My ACL Journey - The Injury (Part 1)

March 08, 2023

This is Part 1 of a series outlining my recovery. There’s an impressive set of information online about how best to recover from an ACL tear, but I wanted to share my own story for a few reasons. There are a few critical resources online that made an outsized difference to me that I’d like to share. I also wanted to actualize the story I wanted to tell when I got to the other side. Finally, for me it was comforting to read the journeys of others going through the same process. I hope you find this helpful and do reach out with any questions you have.

Part 1 - The Injury [this page]

Part 2 - The Prehab

Part 3 - The Surgery

Part 4 - The Early Rehab (weeks 2-7)

Part 5 - The Middle of Rehab (months 2-6)

Part 6 - Late Rehab (months 7-10)

On Feb 24, my wife and I headed to Stevens Pass ahead of a powder weekend. I was feeling strong and grateful for the season so far, and convinced myself I was ready to ride the expert level chutes with more experienced friends. My wife wasn’t too excited on the idea but she knew she wouldn’t have been able to stop me. The next day the crew and I started the day out by bootpacking to the top of a ridgeline before dropping in. I was feeling sloppy, quietly wishing I had warmed up but not willing to say that out loud. I couldn’t bootpack my way down now though. I didn’t see the exact line taken by my buddies dropping in one at a time. I nervously peered over the edge and took a deep breath. Someone said “alright, whenever you’re ready…” and I decided to go in aggressively, tips down, with a plan to turn just where the mouth of the chute opened up to a wider gully on the right.

This wasn’t the right move, at least for me. In a short distance I picked up too much speed, catching what felt like a few small inches of air before landing in the backseat. I screamed, feeling a compression in my right knee. I was doubly surprised. How did I hurt myself this badly on what looked like such straightforward terrain? How am I in such pain to have screamed? Through the burning sensation in my knee, I instantly felt ashamed I had let Leah down. She didn’t want me to be here and made that clear. I stood up and felt weak, and decided to sit back down again. My friends, now split above and below me, all waited quietly. Waves of disappointment crashed over me. I was breathing hard. I was still in shock that I could’ve gotten hurt here.

MISTAKE #1: Not warming up for a ski run, not speaking up, not watching carefully for the right line to ski down

I got up and side slipped my way down. At least ski patrol wouldn’t be needed. I then skied a few turns, one side feeling a lot more responsive and stable than the other. I was cursing myself now because this snow was amazing. I could see why they had invited me up here. Everyone was relieved to see me moving my way down despite the pain. I decided to call it a day and skied all the way back down with a friend. I was entirely fine on the groomers. In hindsight, it was the adrenaline that made me strong and dumb. This is where I could have further injured myself.

MISTAKE #2: Skiing aggressively down groomers after a knee injury

Icing the knee

When I got to the cabin at the base, my knee had swollen up and we used an ace wrap for some stability, assuming it was a sprain. I rested on the couch with some ice to cool me down. I took some Aleve and Tylenol, and the thought in my head now was whether I’d be okay to go trekking in Nepal in 6 weeks. Leah and I had been planning this honeymoon for months and I didn’t want to be the reason we missed out.

Leah drove us home. I was quiet for most of the car ride. I was embarrassed, emotionally devastated, and regretful. I had let her down but she wasn’t calling me out on it at least. When we got home, I took the stairs one step at a time, leading with my good foot. I made the critical mistake that night of wearing my ace wrap to bed. My bedtime HR spiked from a normal average of 46 to 57 because I had essentially put a tourniquet on.

MISTAKE #3: Not elevating the knee, sleeping with an ace wrap

That Sunday I was icing whenever I remembered to and decided to cut off the NSAIDs and Tylenol. I did have a mostly normal gait with a bit of a limp, still walking the stairs in our townhouse one step at a time. There were moments when I’d be walking and feel a sudden “slip” of my upper leg over my knee. It was scary, and I didn’t have an excuse for what it could be.

I realized my mistake from the previous night and slept with just my leg elevated on a wedge pillow; no ace wrap. Like magic, the visible swelling and pain was gone the next morning. On Feb 27 during a virtual appointment with my primary care doctor, he suspected a sprain and maybe minor meniscal damage. His recommendation was to use an OTC knee brace and NSAIDs and to come in for a physical exam if it still hurt in two weeks. This would later turn out to be terrible advice because I didn’t have any pain in two weeks even though I had torn my ACL.

MISTAKE #4: My inexperienced doctor not realizing I showed signs of an ACL disruption, which should’ve prompted him to ask me to come in for a physical exam asap.

I began to treat the injury like a sprain, wearing my OTC knee brace around the house, elevating my knee at rest, icing periodically, and using my massage gun. I even had friends come over on Feb 28 and cooked a three course meal which had me on my feet for several hours. Both legs were fairly sore after that.

On Mar 1, five days after the injury, I decided to get on my spin bike with zero resistance. I felt great and was able to get a few brief minutes of movement. I still had random moments of instability when I’d be walking and happen to fully straighten my leg. I still wasn’t sure what to make of this.

I began to notice the quadriceps on my right side were significantly smaller than the left. The muscle felt more like soft cheese when I pinched it. This concerned me, but I still figured there was a possibility I’d be back in shape to skin up and ski down Mt St Helens later in the month with some exercise. My IT band was tender to the touch, and I’d later find out it was my body compensating for the instability post-injury.

MISTAKE #5: I stopped icing my leg as often, given that I didn’t think it was too serious of an injury. I’d later learn the IT band pain I felt would instantly go away as soon as I iced it.

I also noticed I couldn’t sleep on my side without pain in the MCL area. I went down a YouTube rabbit hole and tried every physical test I could to clue into what might be wrong. I wasn’t able to do a Lachman test on myself though. I was confused more than anything. My symptoms didn’t feel very serious, and my resting HR was back to a normal average of 46. On Mar 5, eight days after the injury, I went out for a walk for 2 miles around a museum. My knee felt aggravated even with the brace but it was progress. By March 8, eleven days after, I was able to walk up and down stairs entirely normally.

In the week since my injury, I’d had read a book on shopping for stem cell therapies and PRP, figuring this was the best shot I’d have at accelerating my recovery for Nepal. Again, I figured I had a strain and maybe some light ligament tearing. I still couldn’t explain the dramatic muscle loss though. I scheduled a consultation with an Ortho for March 9th, a full twelve days after injury. This meeting would end up being the turning point for me, and it would dawn on me that I had an ACL tear which would change everything about how I behaved.

I called out the mistakes I made in these two weeks. Here are some of the great things I did. The Amazon links below are affiliate links, which means I get some change if you purchase. Running this site is an expensive hobby.

Skiing down with a friend - I should’ve skied down slowly after the injury, but I didn’t. Still, the one thing I did right was allowing a friend to ski with me. I insisted on going back alone because I didn’t want to separate him from the group. He’s a good guy though and saw right through it. It helped a lot emotionally.
Accident insurance - Beyond having health insurance, my wife also convinced me to get Aetna’s supplemental accident insurance. I’m still not entirely sure how it works, but I get paid cash for any medical ‘treatment’ related to an injury or accident. There isn’t any paperwork to file, beyond telling them to look through my billing statements. I got $200 for the video call with my primary care doctor (and many hundreds more for the eventual MRI, Ortho visit, etc).
Elevated wedge pillow - We coincidentally ended up with this 12 inch wedge pillow just before my injury. It’s quite large and single-purpose, but it is heaps better than stacking random pillows.
Getting ROM - I kept testing for my range of motion every day out of curiousity. Within just a few days I was able to get on a spin bike.
Really good OTC brace - I bought a knee brace within hours of the injury, knowing it would come in handy. I ended up buying one of the more premium ones and I’m so glad I did. Don’t settle for less. You only have two knees.

In Part 2, I’ll share my prehab story: diagnosing the ACL tear, exercising with an injury, and traveling for several weeks internationally. Part 2 - The Prehab

Seattle daydreams - a year of experiences to look forward to

January 10, 2023

I put a lot of thought into my outdoor goals list since it gets me out of the house and ensures my continued progress in the activities that make me happy. I also love having experiences closer to home, where all I do is eat and hang out without breaking a sweat. Most of my planning habits started when I lived in NYC, trying to squeeze out as much out of a day as possible. It all helped me learn about and better appreciate the place I grew up in. I’ve taken the same approach to Seattle. These plans are arranged by season, but many of them can be done any time of year. Any specific dates refer to the 2023 calendar and I will be adding to this over the coming years as I come across more ideas.

UPDATE: I made a part II of this.

Winter

King tides - King tides occur when the Puget Sound area gets its highest tides of the year because of the Earth being closer to the sun on its elliptical orbit (which leads to a stronger gravitational pull). The other factor that contributes to these high tides is when the Earth is positioned between the moon and the sun, which adds an additional gravitational pull on the oceans. If the king tide coincides with a storm and strong winds, the effect can be even more dramatic. MyNorthwest has a calendar of when to expect greater than 12-foot tides, but the highest prediction (13.1 feet) will be on Tuesday, January 24 at 7:21am. I’m planning to wake up early and check it out for myself at Golden Gardens. Since I’m already in the area, I figured it’d be ideal to work remotely from Half Moon Bouldering and get lunch at Green Tree (a Kenji recommendation) a block away. Green Tree is closed on Tuesdays though, so maybe I’ll have to check out the tides on a different day. UPDATE: To really see the tides you’ll want to go to the coast. I had a fun morning at Golden Gardens, but there weren’t the big waves (unsurprisingly given the location). Also, Green Tree was incredible (get #69 and #73).

UW Biology Greenhouse - As of Dec 2022, the new 20,000-square-foot greenhouse in Seattle is open to walk-in visitors every Thursday between 12-4pm. The redesigned space hosts tropical and desert plants, and has more advanced technology like sunshades that automatically retract, temperature control, and automated misting for managing humidity. I’d likely visit on a cold and dreary Thursday and grab lunch beforehand at my favorite bakery of all time, Saint Bread, just nearby.

UPDATE: They announced they’d also be open on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month 10am-2pm.

Burke Museum - A friend told me this museum near me is worth checking out. Admission is $22 for a timed-entry ticket. The one downside is that it closes at 5pm, which conflicts with the workday and we’d also prefer to spend our weekends outdoors whenever possible. However, the first Thursday of every month is when the museum stays open til 8pm. I’d likely want to get dinner at the nearby Mark Thai Food Box (pretty good for the area), and maybe even pick up some of their curry pastes for home cooking. Magus Books is nearby and closes at 8pm, so I’d want to check that out since people seem to love this used bookstore so much.

Snohomish Aquatic Center’s FlowRider - Rather than go for their pool to practice swimming, I’m instead interested in their FlowRider. It’s a simulated wave that you surf on and looks pretty fun; I’m not sure how much of it will translate to actual surfing technique though. I’m not as familiar with Snohomish, but I found the historic downtown to be pretty cute when I biked through. After the surf session, we might end up doing the bakery, coffee shop, used bookstore in a log cabin circuit. UPDATE: This was a lot of fun and I’d recommend two hours in the late afternoon. Don’t miss out on that bookstore!

Oscar short films - I don’t care much for the Oscars, but I do get excited about the short film category. Every year in early March, select theaters around the country screen the nominees for best short film in documentary, live action, and animation. What I love is that for the price of a single ticket, you can get a so many powerful stories within each category. The best part is going with friends and taking guesses at which film will win, also glancing over at each other between films to gauge how we felt about what we just saw. My favorite theater in the area is Landmark Crest Cinema, which is very much a small neighborhood theater. It was built 70 years ago and feels like going backwards in time. Depending on when showtime is over, it could be fun to get a shared meal at Jebena Cafe on the way back to the city for some of the best Ethiopian food I’ve had in years.

Kraken game - I don’t have any prior interest in hockey, besides appreciating the logo of the new Seattle Kraken and would be interested to experience the energy of a game. Tickets are quite pricey so I’ve been reluctant. The season lasts til April 13. I’ll be keeping an eye out for last minute sales, but I’m skeptical.

University District Farmer’s Market - I’ve been meaning to check out the farmer’s market but it’s only open on Saturdays between 9am-2pm, when I’d rather be out of the city. I also do most of my grocery shopping at a supermarket for the convenience. If there’s a Saturday this winter when skiing isn’t going to happen, I’d like to make a dinner sourced entirely with things found at the market.

Making a map of Kenji’s Seattle recommendations - Kenji Lopez Alt has been using his Instagram to put a spotlight on some of Seattle’s great food, especially places that have been flying under the radar. I’ve been adding those that interest me to my own list of places to check out, but I think other people would appreciate a map that has every single one of his Seattle recommendations alongside his commentary. I’ve thought about making this for a while for the Seattle reddit community.

UPDATE: Here’s the map I made: https://www.rajahamid.com/journal/kenji-lopez-alt-seattle-recommendation-map?rq=kenji

Hosting friends for dinner - I don’t have this worry as much since many of my friends ski, but it’s too common to not see friends during the winter since it gets dark so early. We’ve always loved hosting and I love cooking for a big group, especially meals that wouldn’t make sense to make for just two people.

Working remotely from a climbing gym - I haven’t been taking advantage of the fact that I can work remotely as much as I could be. A few of the newer gyms have rooms that seem decent for working while getting a climb in every now and then.

