2015 - Looking Back - What was your favorite hike

[BigBear]

With a record rain bucket for December only hours away, and a year that has turned out to be 10-15% wetter than the average year...

What were your favorite:
1) First-time trails
2) Returns to an old favorite

I'll start it off.
1) Spruce Railroad Trail along Crescent Lake. Of the trails I haven't hiked previously, this one received the most photo action due to the reflections in the morning to mid-morning. It also includes a pair of old tunnels (off trail).

2) Indian Heaven. I took in 4 September hikes, on different trails, bringing my lifetime total IH visits to 50. The fall colors are always a must each year. Also a plus was the dry weather this fall.

[retired jerry]

probably Enchanted Valley because of the excellent bear encounter - (first time)

[Aimless]

My best hike was my longest, a six day backpack in Eagle Cap wilderness, following a loop that traveled along both forks of the Wallowa River and two forks of the Imnaha River, crossed two passes over 8200 feet, and included some memorable wildlife sightings at close hand.

Also good was a first time backpack in Mountain Lakes wilderness, and a fun day hike in Sky Lakes wilderness to Cliff Lake where I saw thousands of tadpoles swimming together.

But then, I can't think of one bad day of hiking all last year!

[Crusak]

I haven't hiked nearly enough this year due to injury and other circumstances. I just took a peek and I only got out for twelve hikes in 2015.

1) I didn't do any first time trails. But the hike that really stands out for me was the Tanner Butte Trail hike back in November. I got to hike with a great group, and even though it was only my second hike post-surgery it was my longest hike of the year.

2) I went back to the Elk Creek Trail and hiked about 9.5 miles RT - definitely an old favorite, and it's also the trail where I fell and broke my shoulder back in June. Seemed appropriate for my first hike after surgery.

[Markh752]

I haven't hiked nearly enough this year due to injury and other circumstances. I just took a peek and I only got out for twelve hikes in 2015.

Don't worry, I only got out nine times this year due to the kid be more active in sports. Does baseball season really need to take up six months of the year? The good news is that all of the hikes were "first time hikes".

1) On my third attempt starting in 2012 (bad weather, goats and I think my adult hiking partner got vertigo, etc) I finally made it to the summit of Mt Curtis Gilbert with the best hiking partners EVER.

2) I hiked in the Goat Rocks on three separate occasions, again. But each hike was new and different than the previous hikes.

[texasbb]

Sorry, Oregon, but my fav this year was in Washington. I had an absolute blast on a short (two-night) hike to Devil's Washbasin in the Goat Rocks (trip report and full picture set). Thanks to the low-snow winter, I did this Independence weekend and hit the flowers at peak. The easy off-trail jaunt to the Washbasin was a lot of fun, plus I got to watch a 100+ herd of elk frolicking in a glacial pool. Also found my first mylar balloon in the mountains.

EDIT: I meant to mention that this was both a first-time trip (the Devil's Washbasin part) and a repeat (Conrad Basin).

[Zia]

I haven't hiked nearly enough this year due to injury and other circumstances. I just took a peek and I only got out for twelve hikes in 2015.

1) I didn't do any first time trails. But the hike that really stands out for me was the Tanner Butte Trail hike back in November. I got to hike with a great group, and even though it was only my second hike post-surgery it was my longest hike of the year.

2) I went back to the Elk Creek Trail and hiked about 9.5 miles RT - definitely an old favorite, and it's also the trail where I fell and broke my shoulder back in June. Seemed appropriate for my first hike after surgery.

1) I agree Tanner Butte was my favorite first time trails for 2015. I loved meeting/hiking with new and old trail friends and was my longest hike of the year.

2) Jefferson Park. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite "go to" hikes near home.

[derwoodynck]

1) First time trails is a tough one because we got to a lot of new trails this year. Two 4 day trips that stand out were the Northern Loop Trail in Mount Rainier National Park and a lollipop loop in the Red Buttes Wilderness.

2) Favorite return was probably to Eileen Lake and Linton Meadows in the Three Sisters Wilderness, but most of that trip was spent exploring places we hadn't previously been so not sure if that counts. For one that was almost entirely a repeat I'd say Jefferson Park due to not only seeing a bear but actually get a couple of pictures as it ran off.

[Markh752]

1) First time trails is a tough one because we got to a lot of new trails this year. Two 4 day trips that stand out were the Northern Loop Trail in Mount Rainier National Park and a lollipop loop in the Red Buttes Wilderness.

Very nice. I've been looking at an alternative Northern Loop but it looks more difficult than the topo maps lead me to believe. We'll probably end up doing the traditional route in the next few years since it looks like the best part of Mora to spend more than two days hiking.

[mattisnotfrench]

Table Lake. Here are the photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattisnot ... 5541399742