To Do in 2023

LarryBoy

LarryBoy

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We're doing a ton of non-backpacking travel in the first part of the year, but I've kept the summer pretty open. I hope to spend a lot of time either hiking or working on trail crews in the Sierra this summer---weeks and weeks of it! And we do have one trip to the Southwest (Sanra Fe etc.) around Labor Day.
 
Big goal for the year is to do one good backcountry trip(two would be awesome). Haven't been on a proper backpacking trip since 2019. Definitely should have went on the trip Bob and Scatman did in the Teton Wilderness in 2022, but I used the week to try to chase some goals that didn't end up going anywhere. Maybe they'll forgive me for backing out on that one and let me tag along on an adventure in 2023?

Would also like to do a proper backpacking trip in Escalante country in the spring. Would love to do a solid 5-7 day trip in that area.

Have been pretty focused on cycling the past couple years, but I feel a definite need to get back into the backcountry. Going to work to make it happen this year, one way or another.
 
b.stark said:
Big goal for the year is to do one good backcountry trip(two would be awesome). Haven't been on a proper backpacking trip since 2019. Definitely should have went on the trip Bob and Scatman did in the Teton Wilderness in 2022, but I used the week to try to chase some goals that didn't end up going anywhere. Maybe they'll forgive me for backing out on that one and let me tag along on an adventure in 2023?

Would also like to do a proper backpacking trip in Escalante country in the spring. Would love to do a solid 5-7 day trip in that area.

Have been pretty focused on cycling the past couple years, but I feel a definite need to get back into the backcountry. Going to work to make it happen this year, one way or another.
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Always welcome @b.stark. We're giving some thought to the Wyoming Range, or someplace in the Washakie Wilderness - most likely late June-ish.
 
LarryBoy said:
Ohh you should definitely do the Wyomings. A great range and pretty deserted.
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Leaning that way. :thumbsup: I was watching a YouTube video of a guy on horseback heading south along the trail. He ran into a landslide somewhere in Willow Creek Drainage and abandoned his trip. Did you run into this on your travels through the range?
 
I have a lot of irons in the fire currently, but if things go as planned, because we're not promised tomorrow, possibly another float trip down the Colorado, out of Potash, to get to the Maze in April. I'll be back in the Absaroka - Beartooth Wilderness early August. The guys I took to the Tetons last year want to do a Glacier trip. That would be in mid-July if I can pull the permit. Tons of extended weekends in the Midwest and of course at least one Teton trip. It's still early, so who knows.
 
scatman said:
Leaning that way. :thumbsup: I was watching a YouTube video of a guy on horseback heading south along the trail. He ran into a landslide somewhere in Willow Creek Drainage and abandoned his trip. Did you run into this on your travels through the range?
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No, I've unfortunately never gotten that far south in the range. At some point in the future I'd like to hike the entirety of the Wyoming Range NRT. Won't be this year as I've got bigger plans, but definitely on the to-do list at some point.
 
Well, right now with being retired, about everyday is an adventure. It is for myself these days ... hike, bike, and bird. Right now am here in the Ajo and Why, Arizona area near Organ Pipe Cactus NM. And see what happens after this. I try anymore to just live in the now and take everyday as they come. But I do have quite a few thoughts as for this next year.

Now the first thing will be continuing to just live on my bike thru this next year. After this is many possibilities and have not decided which direction will do when going north. There is several and various possibilities. But will be biking back north back to Jackson Hole. Several of the possibilities are biking up the Lower Colorado River to Vegas, Zion, and then up to Wyoming. The other is getting to eastern Washington for a primitive skills gathering in late May, and then bike over to Jackson Hole thru Montana and Idaho. The other is head to New Mexico and Texas and then north to Denver, the Black Hills, then back to Jackson Hole. But see what happens.

One very big possibility for next summer is to do a big wilderness walkabout over Northwestern Wyoming. Now might just start with going up Cache Creek and the Gros Ventres, north to the Teton Wilderness, and back to the Thorofare and Younts Peak. Then who knows but possibly north to the North Absarokas and finish up back in Jackson Hole with the Tetons. But who knows for now. Could even go to Alaska again also. Being free is Great and much to see and experience.

Next fall am thinking, starting in September at least is biking, birding, and camping down the West Coast from Bellingham to Southern California. If this doesn't work out then going over to the Mississippi and bike riding the Great River Road down to the Gulf Coast.

But all is just thoughts for now. Right now it is Hike, Bike, and Bird with Enjoying Life in the Now. Still so much to see and experience bigtime out there. And still much empty country to go hide in all over it seems.

Enjoy Life! Hike, Bike, and Bird!
 
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Of course I put this in the wrong year... Potatoe Potato....

To do 2023:
1- Continue streak of at least 1 bag night each and every month
2- At least 30 bag nights in total, 31 last year
3- As for places:
-Another trip to Washington, timing depends on if we score any lotteries, otherwise September again (this year planning on two trips separated by a few days working remotely from my buddy's house)
-Take my two oldest to the Winds this summer
-Winter 2 night snowshoeing backpack
-Winter in the Needles, probably Feb
-End of March trip to the desert with my WA buddy, potentially DH since he has never been
-April- Spring Break in CRNP with the kids
-May trip to Maybird Gulch near my birthday (5 years running)
-Memorial Day trip to the desert in a canyon of the Escalante for the frogs
-June mosquitofest to listen to frogs in the Uintas
-Summer trip to one or more of Sawtooths, Bitterroots, or Eagle Cap
-Yellowstone? :)
 
I really just want to do a longer backpacking trip in the Bob this year. I'll make that my one goal so I don't fail like last year. Although in my defense, I did get out on some good trips; they just weren't what I had intended earlier in the year.
 