Spring

Volunteer Park Conservatory - I took a walk through Volunteer Park last year and tried to visit the Conservatory, a beautiful Victorian-style greenhouse, but it was closed for a private event. Admission is only $4 but it can be free if you go on the first Thursday of the month. Given how small the space is, this is one I’d prefer to avoid the free-day crowds. It’s only open between 10am-4pm, except when it’s closed on Monday. I’d like to check out the Capitol Hill Wishing Tree a short walk away afterward, just to read what some people have written and maybe add one of my own. The Japanese Garden isn’t far and should be open for the spring by then. Admission is only $8 and I’d like to go after the cherry blossom crowds in early May when it closes at 7pm. Since it’ll still be light out, I’d make a date night of it and have dinner at one of my favorites, Taurus Ox, for some bold and aromatic Laotion flavors.

Metsker Maps - I spent almost a decade working on digital maps and have been drawn to them ever since I found an old atlas as a kid. This store sells sells random maps of all kinds and I’d go there to admire the collection. Since I’m already in Pike Place Market, I’d probably check out the other shops, like the vintage print collection at Old Seattle Paperworks and the bites at Sugo Hand Roll Bar before heading to Fossil & Stone, a fine art shop filled with expensive sculptures that I can’t afford.

My Friend Derek’s - I came across this Detroit-style pizza shop by accident. It’s located in Fremont and was started by a guy who needed something to do during the pandemic. The menu is limited, the hours are infrequent and subject to the whims of the owner (Derek?). Assuming he has capacity to take your order, it’s as easy as scheduling one on Tock or sending him a DM on Instagram. I figure taking this over to Gas Works Park at sunset is one way to enjoy it. Another way could be to get a crew together and split the cost of renting one of those hot tub boats while eating dinner on Lake Union.

May Kitchen on Vashon Island - This Thai Restaurant on Vashon Island has become legendary in my imagination given how hard it seems to get a reservation. I keep seeing it referenced as the best Thai restaurant in the state of Washington, and it appears they put an overwhelming amount of thought into the dining experience. The warm walls of teak and mahogany are from a 150-year-old home in Thailand. Much of the interior was imported to truly transport you to another place. Despite the level of thoughtfulness here, the prices are quite reasonable. I’ve never taken the ferry over to Vashon so I figure we could get some mountain biking done at the Dockton Forest on Maury Island. The forty acres of forest was once the location where K2 would test out their mountain bikes before discontinuing production. Most trails are pretty XC. I don’t know much else about the island, but I’m sure there are other cool things to do.

Volunteering with Evergreen - I frequently use the trails that Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance volunteers help to build, but I do nothing to support the trail network beyond being a member. I’d like to do a dig day at a local trail where I could help rebuild some lines while meeting others and riding my bike.

Reading in Seward Park - My favorite park in Seattle is Seward Park, a hilly knob of a peninsula thrust into Lake Washington. Every time I visit, I’m grateful it wasn’t turned into expensive real estate. The center of the park has a small network of trails snaking through a thick cluster of trees where I’ve seen bald eagles. I’d like to find a quiet spot where I could string up a hammock (without damaging bark) and read a book. I might even pack along a box of treats from The Flour Box nearby, which came on my radar after the bakery was nominated for a James Beard award for their brioche donuts I assume. They’re only open Thur-Sun 10am til they run out (usually 12:30pm) which makes things a bit tricky. On the way back I figure I’d get some goat curry at Safari Njema, one of the few Kenyan restaurants in the city.

Eating in the Chinatown/International District - I’ve got more places saved on my map in this area of the city than anywhere else, but I’ve spent the least amount of time here. Admittedly, I’ve avoided it because of the reputation it had on reddit threads, most notably the intersection of 12th and Jackson. From what I can tell, the area has gotten a lot safer this past year and I’m eager to support the business still around.

Summer

June 26, 9:13pm sunset - My favorite part about the summer is how late the sun sets in Seattle. I love seeing the minutes creep later and later until finally the official sunset time hits 9:13pm. I’m not sure what I’ll do this year, but if I’m in town I’ll be sure to celebrate that moment somehow.

Whale watching at Lime Kiln - I’ve seen orcas and humpback whales while halibut fishing around the waters of Alaska’s Katmai Nat’l Park, but it’d be amazing to see them so close to home. Rather than see them from a chartered whale-watching boat, I’d like to spot the migration from the sea cliffs of Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan Island. The pods pass through the area every May through September, with peak times depending on salmon runs. Leah and I would likely take our bikes across the ferry and ride a loop around the outer perimeter of the island to explore as much as possible.

Blackberry harvesting - Luther Burbank is responsible for the Puget Sound’s invasive blackberry problem. He was a horticulturalist looking to bring a thornless blackberry to market, and eventually came across a particularly plump blackberry in India that grew aggressively in the mild climate of the PNW. He named it the Himalayan Giant and it thrived in every condition throughout Western Washington. Leah harvested some of these in 2021 and made a tart out of it, which was pretty fun and made me feel for a minute like a homesteader. The berries peak in July and August. Just be sure to soak or refrigerate them beforehand.

Golden Gardens beach bonfire - I know that Golden Gardens allows bonfires in designated fire rings between May 29th and Sept 12th, with fires needing to be extinguished by 9:30pm. I’ve only seen beach bonfires in movies with college kids partying late into the night. Growing up in around the housing projects of NYC, those experiences seemed like a world away. It’d be awesome to get my friends together mid to late August when the sunset is a little after 8pm. It’s also near the end of the summer, when we can recap what we’ve gotten done. I’d likely rely on my friend who grew up in Seattle for figuring out details since he’s done this quite often back in the day.

Shilshole Bay salmon from Coho Willy - Just a short walk from Golden Gardens is where you’ll find “Coho Willy” Pratt on the A-Dock of the Shilshole Bay Marina selling salmon out of a giant cooler. Coho Willy would be nearly 80 years old at the time of this writing and has been unloading at A-Dock, reserved for tribal members, his entire life. The salmon is freshly caught from the Suquamish waters on the Kitsap Peninsula, just a few miles west of the dock. The 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott guarantees the right of tribal members to bring in the salmon, securing fishing traditions thousands of years old. I was looking forward to grabbing some myself in 2022, but my freezer was fully stocked with 50lbs of halibut and salmon that I caught myself in Alaska. By the time they set up shop this year, from around late August or early September til the season is over, I should have some space.

Swimming in Colman Pool - I’m slowly getting over my aversion to water activities by swimming in Lake Washington once per month. I expect a lot more swimming in my future and I’d be thrilled to experience the historic Colman Pool, which was donated to the city by Ken Colman. Colman (third-generation member of an influential pioneer family in Seattle) designed, engineered, and built it as a massive outdoor, saltwater pool that overlooks the Salish Sea. The water is pumped straight from the Puget sound but is heated to a comfortable 82 degrees. The pool is usually open between Memorial day into September. Admission is $6 and from what I can tell, the popularity is managed with a 1-hour limited timed entry. Once the season starts up again, I’ll have to figure out how it all works. Since I’d be so close to White Center, I’d want to stop by for a short taco crawl inspired by another Kenji post. The carnitas he recommended at the Taqueria la Fondita truck were phenomenal.

Kayaking/Canoeing on Union Bay - The University of Washington Waterfront Activities Center rents out kayaks and canoes to the public. I enjoy jogging around the wetlands but haven’t taken advantage seeing it all from the water. Rentals seem to be about $20 or less per hour, which is quite affordable. It is a bit weird to be paddling so close to a major roadway, but there’s a lot of wildlife to be seen if you can look past that. The area is popular for bird-watching, evidenced by the safari-vest folks with foot-long telephoto lenses shuffling around. I’d try and go on a day when the mountain is out and it may even be fun to pull up on Madison Park Beach to pick up a pizza across the street from The Independent Pizzeria (another Kenji rec).

Feasting on Yakima Fruit Market in Wayne Park - The Yakima Fruit Market outside Bothell is one of my favorite stores to walk in. It’s been family-owned and operated for almost a century. I love trying to read the massive signs announcing what’s in season whenever I drive past. I decided to bike there on the Burke Gilman to load up on some fruits to eat in the surprisingly idyllic Wayne Park across the road. It was one of my favorite days of the year and I’d like to share that moment with my wife. If we’ve still got an appetite, I can easily be convinced to get a bite at the very good Mexican truck that shares a parking lot with the Chevron on 80th Ave and Bothell Way.

Group picnic in Magnusson Park - I’d like to get a bunch of random friends together to hang out and spend a summer afternoon and evening taking it easy. Magnusson Park is large enough to spread out and easy enough to arrange parking for. I’ve got my favorite spots marked on my map just for this reason.

Fall

Green Lake walk - Every time I walk or run a lap around Green Lake, I think to myself that I should do this more often. My favorite time has been in the autumn when there’s some color in the leaves to balance out the likely grey sky above. On the east side of the lake there’s a new banh mi shop, Toast Mi, which expanded from Tacoma. I haven’t had banh mi since I left NYC and I like the idea of walking around the lake with a sandwich in hand.

O.O. Denny Park - Denny Park has a lot of nature packed into it. There’s a salmon ladder on the creek, proper hiking trails, and lakeside beach views. It also has Sylvia, the 600-year-old tree that fell after a storm. Seattle Times says it’s a Douglass fir but WTA says it’s a cedar, so I’m not sure.

St Marks Episcopal Cathedral concert - I was tuned into this cathedral near Volunteer Park that hosts concerts after an artist I follow mentioned he’d be performing there. I wasn’t able to go, but I like the idea of experiencing a performance in a unique setting. Back in my concert photography days in NYC, my favorite shows were always the ones in interesting locations: the back of a record store, a penthouse above a hotel, etc. There’s a list of upcoming shows that can be found here. I’d likely make a date night of it and grab dinner at the nearby D’ La Santa which has a beautiful interior and coincidentally bunch of crosses on the wall for decoration.

Kraken Iceplex - I invited some friends to join Leah and I two years ago for an afternoon of skating at the new rink up in Northgate. It was a great rainy day activity and I was interested to check out the new building. Despite not knowing how to skate at all, I had a pretty decent time (while wearing my mountain biking elbow and knee pads under my clothes) but I know it could’ve been a lot better. I noticed that they’ve got an Adult Learn to Skate program (eight 30-min classes, 1x/week) throughout the year. Eight weeks is a big commitment for me but I’d like to learn at some point.

SoFar Sounds - Leah tuned me into these concerts a few years ago and I had a great time. If you’re not already familiar, the basic idea is you see local artists perform in intimate venues. You find out the exact location and lineup 36 hours before the event. Usually you’ll be sitting on the floor of a place like an art gallery, living room, a rooftop, etc and can expect to be introduced to some new talent. There’s a promotion for certain Visa credit cards as of this writing where you get access to the a presale and a free second ticket.

I made this list to nudge myself to plan out some of my daydreams so I’d actually do them instead of sitting at home. I kept a few plans secret just to have them for myself and chose not to write about them. There are also a few cool things I don’t know enough about yet to plan thoughtfully or aren’t priorities yet (e.g., kayaking to Blake Island, squid fishing off the pier, Beacon Food Forest, digging for geoduck), but I expect I’ll expand this list. There are also plans that I’ve already done that I didn’t write about here; I’d consider sharing them if there’s enough interest in hearing more.

I hope this gives you some ideas and inspiration. If you don’t already love Seattle, I’m sure you will if you try some of these!

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Outdoor goals for 2023 - effort vs interest matrix

January 05, 2023

I finally feel like I’ve settled into the Pacific Northwest after completing a full year in my new home. I’ve still got a lot to learn as a newcomer to the west coast, but I credit my obsessive personality for pushing me to new corners of the map. Last year, I shared my 2022 outdoor goals for the year, which was basically a plotting of my daydreams on a chart. Having it as a reference allowed me to plan more thoughtfully, train smarter, and be more intentional about where I place my energy.

In order to do everything on my actual wish list, I’d have to quit my job and live two lifetimes. I’ve used this framework of effort vs interest to help narrow down what it is I’d arrange logistics for, train for, and ultimately prioritize. Last year, I only got to half of the goals on my list but I still had the most active year of my life. Throughout 2022, several injuries (e.g., torn finger ligament), environmental factors (e.g., wildfire smoke), life circumstances, and new inspiration crept in and I needed to adapt. I don’t see these goals as a contract with the universe, but more like a visualization of what’s in my head. I’ve had this approach for years, usually scribbling thoughts on paper. I’m sharing it again as lots of friends have gotten value from arranging their own goals in this way. Hopefully you get some ideas from this. If any are on your own list, do let me know!

Skiing

More than any other activity, my ski goals are highest on my priority list. Part of this has to do with the winter season being so short and precious, but also because it’s where I feel the biggest gap between what I want to be doing and what I’m capable of. Last year, I focused on leveling up my technique inbounds and this year I’m hoping to push into touring. This also means I better improve on my powder skiing.

