To Do in 2016

Miss Buffalo said:
I hope it is not too muddy up there on the Plateau
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Hope not! In recent years, I would have assumed it wouldn't be too bad with the lower snow totals, but this winter, if things keep up with El Nino down south there, it could be muddy! @Blake Merrell has the permits. If it doesn't work out, or conditions are too muddy to make it very enjoyable, we may want to pursue an alternate destination.
 
slc_dan said:
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.
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Dan, I feel your concern about reduced bag nights. Aside from the fact that having kids is the best thing I've ever done, taking them outdoors has been amazingly rewarding. The other benefit has been that it has forced me to focus on planning and making trips (with and without the kids) as time is severely limited now. The trips are fewer but better.

Great luck with the new one on the way! Having kids is the ultimate adventure.
 
Outdoor_Fool said:
Dan, I feel your concern about reduced bag nights. Aside from the fact that having kids is the best thing I've ever done, taking them outdoors has been amazingly rewarding. The other benefit has been that it has forced me to focus on planning and making trips (with and without the kids) as time is severely limited now. The trips are fewer but better.

Great luck with the new one on the way! Having kids is the ultimate adventure.
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Thanks, and I sure hope so.
 
i am excited for 2016. I got out quite a bit last year (2 - 3 trips a month last year until August when we moved), but have only turned on the camera a few times since August.

Heading to Tetons next weekend for 3 days. Andy got permits for us for the TCT in July (could be even more of an adventure if there is a ton of snow!), which will be fun!

Hoping to hit DV for 3-4 days in March, and perhaps do a 3 day trip mtn biking into canyonlands. Also am hoping to do a kayaking trip on lake powell to get to some of the crazy lagoon/beaches/slot canyons only accessible by water craft.

and finally, want to explore the Wasatch/Uinta mountains since they are super close. Howie Garbers' book is FANTASTIC, btw!
 
I was holding off posting in this thread until some things were confirmed. From now until Summer I'll be working on another 60 trail guides for Intermountain Healthcare's Healthy Hikes. That will bring the total hikes I've done for them to 180. That means lots of day hikes but few overnight trips, at least until July. The last year I did this my usual ~50 bag nights turned into something closer to 35. With that said, here's my tentative list including the 'work hikes':
  • Lots of easy/moderate hikes around the Wasatch
  • A trip to Moab for some of the Arches/Canyonlands classics in Feb/March
  • A trip to Capitol Reef for a handful of the classic day hikes
  • Bryce Canyon! I need to round out the national park variety so I'll finally be spending some time in Bryce this spring doing the classics.
  • I'd like to squeeze in a packraft trip this spring. I have my eyes on a Dark Canyon to Hite route for my first trip. Hopefully one or two more later in the year. I really want to hit the lower Escalante and then either get picked up on the reservoir or paddle up Willow and out.
  • A river trip or three out of the IKs or a raft, exact locations TBD. If I could pull off some of the San Juan, that would really be great.
  • And of course a handful of Glen Canyon trips this summer and fall after the healthy hikes are done. I've been thinking maybe I'll sell the pontoon boat sooner than expected so I really want to get the most out of it while I have it. The sad thing is that the reservoir is looking likely to rise to it's highest level in several years. When I bought the boat it bottomed out at 3574', the second lowest since filling. I'd bet this year will bring the level up to 3630' or higher. On the bright side, there are a few canyons I want to hike that are notoriously hard to reach by any means unless the lake is a little fuller than it has been.

2016 is looking to be fantastic. I hope I can come back here at the end of the year and cross all these items off as done!
 
Nick said:
  • I'd like to squeeze in a packraft trip this spring. I have my eyes on a Dark Canyon to Hite route for my first trip. Hopefully one or two more later in the year. I really want to hit the lower Escalante and then either get picked up on the reservoir or paddle up Willow and out.
  • A river trip or three out of the IKs or a raft, exact locations TBD. If I could pull off some of the San Juan, that would really be great.
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Don't count out the Chute of Muddy Creek with those IKs. It's looking like a good snowpack year for it so far. Also... count me in on the packraft trip.
 
In April, two week dive trip to Roatan, Honduras
In August - September - drive to Alaska and the Yukon for a two month trip, maybe stopping in Jasper and Banff on the way back.
Lots of kayaking trips in Wisconsin, where I live
 
Let's see what I've got in mind:

Major Trips
Scotland Highlands - May
Washakie Wilderness - late July
Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness - early August
Robber's Roost or Escalante Canyoneering - October

Minor Trips
Lots more caving in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia (TAG)
Overnighters in Sipsey, Citico Creek, and Joyce Kilmer Wildernesses
Kayaking wherever I can get someone to teach me to do some whitewater

This spring I'm finishing up this Master's degree for my second time in grad school, so I will probably not be very active this spring, but then I'll have my life back in May.
 
Sounds like you are headed for the head of _______ Creek. If you are thinking of coming out or going in to the West or East I could shuttle you. I'm basically into dayhinking now. If you do a warmup day that's my speed.

I've been to some of the best moth sites. You're gonna love it.
 
Craig F. said:
In April, two week dive trip to Roatan, Honduras
In August - September - drive to Alaska and the Yukon for a two month trip, maybe stopping in Jasper and Banff on the way back.
Lots of kayaking trips in Wisconsin, where I live
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Nice, I've been to Roatan twice and Utila once. Have you dove there before?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have a lot of trips in mind but probably not going to being too many. Right now, both shoulders are such a mess that I have problems just getting a wallet out of a rear pocket. Will give the steroids another go in June but that nirvana is wearing off. May be confined to doing light day trips. Old sucks!
 
