only ONE goal for this upcoming year. To become a single season ADK 46er. So if you're looking for me, you know where to find me.

Other than that, my only other confirmed plans are:
April 16-21 - The Needles, CNP
April 22-29 - The Maze, CNP
August - Acadia NP and Cutler Coast Trail with my wife.

 

[Udink]

I've been keeping a piece of paper near my computer and jotting down any trip plans that come to mind. Here it is so far (with one top-secret trip redacted)...

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Permits for the year have been rolling in this month for the first part of the year... Coyote Buttes North, Canyonlands- Maze, Cedar Mesa, Indian Peaks Wilderness. Should be a good year

 

[slc_dan]

After a monumental 2015, having my first kid in 2016 will mean a drastic reduction in bag nights.

Still!

I'd like to climb a technical route in the Winds, or Lone Peak this summer. I'd love to take my little infant on a car camp this summer (we're due in May). I'd like to have another jaunt in the Upper Paria region this fall.

 

[slc_dan]

I have only ONE goal for this upcoming year. To become a single season ADK 46er. So if you're looking for me, you know where to find me.

Other than that, my only other confirmed plans are:
April 16-21 - The Needles, CNP
April 22-29 - The Maze, CNP
August - Acadia NP and Cutler Coast Trail with my wife.

looked up what a 46er is. Add all those up and you almost get a real summit!

 

[kimbur96]

Limited time off due to a new job means only two trips this year:
5/28-6/4 Upper Priest Lake, ID backpacking (also visiting family near by)
9/17-9/24 Virginia section of AT


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

looked up what a 46er is. Add all those up and you almost get a real summit!

When I hiked Timp in your backyard that was 4,300' elevation gain to hit a 12k ft summit.. My last overnight in the ADK's climbed over 6k ft on my first day. Our trailheads aren't two-thirds of the way up from sea level... Just sayin



I'd love to get @ram's opinion on what he thinks is tougher going between the Wasatch and the ADK high peaks. I've only hiked in northern UT once so I wouldn't know.

 

[Jen]

thanks for the inspiration to trip plan, everyone! i am super excited to be hitting up the PNW for the first time this spring. i'll be in Bellingham from march-mid may and cannot wait to see the area! Any and all suggestions are appreciated! @Nick suggested this which lloks absolutely amazing. i'm glad i waterproofed the boots recently. i'm looking forward to backcountry skiing near mt baker, heading up into BC a bit, and checking out olympic national park for the first time.

@slc_dan i'm with you as i'd like to do a technical tour of the winds this year as well, but we'll see how that works out. honestly i just don't want to have to carry that gear in with my knees being such crap, but arts's suggestions of hiring horses to pack it all in sounds pretty fantastic.
Also, here's to my first season of packrafting!!! once it is warmer....and i miss the utah desert so much. definitely some beautiful trips down there.
i started travel nursing this year and so far it is working out rather well: i'm camped out in Leadville , CO right now learning how to ski. my biggest decision, really, is going to be to where to apply for jobs to keep the adventures rolling. it's a tough life debating between pursuing a summer in alaska or california, but maybe i should set some trip goals and plan around those. i am pretty crap at applying for permits... regardless, i'll be getting in plenty of bag nights this year i do know that i'll be back in colorado towards the end of may if anyone is interested in spring skiing some in the collegiates/sangres.

keep posting your goals to get me motivated to make mine!!!!!

 

[BJett]

March - Big South Fork NRRA backpack overnighter with friends and dogs in TN/KY
April - Short trips around the southeast...ww kayaking/hiking/rock climbing around the Red River Gorge and Obed area
May - 2-3 weeks in southern Utah. I want to explore the lower Escalante Canyons by packraft/backpack...connecting Davis Gulch and Fiftymile as a loop for a 5-6 day trip. Hope to add Willow Gulch/40 mile as an overnighter. Death Hollow is always on the agenda.
June/July - Mexico...hot yoga teacher training for 4 weeks...beach time
August/September - Linville Gorge Wilderness backpack in NC, Cumberland Gap NHP in KY...trips to get in shape for...
October - Grand Canyon backpack. North Bass Trail, assuming I get a permit. 6 days.
November - rest
December - 3 weeks on Costa Rica. Pura Vida.

 

[Absarokanaut]

Years ago I did a fair share of Mountaineering. The worst conditions I ever faced were not around 20k, they were going up just over 5k Algonquin the first week of May. The white out came from every direction and didn't let up for hours.

Despite the inane claim the Adirondack Park is in reality nowhere near the largest tract of public land in the 48; however the area is a global gem that inspired some of the greatest conservation this planet has ever known. Without that great history many of the truly spectacular landscape treasures of the American West and beyond would have been swallowed up by the special interests those mensa rejects in Oregon want to give control to now. Praise be the Adirondacks and all glorious deciduous paradise.

