Best of 2016 hikes!

Last year when I sat down to write the best of post, I thought this would be the year to bring completion to this effort.  Alas, it was not to be.  A early winter injury brought my plans for that season to a crashing halt, though I'll never know if having that time back would have made a difference.
Of course, this meant many big days to try to string together as much as possible in a single effort.  I've probably talked about big days every single year that I've written this; this is the first year I have gone over a marathon in distance.  This happened several times in fact, culminating in efforts of over 36 and 39 miles.  All for fun!
In the end, there were just too many destinations that required a full day of effort to check off a single thing.  Even knowing this, I tried, but by August it became obvious it wasn't going to happen.  It was a disappointing realization, as I really wanted to finish, but at the same time I'll get to spend more time in the wilderness of RMNP next year, and I can hardly be upset about that. In fact, not finishing this year could set me up to finish three lists next year, but we'll see.
Best High Altitude Lakes!
6. Cirque Lake.  This lake lies slightly east of the RMNP, in and best accessed from Comanche Peak Wilderness.  But, it was included in Fosters guide to RMNP, hence I made sure to visit it this year.  It's right around tree line in a beautiful bowl, and crystal clear blue in color.  A great place to be.
5. Looking Glass Lake.  This name is unofficial, having been suggested by luminary and published author Joe Grim.  I realize now as I type this that I visited this lake on the same day as the above!  It lies about forty feet higher than Mirror Lake in the northern part of RMNP.  Spectacularly beautiful, it is worth the short talus hop from Mirror Lake.
4. Pinnacle Pool.  This was my last lake to visit in RMNP, number (if I am remembering correctly) 141/141.  What an effort!  With no trail to it and some sketchy and dangerous loose rock terrain above it, this is a interesting one to visit.  While I looped it in with some of the peaks above, I'd suggest against that, and make an effort to visit this lake alone, from below.
3. Haynatch Lakes.  Rather than being a single lake, this area contains one large and several smaller bodies of water.  The largest is certainly the most spectacular, but the smaller pools in the area are worth some exploration time.  The easiest access comes from the west side, but one could certainly do a longer day hike starting and ending at Bear Lake, or make it a several day endeavor by making use of the campsites in the area.
2. Unnamed Lake.  As with number 5 and 6, numbers 2 and 3 were visited in the same day.  This unnamed lake lies almost directly north of Mount Eleanor.  The best approach is from Hayden Lake (which is already remote), but if you ever happen to be in that general area, make sure you swing by.  It's spectacular.
1. Hazeline Lake.  Perhaps the best wow moment of the year, this lake lies in the Mummy Range and is pretty far from just about anything, including any trails.  It's in a beautiful and secluded basin just below tree line.  The approaches are both long and arduous, starting either at Long Draw and bushwhacking up, or dropping down from Flatiron Mountain.  Either way, the journey won't be easy, but is entirely worth it.
Best Features!
5. Fin City.  This technical climbing destination is in the Lumpy Ridge area, and provides a fun technical scramble to an airy summit.  If you're a fan of scrambling, there is some fun stuff to do in Lumpy Ridge, but this one stood out to me above others.
4. East Inlet Falls.  While close to a well trafficked trail, there is no trail to this waterfall, or series of falls.  But do the not easy bushwhack in the right time of year and you'll be traveling through areas of plentiful and delicious wild raspberries.  The lowest fall is set into a spectacular amphitheater, enclosed on three sides.  Awesome!
3. McHenrys Notch.  This one has been on the list for a few years, finally made it this year.  This stunning deep cut in the continental divide can be seen from a few different vantage points in RMNP.  It is humbling to stand in it.  I accessed it from the north, and made the 5.3 climb up the other side to visit McHenrys Peak for a second time.  A very fun day.
2. Taylor Glacier.  I was pretty intimidated by this one, and it lived up to that.  The first few hundred feet went by fine, but it gets steeper and steeper, culminating with a six foot tall near vertical head wall.  My heart was racing, and I kissed the earth when I reached the top.
1. Flint Pass.  This mountain pass lies deep in the heart of the Mummy Range, and close to the Mummy Pass trail.  But it doesn't really lie on the path to anywhere, unless you want to visit Rowe Peak and Mountain from the north.  But the views from it are spectacularly beautiful, particularly looking west into the Hague Creek basin.
Best Peaks!
5. 12308/Kokomo/Northstar.  This ranked but unofficially named peak lies on the extreme northern border of RMNP.  It's in a fun, flowing area of endless tundra, has a short, easy scramble to the top, and provides a great view of the Mummy Range and Comanche Peaks Wilderness area.  Ringing the bowl above Mirror Lake was an awesome day!
4. Mount Olympus.  This peak lies east of RMNP in Estes Park, with the easiest access coming from route 34.  The bushwhacking to the summit isn't too bad, and there is some fun scrambling along the way.  The views from the top are incredible, with Estes Park laid out at your feet, and the higher peaks of RMNP behind.
3. Mount Bryant.  There aren't any views from the summit, but rocky outcrops in the area provide a great vantage point to the lakes below.  The summit register is one of the all time greats, and it is a fun hike through relatively open forest to reach the summit.
