Hiking Goals for '12

Looking out the window at the first snowfall of the new year, I won't be hiking this weekend - but I can think about the hikes I hope to do this year. I'll list them in order of most-likely to least-likely chance of actually happening this year - and I'll check back here next January to compare my hopes and goals with what I actually did.

• Adirondacks: the boys' Adirondacks '12 trip ("Revenge on Marcy") is on the calendar for June, and the arrangements are pretty much settled. The exact hikes are not, except for the return hike to the summit of Mt. Marcy. There are tons of other great hikes that we can do, and we'll get together soon to review the possibilities. This is exciting, and should be the hiking highlight of the year.
  Likelihood of happening: high.
  
  
• Florida Gulf Coast: Darling Wife and I are going to Clearwater, FL in two weeks for a weekend getaway, and I hope to be able to do a little hiking while there. I've only done a little preliminary research into specific trails, but there are trails very close by on Honeymoon Island State Park and Caladesi Island. This would be very different terrain than I'm used to, and I'm excited to see it.
  Likelihood of happening: high.
  
  
• New Jersey Pine Barrens: I really enjoyed our Pine Barrens hike over Christmas week, and I'd like to do more Pine Barres hiking. It's two hours away, so it's easily doable as a day-hike without an overnight. I'm pretty sure Eric and John want to do more hiking in the pines, so I'm sure we'll find the time for some Jersey outings.
  Likelihood of happening in 2012: high.
  
  
• Shenandoah National Park: Our trip to visit Hailey in Staunton, VA last fall was a wonderful weekend - I was able to do some fantastic hikes both Saturday and Sunday in the southern end of SNP, then meet up with the ladies at night for dinner and hanging out. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to do similar weekends this year.
  Likelihood of happening in 2012: high.
  
  
• Old Rag Mountain: this is a day-hike I'd really like to do. The guides, and trip reports I've seen all describe this as a "must do" - it's strenuous but rewarding, an 8.0 mile loop with 2,510 feet of elevation gain, and scenic vistas at the top. This is at the northern end of Shenandoah National Park, so it's an overnight trip (leave the night before and get a cheap motel room in the area, up early to do the hike, then home that night.)
  Likelihood of happening in 2012: medium high.
  
  
• Appalachian Trail sections: I've done a fairly good percentage of the Pennsylvania A.T. as day hikes (I should calculate the percentage I've done), and I'd love to do more. It's harder now, as the sections I haven't done are farther away, so there's more driving involved. It also makes sense to do these sections with two cars, so we can hike a full section, rather than doing an out-and-back.
  Likelihood of happening in 2012: medium.
  
  
• Maryland Appalachian Trail: The A.T. cuts across Maryland where it's only 26 miles wide. That's a 3-day/2-night backpacking trip, and I'd love to knock off a full state on the A.T. The problem is finding the time.
  Likelihood of happening in 2012: low.
  
  
• West Rim Trail, Pine Creek Gorge: this is a "bucket list" backpacking trip - a 3-day, 30.5 mile backpack in beautiful, wild, north-central Pennsylvania. Pine Creek Gorge is sometimes called the Grand Canyon of Pennsyalvania, and the scenery is said to be breathtaking. As always, the issue is finding the time for a multi-day trip.
  Likelihood of happening in 2012: low.