AIARE 1 Avalanche + Rescue training - The larger goal here is to get out into the backcountry and earn my turns by skinning up the mountain. Before I can do that, I need to learn how to read snow conditions for avalanche risk. I’ve been dreaming about this for a while and I finally got a spot on a February Intro to Backcountry Course w/ AAIRE, joined by Leah and my buddy Ben. More info.
250,000 feet skiing - Last year I had a stretch goal of 300k feet of descent while skiing. I saw a dramatic increase in my skiing ability, but I also felt like I put my knees through a meat grinder by the end. Hopefully this is another year of improvement, ideally with stronger knees this time. I’ll be spending most of my time at Stevens Pass again, but hopefully will get laps in the backcountry.
Backcountry skiing near Stevens Pass - I have two guidebooks that tell me Stevens Pass is a great launchpad for some easy and moderate backcountry skiing. I also have lots of friends who stay at the nearby lodge and I’m eager to take pointers from them. I know that anything I plan in depth as a total noob will be foolish in comparison to getting advice from them, so I’m keeping an open mind. More info.
Backcountry skiing Muir Snowfield on Rainier (9.5mi, 5000 feet desc) - The descent starts up at 10,000 feet in elevation, considered the halfway point for those ascending up to Rainier’s summit. The snowfield is probably one of the easiest-to-access ~5,000ft backcountry ski descents in the country, and it’s rated at moderate difficulty. While the Muir Snowfield can be skied all year round, it’s a lot more fun to go when you can ski all the way back to your car (usually til late June). On a clear day, views of Adams, Helens, Hood, and even Jefferson are visible. The biggest challenge here would likely be monitoring for weather changes and snow stability, as weather above 7,000ft is unpredictable. Route beta.
Backcountry skiing Worm Flows on Mt St Helens (11mi, 5500 feet desc) - MSH is often considered the easiest of the Cascade volcanoes. Although this route crosses the Swift Glacier, it’s fairly non-technical without crevasse concern. On a clear day, Mount Adams’ broad summit can be seen to the east. Catching clear weather on a day with minimal wind is ideal. Likely I’d try this as an overnighter from Seattle (i.e., sleeping in the car at the trailhead). The big question is whether to go before March 31 (free permits) or after (limited). Route beta.

Surfing/swimming

I’ve been averse to water activities given my poor swimming skills. Leah has been encouraging me to improve and I also irrationally feel I need to get better before I have kids. Surfing isn’t high on my interest list, but it’s definitely there.

Surfing in Cerritos Beach, MX - After taking a bunch of lessons in 2022, Leah and I feel like we know our way around the water enough to just rent boards. Unlike Leah, I still can’t reliably catch a wave but I’ve hit a point where I don’t hate being out on the water; I’ve got the fire to finally figure this out. A co-worker gave me a tip that I should go to Costa Rica where I could find reliable beginner waves and get more “at-bats” without having to fight my way through the surf. Leah and I had some sticker shock at the flight and lodging for Costa Rica, so we settled on Cerritos Beach on the Baja Peninsula. Given my limited PTO this year, I’m hoping to do this by working remotely (2hrs on the water + work rest of day), probably in March when the waves are beginner-friendly.
Surfing in Sayulita, MX - We got a tip to check out the surf in Sayulita from a surf instructor. It’s a cheap flight to Puerto Vallarta from Seattle and Leah and I have been daydreaming about working remotely from Mexico for over a year. I’m also hoping to combine this with a trip to Oaxaca which has been in my thoughts for years for the food and culture. One idea could be to visit in early November, when Seattle gets blanketed with grey skies and enjoy some Día de Muertos festivities.
Swimming once each month in Lake Washington - This sounds miserable, and that’s the point. I don’t like getting wet or splashing around in water even in the summer, so my thinking is that by making a habit of dipping myself into the lake regardless of how unpleasant it is, I’ll develop a new relationship with water and my local lake (~5min from home). I’ve got a wetsuit, gloves, and booties to take some of the bite away in the winter temps.

Cycling (road & gravel)

Last year, I signed up for two official cycling events (Seattle to Portland at 206mi and RAMROD at 150mi). As a result, cycling dominated the spring and early summer for me; there was little room for much else given the training and exhaustion. I’d still like to experience the freedom of being on a bike, but less of the intense grind. Many of these goals I’d love to do with Leah and are about using the bike to immerse myself in a new place. A few rides from last year (e.g., Sunrise Road w/o cars, and Highway 20 w/o cars) I’d love to try again with Leah if she’s up for it.

San Juan Island road ride (45mi, 3800ft ele) - Just along the border with Canada is the San Juan Island archipelago. One island in particular, San Juan Island, I’m keen to check out for it’s bucolic and leisurely vibes. In addition to the rural farms and slow lifestyle, the island is home to Lime Kiln State Park along the western coastline. It’s one of the best places in the country for seeing orcas from atop a sea cliff without having to pay for a boat tour during the salmon runs (May through September). This path follows as much of the coastline as possible with a stop halfway through where we’d hopefully see some whales! Route line.

2-day bikepack Olympic Bridges (39mi, 3k ft ele) - Leah and I did our first bikepacking trip last year, which meant buying lots more gear. Now that we’ve got it all, I figure we better make use of it. This is an easy route that goes over two of the state’s highest arched bridges through the lush and dense rainforest in the Olympic Peninsula. It can easily be done in a day, and in fact may be easier to do in a day. This may be a good one to do with friends for a super chill weekend. Best done in the early summer (e.g., late May or June), when the rain has lessened but the trees are still glowing from all the spring precipitation. More info.
2-day bikepack Teanaway River (42mi, 4.5k ft ele) - This trail is a little more challenging but much easier to get to from Seattle. The loop offers views of the Central Cascades (including the jagged Stuart range). Some sections of trail are overgrown, have downed bridges, and steep sections that hiking a loaded bike should be expected. Fortunately, the route sits nicely in a bit of a rain shadow so it should be a nice escape from grey skies, making it a great candidate for September. More info.
2-day bikepack Olympic Adventure Trail (66mi, 8k ft ele) - This is the classic bikepacking route for those living in Seattle (i.e., seems like everyone is doing it). It’s almost entirely smooth gravel and dirt and effortless riding bliss with views of the forested mountains while tracing Lake Crescent’s shoreline. I had it on my list last year, but didn’t prioritize it enough to get a campsite at Fairholme Campground, which isn’t necessary but makes it a lot more pleasant. This year will be different and I’ve locked in a site! More info.
Lone Butte gravel ride (54mi, 5200 ft ele) - In August of 2022, I explored the vast Gifford Pinchot Nat’l Forest on my gravel bike and loved it. The area is nestled between Mt Adams and the remains of Mt St Helens and felt remote, dense, and felt far away. The ride also felt pretty rugged. I came across another trail that offers the same solitude and challenge with the highlight being the wild and pristine Lewis River Valley. I’m hoping to check it out in October as the leaves are turning. More info.
Crater Rim ride at Crater Lake (32mi, 4k ft ele) - I’ve been to Crater Lake before on a road trip with Ben and was stunned at how massive and blue the caldera was. There’s a road that traces around the crater rim and it’s almost entirely closed to car traffic for just two Saturdays out of the year (Sept 9 and 16 for 2023). I’d love to go for a swim with Leah in the lake halfway through the ride too in America’s deepest lake. Given how long of a drive from Seattle this is, it may make sense to combine it with a visit to Bend, Oregon. More info.
Darrington box loop ride (105mi, 3k ft ele) - This is a mostly unremarkable century road ride close to home without much elevation gain. It follows some scenic mountain roads that I’ve driven plenty of times and have daydreamed about pedaling through. I saw someone come up with this loop in a Facebook group and figure it’s a fun one to rip through whenever the temps are mild and the skies are clear. Route line.
Tour de Whidbey route (103mi, 6k ft ele) - Whidbey Island is near to Seattle but feels like an escape from the city given the slight rain shadow. This route, covering both the north and south part of the island, is one I copied from an official cycling event. The line goes through some towns, so resupplying would be easy enough. There’s a lot of up and down to keep things interesting while following the coastline. Route line.

Mountain biking

Last year, I only had two extremely modest goals for mountain biking. I had no idea I’d spend so much time on singletrack, but I saw an improvement in my riding ability. Now, whenever I’m on a hiking trail I think about how much more fun it’d be if I had a mountain bike.

Orcas Island (shuttled) - Orcas Island is another one of the San Juan islands, and after October 15 each year a network of singletrack becomes open to mountain bikers. In early November of 2022, a few friends and I rented an Airbnb on the island and shuttled our bikes up for laps off the summit of Mt Constitution. It was so much fun that we all agreed we should make it an annual tradition! More info.
Darrington (shuttled) - The riding near Darrington, tucked between the mountains close to Seattle, is best done with a shuttle. The scenery is spectacular and all of the trails were recently built to diversify the town’s economy from primarily resource extraction. This would best be done with a group of friends given the shuttling. I’d like to do this mainly because it’s relatively close to home and sounds like an incredible day. More info.
Three days at a mountain bike park - Last year, I went to a lift-assisted mountain bike park for the first time at Whistler. Half the fun for me is earning the descent, so I was skeptical about how much I’d enjoy paying for the privilege of being lifted to the top. My buddies and I spent three days on the mountain and I was surprised at how much I loved it. Most impressive to me was how much better we were getting in our technique since we could repeat laps on features and jumps. My hope this year is to get comfortable with small jumps with practice. I’m most interested in checking out Coast Gravity Park on the sunshine coast of British Columbia because of it’s location, as well as the new Summit at Snoqualmie bike park near home. More info.
Sunset descent of Olallie (18mi, blue/black) - This is a local trail that’s a 9 mile climb up a ridge that descends back the same way. It’s positioned right at the foothills of the Cascade mountains. After doing my first night mountain bike ride and loving it, I think it’d be pretty awesome to ride this trail as the sun is setting. More info.
Esmerelda basin loop (12mi, 3k ft ele) - I’d like to do more “backcountry” mountain biking, where the trails are deeper within the mountains and the climbing is as much a part of the experience as the descent. This short loop is apparently a great intro into alpine mtb, but it’s shared with motos, horses, and hikers. There’s also a very short window when the trail is ideal in early July, just after the snow melts but before it gets too sandy. The key to maximizing fun out of this trail will be getting there early, maybe even on a weekday. Route info.
Angel’s Staircase (23mi, 5k ft ele) - This is one of Washington’s burliest alpine mountain biking loops, and is the highest altitude singletrack in the state at 8,000 feet. There’s some sections of mandatory hike-a-bike, but the views make it worthwhile. The trail traverses around Martin Peak through ponderosa forest to subalpine first on open ridgelines. This is another trail that has a short window given the altitude. The entire ride is physically demanding, but it’s possible to get an early start by car-camping at the trailhead. If we make a weekend of it, we could do some riding up in the nearby Methow Valley and Mazama, which is the closest thing to heaven on earth for me. More info.

Backpacking & day-hiking

Despite the many opportunities for hiking in the PNW, I’ve been more excited to put time into other activities. Still, I do love getting out there when the views are grand and there’s enough of a struggle to keep the crowds away.

Langtang Trek & Yala Peak in Nepal trekking for 21 days - For our honeymoon, Leah and I are taking several weeks off in April to explore Nepal. I was extremely reluctant to go to Everest Base Camp or any of the other more overpopulated itineraries. Leah found a trek near the Tibetan border that seems like it’s avoided a flood of trekker tourism without compromising on scenery. This is largely because the valley experienced a devastating landslide triggered by an earthquake in 2015 that killed nearly 200 people. The entire village was buried under a mass of snow, ice, and debris. There’s been a remarkable rebuilding effort from the survivors but the pandemic put a hold on tourism for a few years longer. At the end of the valley, there’s a non-technical summit we’re interested in getting to Yala Peak (18,000 feet). We’re planning to go without a guide or porter for the trekking, but we’ll see how feasible that is for Yala Peak. The exact stats of the journey are unclear since we’re still figuring out specifics and I imagine there’ll be a bit of improvising when we’re there. I expect it’ll be around 100 miles of travel at altitude with tens of thousands of feet of elevation gain. More info.
High Divide Loop day hike in Olympic NP (19mi, 5k ft ele) - I got the inspiration for this route from Climber Kyle’s blog post listing epic mountain runs of the PNW. The trail looms over a rainforest, crosses alpine meadows with open ridgelines, and overlaps with spectacular waterfalls.I chose this one because I’d like to appreciate more of the Olympic peninsula while I still live in Seattle and have relatively easy access to it. I figure I should attempt this in a day as a fast hike so that I could go light, guarantee I’ll have good weather, and not have to deal with a crowded campsite. The distance and elevation is less than what each of my days hiking the PCT Section J was, so hopefully this feels just perfect in terms of difficulty. More info.
Enchantment Peak day hike (21mi, 8k ft ele) - When I first moved to Seattle, I had dreams of doing the Enchantment thru hike in a day. It was even one of my goals for last year that I never got to. As I learned more about the conga line of folks hiking through the Enchantment zone, I lost interest in doing the same thing. Still, I’d love to experience the area in a different way, especially perched from a central summit. This approach means I’d be doing an out-and-back but I don’t mind. A trail always looks a little different when you’re looking the other direction. More info.

Mountaineering

I haven’t done glaciated mountaineering in years given the pandemic, living on the east coast til recently, and the challenge of finding a capable/reliable partner to rope up with. I had a lot of goals last year in this category, and accomplished almost none. This year, I’ve got far more reasonable goals, but the biggest challenge will be finding a partner.

Eldorado Peak glacier climb (10mi, 7k feet ele) - This is a summit I’ve stood on twice, both times under the supervision of a guide monitoring my decision-making. It’s a big day to reach base camp, and a rather short and straightforward ascent to the summit. It’ll involve roping up for glacier travel and carrying additional gear for overnighting. This would be my third summit on the peak, but I’d like to try it again because of how beautiful the terrain is and also because I’m familiar with it. “…Massively aloof…the summit has a Himalayan like splendor owing to its remoteness, position, and knife-edge summit ridge.” Best done between July and September, so I’d most likely I’d aim for late July. My longer term goals for this is to try and ski off the top…someday! Route beta.
Colchuck Peak glacier scramble (14mi, 5k feet ele) - This peak sits in the Enchantments area of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and seems to be easier when there’s snow covering the steep talus field. An ice ax, helmet, and crampons is essential but most parties forgo roping up. After topping out on the glacier, there’s some class 2/3 scrambling on rock before making it to the summit. Some groups choose to make the traverse to Dragontail Peak to make it a longer day. This is one I’d be tempted to do alone, but the responsible thing would be to go with someone else. Route beta.
Fisher Chimneys on Mt Shuksan (4th class, 7k ft ele) - This is a route that combines mountaineering with some 4th class scrambling. I’ve been on Mt Shuksan before, but we were rained off of it several hundred yards from the summit. Loose rock is another hazard to be mindful of, especially due to the popularity of the route. I’d want at least two partners to be roped up with if I attempted it. July and August seem to be primetime for this route. Route beta.