I am fat so have not been an active backpacker for several years. After seeing the Dunanada Falls thread I really want to get back there as a warmup for getting back to the head of the Yellowstone on the Divide Crest.

There were of course lots of day hikes I didn't get to last year. In the Absaroka '15 was the first year in ages I didn't do Castle Rock. In YNP if I'm in decent shape later season I'll take on Mt. Holmes as a day for the first time in 30 years. About the same time for Electric Peak too. In GTNP I didn't make Lake Taminah in '15 either.

All you ambitious folks have a joyous, rewarding, safe summer.

 

[DrNed]

March - Canyonlands - 1 Night
April - Mountain Bike Little Wild Horse Road from Goblin Valley to Factory Butte & Back - 2 Nights
May - Mountain Bike 5 Mile Pass - 1 Night
June - Mountain Bike White Rim Trail, Canyonlands NP - 5 Nights
July - Uintas - Clyde Lake Loop - 1 Night
July - 50 Mile BP in Uintas - 5 Nights
September - Fillmore Lava Tubes - 1 Night
October - Moab? - 1 Night

I've done 10-15 nights fairly consistently over the last few years. If I actually end up getting all these
it will be my most bag nights ever.

 

[WasatchWill]

Finally penciled in on my calendar...

Major:
Zion Traverse (March - 3 nights)
Bluff & Cedar Mesa area, family camping (April - 2 nights)
Capitol Reef with wife (April - 2 nights)*
Owl & Fish Creek w/ day hike out to McLoyd/Moonhouse if permit can be obtained (May - 1 to 2 nights)**
Kings Peak & Red Castle or Tetons & Alaska Basin (June/July - 2 to 3 nights)
Uinta Highline Trail (August - 7 nights)**
Coyote Gulch (October - 2 nights)*

Minor:
Antelope Island, family camping (May - 1 night)
Father-Son campout (May - 1 night)
Grove Creek-Battle Creek (June - 1 night)*
Ruth/Hayden/Naomi Lake (June - 1 night)*
Clyde Lake Loop (June -1 night)*
Lake Hardy (July - 1 night)*
Timp (August - 1 night)*
Deseret Peak (September - 1 night)
Meadow Springs & Tabernacle Hill, family camping (September - 1 night)


*Repeat trips, local favorites, and/or daddy-daughter trips

**Contingencies for this year or back burner for next year:
Little Death Hollow - Wolverine Canyon & Upper Muley Twist (2 nights)
Wind Rivers , Elkhorn/Titcomb to CoT/Big Sandy (4 to 5 nights)

 

[Outdoor_Fool]

This is a great thread. I like to see and continue to be inspired by others' plans.

As for myself:
Take kids for 1st backpack (in Talkeetna Mtns).
Take kids for 2nd backpack (in Brooks Range).
Take kids for 3rd backpack (in White Mountains).
Raft a new river.
Raft the Gulkana & the Chulitna Rivers.
Spend at least 1 night out each month.
N-S Traverse of Tetons.
Trek up on Pitchstone Plateau & take out @ Biscuit Basin TH.
Ride bicycle across Denali Hwy.
Take motorcycle to the Yukon & backpack in Kluane area.
Take son moose hunting and actually bring home a moose. Yum-m-m-m, moose.
Take WFR course.

If I complete 7-8 of these "chores", I'll consider it a great year. Life is so tough.

 

[Yvonne]

Finally I could think about some plans for this year. All plans are tentative and depend if my knee holds up for another season. At the moment I'm confident and hope to realize a few of these trips.

March: Spring Break in Escalante and Moab (hopefully with a short overnighter in the Escalante area)
April: TBA, probably a short overnight trip close to home
May: paddling Black Canyon National Water Trail, NV & AZ
June:, Big Island, Hawaii , then introduce my niece and sister from Germany to camping on several trips, Lake Powell Kayak trip
July: a few shorter Uintas trips (need to figure out something for 1-2 nights), Ice Lake Basin and Blue Lakes in Colorado
August: another Uintas trip, Winds in mid August (Big Sandy, Temple Lake, Cirque of the Towers, 4-5 nights)
September: Great Basin NP or another Uintas trip
October: Eastern Sierra and Death Valley
November: TBA
December: snow camping around Christmas

 

[Yvonne]

Finally penciled in on my calendar...

Major:
Zion Traverse (March - 3 nights)

I hope it is not too muddy up there on the Plateau

 

[Outdoor_Fool]

I hope it is not too muddy up there on the Plateau

I hope not also. It's going to be a late-season trip so early snows are my biggest concern. I guess I'll know when I get there. (Oops, mistook your reply to my post, my bad. Sorry to hijack your reply to Wasatch Will's post. The plateau comment grabbed my attention.)

And I forgot to mention, good luck to all in their 2016 plans!