Close To Home Adventure 3/31/09

Took a short steep hike of 3 miles, from Buffalo Creek at 6600 feet, to the top of "Baldy Peak" at 7872 feet, a nice modrate verticle gain 1272 feet. This was the birthday adventure. Celebrating fifty with a little work out.
This hike and climb holds adventure classification. It was a cool and very windy day. I packed a medium pack with gear, lunch, a traditional hiking beer, and a special Macallan's 18 year old highland scotch, ($$$) to celebrate the sumit on my 50th birthday.
The day started awesome but a hair late at 2pm. Sun was shining and temps fair. I cris-crossed the Sandy Wash Trail on the way up so I could get some cross country time in, and maybe find some antler sheds or see some cool wild life. I did come accross a pair of owels....but that was it. They took flight before I could get a picture.
The last 1/4 mile was steep and rough off traik terrain. Then the final approach to sumit was probably a 5.4 scramble. I had to ditch my heavy pack and tie my lunch bag on a small rope and sling it. There was some snow and ice for this last pitch and I actually got good use from my ice axe.
WoooooHooooo!!!!!!! Up on top of "Baldy" were some amazing 360 degree views. And the wind was insane ! I found the sumit log and signed it. Then made my way to the geo-marker and the physical high point. SWEET!
I hunkered down in a crevas and ate lunch, sipped fine Scotch, had nice IPA Micro Brew, and did some journaling. I spent an hour up on Baldy and took lots of pic's and movies.
The decent back to Buffalo Creek was great. I soaked up the late day colors and sunset and had another IPA for the hike out. As usual......walked out in the dark to the Jeep.
I had planned on making that the Birthday hike for the past 6 months. Not a real exciting adventure......but Mother Nature threw in some curve balls with wind snow and ice, making a fairly simple day out a bit more challenging.
OK.....don't know what the next one will be....stay tuned.................JIM

Fabulous Fit 50.....The Year Ahead

We'll see how this goes. But I have decided in the shadows of the eve of turning fifty.....that the following 365 days (and beyond) will be as usual, chock full of adventure. At least one per month, even if its only a day long one. They should all contain some physical challenge or something that the mainstream doesn't get to regularly do. like hitting the Black Rock Desert and Black Rock City again. Mountain Biking the Monarch Crest Trail. Moab biking and Slick Rock. Jeeping world class trails.....and back pack trips.
Mainly a statement that 50....."ain't nuttin but a thing...." Keep living to the max! Follow some of the mantra's that have surrounded me the past years:

*** The difference between a rut and a grave......is the depth of the hole.

***You can fall off a cliff and Die
You can get attacked by fire ants and Die
You can swim in the ocean and Die
You can flip your jeep and Die
You can get lost in the desert and Die
You can get swept away in an avalanch and Die
You can get mauled by a mountain lion and Die
OR
You can stay at home, sit on your couch, eat potato chips.....and DIE.

**** Get Out There!! As "Yellow House Jon" would say.....
"DIE LIVING !! "

See you all on the trail...the lake...the 14er...the forest...the canyon...the desert...the mountain!