Well, it's been a few years since I have updated my BIO. So here goes!

In 2023, I not only completed my 8th year as a challenger, I completed five different challenges. Two of them twice. This year was filled with completing the San Diego Six Pack, SoCal Six Pack, Central Coast Six Pack, Nevada Six Pack, and the Bay Area Six Pack. Both the San Diego and SoCal Six Packs were completed twice. Some peaks were done three times. A total of Seven Six Pack of Peaks Challenges and over 50 peaks from the various challenges. It was definitely a full year of hiking. And, I still have a month to go!! All that said, San Jacinto still remains my favorite peak. I have now, since 2015, summited San Jacinto 26 times from seven different routes.

In 2024, I plan to slow it down a little bit with the challenges, but not hiking! I'm planning on doing at least the Arizona Winter Challenge and the SoCal Challenge. Who knows what else I'll throw in before the end of the year. I plan to focus more on my outdoor rock climbing and mountaineering skills so that I can achieve my goal of climbing all of the California 14ers. So far, I have done four total. In fact, in 2022, the gao lwas to complete four 14ers in four days. We did Muir (1st time), Whitney (4th time), White (2nd time) and Langley (1st time) over a four-day weekend. Langley, hands down is my favorite of the four.

I am still a group lead for the hiking group Hike Beyond the Hills and I enjoy getting together with members and completing these challenges together. I'm on a trail just about every weekend and plan to continue that (along with climbing) through 2024.

I was fortunate enough this year to be able to be in a position where I could provide trail magic to several PCT hikers in 2023. Over the past 3 years I have had several friends complete the PCT. Their success has fueled my desire to attempt this trek myself and I'm hoping that I can do that in 2025. While I wait my turn, I will continue to provide trail magic and do a little section hiking on the PCT myself.

I still enjoy challenges and still welcome any takers that want to test their resolve and join me during some of these challenges. Rock climbing, mountaineering and just plain old hiking will be my focus this year.

Another note, I have in the past few years and still current today, become a Certified CPR/AED/First Aid Instructor. And, have attend an initial and continuing training as a NOLS Wilderness First Responder. I don't know that I'd call myself an expert at Land Navigation, but I am pretty handy with a paper map, compass and orienteering.