Climbing

I’ve been waiting a long time for my “breakthrough climbing year,” when I’d finally have access to a great crag, a reliable gym, and a partner to help make my dreams come true. Instead, a ligament tear on my hand from a climb at Smith Rock in Nov 2021 put a hold on this. I spent 2022 recovering and am happy to say I’ve mostly caught up with my pre-injury self. There are more goals here than any other activity. Climbing outside is where my heart and soul feel full.

Work through John Kettle’s climbing technique book - Rather than focus on max strength and pulling hard, I’ve been more attracted to focusing on graceful and efficient movement. A few years ago I came across a book by John Kettle where he suggest focusing on simple technique drills. I bought the book but never had the discipline to commit to following the exercises. It was always tempting to just spend a gym session on trying a fun route or problem with a friend. I’d like to see how much I can progress with dedicated focus here. My expectation is that an investment here will pay dividends for many years. More info.
Cragging: Mt Erie - Mt Erie is a small mountain within the city of Anacortes, just north of Seattle and partially benefits from the Olympic rain shadow so climbing is possible year-round, especially given the sun exposure the wall often gets. The routes here are generally moderate and single pitch. There’s a beautiful view of the San Juans on a clear day and there’s a fairly laid back vibe. I’ve climbed here a few times and would like to familiarize myself more with the routes, especially because the climbing season can start earlier here. More info.
Trad: S Face of the Tooth (5.4, 4 pitch) - This is probably the easiest and most popular multipitch in the state of Washington given how close it is to Seattle via the interstate highway. It’s often used as a training climbed for Mountaineers groups. I’d like to use it to vet any new partners who I’d bring with me, but also get back into the swing of climbing in the alpine again. The only way to avoid the route congestion would be to go mid-week. More info.
Cragging: Frenchman Coulee - Frenchman Coulee feels like a unique gem for the PNW given its desert environment due to the Cascade rain shadow. The walls are made of basalt columns that allow for crack climbing between bolted routes on the face of the pillars. Leah and I have climbed here once before and it’s a reliable source of sunshine when the skies turn grey over Western Washington. Routes here are moderate single pitches, but a few ticks harder than at Mt. Erie. More info.
Cragging: Index - The climbing at Index is supposed to be world-class, but I’ve yet to go. I even have the guidebook and was studying the crag on my drive over from the east coast. The fine-grained granite has a bit of everything: from techy slab all the way to aid climbs on 500ft walls. The weather is often what keeps people away. Either the rock is too damp or the south-facing walls are blisteringly hot. The routes are more moderate-hard and I’d be a happy climber if I could manage to be a regular at Index. More info.
Guided: Red Dihedral on Incredible Hulk (5.10 IV, 12 pitch) - For my birthday two years ago, Leah gifted me a guided climb with my favorite climber, Peter Croft. I delayed using the gift certificate with his guiding company because of my injury. Hopefully this year I can use it on this High Sierra classic. I just have to hope wildfire smoke doesn’t ruin my plans. Currently in a back and forth trying to schedule the date. Route beta.
Trad: Ragged Edge of Vesper Peak (5.7, 6 pitch) - This is an alpine rock route with stunning views and great exposure. It’s exactly the kind of moderate route that appeals to me. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one. Finding the right partner, moving fast, and starting early are key to having a good time. Route beta.
Sport: Tooth Fairy (5.9, 6 pitch) - This is an alpine sport route located not far from Seattle. It also sees lots of traffic unsurprisingly. I see this as a stepping stone for longer multipitch sport routes like Prime Rib. More info.
Sport: Voie de Chaise of Chair Peak (5.9, 7 pitch) - This is a new alpine sport route pioneered by local climbers last year, and is located fairly close to Seattle. Not many people are familiar with it yet so I’m hoping to get on it before there’s a traffic jam on the route. More info.
Sport: Prime Rib (5.9-, 11 pitch) - A 5.9 sport route that goes on for 11 pitches? I couldn’t believe it when I first heard about this route years ago. This route sees people who travel from all across the country to experience it. This one is worth taking a day off for, and going mid-week will help ensure I’m not waiting behind other parties. It’s located in the Methow Valley, right outside of Mazama (my happy place). Route beta.
Trad: Outer Space (5.9, 6 pitch) - This is a grade I’ve never led on gear (i.e., my highest was a 5.8 multipitch in Joshua Tree). Fortunately, it’s a crack system that I’d follow, which I love to climb. Route beta.

Almost all of these are more fun than they are challenging, which is a different theme than my goals from last year. At the end of 2023, I hope I’ll be thinking less about the stats accumulated and more on the photos taken, memories created with Leah, and friends I’ve connected with.

I do expect to travel back to the east coast to visit family. Our parents are getting older and every day I think about how lucky I am to spend time with my folks and Leah’s. It’s the conversations at the dinner table I’ll be thinking more deeply about decades later, not the alpenglow over the Cascades that one day.

I don’t expect to accomplish all of these goals, and I’m open to new inspiration. The purpose of this is to make sure I make the most of every moment I’ve got. Of course, I wouldn’t get very much done at all if not for the full love and support of incredible wife, Leah.

In order to help coordinate plans, I created a chart indicating ideal times to accomplish each goal given expected weather. A few things I’ve already locked in for certain dates (e.g., the Nepal trip), which I’ve indicated below. Let me know if you’d like this template as well.

Man looking out at Half Dome in Yosemite across the valley on a clear day

Thoughts on how I plan to retain more of what I consume

December 31, 2022

Although I plan out a lot of my day, I still find moments of ‘idle time’ where I’m doing nothing but mundane tasks like going on a jog, washing dishes, or grocery shopping. My body is engaged in an activity, but for the most part my mind is free to wander. Everyone has moments like this throughout the day, and sometimes if the moment is right I’ll allow myself the quiet, unfocused ambling of my thoughts (e.g., when I want to immerse myself in the woods). Most of the time though, I fill the void with podcasts or audiobooks*.

None of this is special. A lot of people listen to podcasts on their drive. You could argue this is the real problem, and that we could all benefit from doing nothing and simply unplugging from the attention economy. I value my ‘do nothing time’ but I get a tremendous satisfaction from filling the gaps. What I’ve been thinking about instead is “how do I remember all the things I’ve listened to or read?” In the last week, I’ve listened to news podcasts, watched hours of YouTube videos on geopolitics, read a book, and listened to interviews with interesting people. As I started to queue up the next thing, I asked myself whether I was retaining all the information. If I wasn’t, then how could I?

I came up with a few low-lift ways to capture more of the information I digest.

Recall

Sharing what I learned - Having to articulate what I learned is one of my favorite ways to remember things, probably because there’s a social component to it and it makes me feel smart. I mostly do this with Leah who’s been open to hear me explain things like how Bolivia lost its coastline to Chile (but still kept its naval officers). This requires an eager listener and knowing when your audience has had enough of you talking. I also do this in written form (e.g., my trip write-ups, or this post here).

Pausing to list the main takeaways - Before I queue up another book or podcast, I ask myself what the main takeaways were. It takes 30 seconds at most and I also ask myself how, if at all, anything I’ve learned will change my thinking about the world. The brief reflection is easy to implement but also easy to forget.

Repeat

ChatGPT summaries - I’ve only done this very recently and have had mixed success. After reading a book, I’ve asked ChatGPT to provide me a 1-sentence summary, a 1-paragraph summary, and a 5-paragraph summary. It takes me a few short minutes to read the responses and I can quickly tell if the summaries are accurate. This works best for very popular books and of course would fail at any new writing that was released after ChatGPT was trained. It’s also pretty fun to ask ChatGPT to make a haiku or limerick summarizing what I just read.

Reframe

Multi-modal consumption - I’ve done this recently after learning about Richard Francis Burton’s quest to discover the source of the Nile River from an NPR Fresh Air interview. I was so fascinated by his life that I found another podcast about him and eventually got the book written by the interviewee. There was a lot of overlap in the material, but there was also a lot of new things I learned. I had a similar strategy in college when reading Supreme Court case rulings, which were dense and hard to parse. Rather than just read the text, I’d watch YouTube videos of law school professors discussing the same material for a different context. Reading the text afterward gave me a better appreciation and I was able to form my own thoughts.

Book reviews - Most of the books I read are pretty popular, so there’s often a book review from the NY Times or another publication. Reading a human perspective on the material provides a whole new dimension of appreciating the work and not something I trust AI to do (for now).

Reduce

Cut back on media - Finally, the biggest thing I could do to retain more may be to simply consume less information. There’s a limit to how much I can queue up before listening becomes just hearing.

* I trimmed down how much music I listen to years ago when I realized that my rate of learning about the world outside my bubble reduced to a trickle after college. These pockets of ‘idle time’ were great opportunities to learn something new instead of playing a song again. Now, whenever I do listen to music, I feel I get a lot more enjoyment out of it than before!

Chart showing goals for 2022 — Pinch zoom on mobile, click to expand on desktop

My 2022 goals - what got done, what didn't, and lessons learned

November 22, 2022

I started the year with bigger dreams than I’ve ever had. This was the year I’d finally be settled into my new home in Washington and the only thing preventing me from exploring every corner of the PNW would be time, energy, and stoke.

To give me the best chance at success, I organized my goals into a framework to focus my attention. I shared this approach publicly at the start of the year; a few people told me they were interested in trying this for 2023, so I’ll share my thoughts on how these goals turned out and my thoughts on what I’d do differently next year.

Skiing

I exclusively skied at Stevens Pass, initially for the convenience of cheap lodge by the mountain, but ultimately for the friends I made out of the regulars who I learned so much from.

⚠️ AIARE 1 Avalanche + Rescue training - By the time I started to think about signing up, all of the courses I was interested in were taken or conflicted with my schedule. I did commit to a February course for 2023, so I at least made progress here!
✅ 300,000 feet of resort skiing - Early season was dry and icy at Stevens Pass so I had to force myself to get out there at first. I tried to night ski for more reps and had a spectacular fall on bulletproof ice. Over time, conditions improved and so did my technique. I was also more comfortable exploring the mountain. Leah and I even got a few lessons, a few of which were valuable. I ended the season with 256,000 feet of descent. By the time I decided to call it, my knees were searing in pain from tendon inflammation. Fortunately, the start of the new season in December was excellent for snow, so I was technically able to hit 302,000 feet!

Surfing

I didn’t have much interest in surfing (too many competing activities + being a poor swimmer) but I saw this as a way to spend more time doing something Leah loves. I just wanted to be good enough to enjoy myself. In July, I got hit goals of surfing along the PNW coast in Westport and Short Sand Beach completed.

✅ Surfing in Westport, WA - We made a weekend out of visiting both Westport and Short Sand given the long drive from Seattle. The waves were too strong for me in Westport, and I spent a lot of time desperately paddling out to not be dragged back to shore. I’d only want to return here at an intermediate/advanced level.
✅ Surfing at Short Sand Beach, OR - Even though Short Sand was a lot farther away, it was worth it for the magical scene and the gentler waves. We did a final surf trip to San Diego in November and agreed that this’d be the last year we pay for lessons. At this point, we can read waves on our own.

Cycling (road & gravel)

I spent more time sitting in the saddle this year than ever before (in total 1,100 miles, 65k ft climbing). Compared to anything else I could be doing, it was easiest to jump on my bike and explore. Cycling dominates much of my summer memories, which shouldn’t surprise me given the training I needed to accomplish for the goals I had.

✅ Car-free Mt Rainier Sunrise Road (40 mi, 4k ft ele) - The car-free ride on Sunrise Road in Mt Rainier National park opened my eyes to how vast the park really is. There’s a lot more to it than the one big mountain. Tom was visiting the day I planned to go (June 26), so he tagged along. It was fun to see other cyclists just as excited about seeing the mountain up close with not a cloud in sight for miles. The 40mph descent was something I won’t soon forget. It’s worth doing even if you need an e-bike. More info and route map.
✅ Car-free Highway 20 cycling (71 mi, 6k ft ele) - Highway 20 is the iconic road that cuts through the North Cascades, and there’s a brief window of a few days when it’s plowed but not yet open to cars. On May 1 the stars aligned and I even lucked out with beautiful weather. It ended up being a lot harder than I thought, but also a lot more rewarding. I did a write-up of the experience here. Route map.
✅ Mt Adams gravel cycling loop (54mi, 4.5k ft ele) - This route is better known as the Indian Heaven loop. I did a solo ride here on August 13 and severely underestimated how much longer miles on gravel actually are. With 12 miles (and a big climb) left to go, I gave all of my snacks to some PCT hikers I came across. I suffered for the last hour and a half, but I just kept thinking about the snacks I had waiting for me at the car. This ride reminded me why I love gravel biking: pure blissful solitude. Route map.
❌ 2-day bikepacking Olympic Adventure Trail (66mi, 8k ft ele) - Poor planning on my part meant that I didn’t get this trip done. The Fairholme Campground at the turnaround point gets booked out months in advance. I just wasn’t excited enough to commit to a date, so it didn’t happen. I’ll try harder next year. Route line.
❌ Mt St Helens 2-day bikepacking loop (80mi, 12k ft ele) - In hindsight, seeing that I put this as a goal within my ability is a little absurd. While I didn’t get this loop done (or even attempt it), I experienced a small fraction of it on a mountain bike and determined that there’s no way I’d want to bikepack this. I did have a blast doing a night-ride solo descent on part of this route on August 12. See full story of that here.
✅ Seattle triple-ferry bike ride (105mi, 6k ft ele) - This was a contrived route that incorporated three ferries around Seattle. I biked this with Tom on July 1 as my last big training ride for the 200+ mile Seattle to Portland ride in two weeks. I learned a lot that day from Tom about efficient snacking while pedaling andd drafting to save energy. Route map and full story.
✅ RAMROD: Ride Around Mt Rainier in a Day (148mi, 7.6k ft ele) - I was hoping I didn’t get selected for the lottery for this event, but I did. My big worry was carrying fatigue over from the Seattle to Portland ride, less than two weeks before this event on July 28. I grew even more nervous as the temperature was expected to creep beyond 100°F. Surprisingly it wasn’t all too bad and I even had fun. The route normally goes through Stevens Canyon, the most scenic part, but there was a detour because of multi-year construction. I’m not opposed to doing this event again in some future year, especially if Leah joins me. Route map.
✅ Seattle to Portland in a day cycling (207mi, 5k ft ele) - I decided to do this event in a single day (July 17) to avoid the thousands doing it over two and also to get it over sooner. I went into the event knowing it’d be challenging, but I wasn’t prepared for how mentally broken I’d be at the finish; I was close to tears at the end. I highly doubt I’d do this event again; it’s not known for being particularly scenic, just long. However, I am proud of the tshirt they gave me. Ego led me to sign up initially (I wanted to say I did it), but I had to dig a lot deeper to push through to the finish. Full story.