2. Lead Mountain.  This was my number one last year!  This year I took a different (and new) route to the summit.  The rock was relatively stable for the area, and the second class route from Mount Cirrus is the easiest access technically speaking.  The views from the summit are great, and part of the continued fun is to now figure out how to get down!  You can either take the fourth class north ridge, or the third class east ridge.
1. Aiguille de Fleur.  This impressive granite monolith rises above the East Inlet Basin, reminiscent of Kubrick's 2001.  I set out for the summit with very little information, not even knowing if it would be climbable without getting too technical.  It proved to be doable, with some solid fifth class en route to the top.  And then it started to rain, making the descent even more fun.  As in the movie, this was an exploration into the unknown.  Unlike the movie, I didn't turn into a space baby with infinite power.  Maybe next time!
Best Easier Hikes!
5. Iceberg Lake.  While quite easy to visit from the Lava Cliffs parking, please be sure to observe all the signs and stay cognizant of the fences in the area.  A short drop downhill will take you to this tiny alpine lake, which will very likely have ice or snow on/in/around it all year.  Don't slip and fall in!
4. Kruger Rock.  Since Larimer County purchased Hermit Park, access to this peak got alot easier.  There's a nice trail all the way to the top, and the summit is rocky and comes with great views in all directions versus some of the lower summits that are treed in.  It's six bucks for a day pass to the area.
3. Shadow Mountain Lookout.  The lookout itself wasn't open when I visited in September, but the hike up was sure fun, and the views from the top are great!  I'd suggest this one to be in the a little more difficult for an easier hike category, but there is a trail all the way to the top, and the elevation gain is spread out well along the way.
2. Milner Pass to Alpine Visitors Center.  While a round trip would net you just over eight miles, there isn't all that much elevation gain (just over 1000 feet) and, provided you do this hike in season, you'll have a place to sit and get a snack at the top.  With a car shuttle, you could do this hike one way, with the easiest option starting high and ending at Milner Pass.  If you get to the top and are still feeling chipper, add on Fall River Pass Mountain, Marmot Point, or Trail Ridge.
1. River Trail.  With it's partner, the Valley Trail, this trail makes up a 4.6 mile loop with under 200 feet of elevation gain.  I'd suggest the River Trail as my much favored option, as the views are outstanding, and there is a sense of being out in middle of the wilderness that isn't there on the Valley Trail, since it lies so close to Trail Ridge Road.  It's hard to believe that the small creek the trail runs along is actually the Colorado River, and carved the Grand Canyon, runs though seven US and two Mexican states, and is over 1400 miles long.
Epic Days!
This was the first year that I've ever gone over a marathon in distance in a day.  Of course, it didn't take long for me to best that mark.  And then best that mark.  And then best that mark!
5. Taylor Glacier.  Not the longest day by far, but this was one of the few days I've ever had that pushed me right to the edge of my comfort zone.  From the top, it was a rather nice jaunt to Powell Peak, and then back the other way to the Flattop trail. 
4. Comanche Peak and Area.  It's not a short day to ring the bowl above Mirror Lake, but add on Flint Pass and a mile and a half of off trail below treeline travel, and you have the makings of an epic day.  My hand drawn map on Caltopo said 26.5 miles, and I'd guess it was a bit more since that doesn't capture all the turns along the way.
3. Out and back on the Ute Trail.  While this was my second longest day mileage wise this year, all of the miles are on trail or tundra, with no technical movement involved at all.  Thus, I feel it was a little easier, with the challenging part being endurance.  Simply put one foot in front of the other, and repeat.  For 36.64 miles.
2. A Day in Lost Creek Wilderness.  I'd visited the area twice in the past with my oft hiking partner Dan- this day marked my first solo visit.  Inspired by a trip report on Mountain Project, I decided to link the peaks above Shawnee together, all 14 of them.  I hiked for about five hours in darkness, and for 18 hours in total, covering 39+ miles and just over 10k of elevation gain, personal bests in all three categories.  Despite the distance, the major difficulty was negotiating a below treeline ridge in the dark.  Otherwise, the terrain wasn't that bad.
1. Sprague Lake, Lonesome Lake, Hayden Lake, Nakai Peak, and Haynatch Lakes.  A long name to start!  At the time, this day set personal bests for time elapsed while hiking, distance, and elevation gain.  Lost Creek and Ute Trail were longer, but this day took down alot of off trail terrain, and moved over field after field of talus.  It wasn't the longest day I had this year, but the movement was definitely the most difficult.  It's disconcerting to feel a car sized boulder move under your feet.
Estimated miles hiked in 2016:
487.55 miles.
Estimated elevation gain in 2016:
139,439 feet = 26.4 miles.
Number of new destinations obtained in RMNP in 2016:
76
Number of peaks climbed outside of RMNP in 2016:
58
Number of long days to visit one named destination in/around RMNP in 2016:
7, and the things visited were: Chaotic Glacier, Taylor Glacier, McHenrys Notch, Tour de Estes Cone, Pinnacle Pool, Ute Trail, Sheep Mountain.
Best photos of 2016!
Lucky thirteen, here are thirteen of my personal favorites from this year.  Some tell a story, some show a place few go, some show a place many go from a different perspective. 

