Each week I will write about my hiking and camping trips and keep a running total of the miles I hiked, well at least try to. Whether it be just doing some camping along the Clark Fork River with the trailer to a multi-day backpacking trip, I will create some kind of read and some pictures for those interested. I am only doing these weekly reports for my hiking season that usually runs between April and October depending on weather.
2026 GOALS: I start each year with a set of goals for the summer. Similar to 2025 my overall goals are to visit 40 lakes / peaks and hike 400 miles. I only count a lake 1 time even though I may visit it multiple times during the summer as part of other trips; and hiking trail "only" miles are counted. Specific goals include visiting Steep Lakes and Newman Lake; and summits of Crater Mountain and Admiral Peak; along with West Goat in the Pintlers. For backpacking a 5-day loop of Fish Creek, 4 days to the Cache Lakes, 4 days in the Pintlers; and a trip into the 4 Lakes area near Thompson Falls are on tap. Some of these goals overlap with each other. Everything else that I end up doing are just weekly opportunities.
Achilles Tendon Injury Update: Back at the start of winter I injured my achilles and am just now in late April seeing enough improvement to actually start testing it out hiking. The 4.5 miles of light hiking at Muchwater is the most walking that I have been able to do in 6 months. This was the first winter since I strapped on cross country skis at 14 that I have not skied. I am hoping that I have turned the corner and be able to get out for a full summer of hiking.
2025 Summary: How it Went This Past Summer
April 20 - April 26: Muchwater CG: St Regis River Trail & Cascade Falls
