2004 .... 2005

[Puma concolor]

Well it's getting to be about that time. The year is nearly over and it's always fun to look back and look ahead. Was the year in hiking everything you hoped for and what aspirations do you have for the year ahead? Big trips? Completed lists? Just lots of great mountains?

For me, it was and is all about State Highpoints plus some general bee-bopping around the Northeast. No major climbs, but a couple of fun trips down to the Southern Appalachians and the Upper Midwest. Next year will probably be more of the same with a planned HP trip to the deep south.

 

[lumberzac]

2004 had a lot of firsts for me. I did my first hike in the Catskills. I took my first steps on the AT (although I only hiked maybe 5 miles total on it). I had my first visit to Baxter State Park, and hiked Katahdin. I successfully traversed the Adirondack Great Range.

Next year I hope to continue with that. My main goals are to finally do some hiking in the Green and White mountains as well as some more Adirondack peaks.

 

[sli74]

2004 - What a YEAR . . . I can only dream of topping this year for "life accomplishments" both personal and professional.

Finally finished my thesis and graduated and followed that up with a whirlwind tour of backcountry hikes and mountaintops all over the country.


2005 - Finish a couple of lists, start a couple of other lists, hike lists I've already finished, hang out with friends, first BSP winter trips, finally put up my LT and post LT trip reports on VFTT and carve a niche for myself in the cancer and diabetes research fields . . . here's to a year as wonderful as the last one has been

Happy 2005 VFTT

sli74

 

[rtrimarc]

year end...

It has been a great year for me in the outdoor pursuits. A few more High Peaks bagged, completed my first marathon(NYC) in November, and had a successful and really fun thru hike of the Northville-Placid Trail in October. That was a great trip.

I have been very fortunate to get out and enjoy this year.

If we ever get any real snow i hope to improve upon my very mediocre skiing skills!

Rob

 

[abe]

......not a great year for hiking, between finishing a 1 year grad school program, a broken ankle in the spring, and what else...err........ummm...let me see....oh yea, a divorce . I was able to get out west and Summit Kings Peak with Bob however...what a great guy.....did I mention great !!!

Hopefully 2005 will find myself in the woods more

 

[spencer]

I'm with Abe... while I had some great trips in Baxter this summer and fall, I haven't gotten out a whole lot since last winter (oops, I almost forgot Costa Rica). Well, I guess quality not quantity was my hiking motto for this year.

but, I've been busy and am defending my MS thesis on Tuesday (2.5 years in the making). Then I will have more time for playing...


spencer

 

[Sherpa John]

A great year in deed for me.. Finally finished the 48.. proposed to the finace on top of the last. Finaly got to hike with my dad again after 5 years. And of course.. the documentay film finally came to fruition and its almost done being produced.

What does 2005 have in store? Showing the film, selling th film, raising money for diabetes research. Getting Team Sherpa off the ground. Startingmy winter 4's. Getting the 4's in VT and ME DONE and training exhaustingly to challenege the speed record. I also hope to make some new hiking friends.

Sherpa J

 

[Head]

It's been a great one for me! Bird and I finished the Catskills (one to go in winter to be 35rs...YESSSSIRR!) Also put a big dent in the Whites and got a chance to hit a few peaks in Rangeley, Maine! Met a lot of cool folks while out on the trail as well. Looking forward to getting back up to the ADK High Peaks this winter to do some EXTREME Sledding. Also, I plan on finishing the 115 by next fall! Can hardly wait to get back outside....as a matter of fact, Im going out right now!!!!See ya outside!
HEAD

 

[dug]

The Red Sox won the World Series. Everything else seems fuzzy.

 

[spongebob]

Some Highlights in 2004. The year of the “Ankle Sprain”
(2003 was the year of the minor knee injuries.)