Looking up the Poudre River basin from near the summit of Flatiron Mountain.

Mirror Lake with Mount Ikoko on the left.  This peak sure looks spectacular from this vantage, but only has 132 feet of prominence, and is nothing but a bump in the landscape from above.

Sunrise over Chaos Canyon.  Had to get up pretty early in the morning to hit the snow climbs this year.

Another appearance from Mirror Lake.  This photo was taken a few weeks after the above, from the summit of Mount Ikoko.  As you can tell from the lakes surface, it was quite a windy day!

Looking down to Lake Powell from near McHenrys Notch, Mount Alice in the background.

In Hayden Gorge, bereft of trails or any signs of humanity, but overflowing in natural beauty.

This year I was fortunate enough to see many sunrises and sunsets from the trail- on this day, I saw both, and both from above 12,000 feet.  This sunset came shortly after an encounter with a large herd of Elk; overall a day I won't soon forget.

The last lake in RMNP- Pinnacle Pool.  It's a fun bushwhack to get here.

A fence and gate, marking a private property boundary between Crosier Mountain and West Crosier, provided a perfect frame for a pine.

The darkness and lack of color in this photo make it one of my favorites of the year, perhaps my personal favorite.  This was taken looking back at the impending sunrise over The Loch.  I really like the black, blues, and touch of orange in this one.

Longs Peak, Mount Meeker, McHenrys Peak, and Chiefs Head Peak from the summit of Powell Peak.