1 Titcomb Basin Windriver trip
1 Temple Peak Windriver trip
1 Teton crest trip
1 Sawtooth loop trip
1 Red Castle/Henrys Fork/Kings Peak Uinta trip
1 Deadhorse Lake/Rock Creek Uinta trip

Probably some local Wasatch hiking as well, trying to get my wife up on top of Timp, she's lived in Provo her whole life and has never been up there.

Would like to finally get some backpacking done in the San Juan's but I'm not sure that's going to happen. Would also love to get into the Lost River Range in Idaho but I lack the vehicle required to get me into the areas I am interested in.
 
Dustin Gent said:
i am excited for 2016. I got out quite a bit last year (2 - 3 trips a month last year until August when we moved), but have only turned on the camera a few times since August.

Heading to Tetons next weekend for 3 days. Andy got permits for us for the TCT in July (could be even more of an adventure if there is a ton of snow!), which will be fun!

Hoping to hit DV for 3-4 days in March, and perhaps do a 3 day trip mtn biking into canyonlands. Also am hoping to do a kayaking trip on lake powell to get to some of the crazy lagoon/beaches/slot canyons only accessible by water craft.

and finally, want to explore the Wasatch/Uinta mountains since they are super close. Howie Garbers' book is FANTASTIC, btw!
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TCT in late-season is awesome. They had a relatively big snow year a few years ago and most of my milage was on snow. Glissades and the whole nine yards.
 
Buy another baby carrier backpack so my wife and I can go hiking with the twins.
 
Nick said:
I was holding off posting in this thread until some things were confirmed. From now until Summer I'll be working on another 60 trail guides for Intermountain Healthcare's Healthy Hikes. That will bring the total hikes I've done for them to 180. That means lots of day hikes but few overnight trips, at least until July. The last year I did this my usual ~50 bag nights turned into something closer to 35. With that said, here's my tentative list including the 'work hikes':
  • Lots of easy/moderate hikes around the Wasatch
  • A trip to Moab for some of the Arches/Canyonlands classics in Feb/March
  • A trip to Capitol Reef for a handful of the classic day hikes
  • Bryce Canyon! I need to round out the national park variety so I'll finally be spending some time in Bryce this spring doing the classics.
  • I'd like to squeeze in a packraft trip this spring. I have my eyes on a Dark Canyon to Hite route for my first trip. Hopefully one or two more later in the year. I really want to hit the lower Escalante and then either get picked up on the reservoir or paddle up Willow and out.
  • A river trip or three out of the IKs or a raft, exact locations TBD. If I could pull off some of the San Juan, that would really be great.
  • And of course a handful of Glen Canyon trips this summer and fall after the healthy hikes are done. I've been thinking maybe I'll sell the pontoon boat sooner than expected so I really want to get the most out of it while I have it. The sad thing is that the reservoir is looking likely to rise to it's highest level in several years. When I bought the boat it bottomed out at 3574', the second lowest since filling. I'd bet this year will bring the level up to 3630' or higher. On the bright side, there are a few canyons I want to hike that are notoriously hard to reach by any means unless the lake is a little fuller than it has been.

2016 is looking to be fantastic. I hope I can come back here at the end of the year and cross all these items off as done!
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Revisiting this thread to see how I did. :)

  • DONE! Lots of easy/moderate hikes around the Wasatch
  • DONE! A trip to Moab for some of the Arches/Canyonlands classics in Feb/March
  • DONE! A trip to Capitol Reef for a handful of the classic day hikes
  • DONE! Bryce Canyon! I need to round out the national park variety so I'll finally be spending some time in Bryce this spring doing the classics.
  • DONE! Only the Dark Canyon trip, but I'm happy with that. I'd like to squeeze in a packraft trip this spring. I have my eyes on a Dark Canyon to Hite route for my first trip. Hopefully one or two more later in the year. I really want to hit the lower Escalante and then either get picked up on the reservoir or paddle up Willow and out.
  • DONE several times! A river trip or three out of the IKs or a raft, exact locations TBD. If I could pull off some of the San Juan, that would really be great.
  • WAY DONE! And of course a handful of Glen Canyon trips this summer and fall after the healthy hikes are done. I've been thinking maybe I'll sell the pontoon boat sooner than expected so I really want to get the most out of it while I have it. The sad thing is that the reservoir is looking likely to rise to it's highest level in several years. When I bought the boat it bottomed out at 3574', the second lowest since filling. I'd bet this year will bring the level up to 3630' or higher. On the bright side, there are a few canyons I want to hike that are notoriously hard to reach by any means unless the lake is a little fuller than it has been.

Woohooo! That's definitely the first time I accomplished everything I put on my list. I guess I need to set more aggressive goals for next year. How did you guys do?
 
Wow... didn't come close to accomplishing all of my goals. But in addition to the below, I also hiked Little Death Hollow, a loop around/over Wind River Peak, three Uintas trips, a Coalpits Wash trip in Zion, and an interesting route around Brighton. The upside of not completing all my goals is that now I have stuff lined up for next year.

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

Minor (weekend) trips
Ruby Crest Trail Nope
Little Death Hollow Done!
Hayduke Trail Section 1 (Arches-Moab) Nope... and it's a shame too, as Arches put a moratorium on backpacking


Other Random Goals
Take an avalanche safety course Scheduled for two weeks from now!
Jackson Hole ski trip Done!
Assist skiers with disabilities through NAC Done!
Sleep in a snow cave at least once Nope
Get above 10,000 feet at least 9 months out of the year Done! 11/12
Get in 40 sleeping bag nights and 500 trail miles Nope... 30-something nights
Finally see a bear FOUR THOUSAND MILES and I've never seen one :(
Lead at least one trip for first-time backpackers Nope


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 Done!
Middle Grand Gulch (Bullet Canyon-Collins Spring Canyon)
Slickhorn/Lookout Canyon loop
 
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