YouTube video (silent) ROCK CANYON & CONQUERING SQUAW PEAK…..The Weekly HEAVY DUTY WORKOUT for week of Sept. 25-30th & DAILY WORKOUT WINS MORE FRIENDS!
*********************
FUND RAISING
ON MY DAILY HIKE WITH PACK
Seeing me on the streets of American Fork, people stop and ask, “Are you alright?” Guess I must look pretty bad! Some offer me money, and I tell them I’m not a homeless old guy, just an eccentric millionaire out getting his exercise, but some don’t believe me and insist on making a donation. I give them my two business cards so they can see that they’re helping the
High Uintas Wilderness Project, and the GUATEMALAN FOUNDATION!
OPPS….A GLITCH!
Below are my enthusiastic plans for 2017, but as I have pushed my daily training–especially the jogging to do the race mentioned below, my back surgery from 2012 for a pinched nerve has been failing me and the sciatic nerve down the back of my left leg started giving me pain…..so in a few days the determination will be made about a possible surgery…but it will have to be quick, as I’m not about to give up easily on the challenges outlined below!
But in general my Anti-Aging Challenge formula is
Scheduled backpacks for Summer 2017
3. From E. Fk Blacks Fk Trailhead: To Little East Fork of Blacks Fork and UPPER ALPINE/ABOVE TIMBERLINE LAKES. 20 miles, 4 days.
4. TWOROOSE PASS (with which only North Pole Pass remains) from the Lake Fork Trailhead up to the Brown Duck Basin, Pass, & lakes. 35 miles, 6 days.
Satellite phone acquired from Russ Smith & SKYCALL SATELLITE, where you can get yours for your outdoor adventures.
THEN…….Originally Scheduled for Summer 2018 in my 83rd year–now changed to August 2017
To crown my High Uintas Project, I want to do the entire HIGHLINE TRAIL– inaugurating hopefully new signs the Forest Service by then should have installed on the eastern end, we see below near Flaming Gorge . There is only a generic sign on the highway, and the pitiful one we see below where the trail begins at around 8,000 feet, and heads west for approximately 100 miles ending on the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway at 10,378 ft. elevation–no register, no distance signs, etc.
Along those 100 miles I will make a few sidetrips–including items which were
to be done in the list of “original 2017 backpacks” most importantly, North Pole Pass, Garfield Basin upper lakes, Oweep Basin lakes, & Crater Lake–(seen in the 1st picture) to get that “perfect picture” I have mentioned many times, and also will finally get back to Continent & Reconnaissance Lakes & others, ending at the western end of the HIGHLINE TRAIL on the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway seen below. 
A few years ago I did a series of 14 topographical maps outlining the Trail with the intention of doing it–then came 2012 when I wasn’t able to do any backpacks and was resigning myself to being a cripple!
But I kept working, tweaked my anti-aging formula, and with a miracle hip replacement–WAS BORN AGAIN!
I will do the normal 97-106 miles of the Highline Trail, plus approximately 20 extra miles for a total of around 126 miles in about 14 days–no re-supply.
Hopefully, after all the warm-up backpacks, I’ll be in better shape and hurry through the initial long stretches of less interest, and even do other side-trips.
I REPEAT…….two items….
KEYS TO YOUR FAMILY’S PEACE OF MIND & MAYBE YOUR SURVIVAL:
Keep an eye on my website as summer approaches to get my link to the SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker , which I go nowhere without, and follow my progress & make sure and listen every Saturday morning to hear my satellite phone reports on Tim Hughes’ KSL OUTDOORS RADIO, program.
Satellite phone acquired from Russ Smith & SKYCALL SATELLITE, where you can get yours for your outdoor adventures.
A sat phone has saved my life & may yours too!
********************************
THE FUTURE AFTER SUMMER 2017?
I have learned being 80+ I begin aging and going down-hill noticeably if I stop relatively heavy duty exercise daily (“heavy duty” for an 80+ year old guy).…and to motivate me to do so during the long Fall-Winter-Spring off-season I need to have…..
STIMULATING GOALS TO WORK TOWARDS
I have in my mind what they will be for 2018, but will take first things first, and work on the above goals….with a preliminary one that will help me achieve the others, which is: To run again, THE INTERNATIONAL HALF-MARATHON IN COBAN, GUATEMALA in May 2017 and likely be, the oldest to get to the finish line…
So, every day, no matter what the weather I do a little hike around a couple of big blocks, with my 35 pound backpack, and 6 days a week exercise and jog at American Fork’s Fitness Center-–
–that is free for 80 year olders.
****************************
Giving the youth a run for their money!
*************************
AND, IF I DON’T MAKE ALL MY GOALS?
I CAN HANDLE THAT–and eat a little crow, KNOWING THAT IF I DIDN’T SET ANY GOALS I LIKELY WOULDN’T DO MUCH TO EVEN KEEP ALIVE & MOVING.
All the work of preparing will be
“the CAKE”
& KEEP ME HEALTHY & STRONG,
& achieving some or all of the goals will be the
“FROSTING ON THE CAKE!”
*****************************
THEN I’LL SET NEW ONES FOR 2018
& KEEP MOVING!
I’m not interested in any other option!
May the dream come true. Merry Christmas and have a great New Year. Fish Tom
May the force be with you, Bro! You're an inspiration to all who know you. Kent P.
Exciting to hear Cordell. Keep on backpacking and posting…really enjoy your writing and videos!
Impressive, Cordell! Saw you on the trail in the fall – I was just about 'done' and you looked like you could go another several hours. Keep up the preparations and the internet posts! Happy climbing!
Hm, it is pretty interesting idea, thanks a lot for sharing! It is going to be helpful for me cuz now I need to write a text using a Edusson.com and I will use it for sure!
Cordell you are the man..What a inspiration you are. Keep it rolling my friend.