Longs and friends from the Ute Trail near Tombstone Ridge.
Thank you as always for reading!  See you on the trail in 2017!

Best of 2015 hikes!

It's cold and there is snow on the ground.  But that hasn't stopped me.  The winter of no excuses has begun, and it is my goal to enter next season in the best shape I have ever been in.  Simply put, snow on the ground is not a good enough excuse to not go run.  I don't feel like it is not a good enough excuse to skip the gym before work.
I can look ahead to 2016 and finally see the end in sight, the end of this project that was actually spawned by my sister when she visited in 2010.  We went to Lake Haiyaha, and a few days later visited Ouzel Lake.  She sparked some desire in me, and within a month of her visit, I had climbed my first 13er, aptly Isolation Peak.  I dipped my aching feet in the ice cold water of Pipit Lake.
I found something in the wilderness, and made it a goal to hike to every named destination in Wild Basin.  I didn't just want the peaks and the endless views, but also the pristine alpine lakes, the rushing waterfalls.  I looked at Longs Peak for years before I even got close to setting a foot on it.
When Wild Basin was complete, I needed something else to do, and expanded the scope to focus on the entire park.  Lisa Foster's book has served me well.  I've never met her, but it would have been more difficult to do this without her.  So Lisa, if you do ever happen to read this, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I've signed a few summit registers in my day, but this was a year of finding some of the all time greats out there.  The following people also deserve a thank you (in no particular order): Kirk and Kirk, Pomranka, Kalet, Knapp, Regelson, Dale, Disney, Garratt, Martin, Martin, Roach and Roach, Gergen, Aschenbrenner, Foster, Offerman, Swinehart, Schwanzstucker, and Nolan.  I haven't met most of you, but seeing your names over and over again has inspired me to go on when I was tired, to go harder and longer, to spend more time in this place I love.  So many thanks to you all!
2016 should mark the last year of this blog in some sense.  RMNP will be finished, I will have visited everything that has a name, but it will never end.  In trying to do something new every week, I haven't done routes I want to do or completely circled basins I want to circle in lieu of something else.  And there's still that insane link up mapped out last winter while sitting at home and waiting for the snow to melt....
Best High Altitude Lakes!
6.  Ruby Lake.  This lake actually lies south of RMNP in the Never Summer Wilderness.  I include it here because Foster included Bowen Lake, which is pretty close.  My thoughts were that if Bowen Lake were to be included, the peaks above it should be as well.  Ruby Lake lies in the bowl surrounded by those peaks, so it is also included.  Seeing this lake from above was like looking at a old masters painting: endless beauty.
5.  Pettingell Lake.  This lake lies deep in the North Inlet Basin.  There is no trail to it.  You can't see it from above.  There is elevation gain in both directions, and the one way distance to this lake is 11.1 miles.  Truly isolated and spectacular.
4.  Julian Lake.  The west side of RMNP really has alot of lakes that are in the middle of no where.  To get to this one, you can take the trail to Timber Lake and go up and over a saddle.  You could loose nearly 2000 feet of elevation from Mount Ida to drop down to the lake,  or you could bushwhack up Onahu Creek.  No way is painless, all are challenging.  Take your pick and reap the reward of mind blowing riparian nature.
3.  Adams Lake.  While in RMNP, the "easiest" way to visit this lake is probably to start in Indian Peaks, at the Roaring Fork trail head.  It's either that or bushwhack up along Paradise Creek, and trust me, you don't want to do that.  Look at a map to find the easiest way is starting at a trail head that is actually quite a long distance and many thousands of feet below.
2.  Fifth Lake.  Compared to the others listed above, this one is a bit tame.  Yes, it would be around 18 miles round trip to visit this lake, but there is a trail, both official and not, that goes for most of that distance.  And it's less than half a mile of vertical gain to get there.  I remember when we were almost at the lake, moving over the last little hump of land.  Dan was in front and I said something to the effect of, "Heck yes!".  He turned around and had the biggest smile on his face.  This lake is a special place.