-Starting to winter hike. What the heck are crampons?
-Flume on the fourth.
-East Osecola leg cramps.
-Mt. Chocura hike with VFTT spring get together.
-Audrey's famous bottle pose.
-Equinox on the equinox.
-1st trip to the Catskills. Nice huge “fork” in the road on the way there.
-Kennebago bridge near the Canada road. Honda Civics can cross it baby!
-Finishing the NH 48 on Washington May 16th.
-Devils path hike.
-The Dixes and meeting Alpinesummit on Hough. (he really doesn’t look like the northern lights, which was kind of a let down.)
-First trip to Baxter State park. Wow! (and I live in Maine.)
-Mt Marathon in Seward, Alaska. 1.5 miles up 2700’ vertical. Crazy!
-Climb up to the back of Exit glacier to Harding ice field.
-Annoy my brother in Alaska.
-Cliff, Redfield & Marshall(nice moss) trip. Saw Arm hiking in New York that was cool.
-Bear canister works. Take that Mr. & Mrs. Adirondack black bear.
-Spend more summer weekends in the Adirondack’s then in Maine. Yes, I am crazy.
-Going to try to do all the Seward’s in a day. Twist ankle on Seward. Crap!
-Finish the 46 Adirondacks on Iroquois August 28th. Met HarryK(my life has been ruined ever since.), Patti, Dawn and Tom who finished same day at Lake Placid Brew & Pub.
-Finish the NE 100 highest and NE 111 on Katahdin on Sept. 6th labor day. (And I labored the last few hundred vertical.)….All lists in 2 years, ok; 2 years and a month. Still nice goal and follow thru.
-Knifes Edge way cool.
-Mount Carrigain “Do you know Dave Metsky?”
-Boo Beer! Fond u whatever beer….Just bring me some Canadian beer HarryK.
-VFTT Gathering nice rain. Blue spills beer on herself and blames me.
-Devil horn hike up Outlook mountain.
-Bushwhack a bit later in the fall.
-Sherpa-vators most sought after Christmas gift 2004.


Personal Highlights.
-Stopped looking in mirrors. (headaches drop 78%)
-Did not get fired from job.
-No mace or stun guns used on me for a 36 day period.
-Spongebob and I breakup, but get back together after counseling.
-Take stand up comedy class. Way scary and cool.
-sleep several times.
-Hear people say I am weird on average 2 times a day. (This spikes considerably higher after posting this.)
-Adrian edits this post after seeing several hundred spelling mistakes.

Adrian

 

[poison ivy]

2004 was an amazing year for me... I hiked about 470 miles and accomplished so many goals (and was absolutely spoiled rotten with wonderful hiking partners, thanks VFTT!) Highlights were definitely hiking in New Zealand, finishing the NH48, completing my first five winter 4Ks and finishing the AT in New Hampshire, and adding a few more state highpoints to my completion list.

As for 2005, I'm hoping to finish the AT in Maine (& New England,) & finish the NE67 list. I'm especially excited to be heading out west to visit with friends and hope to add Mt. Whitney to my list of completed highpoints, as well as the few remaining states I have left on the East Coast.

-- Ivy

 

[percious]

Lets see. 2004 was a year of firsts for me. First 4Ker with my son. First 4ker with my wife. First W46. First Catskill 35er. First ADK bushwhack. First Forum Gathering (Monadnock).

Here's what bit the dust.
VT-Abraham, Killington (with my son)
NH-Moose, Techumseh (with my son)
ADK-Whiteface, Macomb, Dix, Cascade, Giant, RPR, Marshall, Grey, Cliff, and Redfield.
CSK-(twin, and something else on DP)
HP- Greylock

2005 I am sure will be a year of more firsts... My son is almost 2, so maybe he will get his first... ha ha. First hike in BSP. First winter hike in NH. Ill probably be another 1/4 closer to finishing my 46 at the end of the year. I love the dax.

-percious

 

[Jasonst]

Great year for me too... Began 1/1/04 with a trek up Moosilauke (great way to start the year) Finished the NH 48 atop Carrigan in June, hiked my first 14er in Colorado (Sneffels) Wife had our 4th child 6 days ago...

 

[Jaytrek57]

2004 the year of Bryce, Capitol Reef, Zion, Arches and Canyonlands NPs. Out of all of them the BC in Canyonlands was my favorite.

Haven't totaled up my tent nights yet but with the trips with the youth I work with and my own personal trips it should be up there again this year.

Of course all this pales in comparison and is a simple footnote when 20 years from now someone asks me, "What do you remember about 2004?"...

My reply of course, "The Red Sox won the series!!"