Mountain biking

It’s funny to see how few goals I had in this section, but it ended up being where I spent most of my summer afternoons and weekends. I even upgraded my beginner bike to a fancier one. Leah and I even have a small friend crew of mountain bikers that we love riding with now.

✅ Clean descent of Inside Passage, Tiger Mountain (1.7mi, blue) - I had zero issue riding this trail the one and only time I gave it a shot this year. The fact that I listed such a modest goal as above my ability is a reminder to me of how scared and nervous I was last year. It’s a clear indicator that I’ve made massive progress with all the trail practice. Route line.
❌ Clean descent of Olallie (18mi, 3000 ft ele, blue/black) - This local trail was one that I assumed would be a stretch goal. By the time I started to think about doing the trail, it was just a matter of scheduling and less a quesiton of whether it’d be feasible to do. Wildfire smoke kept us out of town or indoors for some of September and October, and we just prioritized other activities. Eventually, snow on the mountain meant this goal would be one to kick over to next year, and I’m hoping to try it as a sunset/night ride! Route line.

Climbing

I’ve been waiting a long time for my “breakthrough climbing year,” when I’d finally have access to a great crag, a reliable gym, and a partner to help make my dreams come true. Instead, a ligament tear on my hand from a climb at Smith Rock in Nov 2021 put a hold on this. The injury happened before I drafted these goals, but I was a lot more optimistic about my path to recovery. It was a rough few months for me mentally to accept that I’d have to stay off the rock, but I also stressed about potentially never climbing well again. Fortunately, I had other awesome activities to occupy me this year and I’m back to climbing at close to the same level!

❌ Guided climb: 3rd Pillar of Dana (5.10- III, 5 pitch) - For my birthday (last year), Leah gifted me a guided climb with my favorite climber, Peter Croft! I had to postpone this. Route beta.
❌ Guided climb: Red Dihedral, Incredible Hulk (5.10b IV, 12 pitch) - Same as the one above. Route beta.
❌ Sport climb Prime Rib (5.9-, 11 pitch) - I did go to Mazama (for cycling) and stared at this wall, jealous of all the tiny dots working their way up the wall. Route beta.
❌ Sport climb Flyboys (5.9, 18 pitch) - Someday this will happen. Route beta.
❌ Trad climb Ragged Edge of Vesper Peak (5.7, 6 pitch) - Given that I haven’t been climbing for most of the year, even in a gym, I haven’t yet developed a relationship with a rope partner. Hoping to invest the time in that this coming year. Route beta.
❌ Trad climb Outer Space (5.9, 6 pitch) - Still inspired by this. Route beta.

Mountaineering & scrambling

To do most of these objectives, I’d want to be roped up to a partner. Unfortunately, I put zero effort into finding one. I had a few opportunities, but never followed through because I didn’t get along with the person or I didn’t trust them. Instead, I prioritized mountain biking.

✅ Mt Adams South Spur, snow scramble (11.5mi, 7.7k ft ele) - The common route up Mt Adams is non-technical (i.e., no ropes are used) so I felt comfortable going solo. I made a last minute decision and decided that if I didn’t go on July 10, I’d have to wait til the following year. If not for the late season snow dump, I would have missed the perfect snow-ascending window by over a month. I completed this car-to-car in exactly 9 hours, something I’m unusually proud of. It wasn’t all great though, as I did this just a week before a 200mi bike ride (Seattle to Portland) and I paid the price for it. Full story and route map.
❌ Ruth Mtn Glacier climb (12mi, 4k ft ele) - This easy objective was intended to be a stepping stone. Didn’t do it. Route beta.
❌ Eldorado Peak glacier climb (10mi, 7k feet ele) - At some point it started to become clear that I wouldn’t be getting any of these done since I had sequenced them according to a skill progression. Route beta.
❌ Colchuck Peak glacier climb (14mi, 5k feet ele) - Saw lots of people doing this on social media, but I wasn’t one of them. Route beta.
❌ Fisher Chimneys on Mt Shuksan (4th class, 7k ft ele) - I’d still like to do this someday. Route beta.

Backpacking & day-hiking

I planned to make this a big year for running and building up endurance in my legs to push mileage. Unfortunately, I had knee pain that limited how much training volume I could put on. Instead, I built endurance from cycling.

✅ Thru-hiking Snoqualmie to Stevens Pass in 4 days (80mi, 17k ft ele) - This was the hardest thing I’ve done in my life. I initially planned to do it with Leah in five days, but shortened it to four when she couldn’t join. Really, this should’ve been done by me in six days. I bashed my knee on day one, had seven blisters on day two, and wanted to give up. I stubbornly put myself through the wringer just so I could cross it off my list. Very little of my cycling training from the summer helped me during this late September hike. Full write-up.
❌ Enchantments thru-hike in a day (18mi, 5k ft ele) - As a newcomer to Seattle, I was excited about this as a must-do hike. The more I learned about it, the less interested I became given the hordes of people day-hiking it (since overnight permits are incredibly hard to come by). Wildfire smoke and fatigue from the Snoqualmie to Stevens hike made the final decision for me to pass. Route beta.
❌ Day hike Harts Pass to Rainy Pass (31mi, 4k ft ele) - I was saving this for prime larch season, but I had to accept I wouldn’t be able to attempt this from the deep fatigue in my body from the Snoqualmie to Stevens hike. Even if I wanted to, there were a few landslides that made it impossible to get there. Route beta.
❌ Mt Rainier Wonderland trail in 3 days (93mi, 22k ft ele) - I realized there’s no way I’d be able to do this goal unless I dropped all of my other activities and focused solely on trail running. That is unlikely to ever happen. Route beta.

Even though I accomplished less than half of what I had set out for myself, this was by far the most active year of my life. Having these goals as a reference got me out the door whenever I felt lazy. I demystified some of the PNW with a wide set of experiences that led me to fall more in love with the area. I even made lots of new friends in the process!

There are plenty of adventures I didn’t plan out far in advance (e.g., mountain biking in Bend with Luke, fishing in Alaska with my dad, bikepacking along the Deschutes River with Leah) that were just as, if not more, fulfilling this year. There are also plenty of non-outdoors life events that were more notable than anything I could have added to my list. I got married to the love of my life, had a friend take his life, heard my father-in-law had a cancer diagnosis, and planned for my mother’s surgery. It was thrilling to daydream constantly about these objectives, but as the year progressed I became more aware none of it would matter down the line. Sure, I’d fondly remember the solo sprint up and down Mt Adams, but I knew I would trade that memory for more time with family.

With that said, I’m already planning my 2023 goals using the same framework. I’ll have a different approach, focusing less on hitting big mileage and more on having fun. There’ll certainly be elements of pushing myself and suffering, but it’ll be balanced out by goals that hit the sweet spot of being fulfilling and simply fun.

Solo hiking Section J of the PCT in 4 days

October 08, 2022

Earlier this year, I publicly shared my outdoor goals for 2022. Hiking Section J of the Pacific Crest Trail, from Snoqualmie to Stevens Pass was on that list. Eight months ago, here’s how I described it:

As soon as I saw this line on a map, I was immediately interested…there isn’t a single road that you’d come across til you’re finished. Many of the dozen alpine lakes are even swimmable in late summer. Some areas are impassable until the snow fully melts in August…and would require taking some days off to complete…Five days would be the plan if Leah can join me, but I’d attempt it in four days if I was going solo. The hardest part may be arranging transportation for a drop-off and pickup.

As the summer started to come to a close, I’d become aware this objective hadn’t yet been crossed off. A late-September window of mild temps and clear skies was in the forecast. Leah was away for another week. Just like that, a few days before heading off, I committed to what I fully expected would be a leisurely long weekend of solitude in the mountains.

Map of four segments of the PCT Section J with the Bolt Creek Fire outlined

Day 1 of 4 — 19 miles, 5,200ft elevation gain

My initial concerns about getting to the Snoqualmie Pass trailhead were settled when Cindy offered to drive. She had been eager to get on a day hike and also loved helping PCT thru-hikers as a trail angel. We pulled up to a mostly empty parking lot on Thursday morning. She kept me company for the morning hours, eventually turning back to return home after wishing me well.

I was now alone, but I kept the same pace. There was enough daylight for me to cover the next fifteen miles. Pretty soon the Kendall Katwalk, a 600ft section of trail, appeared through the thick fog that draped the mountains. This footpath, blasted into the side of a cliff, is estimated to have cost $10,000 per foot to build and was the most dangerous and complex section of the PCT. It was intended to relocate the original line of the trail to the ‘true crest’ of the Cascades.

The handful of day hikers that passed me earlier in the day were now turning back. There were only two other PCT thru-hikers heading deeper into the mountains with me. One of them, Burner (named for being easily sunburned), had a goal of 30 miles a day to make his flight home to Prague. Even by PCT thru-hiker standards, that was ambitious. Anyone who has made it this far, after starting at the US-Mexico border, had spent the greater part of the year on trail every day, hammering their bodies to the routine of walking on rough terrain with a loaded pack.

I, on the other hand, hadn’t exercised in at least three weeks and it had been months since I even laced up my running shoes. I assumed fitness from early-summer cycling would help me get through the four days ahead of me. I didn’t think much about how the body mechanics of hiking were different from pedaling.

The seeds of doubts were on my mind when I stumbled and fell, halfway to my intended campsite. I landed directly onto my right knee. My my chest was pressed into the sandy dirt, pinned down by my heavy pack. I rolled over to get back up. I looked around and couldn’t believe what had just happened. I had tripped on completely flat ground, without any obstacles bigger than a clearly visible small root. I rolled up my pants for a quick glance and spotted the fresh gash on my kneecap. It was still new, a clean white streak brightly shining against my skin; in a minute it would begin oozing with blood. I rolled my pants back down, hoping to distance myself from what just happened.

I continued along the trail, with a faint patch of red darkening on my my pants with each step. Regardless of what I did next, making it to camp was a non-negotiable. My pace had slowed down significantly and waiting around to clean my wound would cost minutes of daylight that I didn’t have to spare. There wasn’t much I would’ve been able to do anyway with my wound. In an effort to go light, the my first aid kit was a tube of antibiotic ointment and wet wipes.

Eventually, I found my stride again while I contemplated what I should do to avoid an infection. I could always spend a night at camp and retrace my steps back to Snoqualmie Pass, calling off the entire attempt. I decided to defer the decision til the next morning.

Spectacle Lake, my destination for day one came into view. My camp for the night would be the small spit of land jutting out into the lake. My spirits were lifted, especially knowing I’d have the entire place to myself. Despite the spectacular stumble and the gear with my backpack’s outer pocket falling off, I started to feel lucky.

When I arrived after nine and a half hours, I settled on a campsite with a view of the Three Queens. I imagined I was a castaway on an island with views of water on both sides of me. A howling wind was racing over the passes from the north. As I began to set up my tent sheltered by a patch of trees, to my surprise, the shock cord on my tent poles were completely limp. I hadn’t used this tent in over a year and it must have deteriorated in my closet. I managed to still connect every segment with some effort but saw this as a continuation of the bad luck of the day.

Over dinner, I studied my the gash on my knee. Dry blood thickly coated the surface, sticking to my skin and tinting my entire knee a blush. I did my best to clean with sanitized hands. I vowed to bring a proper kit next time. Being Wilderness First Responder certified doesn’t mean much without the right tools.

After eating what felt like not enough food, I slipped into my tent just as light of the day was fading away. I laid down, exhausted and defeated. Today was already a lot more than I was mentally and physically prepared for and this was the easy day.

Day 2 of 4 — 27 miles, 4,800 elevation gain

Three Queens mountain at dawn bathed in a purple sunrise

I was wide awake just before my 5am alarm. I peeled myself out of my sleeping bag, quite literally. My knee had left a stain on the nylon overnight.