1.  Lake Catherine.  If you wanted to visit this lake alone, you'd have to do 25.6 miles and 6000 feet of elevation gain round trip.  Simply put, this is the most isolated lake in the park.  It is incredibly beautiful and truly wild.  I doubt it sees more than a handful of visitors in any given year.  A great place to find nothing and everything.
Best Features!
5.  Mount Baker.  This almost but not quite ranked peak (297 feet of prominence) lies at the south end of the Never Summer Range that is within RMNP.  It's fun to get here, and it offers great views of the surrounding area, particularly to the south.  In fact, I was able to get a good look at four peaks I planned to climb later in the day.  They looked incredibly far away.
4.  Chickaree Lake.  This lower elevation lake has alot to offer.  It is close to a trail, but there is no trail to it.  A short bushwhack to splendor.  Perhaps a good one to pop into for a swim, as it was pretty warm (relatively speaking).  A peaceful must visit.
3.  Ptarmigan Towers.  This high point is pretty close to Ptarmigan Mountain, and looks like it could just be walked over to.  It's a bit more complicated than that, but a fun third class scramble to gain the top, where very few people have ever been.  This unranked point only two registered ascents on LoJ.
2.  The ridge between Lead Mountain and Tepee Mountain.  I think this is the single most difficult and exposed non technical ridge traverses in RMNP.  It's fourth class with death fall potential on both sides, with the added fun of some loose rock here and there.  Take your time and be careful.
1.  Glacier Ridge/Ships Prow Tower.  These two features are very close in proximity to Longs Peak.  In fact, they are easily accessible via the standard Loft route.  One is third class, and one is low fifth class.  They are very exposed and very seldom visited, despite the prime location.
Best Peaks!
5.  Powell Peak.  While somewhat easy to get to, this one is definitely pretty far from the trail heads, and a good hike in.  No technical difficulties lie in the way (unless you want them to).  This was my last ranked 13er in RMNP.
4.  Bowen Mountain.  Again, this peak is not technically in RMNP, but it is a worth climb anyway.  That green bowl of earth that holds Bowen Lake is worth a hike through to get here.  Take a tent and do the Bowen/Baker loop in two days, or hike quickly and do it in one.  A beautiful place and you can see the entirety of the Never Summer Range that does lie in RMNP from the top.
3.  Mount Craig.  This peak was visited on a big and fun loop of a day shared with a friend that saw us visit multiple lakes and peaks and climb up to third class before visiting this peak.  The endorphins were definitely flowing by the time we got to the peak.  There are some great views all around of untouched wilderness, and I felt completely happy to be here.
2.  ________ Mountain.  If you read the post, you'll know which one I mean.  Spectacular views can be had in every direction, and since access is officially forbidden, a sense of adventure is added.  Remember to not climb this peak!
1.  Lead Mountain.  Situated in the middle of the Never Summer Range, this peak provides great views of everything around, though the taller Mount Cirrus to the south blocks the view that way somewhat.  The east ridge is a fun third class climb, and the north ridge is that exposed and committing fourth class line I'd mentioned above.  The south ridge is second class and the easiest technical access, but it'll require a big effort to get here from any approach.
Best Easier Hikes!
I don't want to seem like an elitist.  I do truly love the adventure in getting far off the trail and in the middle of nowhere, but I also value the easier destinations that lie closer to trail heads and can be enjoyed by all.  I love RMNP, and here are some of my favorite easier destinations I visited this year.
5.  Marmot Point.  This ranked peak lies very close to the Alpine Visitors center, and offers a short but fun hike and some darned good views.  Park at the center and then hike down Old Fall River Road - the peak is accessible from where the road makes a almost 90 degree cut back to the west.  There is an unofficial trail to the top.
