26-28/50 - January 17-20, 2022: Warmi Wañusqa 13,829 ft, Runkuraqay 12,795 ft & Machu Picchu 7,872 ft: 27.3 mi over 4 days. I was lucky enough to go on an amazing trip to Peru and to spend four days hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu with my adventurous niece Emily. It was so interesting to learn the history of the Inca and to see what they had built so long ago. And the mountains in Peru are more green and steeper than you can imagine. In places is it hard to imagine how one would pass if it weren't for the camino that they had built.
I must confess that this was not hardcore backpacking. The portadores carried the heavy load and set up a dining tent and cooked us great meals each day. The weather was on the verge of rain, and the clouds blowing past the mountains were amazing. The highest point that we passed was Warmi Wañusqa (Dead Woman's Pass in Inca), which Emily and Raul are looking back on in the photo below.
29/50 - June 5, 2022: (Little Little Baldy, Little Baldy - repeat) and Big Baldy: 12.0 mi, 3,827 ft
These deer were on the next ridge over as I reached the top of Little Little Baldy (the peak just shy of Little Baldy), and seemed to just be enjoying the view as I was.
The woods on the back side of Little Baldy with their trees and wildflowers were amazing.
The views back to Timp were some of my favorite.
This looks like a nice place for Brunch.
30/50 - June 12, 2022: Mill Creek Peak 10,349 ft: 9.0 mi, 2,132 ft
31/50 - July 14, 2022: Twin Peaks, 11,415 ft: 10.5 mi, 5,285 ft
I believe that this may have been the most difficult peak that I've climbed to date. It is not so long, but only the first and last 2-3 miles on hiking trails. The rest is over loose rock up a gravel slide or over boulders, so it was fairly slow going and took us 11 hours to complete. But I would still highly recommend it as the trail was beautiful and crosses through some outstanding areas. It was really every bit as beautiful as the trail to Lake Blanche but far less busy.
This was my favorite view of the hike. Part way up through the meadow you can look back and see this view of the stream cutting through the valley.
We found this guy hiding out among the aspens. Fortunately he wasn't too interested or annoyed by us.
Even after hiking an hour or two and climbing quite a bit, the destination still seems impossible far away.
The scariest moment of the hike is having to get up this sheer sheet of rock, which was a little frightening. We found this spot to be the easiest as there is a crack where you can get grip with the wall behind.
32/50 - July 25,
2022: Boxelder Peak (11,172 ft),
11.65 mi, 4,754 ft
This trail is not spoken
of a lot, but it was relatively easy and I really enjoyed the views along the
way. The grassy meadow and wildflowers
up on the saddle were probably my favorite part. Most peaks in Utah require a scramble over
boulders at the top, but this one had a trail (although steep at the end) the
whole way.
I started about 3PM and so it was hot at first. The only creatures that I saw during the first part of the hike were lots of these guys.
After a long time, when I got to this meadow and field of flowers leading to the peak, it felt so lush and peaceful. It was a wonderful contrast to the dry hot of the lower parts.
Who would have thought that there were so many wildflowers still thriving up here when the valley was hot and dry?
View north towards Pheifferhorn.
That's Timpanogos in the distance to the south.
33/50 - Aug 22,
2022: Hihimanu Summit (2,279
ft), 6.0 mi, 2,467 ft
This was one of the most
unique hikes that I’ve ever done. About
80% of the island is inaccessible except by air, and after hiking this trail I
understand why. The trail was often just
a slit through the jungle, with just enough brush cleared to make it
through. Then, it transitioned to a
trail along a knife edge that fell off extremely steeply on both sides, yet the
slopes on the sides were so full of trees and bushes that there was not much
risk of falling. Then the trail became so steep that the only
way to advance was hand over hand on fixed ropes that had been set, using the
dirt for footholds.
34/50 – Sept 10,
2022: Lone Peak (11,253 ft), 15.6
mi, 5,554 ft)
This has the reputation
of being one of the hardest hikes on the Wasatch front, and while it didn’t
feel particularly difficult to me on the way up, I could feel it on the way down and the rest of the day. We started really early to beat the heat,
which was a good idea, and it was nice seeing the lights of the city and then
the sun rising on the first part of the hike. The upper valley and sheer granite cliffs were truly beautiful and worth all of the effort to get there.
35/50 – April 1, 2023: Buffalo Peak False Summit via Rock Canyon (~8,000 ft, 9.5 mi, 2,507 ft)
36/50 – April 27, 2023: Little Mountain Shoulder (~7,671 ft, 8.6mi, 2,911 ft)
37/50 – May 20, 2023: Mahogany Mountain (main peak) (9013 ft, 8.3mi, 4,866 ft)
38/50 – May 27, 2023: HeHuan North Peak, Taiwan (11,228 ft), 4.7 mi, 2,131 ft)
39/50 – July 1, 2023: Buffalo Peak (8,032 ft, 4.3 mi, 1,521 ft)
This is not a famous peak, but from the parking lot at the end of Kyhv peak road it is a quick hike through some beautiful meadows with Cascade Mountain looming overhead.
40/50 – July 22, 2023: Pfeifferhorn (11,329 ft, 11 mi, 3,871 ft)
I can see why this hike is so popular. The trail up is one of the nicest around as it passes by Red Pine Lake and with the river following the trail so lots of wildflowers.
41/50 - September 22, 2023 - Robert's Horn (10,991ft tall, 12.2 miles, 4,185 ft)
42/50 - October 21, 2023 - Cascade (10,827 ft tall, 4.3 miles, 3,655 ft) As we were climbing the gulley, two paragliders buzzed by. One of them was going to do three ascents of Cascade this day!