My view of the Three Queens was changing every time I glanced over while preparing in the dark for the day ahead. I decided I was lucky to be here. My father-in-law often mentions how few people he’d come across in the wilderness when he hiked as a student in Colorado College and how special that felt. I wanted to experience some of that magic of being remote in the woods. Although I had my inReach, I chose not to turn it on until the last day. I wanted to be alone with my thoughts and see where they’d take me, and even resisted the urge to entertain myself with music or my long queue of podcasts.

Jagged peaks of Lemah Mountain viewed from the south in the early morning sunlight

My knee looked and felt fine, so I committed to my plan and pushed myself north towards Stevens Pass. Today’s goal would be Deep Lake, over a marathon length away. My body overall was feeling stiff, but I had more daylight today with an earlier start.

My campsite had been a half mile off the main PCT trail, and to avoid backtracking I chose to follow what looked like another trail that paralleled the PCT until it eventually merged.

Within minutes I was navigating through a web of crisscrossing footpaths, some leading to nowhere. I relied on my watch to guide me and always finding a cairn and what was certainly a faint trail below the overgrown forest. Eventually, I found myself in thick, chest-high brush, lurching forward with every step. It was so thick that I doubt my feet ever fully touched the ground. I asked myself whether I should stubbornly push forward at this snails pace or backtrack. I decided to keep on for a few minutes longer. Once out of the brush, I was greeted with an open clearing that ended with a 40ft cliff that didn’t appear on my map. My gps wanted me to be on the other side of the drop and I couldn’t see an obvious path. I wandered around for ten minutes before I found a safe crossing down a steep and loose ravine. The only footprints I saw were from deer, and my map told me this was the Old Spectacle Lake Trail. Losing almost an hour of time, I tried not to think too much about my unfortunate start to the morning.

From the bottom of Lemah Meadows, I pushed myself up almost twenty switchbacks, trying not to think too hard about how the outer part of my right knee was growing stiffer and more painful by the hour. I paused for a break at a clearing and gazed into the open valley sweeping up into the jagged peaks characteristic of the Cascades. I was only a quarter of the way through the day but I tried to find little truths to tell myself, like how I was almost halfway done with the climbing for today at least.

Just as I was getting ready to pack up, I heard a booming sound that was growing louder. It echoed across the valley and I finally spotted them. Two military planes were cruising through the mountains heading north. I was a little jealous imagining how much fun they must be having. I hadn’t seen a single person all day except the pilots. It made me feel a little less alone and occupied my thoughts for the next hour of climbing.

I kept waiting to see who I’d run into today, but there was no one. Hours later on my descent I got a view of Bears Breast Mountain, one of the most spectacular peaks I’d ever seen, like several mountains layered onto each other. Within seconds of putting my camera away, the pilots from hours before came by to do a lap around Bears Breast.

My mind was feeling weary at this point in addition to my body. By the time I reached the Waptus River, my watch was telling me I had covered the same mileage as yesterday. I took my shoes off and let my bare feet soak in the running water, rubbing the bottoms of my feet on the cool, polished stones to try and dry them. At the bottom of both feet, hotspots had formed into fat blisters that I felt with every step today. I poked at them in fascination. Although the trail runners I wore weren’t new, the custom insoles I had on from my podiatrist had never seen this kind of mileage before. Another poor gear choice.

It had been over ten hours since I left camp and I’d covered over 20 miles. There was one final climb left before closing the chapter on my longest day on the trail. I had enough left in me to make the push, even though my right leg’s IT band had gone from yelling at me to now screaming. I took both an Aleve and Tylenol just to get by.

As I thought about how much damage I was doing to my body, and how quickly I would recover, I heard a soft “hello” above me. It startled me and I panic-jumped. A forest ranger was waving to me and apologizing for the surprise. She and her partner came closer and chatted with me about my day. They had just finished digging a new pit toilet at Deep Lake, my destination for the evening. She seemed to trust that I had good LNT skills, so she gave me a directions to her secret camping spot right on the water. Her partner agreed that it was his favorite as well. I promised to take good care of it and thanked them for their work on the toilet.

I had a burst of joy from hearing about the special site, and I hurried to get there. Unfortunately, even though mentally I had unlocked a new level of excitement, I couldn’t shift my body into a higher gear no matter how hard I tried. My legs felt like stumps that could only move at one speed.

I was thrilled to make it into the camp at Deep Lake, and it was a beautiful welcome to my home for the night. The light was beginning to fade from the sky and there wasn’t a single breeze or bug in the air. Most importantly, I was all alone again. I hurriedly set some water to boil for dinner before I would need to eat by headlamp. I set up my tent while my meal rehydrated. I was getting into the groove of setting up for the night, even with a broken tent. I was even a little happy. I resisted the temptation to message Leah from the inReach. I felt so far away from everyone and there was a bit of sweetness to my loneliness. As I drifted off to sleep, I was happy to know that I had found what I was looking for when I set off on the trail, even if it hurt a bit.

Day 3 of 4 — 21 miles, 4,800 elevation gain

I woke up at 5am again after another dreamless night. Within minutes of opening my eyes, I rolled over in my bag to begin heating up water. It’d be another morning of oatmeal with a piece of leftover chocolate. I was struggling to keep the food down today though. I tried eating faster, but that made me want to throw up even more. I eventually forced it down and made a mental note to add more sweetener next time.

I packed up my tent and started to look for the fresh toilet I had heard about yesterday. I needed to backtrack a half mile on the trail to find it, and without realizing it I added an extra mile to my day.

Cathedral Rock at sunrise, with a reflection on the very still Deep Lake

My day started with a steep and steady climb. I saw no one and was starting to get used to this solitude. The first hour of every day started the same way. The air was perfectly still and the only sounds was shuffling of my legs and the occasional ding of my poles hitting a rock. The blisters below my feet would remind me of their existence but eventually the wincing pain that dominated my headspace would recede into the background of my thoughts.

As I crested over Cathedral Pass, I saw other people ahead. By the looks of their clean outfits and thin packs it was obvious they were day hiking from a side trail. A few of them stopped to ask me what I was up to. For a brief moment, I felt pretty smug when they were impressed I had only started two days ago.

It wasn’t long before I was alone again. For the next few hours on trail, I felt possessed. My body was moving forward slowly without conscious effort. I had shut my brain off, and wasn’t thinking about how stiff my knees felt, or how the small muscles in my shins were burning with every ankle flexion. I wasn’t even allowing myself to enjoy the sweet smell of pine trees for very long. If I tuned out for long enough, this would go faster I figured.

At this point on the trail, I was mostly within the woods. I was grateful for the shade and could see hints of the bright sun that I was being shielded from. While shuffling robotically along on the trail, I came across another hiker, Giuseppe, who was doing the same hike but had started a day earlier with the intention of completing in five days. Both of us agreed that this would have been a lot more enjoyable in six.

I would have hiked with Giuseppe, but my goal for today was several miles past where he intended to stop. Both of us were hurting, and it had been nice to share what had been on our minds while we quietly pushed our bodies along the PCT. I was hoping he would catch up, and I’d often turn to see if he’d be around the corner.

As I headed further north, I was finally experiencing the smoke of the Bolt Creek fire which had started two weeks ago and was continuing to smolder. The threat of smoke was enough for me to consider calling off the entire trip and I spent more time studying air quality maps than anything else leading up to the trip. I packed a bundle of N95 masks that I was willing to hike in if necessary. It smelled faintly like being at a campground but the smokiness grew fainter as I climbed higher up to Pieper Pass.

Surprise Mountain visible on the PCT trail descent

As soon as I made it to the other side of the pass, I breathed a lot more easily. The wildfire smoke only crossed my path for less than an hour. I didn’t feel so lucky descending the other side though. The descent was a set of switchbacks carved into a steep boulder field. As beautiful as this experience of being deep in the mountains was, I wanted to be home. Each uneven and unbalanced step on loose talus sent a shooting pain into my shins. I even yelped at a few moments.

Fortunately, I didn’t have much longer to go and knew I’d clear the last two miles before dark. My last long day on the trail was almost over. This felt like a small a finish line before the real finish. Trap Lake lay below me and I could see exactly where I’d be camping, right at the head of the lake. I could already tell I’d have the place to myself.

View of Trap Lake from the descending switchbacks

Once I made it to camp, I dipped my feet into the soft sand below the water. I stepped in further, almost to my knees. I didn’t want to risk an infection from the open wound I had.

I was limping around the campsite setting up my tent. My legs had been dominating my thoughts for the last three days, but they felt entirely foreign to me. This level of damage to my body was unfamiliar to me. The only reason I hadn’t given up was because it wasn’t an option. After a certain point, going back to the start would be just as difficult as finishing. In my tent, I pointed my headlamp down at the bottom of my feet, studying the blisters, bruises, and incredible swelling of my ankles. I had enough left in me to finish this tomorrow.

Day 4 of 4 — 13 miles, 2,300 elevation gain

After yesterday’s regrettable oatmeal, I skipped making breakfast and went straight onto the trail with snacks. I figured the sooner I started, the sooner this would all be over. Mentally, it already felt like it was over. I had settled my mind into a headspace of today being my victory lap. There was a real bed and warm meals awaiting me, and the only thing that separated me from rest was half the mileage and elevation of the previous days.

Early morning sunrise on a cliff wall above Trap Lake with a tent in front on the PCT

Even though my pack had been lightened by the meals I consumed, my body carried the fatigue of more mileage and elevation than I had ever done in a short window of time. I buckled to the need for extra motivation, so I finally put on some earbuds to listen to music saved offline. The songs kept my mind occupied and my body now was purely a machine moving along.

After an hour or so on trail, I came across a junction to the Tunnel Creek trailhead, which just over a mile away. This was a shortcut, an escape hatch from my suffering. The sign promised that this could all be over in less than an hour. I was already aware of this path and had been thinking about it all day.

I could skip the last ten miles of the PCT Section J by just veering left instead of continuing north. I walked in circles trying to decide what to do. I wondered if the last ten miles would break my body down in a way that I’d regret, or whether I’d regret that I hadn’t actually done Section J of the PCT. To justify all that I had already endured, I wanted to I complete it properly. I skipped the shortcut and plodded along.

The next ten miles felt like the longest miles of the entire trip. Because I expected today to be twice as fast, I must have also expected it to be twice as easy. Instead, every step was just as challenging today as it was yesterday, if not more. As I got closer to Stevens Pass ski resort, the trees disappeared and I found myself walking over the same ski runs that I enjoyed so much just five months ago. I was finally feeling the full force of the sun without the shade I had grown accustomed to. I did at least have cell service and called Leah. I shared with her what I’d seen and done. I was only gone for four days but it felt like so much more.

Earlier in the day I sent my friends an inReach message letting them know when I’d arrive to Stevens Pass. They were there already doing volunteer work and promised me a big lunch. It was a warm thought to know I had friends waiting for me at the end with crispy and juicy pork roast. 80 miles and 17,000ft of elevation gain later, it was finally done and I could cross it off my damn list.

Post-trail thoughts

Unlike most of my adventures outdoors, this one doesn’t end in triumph or joy. I was just relieved to be done. I went into it thinking this would be something I could do off the couch, without any ramp up of my hiking fitness. I was very wrong. On the one hand, I’m proud of myself for mentally pushing through a level of suffering far beyond what I thought I could manage. On the other hand, I was woefully unprepared in gear (first aid kit), in hiking fitness (cycling fitness is not hiking fitness), and I’ve got several weeks of recovery to heal the damage to my body.

This was also a lesson in humility. A year ago, when I drafted up my ambitions for 2022, I severely underestimated this challenge and overestimated my ability. A common problem with dreaming big is that you sometimes dream too big, and this isn’t the first time that’s happened to me (although it was the most painful). Still, I wouldn’t change my approach in the slightest. My muscles and tendons will heal. The callouses beneath my feet will soften up. My big toenail will eventually not be black from blood pooled underneath it. Instead, what I’ll have forever is intimately knowing what this thin line on the map looks and feels like. Maybe someday I’ll retrace these steps, long after I’ve forgotten how much it hurt and have convinced myself that “yea, I could totally do that again no problem.”

My wedding vows

September 20, 2022

Leah and I eloped in beautiful Hood River, Oregon over Memorial Day Weekend. It was just the two of us, a county clerk, and two strangers who agreed to witness it all. Leah’s family joined via a Zoom call, so we weren’t entirely alone. In late July, we celebrated with my family, relatives, and a few of Leah’s college friends in my parent’s backyard in the Bronx, NY. Our final stop on the tour was Leah’s hometown of Gloucester, MA where both of our families would come together to celebrate our love.

I wrote up my vows the night before and shared them on September 15th to an audience of twenty. Here it is below, and I’d recommend reading these words on kindness written by my father-in-law.

