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I sure am counting on having some fun but to make sure in addition to hiking Iam going to Kentucky Bourbon festival and completing bourbon trail for 2 days prior to 1st mountain, then attending the Brewgrass (Beer & Bluegrass Music) festival in Asheville between Mt Rogers and Clingmans Dome hikes. I've never been to any of the states involved so I'm open to whatever happening and look forward to some southern livin!

Jow wrote:I sure am counting on having some fun but to make sure in addition to hiking Iam going to Kentucky Bourbon festival and completing bourbon trail for 2 days prior to 1st mountain, then attending the Brewgrass (Beer & Bluegrass Music) festival in Asheville between Mt Rogers and Clingmans Dome hikes. I've never been to any of the states involved so I'm open to whatever happening and look forward to some southern livin!

Wow that surely sounds like you will have a good time! Asheville is really beautiful, you will surely enjoy yourself, just don't get to tanked!

Jow wrote:quick question on the southern sixer. I am lining up rental car. do i need to go with an SUV to get to trailheads or can I skate by with a compact.

dude, Kentucky may be the only place where you would want an SUV...plus SUV is nice on long drives!

other than that you are fine with a compact~ I rented a sedan this weekend for my LA-MO-AR trip, 1200 miles!

No worries getting up Black Mtn., KY last summer in a intermediate-size rental car. Good road and plenty of clearance.

Did virginia wed. beautiful trail!!! saw around 25 wild ponies

Thanks Alpinist and hotoven. I miss you guys!

Up to 22 now after VA on wed. working on plans for more

I made the summit of Borah Peak today! Yeah! Finally. Wasn't my first time on the mountain, but it can be checked off now.

Well done! Borah is not an easy peak!

TLP wrote:I made the summit of Borah Peak today! Yeah! Finally. Wasn't my first time on the mountain, but it can be checked off now.

nice! I've been wanting to hike Borah for a while, if not this year may have to wait for next year...how did you plan your logistics?

I am in Little Rock, Arkansas now, just did my three highpoints in AR, LA and MO. This has been my least favorite highpoint trip

TLP, congrats. on Borah. I will be climbing this Friday. Has the snow bridge melted yet? How were the conditions?

Jow wrote:I did Mt Washington this past February and lost both my big toenails which just fell off a month ago and still look awful making sandal season less fun this year. So I think it'll be beach vacations for me come winter.

I thought I was the only one losing toe nails! I lost a few when I used to run more than 8-10 miles. I just hike Mt. Marcy and I think I am going to lose one or 2 from that!

sm0421 wrote:

TLP wrote:I made the summit of Borah Peak today! Yeah! Finally. Wasn't my first time on the mountain, but it can be checked off now.

nice! I've been wanting to hike Borah for a while, if not this year may have to wait for next year...how did you plan your logistics?

I am in Little Rock, Arkansas now, just did my three highpoints in AR, LA and MO. This has been my least favorite highpoint trip

I found it easy to fly into SLC, and go from there. It can be combined with a trip to Kings Peak in Utah. It depends on how much time you have. If you have a week vacation it can be an awesome trip. You can see some National Parks in UT, or you can try Kings peak too, like I said, or you can go to WY and check out Yellowstone and Grand Teton. That is was what I did this time around. I spent a week in Yellowstone and Grand Teton NPs. I did one mountain over 10,000 ft in Yellowstone, so I was definitely acclimated. I did it on a Saturday, so there was a bunch of other people around too. I found it better to hike with a group, then to just try and do it solo. You can camp right there at the trailhead, if that is your thing. I've stayed in 3 cities in ID close to it, Pocatello, Blackfoot, and Idaho Falls. I found Blackfoot to be the best to stay at. It's possible to stay real close in Challis, or even in Arco. I don't know too much about those cities though.

Here is my favorite trip report for Borah

http://www.splattski.com/2003/borah/index.html

Congratulations to holsti97 and to edsclimb on their summit of Mt Whitney via the Mountaineers Route on 8/10/11. They were accompanied by holsti97's neice, Megan and myself. They are not yet back in Wisconsin, but look to see the last of the contiguous 48 states colored-in soon on holsti97's state highpoint completion map on his profile page (it was Ed's 30th state highpoint).

Thanks you guys for inviting me along. It was good fun and great company. I'm looking forward to seeing some photos and maybe a trip report?!?

We had a great time climbing Telescope Peak 11,049" in Death Valley, CA and then Mount Whitney via the Mountaineer's Route on August 9-10. We climbed up to Iceberg Lake and camped under the stars with no tents. Iceberg Lake froze solid that night. Scrambled up the chute and the 3rd crack to the summit the next morning. Climbed with SP member Tracy who had climbed Whitney 38 years earlier at 11 years of age, and my friend edsclimb, and my niece Megan. Mount Whitney was my 48th United States Highpoint. I climbed Mount Rainier in 2003 for my 1st HP, climbed none in 2004, and then got serious and averaged about 8 highpoints a year after 2004. It has been a wonderful journey.