My 52 Hike Challenge

Summit of Mt McLoughlin

I like lists. I blame my mother. I am well skilled in her trick of adding things you've already done to your to-do list just so you get that inner thrill of crossing them off, and thus feeling so much more accomplished for the day. Because your list says so. But my love of lists goes far beyond a general to-do list to keep me on track... I keep hiking lists! And bucket lists! And when I see those silly lists of “Top 10 Things To Do/See/Hike” in some place or other, I see it like a challenge—how many can I get crossed off??? So yes, for better or worse, I like lists.

Eagles Rest

When I was trying to get back in a groove of hiking after my body was such a traitor... I knew I needed something extra to keep me interested, to keep me seeking out new trails, to keep my soul fueled so my body would follow suit and get back to where these little trails weren't torture. I needed to make it a game! I had heard of the 52 Hike Challenge, and thought it was cool, but just hiking 52 times seemed too easy. Then I realized that you can really adapt the challenge to whatever you want, and I thought “What about 52 different hikes??” Most of my training for Denali had been on just a handful of trails set on “repeat”, so there I was, well over half way through the year, and I really didn't have many different hikes on my list. Like... At all. I wondered if it would even be possible to get 52... But then that's what makes it a challenge, right? Game on!

Bonus! New patch for my board!

I sought out new to me trails, and logged over 40 on my list of 52, and most in a shockingly short period of time. Mixed in with old standbys, and a few variations of favorites, I hit the 52 mark about a month ago. I have added a few more since then, so have had the chance to remove some of the almost-repeats, but at the end, it was kind of shocking to see a list of 52 different hikes written out. That's a lot of miles, a lot of places seen, a lot of adventures and exploring I got to enjoy. Some days, I logged 3 or more different hikes—ones I would never have done before because they were shorter than the drive warranted... But discovering I could combine them to meet my daily goal of miles or gains, AND get an extra thrill for ticking a few more spots off on a list??? Win-win. Plus, I've realized there is a beauty in doing multiple shorter hikes in a day—a whole other challenge in setting out on another hike when your mind has already “finished” hiking. It can be hard to get your body going again after the drive to the next trailhead! Extra training to get my head to cooperate when it doesn't want to.

Playing around in Red Rock Canyon

Overall, it made for a fun challenge. Some people take years to achieve their 52. Some stick to the original premise of 1 hike every week for a year. Some go about it super fast. Some take it way seriously, and others less so. But there are no hard and fast rules, it's just about getting out there and discovering the benefit hiking can offer for your life. To see how you can grow, and what you can discover about yourself. For me? I'm never more myself than I am on a trail. I'm never stronger. Never more confident. Never more free of the anxieties and stressors life can shackle me with. Never closer to God. Never more in awe of the beauty He surrounds us with. Never more grateful for this crazy life I get to live. Plus... It's a list. So it makes me happy!

Mt Bachelor Summit, looking at the Three Sisters

You can read more about the 52 Hike Challenge on their website, www.52hikechallenge.com, and if you look at their Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/52hikechallenge/), you might even see a familiar face featured as their "Motivation Monday" from today... I'm going with not many people must finish the challenge, since I really can't be that much of a motivation, ha!

Dog Mtn--the only hike I actually hated. Except for the brief view of my favorite—Mt Defiance!

Here's my 52 (in no real order):

1. Table Mtn from Bonneyville
2. Mt Kilimanjaro (Marangu Route)
3. Mt Kilimanjaro—Horombo to Zebra Rocks
4. Tom Dick & Harry Mtn
5. Smith Rock Summit Loop
6. Smith Rock Misery Ridge
7. Mt St Helens (Worm Flows)
8. Silver Falls loop with Perimeter Trail and Rackett Ridge
9. Silver Falls loop with Perimeter Trail and Buck Mountain Loop
10. Peterson's Butte
11. Silver Falls—full perimeter loop
12. Mt Denali, Basecamp to Camp 2
13. Triangulation Peak and Boca Cave
14. Stahlman Point
15. Ramona Falls and Bald Mtn
16. Mt Thielsen
17. Tokettee Falls
18. Umpqua Hotsprings
19. Jefferson Park via S. Breitenbush
20. Gold Butte Fire Lookout
21. Timberline Trail
22. Black Butte
23. Mckenzie River Trail
24. Painted Hills Overlook
25. Carroll Rim
26. Painted Cove
27. Sutton Mtn
28. Cascade Head
29. Marion Lake
30. Coffin Mtn
31. Bachelor Mtn
32. Mary's Peak (North Ridge)--from gate, with Meadow Loop
33. Jefferson Park via PCT
34. S. Breitenbush Gorge Trail
35. Red Rock Canyon, Moenkopi Loop with Calico Hills
36. Havasupai—Hilltop to Supai
37. Havasupai—to Colorado River
38. Dog Mtn
39. Mt McLoughlin
40. Mt Bachelor
41. Hardesty Mtn
42. Mt June
43. Eagles Rest
44. Silver Falls—Trail of 10, as figure 8
45. McDowell Creek Falls
46. Mary's Ridge (North Ridge)
47. Mary's Ridge (North Ridge) with lollipop
48. Shellburg Falls
49. Dome Rock
50. Mt Defiance via Defiance Trail
51. Rooster Rock via Trout Creek
52. Iron Mtn and Cone Peak Loop

Headed down Mt Bachelor