wrapping up last year, kicking off 2009

Well, it's the time of year for reflection, resolutions, goal-setting, and all that stuff. Here's looking back at some of the best of 2008...

• In May I was my brother's best man (a first) and welcomed a new member into the family. This was a fantastic occasion and an honor.
  
• A year ago I was (by Colorado standards, at least) a novice skier. Fast forward a year, and Saturday I was standing atop Breckenridge's double black diamond Imperial Bowl ready to get my powder fix at ~13,000 ft. I've come a long ways in a sport that I hope to enjoy for the rest of my life, so that's definitely noteworthy. It will be a long time before I forget those great days at Winter Park, Copper, Loveland and Steamboat...
  
• On a similar note, a year ago I was just getting back into bouldering. Now I feel like I'm probably climbing about as well as I ever have. My right wrist has hindered progress slightly, and a recent busted toe has definitely slowed me down a bit, but excuses aside overall I feel like I've been at a plateau since around Halloween. I hope to break through that barrier soon and get to the point where I'm climbing the best I ever have this year... that especially includes spending more time climbing outside rather than just on plastic in a gym.
• Ryan and I made it up 4 more 14ers this year, including some early season ascents in winter-ish conditions. This was good experience and will hopefully lay the foundation for more 14ers this year.
• On the opposite end of the geographic spectrum, Mexico. What a trip. My traveling soul has been revived. Seriously, after flying for Thanksgiving, Mexico, and Christmas, DIA felt like home away from home for about 6 weeks. While I don't like the impact flying has on the environment, travel simply does my soul good.
  

And looking ahead to 2009...

• I just signed an offer for a condo, so goodbye to apartment living, hand-me-down furniture, and weirdos living above me that start the washing machine at 11pm every night! This spring I'll be moving into my top-floor bachelor pad and embracing a life of mortgage payments, HOA fees, tax write-offs, and especially one night stands with Ms. Wrong where I wake up wondering who is showering in my bathroom, what her name is, etc... err, I mean..., maybe just the first few. But still, this is big.
  
• I have a brother-in-law queued up in Austin, so it seems like Cupid is done working his magic among my siblings. Perhaps I need to learn to enjoy being the bachelor of the family.
  
• Weddings, weddings, weddings. I am signed up for the best man job once again this May out here in Colorado (the first of my college roomates will be getting hitched) and will be attending at least 1 more wedding here in Colorado, so wedding season will be a lot of fun this year.
• More regular reading of the Bible. 2008 definitely saw a dip in my time in the Word and memorization of scriptures. I need to change that trend this year.
  
• In 2007 I made it to Vail for some lift-assisted downhill riding one day. In 2008 I logged zero days. In 2009 I want to increase that number... if I could also get a few days in around Crested Butte that would just be the cat's freaking meow.
• Avalanche certification and snow climb classes leading to couloir climbs and backcountry skiing (in the Indian Peaks in particular). No questions or excuses. This must happen. Specific objectives include Skywalker Couloir, Quandary Couloir, Mt. Toll and the Brainard Lakes area. This should plant the seed to set Mt. Rainier as an objective in years to come. [30th birthday? It does me no good to have named my cat after a mountain without having climbed it, right?]
  
• More 14er ascents. We'll inevitably explore new ranges this year, which I'm looking forward to. I'd like to start the season early this year and extend it as late as we did this year. Hopefully without sounding like a snob, I'd like to take the most pleasing (and attainable) line to the top and not just the standard route if the standard route would be considered less interesting. I want each ascent to be as inspiring as Huron was for me, and more about the experience in the mountains than just ticking a peak off a list.
  
• Phish is back on the road. I will attend at least 1 show!

In news unrelated to year ends/beginnings, I've been skiing 4 times this year and am well on my way to making good use of my season pass. I went to Breck in November to kick things off, and was fairly disappointed in the man-made snow. A few weeks later my eyes were opened to Vail and my hope in winter was renewed. New Year's day Ryan and I explored A-Basin for the first time. There is a lot of potential there, but you'll need to wait a bit longer for conditions to become prime. My 4th outing, Breck on Saturday, finally felt like ski season was here and off to a good start. The snow was great, and my impression of Breck improved dramatically. I'll keep you posted on outings to come...