2010 year in review

Here are my stats for the year along with a comparison to years past:

Well I was pretty stoked to see my numbers until I read some of yours, wow I feel like I am not doing nearly enough.
anyway my count:

49 Trips
36 New Peaks
379 Miles
133,100 Gain
compared to the last 2 years

2007:Here are my modest numbers:
39trips
351 miles
110,000 Vert Climb
9 backcourt peaks
4 homecourt peaks
5 other summits
10 lessons learned

2008 total summits: 36
Home Court 100    4
Back Court 100    16
378 miles
115,100 ft of climb
42 trips


A few thoughts on the past year:

I ended last year with a desire to try my hand at Randonee skiing. While the ascents went well the descents proved to be way beyond by ability and I thought it best to shelve it for the time being. I was pleased that I was able to sell by setup for more than twice what I had paid for it taking some of the sting out of the purchase. The new year started with a resolve to try put more of a focus of my climbing. I have always been able to get out on a regular basis but I wanted to make it even more steady and try to improve my rate of summit success. Based on this alone my year was a success.

 I was blessed with an usual snow year that provided very high regional snow levels allowing summits that I wouldn't have been able to attempt in the Winter most years. In most cases being able to drive further up the road allowed less walking assuring more success. I was able to string together quite  a few new summits early in the year providing some confidence. Early Spring came with some heavy snows making most summits out of the question. Thankfully some others hard work allowed me to piggyback on their hard work. Once May came along I had to shut it down to provide help on the home front allowing my wife to work. This time off set my fitness back and I struggled in late Spring to catch my stride. With the nice weather I was able to keep marking off my lists and regained some of my fitness.

  Summer allowed for another string of successful trips, although weather did kill my first overnighter which didn't allow any of the many summits I had planned for that trip. Late in the season I tried for another epic trip only to be thwarted by cool and wet weather. This didn't allow me to cross off any of the five summits I had planned for that day. Thankfully September came and allowed me some better luck. I had a memorable summit of Jim Hill and looked forward to finishing the year off strong. I cranked out my longest day ever which was a source of great accomplishment but it was tempered with losing my faithful climbing Beagle. This was deeply moving and I had a rough time coping. I believe it was not so much losing of the Beagle but more of my feelings of not doing enough to prevent it. As in the past I had a strong sense to push on to honor the lost little buddy. Fall brought some more great summits highlighted by Atrium Peak on a most perfect fall day. As I shifted into the Winter months I had some struggles trudging through waist. deep snow for summits of Red Mountain and Finn Peak. I had a fun stretch where I put the car into the ditch and with much surprise I was able to extricate it with my trusty  snow shovel. I finished off the year marking off some scrub peaks off some of the quads in my area.


As a general feeling I am much pleased with the year and how it turned out. I eagerly look forward to this coming year and even though it is very much in it's infancy I feel very hopeful for another year of great summits and all the good feeling that go along with it.

E