Well, this year really sucked, didn’t it?
I climbed Grayback and Salmon Mountains over Independence Day weekend but COVID-19 made any further expeditions a bad idea even if theoretically possible. I was hoping to get those last three SoCal county high points over Thanksgiving but cancelled plans to do so in light of viral spread. I did, however, spend a number of weekends in the High Sierra to practice higher-elevation peakbagging. The big challenge there remains being able to quickly acclimatize, as I found myself repeatedly out-of-breath and slowing down after efforts that should not have resulted in that much fatigue.
Next year’s plans are entirely up for grabs depending on vaccine timelines and whether we have an in-person Worldcon in 2021. If we do, then the obvious target is Fort Reno, the District of Columbia highpoint, and I might also rent a car for a day and go after some other area county (or independent city) high points—I have not yet done the research but a recent thread on the county highpointers mailing list suggests that Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, and Manassas Park would all be reasonable objectives. If we do not, then obviously I won’t bother with an East Coast trip. Either way, I’m hoping to take some time off in the summer and sweep up some Nevada county high points, and hopefully I’ll find time to return to far northern California for Bear Mountain.
2020 year-end statistics:
- New county high points: 2 (61 total)
- Home glob: 52 counties (+1), 141,796 square miles (+3613)
- New 2000′ prominence peaks: 5
- New Sierra Peaks Section peaks: 7
- Highest peak climbed: Mount Dana (13,057′)
- Most prominent peak climbed: South Yolla Bolly Mountain (8094′, P4814)
- New peaks (min. 300′ prominence) climbed: 26
- P-Index: 119
Acrophilia 