4.  Cascade Falls.  This pretty waterfall lies 3.6 miles in and 300 feet up the North Inlet Trail.  It's worth a visit, and also worth continuing up the trail to visit North Inlet Falls.  You could continue up to see some spectacular lakes, but things definitely get more difficult.  Cascade Falls Point could also be climbed for a little more adventure.
3.  Sheep Rock.  This little high point could probably be done in under an hour for almost anyone.  It lies right off the trail, and offers some great views of Poudre Lake and the valley below.  Again, there is no official trail to it, so you have to know where you're going, but it is very accessible, close to a popular trailhead, and you will likely have it to yourself.
2.  Lily Mountain.  This popular peak lies off of Rt. 7 slightly north of Lily Lake.  It gets a whole bunch of visitors, and it is easy to see why.  Great views abound in all directions from the top, and it has just enough gain and a short scramble at the top to give a sense of accomplishment.
1.  Bowen Lake.  Each year I've had something that I think is a bit more difficult in this section, and this year it would be Bowen Lake.  Starting from the Bowen/Baker th you'll have about 8 miles and 2000+ feet of gain to get here, but you can camp at the lake and wake up to a great view to split this into multiple days if desired.  However, I think most people would be able to accomplish this as a day hike.  It's worth the effort.
Epic Days!
I really planned well this year, and visited more destinations than last year, but hiked less mileage and elevation gain.  My desire to cut the long drives to a minimum helped, but that meant some really long days to string a bunch of things together that I might normally split up.  20ish plus mile/7000+ foot gain days were the rule, not the exception this year.
5.  Trail Ridge highpoints and 300th Named Destination.  All the above treeline points I visited on this day were very close to trail heads, and weren't exceptionally difficult.  The peaks below treeline looked like they wouldn't be too bad, and they weren't.  The problem was that I didn't pay attention to nutrition and crashed hard.  I felt like I was dragging back to the car and started crying with every little rise in the trail when I realized I wasn't there yet.  I made it of course, and upon checking my GPS track back at home, noticed I was moving just as fast on the way back to the car as I did on the way out.  Big days are physical, but they are also mental.
4.  East Inlet Basin.  Dan joined me for a fun day out.  Over the course of a long day, we visited twelve new destinations in the park, including five lakes, three peaks, two parks, one meadow, and one waterfall.  There were highs and lows, and the bushwhack to Mount Wescott through Paradise Park was hell, but we made it back whole.  Interestingly enough, the register on Mount Wescott had been signed by Troy Tulowitzki when he was playing for the Rockies in addition to the usual suspects.
3.  North Inlet Basin- Earth.  I split the North Inlet basin into two days, to visit mostly lakes and waterfalls on one day, and then to visit the peaks above on a second.  My first destination on this day was Lake Nanita, which lies 11.1 miles from the trail head.  Then to Lake Catherine, nearly half a marathon in (yes I do get a little chuckle when I see 13.1 stickers on peoples cars!).  From there up to visit Ptarmigans Beak, Andrews Peak, Ptarmigan Peak, Ptarmigan Towers (where I ran out of water and packed some snow in my Camelback), Mount Cairns, and Mount Enentah (I finished the snow off before I arrived here and was dry for awhile).  What a day.
2.  The Southwest Corner of RMNP.  This was the longest drive I'd do over the year, and my idea was to do the drive out one morning, hike all day, sleep in the back of the car, hike all day, and drive back.  That way I'd only do the drive once.  The plan worked, and over two incredible days I hiked over 33 miles with nearly 14000 feet of elevation gain.  The weather was perfect, it was beautiful, and this was one of those extremely mentally fulfilling days that left me feeling a high for days after.
