Who is lucky enough to escape the Midwest for the mountains this summer? I am lucky enough to be traveling to Colorado in late July with hopes of 1 walk up 14er and Father Dyer to Mt. Helen traverse. Not the most ambitious plans but it is a family trip so 1 morning to get away by myself and one morning of the kids hanging out with grandma and grandpa is probably as much as I can do.

Oh I can't wait to. I have three days next week to do something and I think I will hike in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma. There is some great information about that area here on summitpost and it got me interested. In the late summer when I usually have lots of time to go somewhere, I am planning for the Bighorn Range and Black Hills.

I hope you have enough time to acclimate to the altitude and enjoy the 14ers there in Colorado. That's an issue for me sometimes since I spend so much time here in the low altitude farmlands. The Rockies there are really beautiful, have a great time.

I'm feeling pretty lucky so far this summer. We were in Peru for 10 days late May into early June, LA June 15th till the 19th (mostly vacation stuff but we did do San Antonio), Will be in Ouray and Telluride over the fourth of July (Sneffels, Mount Wilson and El Diente) and we have a Whitney permit for July 26th. I'm laid off now so I have the ability to up and leave, I'm hoping to get a Cascade volcano in yet this summer also. Happy trails!

Tonka:

I don't know if you are into canyoneering, but Ouray is also a great place for descending flowing canyons. If you have not done it before, I suggest that you hire Kevin or Mark at San Juan Mountain Guides. Rapping down waterfalls is really fun.

I'm going to New England (for a wedding; I haven't gone EAST in over a decade) in two weeks and have a few peaks planned (Marcy, Washington, Katahdin). Then in late August I have an ambitious week in CO planned (tentatively: Ouray, Sneffels, Wetterhorn, Rio Grande Pyramid, Crestone Peak, and Crestone Needle).

I've been waiting 10 months to get back in the mountains, I can't believe it's so close.

theuglybear:

Having done them previously, I recommend getting maps for those NE and NY mtns. Washington is actually the easiest one, since there is a "rest stop" at the summit where you can spend time indoors, rest, and get food. Here are a couple of thoughts:

Katahdin: reserve your preferred parking area via the website, it's worth paying for - if you don't it is possible you won't be able to do your preferred route (I did Helon Taylor/Knife Edge from Roaring Brook). Bring lots of water - this mountain is dry! Map: AMC Maine Mountain Guide.

Washington: there's no bad way to hike this mountain, though you may know that the weather is almost always unpleasant at the top. As I descended, people were climbing up into the clouds with nothing but shorts/t-shirts - and they were going to be COLD! (Of course, I had all my gear!) (I did Huntington Ravine up from Pinkham Notch; down by Tuckerman Ravine.) Map: AMC White Mountains set.

Marcy: the only "short" trail (~15 miles there and back) is the Van Hoevenberg from the Loj. It was wet and muddy, and another hiker with several trips experience told me that the trail is always wet. There was erosion despite the obvious trail maintenance. Map: Adirondack Mtn Club's High Peaks Region.

Have you thought of also doing Mansfield in VT, since it is a state HP and "between" Washington and Marcy? It's a real nice climb going south on the Long Trail up the east side, and I have read the Sunset Ridge trail is also excellent.

Unfortunately, I am not likely to get outside the Midwest this summer for any real mountains.

Will be heading to Colorado the week of Labor Day. Two short backpacks planned. Holy Cross Wilderness for 3 days/2 nights and the Sangres for 4 days/3 nights. At least that is the plan for now. Plane ticket has been purchased though...

theuglybear wrote:...I have an ambitious week in CO planned (tentatively: Ouray, Sneffels, Wetterhorn, Rio Grande Pyramid, Crestone Peak, and Crestone Needle).

That is ambitious..but awesome. Good luck!

Highly recommend the "tour de Sneffels" going up the SW Ridge and descending the starndard route. Are you planning the Peak and Needle separately, or are you planning the for the traverse? Be sure to let us know how it goes.

Looking for someone(s) to tag along with to Summit Katahdin for first time. Dying to cross Knife Edge, but don't want to go it alone. Looking to go mid/late August 2012. I've done Mt Washington once and Mt LaFayette loop couple of times.

Updating my earlier post, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is officially awesome, even during the 100-degree heat wave. Charon's Garden Wilderness has so many choices within a varied range of difficulty. I expected that to be great, but the Dog Run Hollow area was a real hidden gem. What a neat canyon. I look forward to a return visit sometime.

Colorado was a great time! Father Dyer to Mt Helen was a blast. The east ridge of Father Dyer was a great warmup for the rugged traverse over to Mt Helen. Can't wait to figure out what to do in 2013, but I have some ideas!

I also have to add that Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park was spectacular. I think one of the routes to the bottom of the canyon and back up would also be a great time.

This year looks like I may head out east to visit family in Boston and sneak away with my brother for a Katahdin hike. I have been looking at cathedral ridge as a possibility.

mountainhare wrote:Oh I can't wait to. I have three days next week to do something and I think I will hike in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma. There is some great information about that area here on summitpost and it got me interested. In the late summer when I usually have lots of time to go somewhere, I am planning for the Bighorn Range and Black Hills.

I hope you have enough time to acclimate to the altitude and enjoy the 14ers there in Colorado. That's an issue for me sometimes since I spend so much time here in the low altitude farmlands. The Rockies there are really beautiful, have a great time.

I live 60 miles east of the bighorns and 40 miles west of the Wyoming black hills....if you have any questions just let me know. Always happy to help.

I'm looking forward to an August backpack into the Sangres - specifically the Sand Creek drainage. Aiming for Tijeras Peak, Music and Marble Mountains, Milwaukee Pass, and anything else that I can squeeze in. Meantime, I'm heading to the Wichita Mountains in a few weeks to tide me over.