View Full Version : Best hike 2019?
My favorite and most memorable hiking experience of 2019 is a snow shoe/ ski trip to rutland, killington Vermont. It was my first snowshoeing hike, I was staying at the inn for a couple days so I drove up after working all day, drove all night arriving a couple hours before daylight so I took about a 2 hour nap in the car. Then when I could see enough I put on all my gear strapped my snowshoes on and headed up to pico camp. Though I think it's only 3 miles or so up man it took me 5 hours to climb up in wind, blowing snow. Crossing a couple of creek beds down and back up whew so tough! I kept losing the trail I remember thinking what the hell did I get myself into this time. But I made it up to that little cabin that was all chewed up from porcipine and had it to myself. The next day I snowshoed back down checked in the inn and snowshoed up the trail around the inn up to the overlook, very nice. Then on my birthday the next day I snow skied pico camp, which was -4 ambient temp that morning brrrrrr. What an experience that trip was totally out of my comfort zone but wow so worth it!!
lucky luke
01-01-2020, 09:35
the first time out after massive problems with my knee. only 1km and a 5kg pack, but a dream come true! maybe the best hike ever so far.:sun
KnightErrant
01-01-2020, 11:46
My favorite this year was a two-day hike in September in the Whites to get Zealand and the Bonds, with an overnight at Guyot. Bondcliff is now one of my favorite mountains. I also really enjoyed Eisenhower. Came really close on my thru-hike in 2018 but the AT skirts the summit, so I didn't actually get there until a sunset hike this year. The AT should really include it!
A bit farther from home, I also hiked my first volcano in 2019, back in Feburary in Sumatra, called Mt. Sibayak. The summit was socked in with clouds, but it felt like another planet. Hiking to spot orangutans in Bukit Lawang on the same trip was also pretty magical, an annoying park guide aside.
Cheers to 2020!
Pringles
01-01-2020, 12:59
I hiked in Yellowstone, to Heart Lake. The hike started out going up a hill or ridge, but then came to a thermal valley with views of mountains, hot springs and fumaroles, a big meadow with sandhill cranes and a coyote, a small geyser, and a big lake. There were lots of mosquitoes, too, but I choose to ignore that part. There were other wonderful hikes in Yellowstone this year, but that one was possibly the best. Last week I got to do a tiny part of the AT, in Shenandoah National Park. It was only a bit over 3 miles, but when you live out west, getting any AT miles is hard.
Since many years my favorite LD hikes are in the Middle East desert, esp. South Sinai, Egypt.
For several years I was munching over the idea to bring the bigger part of my family, plus my 4 sisters + their family, to show them the beauty of the desert.
So in spring 2019, we got everything going and did the trip, which was a comfortable camel trip.
We were 17 persons, longest approach travel was from my elder daughter and her boyfriend who live in Pittsburgh, PA, youngest member was one of my niches at 8yrs, oldest was me at 62.
We had everything you could ask for, hot and cold (more of the cold), wind and some more wind, sun and rain, had blisters and diarhoe, had quarrels and love, and it was really, really great.
Strategic
01-01-2020, 15:18
Three days on the MST with my brother-in-law. We did some of the proposed new section through the upper part of Eno River State Park, plus some of the existing trail through the rest of the park and on down to West Point on the Eno. The proposed sections are only partially maintained (or even blazed) and we ended up doing a bit of bushwhacking on the stretch between Few's Ford and Pleasant Green Rd., but it was a lot of fun. The area is beautiful, the Eno a lovely little river, and the campsites in the state park are fantastic (they even come stocked with pre-cut firewood.) A great trip with my favorite hiking partner.
Traillium
01-01-2020, 15:27
I completed the La Cloche Silhouette Trail at the end of September and into October. Stunning 85 km around Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario! And tough in the wet and wind, especially for these 69 years. I had wonderful support from Josh and from my hiking partner Kookork. … now to work on flexibility …
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200101/5d765f02977f5a8fc2f5e06d23a3172c.jpg
Traillium
Ontario, Canada
Awesome inspiration and some great picture's and hiking stories. I noticed folks responding that have been on whiteblaze for awhile but very few posts. Much thanks !
While 2019, particularly the last half, had so many great experiences, choosing the top ones isn't hard.
Closing out the year visiting my only backpacking partner in the NC mountains, who sent me on several fantastic dayhikes(including Grandfather Mtn!), and accompanied me on an overnight trip into a storm that was driving other people off the trails, certainly ended things on a high note.
My unadvisedly late trip into the High Uintas, on the tail end of fall, also had crazy weather that drove everyone out of the backcountry, including me. So I headed to the desert, where Arches and Capitol Reef NPs reminded me of why Utah was my first love, and what got me back into backpacking a decade ago.
Those were important, because they prioritized 2020 for me. My next trip away from my "home area" will be right back to UT for a 7th time, except to Canyonlands, as early as I dare without needing ice skates. That, and another trip out West in late fall with the same friend-and hopefully another visit to NC, will undoubtedly be the highlights of the coming year.
Meanwhile, the Cumberland Plateau's gorges and waterfalls always give me plenty to look forward to between the longer trips, and a possible return to mountain biking(up to 3x/week when really into it) would keep me outside pretty much constantly:banana
KnightErrant
01-01-2020, 18:56
Since many years my favorite LD hikes are in the Middle East desert, esp. South Sinai, Egypt.
