A recap of 2019’s ventures in the mountains, with sights set on new ones.
Let me just start by saying that I love hiking, and this has only been something that I have discovered since about the middle of college. I didn't grow up hiking, but I was outside a lot. So, it's not really surprising that I was drawn to it. I remember the first 4 mile hike that I went on in McCall... I was terrified that I wouldn't make it. Update: I did, and I realized that it's not so bad. With every season that comes, I just get an itch to be on a mountain and smell the pine!
July Road Trip Hikes
Sedona, AZ
Airport Loop Trail: 3.2 Miles, 446 ft elevation
The red rock is Sedona is one of the prettiest sights that I have ever seen. Looking up, I would just keep saying "still amazing!" This hike was a short one, but it was a HOT one. It's also one of the most popular trails in the area, so there were a lot of people.
West Fort Trail #108 Oak Creek: 7.2 mile out and back, 860 ft elevation.
Now, this, this hike was beautiful. We had learned our lesson from the previous hike, and set our alarms for 5 am to get out on this trail while the air was still cool and other hikers were still in bed. We were the first car on the trail head, and didn't see a soul for the majority of the hike. Again, the red rock in this country is beautiful. If you get a chance, then go! (Maybe not in July...I'm not kidding, it was hot.)
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Bright Angel Trail: 17.1 miles, 5,006 ft elevation
Disclaimer, we did not do all of this hike! This hike was humorous in a sense, because neither of us were very excited to drive and hour and a half to do more hiking in the blazing sun. There's never an excuse to not go to a national park where you haven't been. This is the main trail to the bottom of the canyon, we did about 2 miles down (1000 feet drop) and turned around. We left with dreams of returning to do the entire hike.
While our trip in AZ was supposed to be a week long, the temperatures literally drove us out of state on an impromptu route back home, through cooler climates. We left AZ about 4 days early and headed north to Colorado! We also said goodbye to our nice little condo, and traded in for motels, private AirBnB rooms, and hostels, because that's what you get when trying to get lodging on Fourth of July weekend at the last minute!!
Silverton, CO
Ice Lake Basin: 8.1 miles, 3,093 ft elevation
We wanted cooler conditions... and we got them! Hello snow in July! These are probably the most beautiful mountains that I have ever laid my eyes on (shhh...don't tell the Sawtooths I said that). This trail had opened back up the week before we had gotten there, and there was a good amount of snow at the last part. I chickened out at about the last quarter mile, and I make no apologies for not going for steep trails with slushy snow. Nate did make it, and was kind enough to take the picture above to show me what I missed out on!
Arches National Park, UT
Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail: 0.7 miles, 141 ft elevation
Remember the part where we LEFT Arizona because it was too hot? Apparently that wasn't enough to stop us from hitting another NP on the way home. Needless to say, it was over 100 degrees, and we couldn't muster the 3 mile hike to the Delicate Arch (and stand in a line to wait for a picture). This was another one to come back to...again, not in the heat of the summer!
IDAHO
Redfish Lake to Alpine Lake: 10.2 miles, 2,001 ft elevation
Fun fact: There are two Alpine Lakes to hike to in the Sawtooths! We had previously done the other one on our way up to Sawtooth Lake. THIS Alpine Lake is off of the back side of Redfish. We took a boat across the lake to the Redfish Inlet Trail head to access this hike. It was a long one, but it was beautiful!
Leavenworth, WA
Icicle Gorge Trail: 4.2 miles, 387 ft elevation
We drove to Leavenworth for my birthday weekend, and it was the sweetest little town tucked into the mountains. This loop trail was an easy one, but it was unexpectedly beautiful! Aptly named, there were icicles lining rocks everywhere. I think that this was so mesmerizing because I had only seen icicles hanging off of roofs. It was an amazing walk on a brisk fall day, full of wonder.
2020
I haven't done a New Year's goal in years, and do they count if you make them after the first?? For me, 2020 is going to bring 20 hikes. Right now, the snow in the mountains is giving me ample time to contemplate trails that I want to go on. I don't have a set list as of now, but I do know that I'd like to cap the 20 hikes off with Mt. Borah, the tallest peak in Idaho. My husband has done it before, and I chickened out the last time from stories that I had heard from family! But I figure, if I'm going to do this, then I might as well just go for it.
So, seeing that I have some planning to do in the coming months, let me know what your favorite trails are!
(Note: I will not be doing Table Rock due to stubbornness. I have a goal to never hike that particular trail.)
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