2013 Year in Review

The end of one year and the beginning of the next is momentous for many people, and I am no exception. I completed my first “year in review” blog in 2011, then did another in 2012, so it’s only fitting I would have one for 2013. Even though my ultimate goal right now is to complete my 30 Before 30 list, it’s still really fun to look back on the adventures from the past year.

2013 was awesome for many reasons. I started by celebrating the first New Years Day I can remember in my adult life without a hangover. You see, I was just wrapping up a 5-day hut trip skiing ridiculous lines in the Canadian backcountry, and we had spend NYE skiing by moonlight and not getting drunk. Starting the year off feeling good can only bode well for the rest of the year, right?

Well, sort of. On Valentine’s Day I was laid off from a job that wasn’t the best fit. I took my unemployment in stride though, and tried to embrace my newfound freedom as an opportunity to get outside more and explore, while also trying to really examine what I wanted to be when I grow up.

Unemployment goal: Get Outside MORE!

I spent only 3-months “funemployed”. During that time I set a new half marathon PR, spent some time back home in Montana, took a trip to Jackson Hole, and climbed for 10 days in Red Rocks (a trip I have yet to really write about – oops!). 

I started interviewing for my dream job in April, and celebrated getting a final interview in May by having a kick-ass birthday party (well, week long celebration). Then, in June, I started at said dream job and am still pinching myself every day! It’s an awesome gig. A normal person would have spent the summer taking it easy and settling into the new job, but that’s just not my style. So at the end of June I summitted Rainier and skied down from the top, then set out to do the same on Mt. Hood a month later. I should mention I do all of these ski mountaineering trips in a bright pink tutu, because frankly life is just a little bit more fun in a tutu, and because: tutu.  

Tutu-errific!

My August adventure was something that had been on the bucket list for a long time: Run a Beer Mile. It was….a fun experience. Next, I made it to Croatia for my new-country-every-year-challenge in September, when I took a week long climbing trip to the Istria Penninsula. 

In October, I tried something I never though I’d do and went skydiving!! And now I want to go again. Every day. Always. It’s probably a good thing it’s so cost prohibitive….

I was published in November, something I had never even considered as a life goal, but I have since realized is an awesome dream come true. I am going to continue to be a contributor to our Mountaineer magazine, and I’m really looking forward to doing more writing in a professional capacity. Like I said, this blog has been great practice! 

The year wrapped up with an awesome trip to see the Huskies beat BYU in the Fight Hunger Bowl in San Fransisco. After a pretty mellow New Year’s Eve, 2014 has once again started off hangover free. I feel pretty good about this year! 

So what else? What did I cross off the 30 Before 30 List? Last year I told you these were my remaining goals:

• Ride the STP: Exed out in favor of skydiving. It turns out I’m just not very good at riding my bike. In fact, I’ve done a little math: In on approximately 40 rides since getting Luna, I’ve been in 2 major accidents and 2 minor ones. Mathematically that means, 10% of the time I saddle up, I’m going to hurt myself. Not exactly encouraging for my future as a cyclist.
• Participate in the Fremont Solstice Parade: Done and done. No you cannot see pictures.
• Ride an Elephant: I don’t think I can make this happen in the next 5 months, but I replaced it with “Get Completely Out Of My Comfort Zone”, which I completed in September when I was sold to the highest bidder at a Bachelorette Auction. While I can clean up nice, the blatant self-advertising was just not for me, and I think I’ll stick to the side of a mountain thankyouverymuch. 
• Kayak in Lake Union: Check! And I learned something – I do not like kayaking. I think I just prefer my water in frozen crystal form 🙂
• Hike the Enchantments: I’m going to give this a check mark with an asterix. While I didn’t technically do a much hiking in the Enchantments, I had a 2-day sufferfest almost in the Enchantments which was lauded far and wide as a worthy mini-epic, so I’m counting it for now.
• Try Standup Paddleboarding: Done! And I didn’t even fall. I should also mention this was on Cinco de Mayo. I skied in the morning, and paddleboarded in the evening. Seattle is the best.
• Ski 30 Consecutive Months: To be completed in April 2014 (knock on wood). I’m currently sitting pretty at 27 months! All told I skied 39 days in 2013, only 14 of which were resort days. That means I earned my turns 64% of the time!
• Publish 200 blogs: Check! This is like #204!

Fun crew on Heliotrope Ridge (Mt. Baker) for November Turns