For several years I was munching over the idea to bring the bigger part of my family, plus my 4 sisters + their family, to show them the beauty of the desert.
So in spring 2019, we got everything going and did the trip, which was a comfortable camel trip.
We were 17 persons, longest approach travel was from my elder daughter and her boyfriend who live in Pittsburgh, PA, youngest member was one of my niches at 8yrs, oldest was me at 62.
We had everything you could ask for, hot and cold (more of the cold), wind and some more wind, sun and rain, had blisters and diarhoe, had quarrels and love, and it was really, really great.
What an amazing family trip! My parents and then later two of my best friends visited me when I was living in Morocco, and it was great to share that adventure with them in person because otherwise it's so difficult for friends/family to understand your experiences in a very different part of the world. When my friends visited, we did a short camel trek in the Sahara, but my parents were much more content to sip tea in a riad than go anywhere near a camel, haha!
I will have to ask you for more advice if I get the chance to travel to Egypt anytime soon. (It's on the bucket list, but below Cappadocia, Pategonia, and a PCT thru hike, so I might not get there this decade. But one day in the future!)
Carvers Gap to Kincora first weekend of November
Slo-go'en
01-01-2020, 21:38
HF to DWG was okay, but definitely not the best and I'm definitely never going to hike this section again. I think 4 times is enough.
The trail brushing trips this summer were fun, but it was still work. Did about 10 of those.
The fall day hikes in the Whites, often with friends, were the best. Did a whole lot of these. This hike to Rodgers Ledge was a good one.
46012
What an amazing family trip! My parents and then later two of my best friends visited me when I was living in Morocco, and it was great to share that adventure with them in person because otherwise it's so difficult for friends/family to understand your experiences in a very different part of the world. When my friends visited, we did a short camel trek in the Sahara, but my parents were much more content to sip tea in a riad than go anywhere near a camel, haha!
I will have to ask you for more advice if I get the chance to travel to Egypt anytime soon. (It's on the bucket list, but below Cappadocia, Pategonia, and a PCT thru hike, so I might not get there this decade. But one day in the future!)
Great that you had similar experiences, and great ones at that.
I don't want to hijack this thread, so please feel free to start a new one, or ask by PM.
HF to DWG was okay, but definitely not the best and I'm definitely never going to hike this section again. I think 4 times is enough.
The trail brushing trips this summer were fun, but it was still work. Did about 10 of those.
The fall day hikes in the Whites, often with friends, were the best. Did a whole lot of these. This hike to Rodgers Ledge was a good one.
46012
Love the picture ! :sun
I did the Wonderland Trail in September, and that is up there on my all-time favorites list.
But mile-for-mile, my first trip to Dolly Sods in late November was my favorite! It had snowed prior, so the views were that much more stunning, and the trails even more empty. It made me a winter backpacking convert. I envision more trips to the Monongohela in my near-future!
1 of my favorite places dolly sods. Freaking awesome place.
This was a down year for me for backpacking unfortunately due to a job change with less time off..I hiked the Northernmost 54 miles of the Pinhoti Trail (plus another couple on the South Fork Trail) over 3 days in November. That was it for me as far as overnighters. Plenty of day hikes in state parks, etc. 2020 shaping up to be a down year as well sadly.
Hikingjim
01-02-2020, 18:14
I completed the La Cloche Silhouette Trail at the end of September and into October. Stunning 85 km around Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario! And tough in the wet and wind, especially for these 69 years. I had wonderful support from Josh and from my hiking partner Kookork. … now to work on flexibility …
Traillium
Ontario, Canada
That's definitely a favorite "somewhat local" trail of mine. I did the superior provincial park coastal trail in the spring, and it was also a great trail.
If you haven't done that one, a few comparisons with la cloche: a bit shorter, more difficult km for km IMO, more isolated (saw 0 people on 75% of the trail), and you don't have to book campsites (many great beach ones to choose from)
chknfngrs
01-03-2020, 07:38
Favorite hike of 2019, walked the John Muir Trail from Charlotte Lake to Mt Whitney.
The table mesas above Golden, CO because I got to do them with my daughter.
trailmercury
01-03-2020, 15:50
First backpacking trip for my 11 y/o son this past August. Three days/Two nights @ Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in UP Michigan. He enjoys it more than my 15 y/o did when I took him on his first trip around the same age.
I also hiked the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and another trip into the "Porkies" with friends, but the dad/son trip was the best!
First backpacking trip for my 11 y/o son this past August. Three days/Two nights @ Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in UP Michigan. He enjoys it more than my 15 y/o did when I took him on his first trip around the same age.
I also hiked the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and another trip into the "Porkies" with friends, but the dad/son trip was the best!
So cool good for you, these are some of my favorite hiking stories , parents getting out there with their kids. No better bonding time right.
colorado_rob
01-04-2020, 10:26
I did the Wonderland Trail in September, and that is up there on my all-time favorites list.
yep, we did a LOT of backpacking in 2019, all over the country, but the WT was our favorite for the year, second only for all-time favorite to the Sierra High Route (2017), which I doubt can ever be beat, and in fact we plan to repeat, with variations, in 2020. It almost doesn't seem possible that we can hike in such ridiculously endless incredible beauty, and not see another soul for days and days on end.