This Sunday I hiked Kaaterskill High Peak — for the 7th time in the last three years– and this completes the Grid for January, which means I have over the last few years managed to summit all thirty-five High Peaks during the month.  With 286 High Peak ascents now under the belt, my journey toward the completion of the Catskill Grid is 68.1% complete, with only 134 peaks left to go.

But 134 is a lot of work, especially with close to half in winter months, when covering ground is so much slower and more difficult.  Indeed, whether the Grid can be finished during 2018 is an interesting question.  The test will be February — a dismal month for those of us who don’t like winter — and for me, with only 15 February peaks complete, this leaves a daunting 20 to climb.  Even worse, all this must take place during the second half of the month, as I’ll be out of town for the first half.  In other words, 20 peaks in 14 days, and the trick is, for someone with aging knees and ankles, to make it to March in one piece, so that I can confront another 16 peaks, and then another 19 in April.  May, however, is almost done, with only a single peak remaining.

“There’s no rush,” I’ve been counseled by people who are older, wiser, and more experienced.  But in any case, we’re getting ahead of ourselves — back to KHP….

Continue reading “Finishing January on KHP” →