To Do in 2021

regehr said:
I could absolutely get behind this. Do you have a sense for what's the right range of weeks for this? I strongly prefer being in the mountains when the mosquitoes are not.
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I had good luck on the RCT in Aug (it was also a snowier year and earlier was still too snowy to do high mileage days). The FB page associated with the link you posted typically has good conditions info.
 
Lol. .. day into cirque or titcomb... Sleep....hike out the next day.... Or some of you people were in better shape than me...
 
I'm optimistic that 2021 will be more conducive to travel for us. In 2020 we had to cancel our planned trek in Peru and we haven't left Alaska since July 2019-which seems crazy! I got my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine Tuesday, so 2021 is looking up.

April- Floating the Grand Canyon over 16 days. 14 and 11 year old kiddos are pretty pumped on this one.
July- Family backpack trip in the Wrangells.
August- Reserved for Dall Sheep and Caribou hunting.
October- Kids have a week off of school. Maybe Southern UT or check out the Redwoods?
Winter Break- Would love to go somewhere internationally. Jamaica, Cambodia,??
 
Sadly I have become much less optimistic about any 2021 travels. Per the latest vaccination update by our governor, it looks like we won’t be able to get the vaccine until summer at the earliest. Unless, of course, more vaccines become available.
 
I'll change my mind a 100 times but hoping for desert travels in April.

Start with following through on a San Rafael Swell backpack I had hoped for last April before the lockdown, one of these:
Virgin Springs-Saddle Horse loop
Calf-Cow Loop
Forks of Red Canyon

Cedar Mesa backpack, such as one of these:
Lower Road (below 7 Kivas)-N Fk Road Loop
Lime Canyon-rim Loop
Slickhorns
Collins to downstream GG
Pine-Step

Loop in some Kanab Creek Wilderness Canyons

Zion summits....getting almost too problematic to bother with finding frontcounty or backcountry camping

Shoot for 90 nights of camping
 
John Morrow said:
I'll change my mind a 100 times but hoping for desert travels in April.

Start with following through on a San Rafael Swell backpack I had hoped for last April before the lockdown, one of these:
Virgin Springs-Saddle Horse loop
Calf-Cow Loop
Forks of Red Canyon

Cedar Mesa backpack, such as one of these:
Lower Road (below 7 Kivas)-N Fk Road Loop
Lime Canyon-rim Loop
Slickhorns
Collins to downstream GG
Pine-Step

Loop in some Kanab Creek Wilderness Canyons

Zion summits....getting almost too problematic to bother with finding frontcounty or backcountry camping

Shoot for 90 nights of camping
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Agree about Zion, we've essentially stopped going there except in the dead of winter.

A buddy and I did the Virgin Springs/Saddle Horse as a 2-night backpack in fall 2019 and it was wonderful, it's one that I'd repeat for sure. If you don't mind carrying water and conditions are good, spending a night up at the top of Swazy would be fun. We didn't see evidence of people camping up there, so a real light touch would be good.

If I can't manage to make it further afield, will probably do the Cottonwood Wash/Spring/Nates loop in the swell this spring.
 
regehr said:
Agree about Zion, we've essentially stopped going there except in the dead of winter.

A buddy and I did the Virgin Springs/Saddle Horse as a 2-night backpack in fall 2019 and it was wonderful, it's one that I'd repeat for sure. If you don't mind carrying water and conditions are good, spending a night up at the top of Swazy would be fun. We didn't see evidence of people camping up there, so a real light touch would be good.

If I can't manage to make it further afield, will probably do the Cottonwood Wash/Spring/Nates loop in the swell this spring.
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Light touch is critical, indeed! Cottonwood Wash/Spring/Nates loop interests me as well, @regehr, though I have more concerns about entry/exits on that loop the most. Keeping that one way key swap RCT trip in the back of my mind. Sounds like August is the right month.


John
 
John Morrow said:
Light touch is critical, indeed! Cottonwood Wash/Spring/Nates loop interests me as well, @regehr, though I have more concerns about entry/exits on that loop the most. Keeping that one way key swap RCT trip in the back of my mind. Sounds like August is the right month.
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I've walked from the end of the Mexican Mtn road up and out of the south fork of Spring Canyon, and would be happy to answer questions about that part. When doing the full loop I'll likely want to start at the Cottonwood Wash parking since I've now walked the closed part of the Mexican Mtn road a bunch of times and do not enjoy it that much.
 
Plans in flux but

1. Complete my 2020 Winds TR by the end of winter!
2. Recover from a mid-Dec tendonitis injury -ugh...
3. Finally catch a golden trout in the Winds (yeah, I say that every year)
4. Wind Rivers - early Sept. (have to book soon - airfares expected to jump) (not the Cirque or Titcomb!)
5. Add 4 or 5 NH 4K peaks to my list - Celebrate a friend's 48th (delayed last year due to virus)
6. Long weekend backpack to the ADKs (another 2020 canceled trip)

Had to give up on Big Bend in March/April. Virus still rampant, and it's really crowded then. Maybe late Feb next year?
 
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My 2021:

  1. After a bit of a hiatus, I'm going to start making and sharing content from my trips again.
  2. I'm going to spend quite a bit of time building out my new truck/camper rig which will involve trips to Oklahoma and Oregon to get various things installed. Not that stoked about Tulsa, but hoping to make a nice trip out of the tray install in Portland this spring.
  3. Rafting Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur NP in May
  4. Three weeks rafting the Grand Canyon in July
  5. More exploration of the west desert and eastern Nevada. I have three specific locations high on my list but I won't out them just yet.
  6. A long trip to southern AZ/CA around Christmas and New Years. Maybe even down into Mexico???
  7. Lots of shorter trips with the new camper
 
Nick said:
My 2021:

  1. After a bit of a hiatus, I'm going to start making and sharing content from my trips again.
  2. I'm going to spend quite a bit of time building out my new truck/camper rig which will involve trips to Oklahoma and Oregon to get various things installed. Not that stoked about Tulsa, but hoping to make a nice trip out of the tray install in Portland this spring.
  3. Rafting Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur NP in May
  4. Three weeks rafting the Grand Canyon in July
  5. More exploration of the west desert and eastern Nevada. I have three specific locations high on my list but I won't out them just yet.
  6. A long trip to southern AZ/CA around Christmas and New Years. Maybe even down into Mexico???
  7. Lots of shorter trips with the new camper
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When in Portland, try the Terminator Stout from McMenamin's Brewery, which should be on tap at any of their pubs. You just may decide to stay in Oregon. :)
 
I don't know where to post this...haha but my PCTA permit has been approved! I still remember when I joined this site a few years ago and started with all my questions. This site has helped me so much and I am so grateful to all your input and encouragement! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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