Our Next Big Hike

Over the winter, my husband and I were reliving our Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim (R2R) hike: how much fun we had, how much we enjoyed it together…so naturally we started talking about what’s next.

Do we backpack and camp?
Do an epic hike?
Kids or no kids?

Well, ask me to research a trip and you’re speaking my love language. I started on the internet looking up long day hikes and short-ish backpacking trips. I’m on a number of National Park and hiking Facebook groups so I see no shortage of eye candy for everywhere in the world. 

Ready for our next hiking adventure!

Winning the Lottery

With the popularity of National Parks and outdoor activities continuing to rise, many parks have implemented limits on the number of people per day, and even have a lottery system for permits to camp or take popular hikes. The cost is negligible and as the saying goes: “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. 

Check out Recreation.gov for upcoming lotteries, and mark the dates on your calendar! You don’t want to forget and miss the window and wait another year. Some parks allow for walk-up permits, but if you’re traveling from another state it’s best not to risk it.

The application window for many popular lotteries was over the winter, and I signed up for everything I could. 

Little by little, I got one rejection email after another: Angel’s Landing, the Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier, Cascades National Park. 

(To tell you the truth, I had forgotten all the ones I had signed up for.)

Then, I get this one…

Congratulations! You were successful in the 2022 Mount Whitney Lottery.

Oh okay, no big deal. 

Only the highest peak in the lower 48 at 14,505 elevation. 

Snow blowing on the summit of Mount Whitney, part of

California's beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains in Inyo National Forest.

Photo by Joel Sladky

For a low-lander, that means 58% less oxygen at the summit than I’m used to. Eek! The total hike will be ~20 miles with a gain of 6,600 ft. And did I mention we were drawn for a day pass…not overnight camping? Yes, that means we have to do the whole hike in ONE DAY. Plus, we got a draw for October - when the chance of snow is realistic.

Uh oh. I kinda need to tell my husband, and I kinda need to do more research on what this means. 

So after a moment (or three) of freak out, I thought:

What can I do to be most prepared?

I can’t change the weather and I can’t change the altitude. But I can be in charge of my fitness and preparedness. We’ll focus on the positives, the time together the training will bring us and look forward to a fun adventure. And Wade promises he’ll train more for this hike, not like before.

So, Here We Go! 

The healthy eating continues as we ramp up the cardio and the exercise-specific strength training. Bring on the stairs, the hikes, the weighted lunges. 

Stay tuned to see our progress and if we make it to the top!

Preparing your body physically can mean the difference between simply completing an event and having the time of your life.

Need help getting ready for your next big adventure?

I can help!