1.  Ni-Chebe-Chii part 5 and 400th named destination.  I was busy this year, obtaining number 300 in early July, and number 400 in mid October.  I had great weather, and I planned well, having days set aside where I would be largely below treeline in case the weather forecast was bad.  This day wasn't the most distance I did, nor was it the most elevation gain, but the unstable nature of the rock in the Never Summers makes movement slow.  The third and fourth class encountered over the day didn't help.  I knew I'd be finishing the day in the dark, and even after cutting my initial plans short, I still had several hours of hiking in darkness to get back to the car.  This day took me 16.5 hours, the longest day hike I have ever done.  Heck, that's about the amount of time I'm awake most normal days, and I still had to drive home.
Mountain Biking in 2016.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to hit 100 days again this year.  I was on track to do it, but a stress injury in early September kept me off the bike for a week.  Then a week later I crashed and sustained the second concussion in nine months.  This really took the desire to ride away, and I found it hard to get back on the bike.
Over the summer I rode a bunch of new to me trails, and had a ton of fun exploring.  A different approach from last year where I tried to repeat the same old trails as quickly as possible, but just as fun and perhaps even more rewarding.  Plus, how great is it to ride a trail on a Saturday and not see a single other person.  That definitely wouldn't happen on the BCOSMP trails.
Hopefully a winter away from the bike will reignite the passion in me.
Estimated miles hiked in RMNP in 2016:
302.01 miles.
Estimated elevation gain in RMNP in 2016:
112,983 feet=21.4 miles.
Number of new destinations obtained in RMNP in 2016:
116.
Number of new destinations obtained outside of RMNP in 2016:
17.
Other hiking/mountaineering/climbing highlights from Colorado in 2016:
I thought I'd highlight some of the things others have done in Colorado this year, as some impressive feats were accomplished.
5.  Sarah Hueniken became the second woman ever and first North American to climb M14 when she sent The Mustang P-51 near Vail.  A impressive effort on a stunning mixed line.  A video of Will Gadd on the route.
4.  Adam Ondra flashed Jade, V14.  Jade was the first proposed V15 in Colorado, but some repeats have seen it settle at V14.  Adam Ondra did it on his first try while visiting Colorado.  In attendance was Dave Graham, who discovered this problem in 2002.  If you've seen any climbing movies, Dave usually has alot to say.  He was rendered almost speechless on this day.
3.  Teresa Gergen completed all ranked peaks above 10000 feet in Colorado last year.  This year she and a partner, Sarah Meiser, became (possibly) the first two people to ever complete the 35 ranked 13ers in Wyoming.  A very impressive feat, considering many of the peaks lie very far away from anything.
2.  Andrew Hamilton had a great year, first taking nearly 24 hours out of the 15 year old 14ers record.  He climbed all of the Colorado 14ers in 9 days 21 hours and 51 minutes, finishing on July 9th.  But he wasn't done yet!
He came very close to finishing Nolans 14 unsupported last year, and went back with a vengeance this year.  Most people will have support along the route, only carrying enough gear with them for each section of the route, and meeting those people at trail heads along the way to resupply.  Andrew carried everything he needed from the start all the way to the end, and crushed the record, finishing in 51 hours and 24 minutes.
1.  John Kirk finished the highest 1000 peaks in Colorado, a goal that he said really came into sight about seven years ago.  Climbing all the 14ers in less than ten days is impressive, but (obviously) I find alot of inspiration in taking on a project like this.  Not to be outdone, his wife Alyson won the inaugural Never Summers 100k, finished off all ranked peaks in Saguache County and Chaffee County, and has climbed 1508 peaks (and counting) in 2015.  676 of those were new.  Together, they also set a new P300 record, climbing 32 peaks with 300 or more feet of prominence in 24 hours.  Good work Kirks!
Best photos of 2015!

Julian Lake and low clouds.

A lonely tree in Long Meadows.

Longs Peak and Thatchtop from near Lake Haiyaha.

The kings of RMNP as seen from Mummy Mountain.

Delicate and tiny alpine wildflowers.

Ruby Lake and Bowen Mountain.

The Never Summers as seen from Bowen Mountain.

Tom and Marian descend Andrews Glacier.  I think this is my personal favorite.

The Specimen Mountain group.
As always, thanks for reading.  I hope to see you out on the trail in 2016!