To Do in 2024

[Parma]

I'll hit up some off roading trails in Moab this spring.
Capitol Reef for spring break with the fam
Kings Peak with a church group
And since it's been 4 years, I'm due to do the Highline Trail again, so I'll be doing that this summer, but this time I'll go west to east...very excited to do that actually.

I was able to check off a bunch of off-roading trails in Moab (Poison Spider, Top of the World, Metal Masher, Hells Revenge, and Fins n Things).
Did Kings Peak with my two sons and a couple of their friends...amazing and memorable trip!
Attempted the Highline west to east, but my buddy's son had a foot injury around lambert meadow and we had to bail out via Moon Lake.

 

[SEAlpine]

Couple trips for 2024 recently came together. Headed to the Big Island for my 50th and then to Peru to hike around the Sacred Valley and the Inca Trail early June.

2024 was good to me and the family. I pulled off two separate trips to Peru for treks, hit the Big Island for my 50th, and we're headed to Maui for some beach time and hiking here in a few days. Looking forward to a healthy and adventurous 2025!

 

[Bob]

I was able to check off a bunch of off-roading trails in Moab (Poison Spider, Top of the World, Metal Masher, Hells Revenge, and Fins n Things).
Did Kings Peak with my two sons and a couple of their friends...amazing and memorable trip!
Attempted the Highline west to east, but my buddy's son had a foot injury around lambert meadow and we had to bail out via Moon Lake.

All great trails in Moab...... wheel them many years ago. Love Hells Revenge.

 

[kwc]

Total slacker here … nothing planned for 2024. I will, once again, live vicariously through the BCP.

I have been totally successful in accomplishing this goal in 2024.

 

[scatman]

Unfortunately, I am as disorganized for what I am going to do as I have ever been heading into a new year. Assuming that my foot is good to go come March, then these are my tentative plans:

- March, April and May, get back into hiking shape, which just means local hikes/summits here in the Wasatch. Hint, hint @Ugly. Actually I was training for the Front Runner Century during March and April with the ride in May. Started hiking again late May and June to get in shape. Not sure I got there. I was able to do one hike with @Ugly up Big Cottonwood Canyon in June.
- There is a chance in June that my son will come to visit from Portland. If he does, I may plan on doing something with him, but that is still up in the air at
this point. Got to hike to the top of Mount Olympus with him in early July.
- Plan to summit Mount Nebo for only my second time on my 60th birthday in July. Hint, hint @Ugly. Done.
- There are some whispers out there that there might be a Hidden Creek trip in the Teton Wilderness planned sometime between mid-July-ish through mid- August that I might be part of. There is a trail off Majo Pass that awaits the Scatman. Done, not the exact route we had planned, but Hiden Creek was a gem along with the company I kept on this one.
- Early September, my wife and I are planning three nights in the backcountry at Grebe Lake in Yellowstone (basecamp with day hikes). I'll probably open
this up to BCPer's if anyone would like to join us. Done. We had a nice turnout though most only stayed for one or two nights. Also got in a nice day hike to Riddle Lake, and a stroll along a portion of the old Howard Eaton Trail.
- Late September, my usual September Yellowstone trip, this time up Specimen Creek in the northwest corner of the Park. Again, this will be another three
night stay with day hikes thrown in for good measure. I will probably open this one up too to anyone who might be interested. At this point, I believe
we would have room for four more people to join our group. Done.

I also completed a mid-July trip into the Jay Creek drainage in the Teton Wilderness with @Bob , a location that had been on my bucket list for a long, long time. Also, a surprise backpacking trip to Zion National Park in October thanks to an invite from @Ugly.

I was able, when not cycling in the spring and my backpacking trips in the summer, to get out and hike every weekend, usually somewhere in the Wasatch which is my usual routine. I should add that I've been hiking up Mount Olympus (north or south summits) two or three times a year for decades. Unfortunately, I was only able to make it to the top once in 2024. Slowing down I am. Hopefully when my wrist heals up I can get back there a couple of times in 2025.

 

[Kmatjhwy]

Now as for 2024, another year with time for more adventures. This is how it looks at this time, but see what happens for now days just try to go with the flow.

(1) First thing is to continue to enjoy this Sonoran Desert area near the Organ Pipe Cactus NM with hiking, biking, and birding about. Plan to be here in the area till like around March ... late winter / early spring.

(2) Then at this time go to Tucson then bike tour from there with camping, hiking, and birding along the way to SW New Mexico via Madera Canyon, Patagonia, Ramsey Canyon, Sierra Vista, Tombstone, San Pedro River, the Chiricahuas, and more . Then go down to Douglas and bike the Geronimo Trail Route over to very SW New Mexico. During this time camp, bird, hike in the area, and more. It will be spring, the area will be warming up, the birds returning, and more. I will have the time to go and just enjoy this Sky Islands Unique Area

(3) Then after this will be in very SW New Mexico. And plan to go down to Antelope Wells, right on the border with Mexico, then start biking north on the Great Mountain Divide Bike Route (GMDBR), with taking it north all the way back up to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. This is home or my homebase for years. Now will Not be in a hurry so can just go north taking my time biking, hiking, birding, and seeing everything while heading north. Might have several months for this. The GMDBR mainly follows old dirt and gravel roads or such off beaten paths along the Continental Divide Area. Since it will be spring maybe near the high mountain areas, like in Colorado, will have to go around thru the nearby valleys. But just go north, new adventures, new places and meeting new people with enjoying life. One place plan to spend my time at in going north along the GMDBR is in the Greater Gila Area in the spring. Again taking this GMDBR all the way back to NW Wyoming. Almost did the GMDBR in 2020 but Covid hit and put an end to thise plans then.