It's that time of year! Working to find calendar space for my bigger trips as I type this - though this year the international trip might limit my others somewhat.
  1. Ecuador - going to spend 6 weeks of the summer based in Quito with my wife and kids. While there I'm planning to climb Cotopaxi, Cayambe, and Chimborazo - along with hopefully a number of other, smaller goals. Lots of time early in the year to prepare for this one physically and logistically. Very excited and a bit nervous for this.
  2. Southern Absarokas - planning to take a long weekend similar to my 2022 Younts trip in mid-July. Still trying to settle on a route - I normally start with a target destination and work backwards, but nothing specific is speaking to me so far. I considered switching to the Winds or Beartooths where I have a few potential "targets", but I think I've talked up the Absarokas too much so my buddies are pretty stoked for that area specifically.
  3. Sierra Nevada - joining a long-time hiking partner to do some more of Roper's High Route probably (or something similar) in September. I'll probably sit back and let him plan most of this one.
  4. Yellowstone NP Eastern Border - I have a fairly ambitious pair of trips here that I'd really like to squeeze in, but not sure if it is going to be feasible. Especially since my beta for a number of sections is sparse/dated at best, so I can't promise much to anyone that might accompany me. One route focuses on traverses of the Yellowstone NP eastern border and the associated high points while the other (more predictable route) would take me out to the prongs of "The Trident". If I get really lucky, maybe I can combine them.
  5. Wind River Range - for the first year in quite a while, I didn't visit the Winds at all in 2022. Definitely not missing in 2023 - though probably just a few goal-based weekend trips, if I'm being realistic. Maybe something longer if another trip falls through.
  6. Local (RMNP/Indian Peaks/etc.) - making a bit of a "resolution" to take better advantage of the easy access for long day trips and 24-hour overnights than I have in 2021/2022. My preparation for Ecuador already has me spending a lot more time in the Flatirons, which has been great.
Will also continue the tradition of taking each of my boys out for a short trip - did both in RMNP in 2022, but I'd really like to do the Black Hills in SD with my older son this year. And I think our family trip to Yellowstone in September will probably be a backpacking trip this year.

If one of my longer trips falls apart, I'd really like to get out in the Beartooths or "the Bob" as well. If not, I think I'll need to prioritize these for 2024.

Long-Term Planning: Already have plans to return to the Brooks Range in 2024 and tentatively hoping to climb Denali in 2025.

Last year's goals overall turned out great. Conditions pushed me out of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, but that meant I got to meet up with some BCP folks in Yellowstone instead.
 
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Joan and I have no major plans, but I hope to continue our trend of getting out as much as possible in our local area.

We had over 80 bag nights this past year. Somewhat lower than in 2021 (~90) because we had more family visit us/visited more family vs. "Covid times." We'll see if we can get a similar amount this coming year.

I hope we continue to get more in packrafting in 2023.

I want to get on a week-long solo trip again this year. For 2024, I want to get on a month-long solo trip. My last month-long trip is already four years in past. Time flies!

Overall a year of hiking, camping, and backpacking, with some Nordic skiing and packrafting added to the mix.
 
PaulMags said:
I hope we continue to get more in packrafting in 2023.
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something I've had a lot of fun with is avoiding vehicle shuttles by doing "triangular" packraft trips where you hike, float, then hike back to the vehicle. a quick one that was super nice was parking in the Keg Point vicinity, down Keg Spring Canyon to the Green, a day on the Green around Bowknot bend, and then back up the Twomile canyon trail. the curvy desert rivers make these not too hard to find.
 
I wish I had specific plans for 2023 but, as usual, it's going to be opportunistically finding times where I can do something (and ideally get people to join me -- I've very occasionally backpacked alone but don't love it) and then fitting in something seasonally appropriate.

here are some Utah backpacks that I really want to do:
- exploring Oak Creek and Bear Creek in Capitol Reef
- linking up the Baker Trail and the Red Slide on the southern Waterpocket Fold (tough trip!!!)
- poke into Starvation Pocket and Shisler Pocket in the Needles area -- painful due to Elephant Hill and also park rules
- get up onto Fiftymile Mountain -- huge amount of ground up there to cover
- top to bottom hike of Happy Canyon -- water is an issue, but perhaps this works in March
- traverse The Block -- again water is a problem

a development that I'm super excited about is getting drawers / sleeping platform for my 4runner from this outfit:
store.airdowngearup.com

5th Gen 4Runner

Products designed for the 5th Gen 4Runner.
store.airdowngearup.com
I've ordered this and need to find a weather window when I can drive to Colorado to pick it up, was going to do it this week but 80 has been shut down for multiple days at this point, ugh.
 
regehr said:
something I've had a lot of fun with is avoiding vehicle shuttles by doing "triangular" packraft trips where you hike, float, then hike back to the vehicle. a quick one that was super nice was parking in the Keg Point vicinity, down Keg Spring Canyon to the Green, a day on the Green around Bowknot bend, and then back up the Twomile canyon trail. the curvy desert rivers make these not too hard to find.
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It's the only kind we do. :) Most people into packrafting, I find, do the rafting portion and little of the backpacking portion.
 
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