Hiking Resolutions

Posted by Lauren Braden at Nov 28, 2011 03:12 PM | Permalink

Filed under: Hiking Destinations

What's the hike that got away from you in 2011? Which wilderness area is on your bucket list to visit? What outdoor skills class do you hope to take? Who in your life do you want to take on a hike?

The year will soon come to a close - a year of car camping with a toddler, exploring the Columbia River Gorge and braving rainy weather on several hikes on the Olympic Peninsula.

But fun as it was, 2011 was another year that I didn't backpack into Enchanted Valley. Nor did I finally make it out to the Blue Mountains. And I still have not taken my now three-year old on an overnight hike.

I don't know how the scientific data breaks down on whether or not resolutions are more likely to be kept if you say them out loud (or better yet, type them into a blog post for thousands to see). But I'm willing to give it a try.

In 2012, I'm taking my son on his first overnight backpack. I'm also going to camp up Enchanted Valley - hey, maybe they'll even be the same trip. And in the spring, when the bears are waking up and the days are warming up, I will make it to the southeast corner of our lovely state, and I will hike in the Blue Mountains.

What about you? What's the hike that got away from you in 2011? Which wilderness area is on your bucket list to visit? What outdoor skills class do you hope to take? Who in your life do you want to take on a hike?

Comments

In 2011, I once again missed hiking up the Dosewallips, over Anderson Pass, and out through the Enchanted Valley and Quinault River. Upper Lena Lake and Col. Bob evaded me too. Klapatche Park and Summerland didn't get visted, but were added to "the list" for next year.

On the bright side, I scratched several hikes off "the list," including W. Fork Foss River, Golden Lakes, Glacier Basin, Toleak Point, and Welcome Pass!

Posted by:

Jon Lee on Nov 28, 2011 04:32 PM

My 2011's goal was to complete 50 hikes at age 50 and I have completed 49 of them and have one left that I hope to do this weekend but I have until February before I turn 51. Its been a hard year trying to complete that many when I work full time and only have the weekends and holidays to do them in but I have definitely enjoyed myself.
I have completed my favorite hike into The Enchantments above Leavenworth this year which I have done the last couple of years. The 50 hikes were a hard goal for me so I plan to do less next year. More quality than quantity. Having completed a majority of the trails on the western side of the Cascades between the Canadian Border and Highway 2 North, my goals for 2012 are to try and hike as many trails as I can between Highway 2 south and Highway 90 north in The Alpine Lakes Wilderness and to get better use of my new Garmin GPS Device. I also want to start volunteering for trail maintenance.
I thoroughly enjoy hiking and have given up all my old hobbies to hike. I believe I am in for a treat as I enjoy hiking too Alpine Lakes and there is plenty in this area to see. Hope everyone enjoyed their hiking and look forward as I do to the next year as well writing and reading all the trail reports.
Take Care
Mike

Mike on Nov 28, 2011 04:41 PM

2011 was my first year of hiking. I found that I enjoy it-alot. In fact, enough that I talked a few friends of mine into starting a hiking club called Yoh! (Ye Olde Hikers). We did our first group hike in October at Big Creek in the Olympics. This was followed by a 2nd hike at Twanoh State Park in November. My goal for 2012 is to do at least 12 group hikes with possibly an overnighter sometime during the summer. Happy Holidays!

Yoh! Member on Nov 28, 2011 07:33 PM

I actually did pretty well this year. My teenage boys and best hiking buddy Levi went on a crazy bushwack adventure up to Derrick Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. That was insane and I can honestly say that I never need to beat myself up like that again! I also got my 7 and 9 yr old daughter outfitted and on the trail for their first overnight to Soda Peaks Lake, east of Trapper Creek. They did awesome and had a great time, as did I. I was not able to do nearly as many overnighters as I wanted to but I am already planning to do an overnight in a fire lookout that we have to snowshoe into, hike through the Enchantments, and do a multi overnight through Indian Heaven. 2012 will be a better year! Thanks to WTA and all members for their dedication to helping others enjoy and preserve the great outdoors we have here!

allaboutalpines on Nov 29, 2011 08:42 AM

2011 was a great hiking year for me and my 1st as a WTA member. My 60th birthday hit me pretty hard, but I figured the best way to ease the pain was to hike(of course). I made it on some hikes I had been wanting to do for a long time, Sahale Arm with my husband and Mt. Townsend with a friend. My goal hikes for this year, the challenge of Colchuck lake and Trappers peak (and driving to the THs). I also have the challenge of finding a new hikiing partner with the same days off. My husband can't hike much and my hiking buddy retired and moved to Hawaii. I'd also like to learn some better navagation skills and join a trail work crew. Thanks WTA for the work you do for hikers!

Muledeer on Nov 29, 2011 11:54 AM

A couple of years ago in a moment of foolishness I resolved to summit 30 new peaks for the coming year. As the words came out of my mouth I realized the mess I'd gotten myself into. This year I didn't even wait for the champagne of New Year's Eve to shoot my mouth off. Four Washington State County high points, three state high points, two country high points, and one continental high point.

The previous year I got my 30 new summits with a few extras to boot. Hopefully this year will be fruitful for us all. Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!

austineats on Nov 29, 2011 09:46 PM

we got permits for the wonderland trail. We keeping checking up until a week and a half before we decided to make other plans. We were not able to do as the snow level stayed so low for so long. with the amount of miles I had us hiking it would have been impossible to cover that ground. So this year were are going to try to get the permits again. What I have learned, plan less miles to backpack and legneth our time out with a lay over day. With doing that this year if we get permits we will for sure, snow or not be able to complete.

Weluv2hike. on Dec 06, 2011 12:26 AM

Hiking Resolutions

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