Completed the big 5-0 on Mauna Kea last Thursday. Had a tour of the Subaru Telescope planned on 4/13/17 that they cancelled due to emergency maintenance but decided to go up to the summit anyways on that day. Went up again with a sunset/stargazing tour on 4/15/17 then came back on 4/16/17 and did the actual hike from the Visitor's Center as I didn't want my last summit to be from the car! It was a beautiful bluebird day and my husband and I were the only ones on the trail that day. YEE HA!

punchline wrote:Completed the big 5-0 on Mauna Kea last Thursday. Had a tour of the Subaru Telescope planned on 5/13/17 that they cancelled due to emergency maintenance but decided to go up to the summit anyways on that day. Went up again with a sunset/stargazing tour on 4/15/17 then came back on 4/16/17 and did the actual hike from the Visitor's Center as I didn't want my last summit to be from the car! It was a beautiful bluebird day and my husband and I were the only ones on the trail that day. YEE HA!

Congratulations!

punchline wrote:Completed the big 5-0 on Mauna Kea last Thursday. Had a tour of the Subaru Telescope planned on 4/13/17 that they cancelled due to emergency maintenance but decided to go up to the summit anyways on that day. Went up again with a sunset/stargazing tour on 4/15/17 then came back on 4/16/17 and did the actual hike from the Visitor's Center as I didn't want my last summit to be from the car! It was a beautiful bluebird day and my husband and I were the only ones on the trail that day. YEE HA!

Wow! Terrific! congratulations, mate

Thanks!

The journey was sort of long and convoluted and took 12 years. My main goal was to climb Denali so I did Rainier as prep in 2005 then Denali in 2007. We then moved to Utah and started climbing/hiking the county highpoints and then I read on Summitpost about a Denali teammate (Dennis Poulin) being a 50 State completer. That seemed like a great goal and my husband suggested that since I already had the 2 toughest ones out of the way that I should think about the other 48.

Living in Utah really facilitated the completion of the Western States - a pretty reasonable drive to most of the trailheads. Then add onto that 3 EPIC roadtrips (Utah to Florida, Utah to Michigan and Utah to Texas,) a supportive climbing partner/husband and the fact that my employer unknowingly sent me on business trips to obscure locations that ended up close to Highpoints (Houlton, ME - who goes there on business??? HAHA) and I was able to complete most of the East Coast ones.

A lot of fun, a couple that had 2 attempts due to weather or illness (Humphrey's and Gannett,) and although cliché, a wonderful way to see the US. Many surprises along the way including; how pleasant the Deep South is in the fall, the ponies on Mt. Rogers, the beautiful scenery on Guadalupe and Harney Peaks in the spring and finding out that my new raingear was neither waterproof, water resistant nor water repellant on Mt. Katahdin.

Within a 10 year span, and a day short of my 40th birthday, I summited Mauna Kea for my 49th State HP. That only leaves Denali on the list but I currently have little desire to go there due to being a family man. While in Hawaii, we also visited Kilauea and Haleakala together, and I finished the trip with a climb of Mauna Loa. Fun fact: Not only was Mauna Kea my 49th State HP, but it was also my 200th CoHP, my 1000th unique ascent on Peakbagger, and my 700th peak with at least 300' of clean prominence.

It has been a great decade for summiting State Highpoints and visiting many other places.

Redwic wrote:Within a 10 year span, and a day short of my 40th birthday, I summited Mauna Kea for my 49th State HP. That only leaves Denali on the list but I currently have little desire to go there due to being a family man.

Give it a few more years and you'll be wanting to free solo K2.

But seriously, get the kids out to the hills as early as you can. Share your love of high places with them. Tomorrow morning, my 12-year-old son and I are going out for a 5-pitch climb in Red Rock. His recent birthday and Christmas presents from me included stoppers, quickdraws, and an ice axe. Hiding in the closet are a beautiful rope and a set of cams, waiting until he is ready.

My 8-year-old recently did his second multi-pitch.

Train 'em right and maybe they'll tick off Denali with you.

How's everyone's summer goals going?

I just got back from long weekend out west and summited Boundary and Whitney, quite the adventure. It was my 35th and 36th highpoint and my cousins 30th and 31st. I'll be turning 36 at end of summer so now I am exactly on track to finish this goal by 50 if I average 1 peak per year.

Interesting Jow fact if I add up the heights (elevation) of the 36 high points I've hiked it totals 197,247 which leaves me just 2,753 of being at an even 200K. 2,753 just happens to be the exact height of Mt Magazine the AR point which I've yet to climb. Part of me wants to make this a priority just for the weirdness of it but probably won't since planning on having this be a middle peak of a MO, MS, AR, LA road trip some day.

Hey, Jow. Congrats. Hope you had fun on Whitney and Boundary. I hope you got to see the wild horses. I am holding at 45. Did my best on Rainier two weeks ago but it wasn't meant to be. Got to the top of the Cleaver and had balance issues. Didn't feel it was safe to continue so stopped 2K feet short of my goal. Disappointed but happy I still tried. Off to Hawaii in October for #46.