Nearly six years ago I met a girl who would go on to change my life. Of course, at the time the only thought in my head was “oh gosh, how do I impress Leah enough to continue talking to me?”
Someone recently asked when I felt the spark between us. For both of us, the connection was immediate. The more I talked to Leah, the more I knew she was special. She was unlike anyone I’d ever met, and I wanted to know more.
Even though we were separated by cities hours apart, we would find ways to come together. Sometimes it would be on a boat drifting aimlessly in the ocean, other times high on a volcano gasping for air, and sometimes shivering in a tent staring at a nylon ceiling while a storm raged on. Every time we found ourselves off the beaten path, we shared in the joys and wonders of this beautiful planet, but also shared the challenges and struggles that come with adventure.
The more I explored with you by my side, the more I knew that there was no one else in this world I would rather be tied to. I can’t imagine a more perfect partner to be by my side in the exciting and sometimes scary journey of life.
Whenever I’m on my own, pedaling through trails, kick-stepping into a glacier, or daydreaming on the long drive home, everything reminds me of you. Even from afar, you’ve got this way of wrapping your little heart around mine. In the years I’ve known you, I’ve never felt alone knowing we’ve traded pieces of our hearts.
Over the years you’ve showered me with the kind of unconditional love I’ve only received from my parents. You’ve been my best friend, my mentor, my muse, and lover. I promise you my love for you will only continue to grow from here. I will be grateful for every day I can call you my wife.
I promise to learn from you, and accept I may not always be right. I vow to see disagreements from your perspective, and I accept the work needed to maintain a strong marriage. I will never let a day go by where I am not reminded how lucky I am that we have each other.
I will be your anchor when you need strength, and I will have open arms when you need to be vulnerable and melt into my arms. I will forever be a cheerleader on your team, and find ways to surprise, inspire, and challenge you through life.
As your partner, I promise you a life that is extraordinary, a life overflowing with laughter, friendship, and adventure. Life won’t always be easy, but through the moments of pain I’ll be by your side to share the load. I know that together, we can get through anything.
My Leah, I vow to love and support the woman you are today, the wife you’ll be tomorrow, and the person you hope to become. I love every part of you, and I vow to always do the same.
I vow to love you fiercely and passionately with everything I have to offer, for now and forever. I vow to never forget that this is a once in a lifetime love and I will choose you everyday for all the days of my life. I love you so very much.

Words on kindness from my father-in-law

September 20, 2022

My father-in-law, Bill Breen, said some moving words on the theme of kindness during our wedding. I thought it would be a shame to have the audience limited to the twenty people who were there to hear it, so I’ve posted it here. I also plan to re-read it annually on our anniversary.

My wedding vows can be found here.

Leah and Raja asked me to say a few words before they exchange their vows. So I’ve put a few words together.
Over these past few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about kindness—not least because I have directly benefited from so many acts of kindness. My thoughts have also been powerfully influenced by the novelist George Saunder’s writings on kindness.
Kindness is a form of love. And my guess, Leah and Raja, is that far in the future, when you look back on your lives, you will have practiced the art of kindness for many, many years. That in fact, practicing kindness is now and will continue to be a defining feature of your lives together.
I know that’s a worthy goal because more often than not, those who loom large in our hearts are those who gave us a bit of their love; their support; their friendship. In other words, their kindness.
Now when it comes to kindness, I’m not thinking of sugar and spice and everything nice. Or even puppy dog’s tails. Kindness comes in many forms, and I’m thinking of the kind that lifts someone up; that supports someone who’s being oppressed; that provides a helping hand, especially when no other hand is offered.
Now I have to admit, because we are human, it’s not always easy being that kind of kind. Perhaps it has something to do with our Darwinian drive to survive, but in our minds’ eye, we stand at the epicenter of the world. Our personal history and narrative are what matter most.
It’s no surprise, then, that we so often prioritize our desires over the needs of others. And that’s completely understandable, no more so than when we are young.
And Leah and Raja, I’ve gotta tell you, you are still young! You stand at the cusp of this new life together. This moment and the moments to come require you to be both dreamers and doers.
That is, to dream of the adventures and challenges that will help you achieve a fully lived life together. And also, to summon both the grit to pursue those dreams—even when you will have to venture far off the trail to seize them—as well as the creativity and spark to bring your dreams to life.
So of course, there are and will be times when you have to put yourselves first, if you are to dream and do something difficult that makes your lives better. Let’s be realistic: It takes a little bit of selfishness to become our best selves.
It just seems to me that that the key to truly achieving a fulfilling life is to strike a balance between pursuing “success”—however you might define that word—and elevating kindness. To not let the drive to accomplish more take over the entirety of our lives and squeeze out opportunities to be more big-hearted.
The key question, of course, is “how?” How do we create the space to be more generous, more loving, more aware of what is happening in the here and now, even as we engage in the “me-first” pursuit of accomplishing more?
The good news is that in many instances, life and time steer us towards kindness. Having children diminishes our egos and dramatically elevates our compassion and altruism. As parents, we don’t care so much what happens to us, as long as our kids benefit. Because our love for them is boundless, our generosity and compassion abound.
Similarly, the aging process grinds down our inclination toward selfishness and our misbegotten belief in our centrality in the universe. Sure, we tend to grow a little grouchier and grumpier as we grow old older. But across the years, there will be times when real life intrudes and punches us in the gut. And when it does, we find that family and friends come to our aid and lift us up.
We learn that we don’t stand alone. That we aren’t the sole protagonists in life’s narrative. That in fact, we are really supporting players in each other’s life stories—and that’s the way we want it to be.
But we don’t have to wait for the passing of time to bend us toward empathy and generosity. My prediction, Raja and Leah, is that as you pursue the ambitious things that matter to you—climb all the Cascades; travel to the world’s wildest places; fall further in love; innovate and create; make a dent in the universe—that you will lean even further into kindness to each other and to others as well. That you will tamp down the selfish things that would reduce you and make you ungenerous, and reach into the luminous parts of your being and cast that light toward those who would most benefit from your caring.
I know this because I have seen how you look out for each other and take care of each other. I have witnessed the generosity and caring that you bestow on family and friends. Most of all, every day, Lise and I experience your deep love and support, as I face my own particular challenge. You have been right at my side, every step of the way. Especially when I stumble. For that—and for all the love you have shown me before this diagnosis—I am so deeply grateful.
That is why I know that when you are 90 and I am 128, you will tell me that even as ambition has pushed you toward your life goals, you have carved out, year in and year out, a bright, shining space for caring and kindness, which has enriched your lives and the lives of others, many times over.
I know that in the end, your truest legacy will be love.

No car, North Cascades - Cycling Highway 20

May 09, 2022

Way up in the North Cascades, twenty miles from the Canadian border, is a road that carves its way through the jagged, granite peaks that crown the state of Washington. This is Highway 20, and it’s where I’ve done some of my favorite summer alpine rock climbing. Every winter, WSDOT closes this road (as well as others at high elevation) and in the spring, there’s a massive effort to clear a path over the mountains.

WSDOT’s goal is to open the road as quickly as possible to cars. The entire process takes about 6-8 weeks depending on snowfall. Crews from the east and west work to plow through 7-8 feet of snow and manage avalanches along the way. Last year, I learned that cyclists could enjoy the road without having to share the road with any cars. Immediately I began to count down the days.

The key is to head up when the most amount of road has been cleared, but just before they’ve opened it up to cars. It’s only open for recreation between Fridays and Sundays so you have to hope that the weather is clear enough to see the summits and you don’t already have plans when it all lines up.

I got lucky this year and on Sunday, May 1st I drove two hours from Seattle to experience what I’d been waiting the better half of a year for. The forecast was sunny and 70°F. There was still some more snow left to plow, so I couldn’t ride over to the other side of the pass though.

The overwhelming majority of people making the pilgrimage to Highway 20 drive as far as they can before they’re blocked by a gate, where they start their pedaling. I decided instead to start riding from the last small Seattle City Light company town on the western side of Washington Pass called Newhalem. By starting here, I’d be adding ~3,000ft more of elevation over roughly 30 additional miles. I stubbornly figured I was strong enough for this and didn’t think twice. I was a bit surprised though when I found no one else that morning at the Newhalem parking lot.

As cars skirted past me uphill, bike racks fully loaded, I pitied them for missing out. The small foothills gradually grew to rounded mountain tops flanking the man-made reservoirs of Gorge Lake, Diablo Lake, and Ross Lake. I usually find dams obnoxious but I had to admit that these were stunning.

The clouds hadn’t broken up yet, and I began to question whether I’d get my forecasted sunshine. The higher up I went, the more it felt like stepping into a freezer. I questioned my decision to bring just a windbreaker and skip the full-finger gloves. I decided not to check my phone's map; it was a weird feeling not knowing how close I was to the gate where everyone was parked. My hamstrings began to cramp, and I wasn't even at the "regular" start. Doubts were creeping in on whether I was in shape to do the bigger rides I had signed up for. My bouts of negative self talk were broken by spectacular vistas, but only momentarily.

I brought my clunky DSLR/lens along, which meant I was slowed down by the weight but also by stopping, assembling it, and disassembling it whenever I thought to take a photo. I finally made it to the gate where everyone else was starting. It was a packed parking lot; cars were lining up on the shoulder. I intentionally had a late start to the day so I'd be out in the sun for longer. For every 1 person heading up, there were 30 zooming back down at this hour.

In addition to not looking at my phone, I decided not to listen to any music or podcasts. Occasionally I'd hear a few birds, sometimes the rush of a creek, the sound of my breathing, and many times what sounded like a car behind me. It was always the breeze in the forest, but it startled me at least a few times every hour.

Of course, everyone I saw was in a great mood. We all felt like we won the lottery that day. As hard as it was sometimes with the cramp in my hamstring getting worse, I wouldn't have it any other way. I was savoring the challenge. The thought of speeding down it all would be a sweet reward. I saw a few cyclists with skis coming down. They biked to where the snow line was and then skinned up. They were moving too fast for me to ask them to be my friend. #goals

Little by little, the uphill grind would be rewarded with more craggy peaks flanking me on either side. The occasional clumps of unmelted slush lingering on the side of the road were soon replaced by walls of white snow. I knew I was close, but I chose not to look at my map and also chose not to let the cramp in my legs slow me down too much.

Once I got to the snow line, I kicked off my shoes and laid down for a long time. I ate half of my stash of chocolate, chips, and candy within a few minutes. I also made sure to soak in the mountain views while stretching every muscle I had. I've seen these peaks before, but always from a car. It's entirely different when you earn it.

The descent started out fine, but then came the headwinds. I was expecting to hurtle down at over 35-40mph but I'd top out at 25mph. It was still fast but I had to pedal hard to get any real speed. Even heading back, there were a few soft hills that would seem to stretch on forever. The wind slowed me down to a crawl, 3mph. I was running on fumes.

This is the moment where I started to loudly tell myself not to give up and keep pressing on. I was one of a handful of people still left on the road, but I didn't see anyone for miles. When I made it to the gate, I didn't even glance at the folks partying and barbecuing tailgate party-style. I just kept pedaling. 15 more miles for me. I considered asking someone if I could hitch a ride, but knew I'd be disappointed in myself for taking the easy way out.

So I pedaled hard and fast. I was whooping for joy when I made it back to Newhalem. Again, no one was around because I'm not sure anyone else started this far behind. On the two hour drive back to Seattle, I kept wondering if the day lived up to my expectations. In hindsight, it absolutely did. In the moment though, I felt like I got my ass handed to me and couldn't get over that.

It was a wakeup call that I need to get in proper shape if I want to do the big Seattle-to-Portland in a day and Ride-around-Mt-Rainier rides. That headspace, running on fumes desperately searching for an ounce of strength, is probably one I'm going to become quite familiar with in the next few months.

Outdoor goals for 2022 - effort vs interest matrix

January 20, 2022

UPDATE: here’s an end-of-year look back at 2022.

This’ll be my first full year of living in the Pacific Northwest, the closest I’ve ever been to big mountains. For the past few years, I’ve been daydreaming about all the activities I’d finally be able to immerse myself in once I moved out West. I always felt like I was playing catch-up, having grown up in a family that couldn’t afford to expose me to the great outdoors.

Comparing myself to others is not a healthy thing to do generally, but it helped me to dream big and do more than I would have otherwise. It all just pushed me to plan more thoughtfully, train harder, and be more intentional about where I place my energy.

In order to do everything on my wish list, I’d have to quit my job and live at least two lifetimes. I’ve used this framework of effort vs interest to help narrow down what it is I’d arrange logistics for, train for, and ultimately prioritize. The exercise of doing this helps me be realistic about what I can and can’t do in a given year. I’ve talked about this with friends and figured it’d be easiest to share a visual. Usually this happens on a piece of scrap paper that I scribble on for weeks. It also changes throughout the year based on any injuries, environmental factors, life circumstances, and new inspiration. Hopefully you get some ideas from this. If any are on your own list, do let me know!

Skiing

I didn’t have a ski season last year because of the pandemic, so I regressed a bit in my skills. Much of this year is just playing catch-up aggressively so that I could feel confident doing some touring.

AIARE 1 Avalanche + Rescue training - The larger goal here is to get out into the backcountry and earn my turns by skinning up the mountain. Before I can do that, I need to learn how to read snow conditions for avalanche risk. Accomplishing this is a matter of signing up for a course. At this point, it’s most likely that I’ll book it for the winter of 2023.
300,000 feet of resort skiing - The purpose of this goal is to feel more comfortable on skis by putting in lots of reps. To avoid practicing bad habits, I’ve committed to three ski lessons to correct my form. So far I’m at 27,000 feet of descent from two and a half days of skiing without trying too hard. This is a stretch goal, but pretty do-able if I take advantage of the night skiing at Stevens Pass.

Surfing

This is pretty low on the interest axis, but it’s on there. Leah’s trying to get more into surfing and I’ve been reluctant given my aversion to being wet and thrashed around. I see this as a way to spend more time doing something she loves. The main goal here is to be good enough to enjoy doing it. The water won’t start warming up til May around here, so I’ll probably have to get used to a thick wetsuit.

Surfing in Westport, WA - The closest decent destination for surfing in Seattle is just below the Olympic Peninsula in Westport. It’s about 3hrs away from Seattle, so it’s too far to make a day trip out of it so we’ll make a weekend of it.
Surfing at Short Sand Beach, OR - On our drive along the Oregon coast we stopped by to check it out. It looked like a beginner surfer’s paradise: smooth sand, sheltered cove, and a short hike through a magical PNW forest.

