2010 Year in Review

Introduction

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My outdoor adventuring this year was spurred by a simple goal:

"get out and about in the outdoors"

Struggling with a chronic back/hip injury for the past 4½ years, for a long time I avoided hiking and camping in fear of aggravating things. Last year, when a friend inspired and challenged me to do it anyway, my world opened up again. I discovered that most of the time being outdoors seemed to help, often physically and almost always mentally and emotionally. Even when I did have trouble (most often along the way in the car or airplane), the journey proved to be well worth it.

Rediscovering the great outdoors, Lopez Island, July 2009

In January, at a very difficult juncture in my life, I decided this year would be one of rebuilding, of investment in personal growth. My explorations in the outdoors were an important part and external symbol of that journey. Through them I found time for deep introspection, reflection, rejuvenation, and dreaming. I got so much joy, fulfillment, and growth from these experiences. Being outside in wild, quiet places provides a perspective, centering, and sensory recalibration that is so important for me. I arrive at the end of the year in a much better place than I was to start, in so many ways better, stronger, and happier.

Sunrise on the first hike of the year

When I began this blog in January, following a trip to Ladyface Mountain, it was meant as an accessory to my personal, handwritten journal. I didn't write it for an audience so much as to document the journey for myself, thereby providing a record for subsequent re-visitation and further reflection. Like the outdoor adventures themselves, the value was in the journey, in the creation of the record, as opposed to the destination or the record itself. Along the way I found a small but loyal following whose comments, questions, and perspective further enriched the process.

Volume II

I believe that the outdoor experience is best focused on that process, on the moment and the journey. To understand that journey in its entirety requires reading the whole story (I dare you to start from the beginning). Any attempt to summarize will almost certainly fall short. Nonetheless, I present some summary statistics and superlatives:

Summary Statistics

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In the spring I established a set of milestones to document my progress, and give me something to shoot for:

Cumulative Hiking Mileage: 250 miles (about 5mi/week)
Cumulative Hiking Elevation: 29,029 feet (sea level to Mt. Everest summit)
Cumulative Camping Nights: 1 month (30 days)

By August I'd reached both of the hiking milestones, and subsequently updated them as follows:

Cumulative Hiking Mileage: 365 miles (1 mile/day)
Cumulative Hiking Elevation: 65,023 feet

The latter represents the elevation difference between the lowest point on Earth (the Mariana Trench, nearly 7 miles below the surface of the south Pacific), and the highest (Mount Everest, nearly 6 miles above):


I reached all three goals during my last major trip of the year, a Thanksgiving adventure to Death Valley:

Mile 365, at Badwater Basin

65,023', somewhere in Golden Canyon

Following Night 30 at Furnace Creek

Here are the final year-end statistics...

• 79 hikes, covering 394.5 cumulative miles, with 71,690' of cumulative elevation gain
• 10 camping trips, including 31 nights at 12 unique campsites

...along with some visuals:




My average hike was 5 miles roundtrip, with 907' of net elevation gain. Since all hikes eventually looped back to the starting point, the average steepness was 344'/mile, or a 6.5% grade. Compare this to your favorite hike to calibrate. I personally consider anything above 10% or so over any sustained distance steep. 15%+ is pretty intense.

Here are a few more charts to illustrate the year's hikes:

Mileage

Elevation Gain

Steepness


Superlatives

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Longest Hike: October 4, Pear Lake (Sequoia NP), 13.5 miles


Shortest Hike: November 24, Salt Creek (Death Valley NP), 0.5 miles


Largest Elevation Gain: July 10, Mt. San Antonio (Baldy), 3900'


Steepest Hike: January 9, Ladyface Mountain, 1000'/mile (20% grade)


Highest Elevation: July 10, Mt. San Antonio, 10,064'


Lowest Elevation: November 24, Badwater Basin, -282'


Highest Temperature: July 17, Oat Mountain, 103 degF


Lowest Temperature: November 27, Death Valley, 29 degF


Wettest Day: January 18, Paseo Miramar


Stormiest Day: October 4, Sequoia NP


Scariest Moment: Around 6:30pm, January 29



Noteworthy Wildlife Encounters:

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Black bears like trees

January 29: Bison
April 24: California Sea Lion
May 11: Sea Weirdo
June 14: Red Fox, Hoary Marmot
June 15: Banana Slug
June 16: Blue Grouse
June 17: North American Beaver
July 22: Mosquitoes
August 22: American Black Bear
August 23: Albino Red-tailed Hawk
September 3: American Black Bear
September 12: Hummingbird
October 4: American Black Bears
October 6: Mule Deer, more Black Bears
November 27: American Coot
November 28: Greater Roadrunner


2010 Favorites:

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Favorite Photo

There were so many great adventures that these are really tough to call, but if pressed...

Trip: June 12-17, Pacific NW
Day Hike: July 24, Alice Lake
Campsite: That's a secret
View: The one that wasn't
People Watching: April 18, Icehouse Canyon
Historical Site: May 2, Mandeville Canyon missile radar
Pop Culture Reference: May 9, Bronson (Bat) Caves
Surprise: The many cool strangers I met along the way


Conclusion

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To those loyal readers who have been following through the year, thanks for your interest and support. I haven't decided yet whether or not to continue the blog in 2011. There is at least one more journey that needs to be charted. Regardless, the outdoor adventures are sure to continue...stay tuned...

Aloha.