Twig Adventures

2022 Year In Review

I wanted to do recap of all my hiking in 2022, which is something I should’ve been doing since I started this blog in 2017. Maybe I’ll do some back-posts over the next winter season to cover years 2017-2021. I like collecting stats in one tidy place. Call it ego or whatever, really I just want to keep track of everything for personal reflections. 2022 was a pretty busy year! I thru-hiked one specialty route, the Mogollon Rim Trail (MRT, courtesy of Brett Tucker and Melissa Spencer) and also one official National Scenic Trail, the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT). These 2 thru-hikes were quite different from each other and afforded a very wide array of habitats, conditions, and experiences. They[…]

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2022 ALDHA-West Gathering / Triple Crown Awards

Saturday, September 24th, 2022, Keystone, Colorado I just wanted to do a quick post about the 2022 ALDHA-West Gathering. This is an annual event where hikers are honored for having completed the Triple Crown of Hiking: the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail. I actually completed this trilogy the year prior, but given my Aug-Nov southbound hike of the AT, it was too late to submit my accomplishments for that year. I guess it was meant to be, since having the Gathering in CO aligned perfectly a visit to my home state after the PNT. A hiker friend, Tim Sharp (aka Nine Lives), gave me a ride to and from the event. I only attended one day[…]

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CDT/CT Bonus 2022: Grays Peak, Argentine Spine, & Searle and Kokomo Passes to Leadville.

September 15-20, Thursday- MondayDay 1: Hermit Gulch TH to Grays and Torreys TH, 6.7 miles, 1600′ gain, Elevation 11,245′Day 2: Grays and Torreys TH to Webster Pass, 17.5 miles, 7100′ gain, 6500′ loss, Elevation 11,500′Day 3: Webster Pass to bench near Blair Witch Trail, just before Breckenridge, 24 miles, 3900′ gain, 6300′ lossDay 4: 5 miles into Breckenridge on the road, then 1 mile outside of Copper Mt ski resort.Day 5: Copper Mt to Tennessee Pass, 22 miles, 4000′ gain, 3700′ lossDay 6: Leadville to Denver via car This is trip report of a hike I did with my friend Suvi, who I first met on the PCT in 2018. This year she was hiking the CDT southbound. My pit-stop[…]

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MRT (Bonus) Day 26: Gila Hot Springs

Wednesday May 4th, 2022, 0640-1000West Fork Gila to Gila Hot springs.11 miles. We had about 6 miles to go until the cliff dwellings, then another 5 miles of road walking to Doc Campbells and the hot springs in the morning. The trail went by fast, especially since I was running to keep warm. The relentless river crossings turned my feet into blocks of ice, so I had to do something to generate heat. We passed a camp where the occupants were dry, sitting in chairs, and sipping coffee. Ahhh, the regular backpacking life. We also passed our camp from the year before, where I spied toilet paper right where I’d cowboy camped…good thing I hadn’t counted on a repeat of[…]

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PCT Summary & Stats

It’s been just a bit over a month since I finished the PCT and I’ve been reflecting on my journey a lot. It’s hard to believe that it’s now almost exactly a year since I started the Te Araroa and I have a whole additional thru-hike to think back on. I covered over 4500 miles in one year and over 5000 miles in the last year and a half. I would have never guessed that I’d be where I am today before starting all this. If I could use one word to describe my PCT hike, it would be PERFECT. There is not one thing that went terribly wrong in 4 months or that I would do differently. I threaded[…]

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Day 115: The Finish

October 28th, 2018 Mm 18 to The End, mm 0 Distance: 18 miles 0600 – 1200 I was on the trail early to ensure that I finished around mid-day. My friend Jon (same that dropped me off at Harts Pass) was driving all the way from Phoenix, AZ to pick me up. He had made the offer a few weeks ago and I thought it would be pretty cool to be greeted by the same friend that had seen me off at the start, almost 4 months ago. Stellar and I would also be finishing together. We had been hiking buddies much of the way since just before Tuolumne Meadows, a stretch of nearly 1,000 miles. That is the farthest[…]

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Day 114: The Penultimate Steps

October 27th, 2018 Mt Laguna mm 42 to mm 18 Distance: 24 miles 1030 – 2000 Sleeping in felt oh-so-good. I slept until 6 am! Then I had TWO coffees and chatted with Zappy and Gail. Zappy, looking like he has commandeered my backpack and tent. We’re twinsies. Gail with his toys Then Stellar arrived and he and Zappy went for breakfast. I was slow to pack up but made it to the PO just as it opened. I bought a few things at the store, which had a good selection, but I no longer needed much. Stellar and I left town together and looked forward to an easy day. We chatted as the miles passed easily. Honestly, I remember[…]

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Day 113: Mt Laguna

October 26th, 2018 Mm 75.5 to Mt Laguna mm 42 Distance: 33.5 miles 0550 – 1800 I needed an early start today. For one, it’s just better to get in as many miles while it’s still cool. And two, my headlamp batteries were dying, so I wanted to make it to Mt Laguna before dark in the evening. In the early morning, I had the benefit of the moonlight and didn’t need my headlamp. Worst case, I could rob the batteries out of my Spot device. I passed by Zappy’s tent early on and began my way up into the Laguna mountains. This was the last big climb that would take me from about 2300′ up over 6000′. These hills[…]

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Day 112: Eagle Rock

October 25th, 2018 Warner Springs Community Center mm 109.5 to mm 75.5 Distance: 34 miles 0800 – 2000 My tent was mostly dry in the morning, despite the sprinklers. It was such a nice area that I took my time packing up. I regretted dragging my feet later in the day but at the time felt no rush. Stellar and Snowman had to wait on the post office to open for their packages and Zappy left just after me. I was in a very good mood starting out on my own and enjoyed hiking up a river valley and then through open plains on a beautiful morning. I came to eagle rock, a series of boulders that have a pretty[…]

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Day 111: A Big Day

October 24th, 2018 Muirwood mm 145.5 to Warner Springs Community Center mm 109.5 Distance: 36 miles 0630 – 2030 What a long, hot, and happening day! First, it was a new record for longest distance hiked in a single day. I am inching my way towards 40 miles but I’m not sure its going to happen in the short time I have left. I know that I could do it but with the limited daylight hours, it’s hard. As it was, I walked for a couple hours in the dark on this night. My goal was to get to Warner Springs so that I could camp at the community center, where there are bathrooms, outlets, and picnic tables. I started[…]

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