(4) Get back to Jackson and Jackson Hole with enjoying everything again. It will most likely now be late spring / early summer. Could do some hiking in the area, and also go back to the Thorofare and old hangouts in the Teton Wilderness. It is still in the future so could just also hangout in the Teton Wilderness and rhe Greater Thorofare area all summer. This would entail just going back in and living with the land and being Lost On Purpose in the area with the outside world seemingly going mad and crazy. See What Happens.

(5) Now if do not hang out in the Greater Thorofare all summer then this alternative. Get a ride to Northern Montana. If have a permit to go into Canada, then bike up to Calgary and then Jasper. If do not have a permit for Canada, then start here at the border here in Montana. Then go slowly south on the Great Mountain Divide Bike Route (GMDBR), slowly south with taking my time, camping, hiking, biking, birding, and everything back south to Jackson Hole by September.

(6) Go to Rabbitstick outside Rexburg in September which is a primitive skills gathering that have been going to for years.

(7) After Rabbitstick here in the fall head south with again following the route of the GMDBR south to the desert SW enjoying life. But next winter where will I hang out ... possibly back here near Organ Pipe Cactus NM, or West Texas, or who knows where. Whatever happens next winter, will have to get thru the summer first.

But all in all with being retired and living on my bike and always camping out somwheres ... just continue with north in the spring and summer, then south in the fall and winter and enjoying life!

Wishing Everyone the Best!

Now it was a most wonderful year with all kinds of adventures. Some things were done like I had planned, but other things happened that did not plan but was wonderful.. This is reference to the above. In short went from here the Sonoran Desert and the Mexican border to NW Montana and the Canadian border and back during the year in hiking, biking and birding. This included with going by my homebase of Jackson, Wyoming and being awhile. Life is Great and always so much!

1.) Yes in 2024, accomplished this with being here in the Sonoran Desert enjoying everything here near Organ Pipe Cactus NM in both the beginning part of the year and the end part of the year. Being right here near and a few times right on the Mexican border. Where I stayed near Ajo / Why is only like 27 miles from the border. Visited the surrounding country including Quitobaquito Springs right on the border near the border wall.

2.) Now the plan was to go from here all the way over to SW NM across Southern Az. Done in part. Went over in late March and early April to the Medera Canyon and the Patagonia area which did love. Did a bunch of birding. Some cold spring storms passed thru at the time. But Great Birding. Hike, Bike, and Bird.

3.) This part did not happen. After being in the desert all winter, that by spring was tired of anything dry. So in April went up to Tucson, caught Amtrak over to the California coast and on up to San Luis Obispo. Here went over to Morro Bay and this coastal area for like three weeks where I hiked, biked, and birded. Loved the ocean, Great Birding, and out of the desert. Afterwards took the train to Klamath Falls, Oregon at the end of April, early May. Here birded then rode my bike up almost to the Columbia River in Northern Oregon biking and birding. It was Great with stopping in places, camping and hiking, and always birding about. At the end of May took some shuttles from Bend, Oregon to on back to Jackson Hole, Wyoming my homebase. Some great spring touring.

4.) Now back in Jackson Hole and NW Wyoming. Did not get back into the Teton Wilderness though. Here in Jackson, Jackson Hole, Grand Teton NP, and area hiking, biking, and birding. Enjoyed being back home in the area.

5. ) After being back home for abit, at the very beginning of July biked the GDMBR from here Jackson Hole and Grand Teton NP up to NW Montana, up thru NW Wyoming, adjacent eastern Idaho, and Montana. It was Fabulous! Saw some really amazing and wild country. Loved some of the big wild basins that the route passed thru in SW Montana. Made it up to Kalispell by mid July. Here spent two weeks with my sister who lives here. Also went nearby to Roosville right on the Montana - Canadian border. After being with my sister, spent two weeks hiking, biking, and birding over in nearby Glacier NP which was absolutely Awesome! It had been many a year since last in Glacier NP and loved it. Afterwards biked back down to Helena, Mt. And then a shuttle from there back to Jackson and Jackson Hole where I lingered into September which was Fabulous!

6.) Yes went back to the fall Rabbitstick gathering here in Eastern Idaho which was from Setember 15th to the 21st. It was Great!

7.) Now for the fall and early winter. At the gathering with a friend got a ride to Sacranento, then on up by train and shuttle to very SW Oregon on the coast. From here at the end of September bike toured down the coast and California to very Southern California. It was Great! Hiked, Biked, and Birded all along rhe way. Took my time south. First stayed awhile seeing, birding, and enjoying the Redwoods there in Northern California which was Awesome and Incredible. Later thru Arcata, Ca where I birded. Then later on down the coast and then lingered for awhile in the Bodega Bay area where I biked, hiked, and birded. Great Birding. At times saw some whales out in the ocean, like a bunch of Gray Whales from a point in Northern, Ca. Later biked over to Petaluma (here saw and visited some friends), then on over to Sacramento for a few days with a good friend. Here then biked down the cental valley here in California to Coalinga, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, and Morro Bay again for a few days in the fall. Then from here down the coast to Carpinteria and Ventura along the Southern California coast. Here I lingered for a bit enjoying it all. But too many people, too much craziness, and so expensive. Then from here caught the train from Carpinteria to Los Angeles and then to Tucson with back to the Sonoran desert near Organ Pipe Cactus NM, and near Ajo and Why where have lingered again for the early winter.

Great Year with lots of adventure and new country being seen. Now back in the desert for the winter taking it easy for awhile. Life is Great!

Wishing Everyone the Best!