I finally ordered WD's book and am looking forward to it. I had tried ordering it when it first came out but had a problem (likely excuse), but now it was a snap.

And now to just get there someday. (WD, if u see this can you sign the book -- I'll understand if you can't if you've got someone else doing your fullfilment while you're out hiking.)

This summer I've got 3 days off a week (Tu-Th), so will do several shorter 2-night backpacks in the Rockies, with a week trip in Sep. somewhere. And I'll enjoy (vicariously) everyone else's adventures.

I have always wondered how the classification works. Is a 13er 13000 ft and a 14er 14000 ft?

That is correct, a 13er is any peak between 13,000ft and 13,999ft and a 14er is any peak between 14,00ft and 14,999ft.

Another condition which must be met to make it an "official" 13er or 14er is that the peak must rise a minimum of 200 feet from its saddle. Personally, I don't care about this little "rule" and just hike whatever peak that I feel like hiking on any given day.

Some people then get really finiky and will only do a peak if it meets the conditions above *and* the total elevation gain is no less than 3,000 ft.

Hoping to take my 4 year old on a couple day hikes in the cascades this summer, then a 2 or 3 dayer in the area. After that up to Stevens Lakes in BC (Wells Gray Park back country).

Thanks ChrisFol. I took the scouts to a 11er last year. But, we only did a 1500ft elevation gain, so maybe it didn't count. This year we are going to try for Kings Peak, which is a 13er and the highest point in Utah. I guess I will have to go east for a 14er.

So, I was looking for 14ers outside of Colorado. California has one, Mt Whitney, and Washington has one, Mt Rainier. Are there any others in the lower 48 outside of Colorado, other than those two? Does BC have any 14ers? Are all the 15 and aboves in Alaska? By the way, the highest point in the state of Florida is 345 ft.

There are other 14ers in the Sierra Nevada. I would consider more than mere altitude. The implicit concept seems to be that the higher the mountain, the more difficult it is. That is simply not true. Consider El Diente in the San Juans (Colorado). Many 14er peak baggers can thank their lucky stars that ED did not make into the 14er ranks, because it requires real mountaineering skills.

Think of profile, isolation, length of approach, climbing difficulty (do you need a rope or not? - and all that that involves), and wilderness qualities as worthwhile attributes to consider, among others, when selecting an objective.

The sheer numbers heading up Whitney will demonstrate that nicely.

As will Mt Dana, which I have managed to summit via a short 3 miles of walking upright, but is the second highest peak in Yosemite - a 13er.

California has 13 "official" fourteeners plus many more peaks over 14K'.

LIST

The Palisades in the Sierra have a couple of 14ers. Great area. But if you just want to see how you will do going up to 14k, do White Mountain just north east of Bishop. Its a class 1 hike in along an access road that is easily done in a day (after appropriate acclimatization). Relatively easy access in general and it has a great panoramic view of the Serrias to the west.

Definitely concur Oldranger. Everything is relative. I was up a 21er in Bolivia (got to 19.6) without any previous ice experience and while a challenge, it was probably a lot easier (minus the altitude) than many other shorter peaks in the USA.

"Peak baggers" simply want to do the easiest route up a 14'er. Mountaineers usually want to do a more challenging and aesthetic route than the easiest. I hope to do White Mountain this spring from the east side flats - a challenging 9000-foot elevation gain going up steep ridges. I've already done the standard "drive to 12,000 feet and walk up the road". For big west coast snowcones- the easiest route on Rainier is harder than the easiest route on Mt Shasta. The easiest route on North Palisade is a lot harder than the easiest route on Whitney. One of the hardest 14'ers simply to get to in the Sierra is Mt. Williamson. I am still working on my California 14'ers -have yet to do Polemonium, Mt Muir and Mt Russell. Hope to get two of these done this summer.

As for Canada - most of the highest peaks in the Canadian Rockies do not get near 14,000 feet but are significantly harder than most of the Colorado 14'ers. And in the Canadian Coast Range it is downright grueling to even get to the base of the mountains.

Phat and All-
I wish all of you very happy trails this summer! Phat-You and I should should swap symbolic waves as we fly across the Atlantic. My mother found a 2-for-1 deal for Viking River Cruises and decided to take her 3 daughters to Russia, fulfilling her long-time dream of seeing the Hermitage. I can't imagine another chance to spend 2 weeks with my mom and sisters again, as I just turned 61 and the others are in their appropriate age ranges. The trails will be there other years. I do hope to hike most of the NY/NJ AT this year. We will see. Time and the recession will impact pretty much everyone that I know. I wish I could retire tomorrow...
Cheers!
CamperMom

Well so far looking to hike......