Peace

 

[sp1936]

An excellent hiking year, maybe the best ever for me. 16 NH4Ks bagged, giving me a total ot 35. Plus a bunch of "little guys," such as Chocorua, Kearsarge N. and Mt. Parker, for which I have more affection, even if they aren't as prestigious as their big brothers. Plus a bunch of winter adventures, something relatively new for me. Plus Sedona and the Grand Canyon (finally got the guts to get in a plane).

2005: finish the damn list, and never, ever do another list again. Well, maybe the 7 summits, but that's it.

Steve

 

[Blue]

The best:
Trips to Baxter, winter and summer.
Presidentials in one day.
Wildcats/Carters in one day.
The northern section: Long Trail backpacking.
Skiing the Toll Road up Whiteface
Skiing Cannon Mtn for a week.

The even better:
I lost 20 pounds in 2004 by significantly reducing beer consumption (sorry Harryk, please don't revoke my VFTT patch)
The Red Sox win! The Red Sox win!

The ugly:
Hiking at the "Deep Freeze '04: A Gathering of Crazies in the Adirondacks"
Hiking up a trail waterfall at the "Mudfest 04: A Gathering of Crazies in the Catskills"

2005:
Yeah, yeah, start the chant now..on January 1st, Blue turns 32.
Owl's Head and Cabot, the last 2
More of the Long Trail (not the beer)
some winter 4Ks
more Baxter!!!

 

[MattC]

I started hiking!

2004 was the most significant hiking year of my life, not because I did that much, but because it was simply the first year I hiked with any frequency. Although I've always loved the outdoors and hiking, I never got out more than once in a while, and never owned most of the necessary gear. I realize now that I've always wanted to hike a lot, I just never got around to it. My dad used to bring me to the ADKs a bit when I was a kid, and he taught me the basics (don't wear cotton, stay dry, don't feed the bears, respect the wilderness, etc.) and helped instill a love of the outdoors. Percious, or anyone else taking the little ones along, keep it up-it's one of the greatest gifts you can give to your children.

I guess I've been trying to make up for lost time. Before August of this year I had never hiked the Catskills, although I'm from Albany and now live in New Paltz. Since August, I've done 34 of the 35, plus a few of the lower summits. I'm now waiting to do the winter requirements, and then I'd like to finish on West Kill. Other than the Catskills, I've just done a lot of stuff in the Shawangunks and a few other little things in the area. I've also plunked down quite a bit (for me) on gear, but on the plus side, I've now got some halfway-decent stuff that will hopefully last a while. Next year I want to get up to the ADKs a lot. I've only done two of the high peaks, both when I was a kid, and a handful of the lesser peaks. I'd also like to sample NH, VT and ME.

Lastly, I'll just say that in the short time I've been using this site, it's been a gret source of info and inspiration, and also some comic relief. Happy and safe holidays to y'all and good luck in all of next years exploits...

Matt

 

[audrey]

For me and Pat it was a year of tremendous ups and downs. We lost our wonderful dog but have a puppy to heal the wound. We had wonderful weeks in Maine doing the 6-pack over again with good companions, and in the Adirondacks. Best of all, 2 weeks in the Grand Canyon hiking and rafting!

2005 will, we hope, bring an end to our 115-er quest, give us some time in Nevada and Death Valley, see our pup turn into a great hiker, and bring health and happiness to everyone. Happy new Year!

 

[ExploreTheEast]

2004 was somewhat dissappointing to me. I had a lot of goals, really just places I wanted to go, and it seems like I didn't get to any of them. Hopefully Baxter, Newfoundland, the Smokies, and other destinations out West are part of 2005.

 

[Rick]

04 was a terrific year for me (there all terrific if you can reminisce) I Completed Section hiking the AT in PA and NJ. I was supposed to go back to AK to help out with a commercial group, but a new job beckoned so I packed up the family and moved to Massachusetts in late summer.

Hey, By the way, how the hell do all you Massachusetters get by with the huge property, motor vehicle and state income taxes, highway robbery auto insurance and crappy roads? oh yeah, and all the people that pull out right in front of you ?? This is definitely a new one on me-I am used to Jersey drivers who are MUCH more polite!!