Cycling (road & gravel)

I have a lot of cycling goals, but it’s not because it’s the activity I enjoy the most. Every time I’m on my bike, I am mildly annoyed because I wish I was spending time climbing instead (true story). Still, I get excited looking at a map and drawing an ambitious line through a place I’ve never been to. Cycling also is something I can do on my own without much advanced planning. The endurance I built up from my low HR runs also means that I can cover a lot of mileage without breaking a sweat on two wheels.

Car-free Mt Rainier Sunrise Road (30+ mi, 3k ft ele) - Sunrise, nestled on the east side of Mt Rainier, is the highest point you can drive to in Mt Rainier National Park at 6,400ft in elevation. It’s also the last road to get plowed and open to cars. While the plows are still making progress, it’s possible to bike up for face-to-face views with the mountain without not have to worry about sticking to a shoulder lane. The trick is to time it so you ride it as late as possible, when it’s warmest and the most amount of road is accessible, but before cars are allowed through. This usually happens late-June or early-July depending on snowfall that winter. I’ve set a reminder on my calendar to check road conditions every few days. More info.
Car-free Highway 20 cycling (50+ mi, 6k ft ele) - Highway 20 is the iconic road that cuts through the Northern Cascades. I’ve done some climbing there and never appreciated how special the scenery was until I moved to Washington. I just assumed the entire state looked like this. The road is popular with cyclists all-year round but there’s a sweet spot in the year when it’s plowed but not yet open to cars. This usually happens between late-April to early-May. Depending on how much is plowed, this can be a 30mi ride or a 100mi out and back. I’ll be checking WSDOT pretty regularly. More info.
Mt Adams gravel cycling loop (50mi, 4k ft ele) - I only got into cycling two years ago, but I was most excited about gravel riding. The views, solitude from cars, and adventure aspect all appealed to me. This is a route that’s at the foothills of Mt Adams. Someone described is as one of the best rides from their summer. I’d probably do this in early July. Route line.
2-day bikepacking Olympic Adventure Trail (66mi, 8k ft ele) - I’ve never bikepacked before, but it doesn’t seem very complicated. Still, I decided to ease into it with this route in Olympic National Park. I initially planned on doing this out and back in a day, but figured it’d be more enjoyable if I took my time even though I’d be carrying overnight gear. Someone recommended doing this in the winter when there are fewer people around, so I’ll want to wait for a streak of dry weather in March to ensure the singletrack isn’t muddy. Route line.
Mt St Helens 2-day bikepacking loop (80mi, 12k ft ele) - The scenery here is notably different from the lush Olympic Nat’l Park. The eruption of Mt St Helens in 1980 left the landscape still recovering, with green ferns dotting the landscape but plenty of open vistas in all directions. Best time to do this would be mid-July to late-September before the first snow falls. Route line.
Seattle triple-ferry bike ride (100+mi, 6k ft ele) - This was something that I saw on Reddit that interested me. It’s a loop around the greater Seattle area that incorporates three ferries. Timing of the riding is pretty important to line up departures so I’d attempt on a long summer day. Route line.
RAMROD: Ride Around Mt Rainier in a Day (150mi, 10k ft ele) - This is a very popular event typically held on the third Thursday of July. There’s a lottery to get in but some tickets are auctioned for several times the face value, with the proceeds going to the National Parks. The scenery is spectacular as you ride with Mt Rainier looming over one shoulder. Getting one of the 800 spots is mostly a matter of luck. I’ve considered attempting it unsupported, but I’d only consider this if I wasn’t alone given how mentally exhausting the mileage sounds. Route line.
Seattle to Portland in a day cycling (200mi, 5k ft ele) - This is an annual event that attracts a massive amount of riders, almost too many from what I’ve read. The route is often done in two days but I’d be keen to try it in a single push. Much of it is flat, so it’s more of a mental challenge to endure the monotony. Much of it isn’t particularly scenic, so it’s low on my interests, but I’d like to do it just because it sounds cool to say I’ve done it. I haven’t registered yet, but it’s scheduled to be held on July 16-17 this year. Route line.

Mountain biking

There are so many fantastic destinations to ride around Seattle, and mountain biking is something Leah and I can easily do on a weekday summer afternoon when it’s still bright outside for hours. I’m still a beginner and need to learn how to make smoother turns without losing speed. Most of these are pretty modest goals but it will take effort. Getting really good at the sport would require a lot more dedicated practice than I’m willing to commit. Mostly, I’m just trying to have fun with this one.

Clean descent of Inside Passage, Tiger Mountain (1.7mi, blue) - If I do this route enough times, I’ll get it dialed and can know when to speed up and when to slow down. Route line.
Clean descent of Olallie (9mi, blue/black) - I haven’t done this route yet, but it looks beautiful. After a long climb, it’s a sweet descent. It’s longer than my other goal, so it’ll require a lot of pedaling up to get it dialed in with repeat laps. Hopefully I can get this done by the end of October, when the Seattle rain typically starts. Route line.

Climbing

Climbing is what inspires me to train and stay in shape. I like to say that all of my other activities exist to make me a more capable climber. Being in the alpine environment on moderate terrain is what I’m most passionate about. The North Cascades is a perfect playground for this. To make most of these happen, I’ll need to train for endurance in the climbing gym and also get myself out there on smaller, less committing routes at Index, Exit 38/32, Frenchman Coulee, and maybe even Beacon Rock along the Columbia River.

Guided climb: 3rd Pillar of Dana (5.10- III, 5 pitch) - For my birthday, Leah gifted me a guided climb with my favorite climber, Peter Croft! I am thinking I’d take advantage of this amazing gift by climbing one of the High Sierra classics in August. I just have to hope wildfire smoke doesn’t ruin my plans. Route beta.
Guided climb: Red Dihedral, Incredible Hulk (5.10b IV, 12 pitch) - While I’m down there, I figure I might as well get guided on another big classic. Hopefully all this movement on big terrain helps me feel more comfortable having longer days on the sharp end. Route beta.
Sport climb Prime Rib (5.9-, 11 pitch) - A 5.9 sport route that goes on for 11 pitches? I couldn’t believe it when I first heard about this route years ago. I would’ve tried this route last summer if not for the wildfires that overwhelmed the Methow Valley. Making this route happen is mostly about picking a quiet day, finding the right partner who can move fast, and starting early on a weekday to avoid crowds. Route beta.
Sport climb Flyboys (5.9, 18 pitch) - Just next door to Prime Rib is Flyboys, which is around the same grade but almost twice as long. If I can pull off Prime Rib with the right partner, I’ll have a better sense of how feasible this objective would be. Route beta.
Trad climb Ragged Edge of Vesper Peak (5.7, 6 pitch) - This is a solid alpine rock route with stunning views and great exposure. It’s exactly the kind of moderate route that sings to me. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one. Just like the other climbs noted earlier, finding the right partner, moving fast, and starting early are key. Route beta.
Trad climb Outer Space (5.9, 6 pitch) - This is one of the most popular crag routes in Washington. The easy access does mean that I’ll be less “out there” if things go south, but it’s also not a grade I’ve ever led on gear (that’d be a 5.8 in Joshua Tree). Fortunately, it’s a crack system that I’d follow, which I love to climb. Route beta.

Mountaineering & scrambling

I spent a total of five weeks guided in the North Cascades, learning to navigate safely through glaciers to reach icy summits. That was several years ago, and the amount of logistics to get onto glaciated terrain when I lived in NYC meant that it wasn’t something I practiced often. The skills I had have eroded away, so I’d like to rebuild and I’m living in the perfect place for it these days. Fortunately, my fitness is dramatically better than it was years ago and I’ve become more capable in other ways (e.g., I got my Wilderness First Responder certification).

Mt Adams South Spur, snow scramble (14mi, 7k ft ele) - This is basically an intermediary goal to get me comfortable again with my crampons and ice axe. It’s the easiest route up to the summit of Mt Adams and used to be climbed by mules back in the day. You can even bring your dog up. The more snow there is, the easier the route becomes, so it’s likely I’d attempt this in late April or early May (buying a $10-15 pass is required after May 1); I’d most likely want to attempt this in one big day to keep it fast and light (and also not have to carry my poop out). Route beta.
Ruth Mtn Glacier climb (12mi, 4k ft ele) - This is another easy objective that would provide spectacular views of Mt Shuksan and Nooksack Tower. The additional skill to incorporate here is roping up for glacier travel. Best time to attempt is anywhere from June til October, but I’d likely aim for June. I’d definitely want to try doing this in a single day. Route beta.
Eldorado Peak glacier climb (10mi, 7k feet ele) - This is a summit I’ve stood on twice, both times under the supervision of a guide monitoring my decision-making. It’s a big day to reach base camp, and a rather short and straightforward ascent to the summit. It’ll involve roping up for glacier travel and carrying additional gear for overnighting. This would be my third summit on the peak, but I’d like to try it again because of how beautiful the terrain is and also because I’m familiar with it. “…it is in the middle of a collection of beautiful peaks. Massively aloof, perched at the edge of the largest contiguous ice-sheet in the lower 48 states not connected to a volcano, the summit has a Himalayan like splendor owing to its remoteness, position, and knife-edge summit ridge.” Best done between July and September, so I’d most likely I’d aim for late July. Route beta.
Colchuck Peak glacier climb (14mi, 5k feet ele) - This peak sits in the gorgeous Enchantments area of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It seems to be easier earlier in the season when snow is covering the talus, but given that I’ve got other objectives in mind already, I’d likely attempt this in early August. The additional skill being challenged here is routefinding on both the ascent and descent. I’d most likely take advantage of long daylight by attempting this in a big day with an early start, but I’m still dependent on a camping permit for Colchuck Lake (~14% success rate). Depending on my comfort level, I may combine this with Dragontail peak. Route beta.
Fisher Chimneys on Mt Shuksan (4th class, 7k ft ele) - This is a route that combines mountaineering with some 4th class scrambling. I’ve been on Mt Shuksan before, but we were rained off of it several hundred yards from the summit. Loose rock is another hazard to be mindful of, especially due to the popularity of the route. If I arrive to the base of the rock portion tired from the hike up, that’s a bad sign. Training my endurance will be important. Most likely I’d attempt this in mid or late August. Route beta.

Backpacking & day-hiking

I lost interest in backpacking and hiking when I was exploring the peaks of New England, but I’ve got a renewed interest for it with the expansive terrain of Washington. I wouldn’t consider myself a trail runner, but I would say that I’m a fast hiker, especially when I’m on my own and can get in a certain headspace.

Thru-hiking Snoqualmie to Stevens Pass in 5 days (75mi, 16k ft ele) - As soon as I saw this line on a map, I was immediately interested. This is considered Section J of the Pacific Crest Trail and there isn’t a single road that you’d come across til you’re finished. Many of the dozen alpine lakes are even swimmable in late summer. Some areas are impassable until the snow fully melts in August, so this likely would be something for late August and would require taking some days off to complete. I’d most likely try this during the days before Labor Day or after, to avoid the holiday crowds. Five days would be the plan if Leah can join me, but I’d attempt it in four days if I was going solo. The hardest part may be arranging transportation for a dropoff and pickup. Route beta.
Enchantments thru-hike in a day (18mi, 5k ft ele) - This is probably the most popular trail in all of Washington state. Most people attempt to spend only a day in the Enchantments because of how hard it is to get a permit (less than 2% success rate). For those who can manage it, a day hike is the best way to do it. Because this is a point to point trail, arranging transportation is likely to be the hardest part. Logistics are made easier if I don’t attempt this alone, but I would love to get lost in my own head out there. Route beta.
Day hike Harts Pass to Rainy Pass (31mi, 4k ft ele) - This is another section of the PCT that I’d be interested in doing. It’s a small section that could be feasible in a day, and seems perfect for late September or early October when the larches are glowing gold. Again, the transportation logistics would be the challenge given it’s a point to point trail. I know of one person who did this trail with another solo hiker traveling in the opposite direction. When they crossed paths, they traded car keys. Route beta.
Mt Rainier Wonderland trail in 3 days (93mi, 22k ft ele) - The Wonderland trail is a giant loop around Mt Raininer, with broad meadows of wildflowers, waterfalls, and inspiring views of the mountain over your shoulder. This is by far the most intimidating goal on the entire list, even though it’s probably safer than any of my climbing objectives. What gives me chills is the rigor of hardcore training that would be required to pull this off. Most people do this trail in 7-10 days, but that requires a lot of permitting for campsites per night. The people who do this in 3 days are legit ultra-runners, and usually have support from the outside to make it happen (either friends or paying a company $1500). The best time to do this seems to be August. If for whatever reason this doesn’t go down in 2022, it’ll be a priority goal for 2023. This will happen. Route beta.

All of this is pretty local to where I live, with the exception of going to the High Sierras to climb. One of my priorities for the year was to explore locally as much as possible. There’s so much to do around here that it felt wrong to hop on a plane to recreate. Still I’ll be traveling back to NYC often to visit my family, Massachusetts for Leah’s family, and I’ll be taking my dad out to the Kenai peninsula in Alaska to go fishing for five days as a retirement gift in early July.

Writing this out in more detail than the usual notepad scribbles helped me tremendously. Rather than feel like there’s too much to do, I’ve limited my focus to a few goals that are within reach if I put in the effort (and get lucky with conditions). Even if I accomplish half of this list, it would be an epic year. Although my calendar is looks full, there’s still lots of blank spaces to fill with spontaneity and new inspiration. There’ll certainly need to be other objectives along the way that serve as stepping stones. I’m sure to learn a lot and make new friends along the way. What’s most exciting is how these experiences will set me up for an even more ambitious 2023! And of course, much of this will rely heavily on the support of my loving and beautiful partner in life, Leah.