Grafton Loop, in Grafton State Park Maine. Its a 4 or 5 day trip with a friend, should be fun!

Will try to do some of the Fundy Trail, in Fundy National Park New Brunswick Canada. Have done some different stretches of it and its just an awesome place. Not sure on the details, but have a friend who lives close to Fundy and he might go for a few days with me.

Will do Katahdin I'm sure......I mean I live in Maine:P Guess it doesn't really count as I'll do it in a day.

I live in Northern Maine and I go out 2 or 3 times a month for the weekend and hike some favorite places or bolt into the woods and explore for a couple days.

Got the ball rolling on my Yosemite trip in August, so I'm pretty excited about that (as long as fuel doesn't get too expensive, it's an 8+ hour drive). Acquired the wilderness permit already, now I just have to recruit dependable friends to help fill it. Looking to be 4 days/3 nights in the "back country" and three nights car camping, so it should be a blast.

I'll probably get a late July trip in the Trinity Alps going, like I do at least once a year.

I'm getting extremely antsy and want to do a quick over nighter somewhere close (read cheap) but not a huge fan of backpacking in relatively flat redwood forests... and that's what surrounds my area.

I hoping to get out for 8 or 9 days on the Superior hiking trail I'm aming to get the bottom 70 miles or so. I do have to get out on a couple of short hikes before then to debug my new hammock. I second the worry about gas prices its an 8 hour drive for me and most of my other favorites are 4 to 6 hour drives. the added expense of gas will cut down the lengths of any trips.

I go the other way. I figure if the gas is expensive, I'd better spend enough time there to really make the drive worth it.

luckly the crappy company I work for has to extend its full time benefits to all employees not just the handfull who work in the main office. So I get 2 weeks paid time off this year which barely makes taking a trip possible if I didn't have PTO I could never afford to take more then a day off and still afford rent and food. It took me better then a year to save up to afford a used hammock I picked up. If it wasn't for christmas I wouldn't have 3/4's of the gear I have now. so even having to spend $10 extra on gas round trip cuts off a day of food or a day of trail fees and you can't do one with out the other.

That sucks! Hope your work conditions and income vs expense situation will improve.

Ooooh I am so excited for the snow to melt!

This weekend (May 21-23) Lake Minnewanka to Mt. Costigan in Banff NP. A bit boring, with a few grizzlies here and there, and it's going to rain, but not much else is open around here and I NEED TO GET OUT!

June - I would like to do Glacier Lake and Egypt Lake Circuit, both in Banff. If things get a-meltin' here, possible The Skyline in Jasper at the end of the month (likely this will be mid-July though).

July - 2-3 weekenders in Kananaskis, Banff, or the east Kootenays. Want to paddle a few days too if I can.

August - am going to the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake, so I would like to do a few hikes in the area while I'm there. Also, a ramble in Grasslands NP in Saskatchewan, and another weekender.

September - I'm turning 30! I'm celebrating with the West Coast Trail and the Juan de Fuca Trail linked together. I've hiked both before and fell in love, so I'd like to extend my birthday trip to cover the whole 125km.

I'm lucky I work in the outdoor gear industry, not only do I get to travel lots, but I can always claim a "gear testing" day

The better half and I went up to maligne, last week and even as low as the hot springs we were postholing - the upper elevations still has lots of snow.




Egypt might be doable early, but as of as week ago there was still a *lot* of snow at least in the Jasper region. Skyline is
still completely snow covered. We did maligne canyon from bottom to top, and on sunday did valley of the 5 lakes around them all. The drive in has a good view of signal mountain and tekkara and both were completely snow covered. Amber mountain (the nice ridge after the notch) still has full snow.

So if you're gonna try skyline early, take snowshoes - and maybe an ice axe for the notch - judging by what's up there now it might be a bit touch and go. (I have a skyline trip
planned for mid july) I think we are in for a late melt.



Youngster..

I'm going June 10 - only one way this time because I'm taking
a newbie along. Personally I'd rather yo-yo (go to the top and back down) West Coast Trail than combine it with Juan De Fuca - I think it's a better 150 KM. plus the looks from the clueless who say what you're doing is kinda fun If you're
up to 125 km, consider 150 km from gordon river, touch the
trailhead at pachena bay, then turn around and walk back - it's fun!

Do bear in mind if water is low in september things like Tsusiat falls may be dry! (they were late last year)