Congratulations! It's the third week of 2019 (goes fast, huh?) and we're all still here. I wonder if we'll be able to say the same thing after our next solar revolution. But does that mean that the sun is doing the revolution or that we're doing the revolution? I hope the latter; maybe it's just ambiguous. You know what I mean.
Yes, last year was exciting. We had not one, but two, total lunar eclipses, the world's last male northern white rhinoceros died, Swaziland changed its name to the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Supreme Court of India decriminalized homosexuality, Canada legalized the sale and use of recreational cannabis, and the world's longest sea-crossing bridge opened connecting Hong Kong and Macau (now go crush that trivia night).
I began the year in Southern Hemisphere for the second year in a row – this time on the South Island of New Zealand – and ended it in Japan (a place that's slowly becoming a second home – immigration has begun to look wearily at my passport and all it's Japan stickers. Yes, they use stickers not stamps when you enter on a tourist visa; no, the stickers do not have cute anime-style mascots on them – yet).
Generally there's a single big hike or event that defines the year for me, but for 2018 there are two: the nearly 100 days I spent in Nepal and my traverse of the Japanese Alps.
But I'll start where I normally do, with a look at my (and your) favorite posts of the year.
- A total of 52 posts were published on Halfway Anywhere this year (I'm ashamed of this number and hope to double it in 2019).
- I divulged the secret origins of Halfway Anywhere and how I've managed to maintain my life of homelessness until now (it's not as glamorous as you think it is).
- The sixth annual Pacific Crest Trail Thru-hiker Survey was published (and this year I plan on doing some comparison posts).
- The third annual PCT Survey Gear Guide was published (this took far too long to write).
- I continued my (now incredibly delayed) trip report on the Continental Divide Trail – read it here (Appa, I promise, I'm working on the rest).
- I sat down for an interview with Jotaro Yoshida, the founder of Japan's LOCUS GEAR (which makes gear that is equal parts sexy and expensive).
- You all had the rare opportunity to hear what I sound like after I sat down to record a podcast with a stranger in Kathmandu (one day I'll get around to making videos and speaking directly to you all).
- I completed my Continental Divide Trail video (which I believe to be objectively better than my PCT video).
- We talked more about proper procedure for pooping in the woods (seriously, practice proper pooping procedure, people).
So where did I go this year?
I spent a lot of the year revisiting places I've been but doing the things I've been wanting to do since first visiting said places. I began in New Zealand (where I still have a lot to do), before making a brief stop in Australia to say hello to some friends and be disappointed by Mountain Laurel Designs before heading back to Nepal.
After spending nearly 100 days in Nepal (and yes, there's still more I want (need?) to go back and do, namely, the Great Himalaya Trail), I flew to Malaysia (my first time there) for a quick visit before returning to Japan where I spent two months visiting as many hot springs as I could before hiking across the Japanese Alps from the Sea of Japan to the Pacific Ocean with two incredible Kiwis whom I met in Nepal (and somehow convinced abandon their plans to come hike with me in Japan).
Then, it was back to the States for a wedding followed by some fall wandering around the Sierra Nevada Mountains (my favorite time to be there). Next up was Europe, where I got my first taste of England's Lake District and then spent some time bouncing around visiting old (and new) friends living scattered across the somewhat unionized continent.
I closed out the year with a quick trip up the Camino Portuguรชs (Portuguese Camino) from Porto to Santiago de Compostela before touching down back in Sunrise Land (that means Japan) just in time for New Year's.
In case you're not keen on all the above text, here's a more succinct breakdown of where I got to in 2018:
COUNTRIES
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- France
- Germany
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Nepal
- New Zealand
- Poland
- Portugal
- Spain
- Sweden
- United States
- Wales
US STATES
- California
- New York
JAPANESE PREFECTURES
NOTABLE EVENTS & ADVENTURES
- Reached my highest elevation ever at the top of Nepal's Imja Tse (Island Peak) at 20,305 ft / 6,189 m.
- Hiked in the route to the Everest Region from the traditional starting point of Jiri (instead of flying into Lukla).
- Thanks to my dear friend Mr. Michael Chang, I got the chance to take my first a ride in a helicopter – and in the Himalaya of all places.
- I celebrated Holi (you may know it as “that Hindu festival with all the colors) in Kathmandu, Nepal (highly recommended, but oh so dirty).
- I got to see (and spend some time in) England's Lake District (or, as I learned, simply “The Lakes”) – will definitely be going back.
- I built myself a new backpack with Tom Gale of Atom Packs.
- Not knowing what to do with my 17 days in Portugal, I decided to walk the Camino Portuguรชs (Portuguese Camino) from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostella in Spain.
- Went paragliding for the second time, but this time in Pokhara, Nepal. Honestly, I got a bit motion sick and don't know if I'll be doing it again (I do, however, still need to jump out of a plane).
But who cares about where I was. What about the places I walked around and/or up? From what I can remember, I could have been found at/along the following at some point during the year.
TRAILS, HIKES, AND STINTS IN THE MOUNTAINS
- New Zealand
- Ball Pass Route, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
- Cascade Saddle Route, Mount Aspiring National Park
- Dart Track, Mount Aspiring National Park
- Earnslaw Burn, Otago
- Mueller Hut Route, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
- Mount Taranaki Summit Track, Egmont National Park
- Tararua Southern Crossing, Tararua Forest Park
- Tararua Section of Te Araroa, Tararua Forest Park
- Nepal
- Annapurna Circuit, Annapurna Conservation Area
- Island Peak Trek, Sagarmatha National Park
- Manaslu Circuit, Manaslu Conservation Area
- Mardi Himal Trek, Annapurna Conservation Area
- California (New Passes)
- New Army Pass
- Crabtree Pass
- Portugal/Spain
- Camino de Santiago (Portuguese Way) / Camino Portuguรชs
JAPANESE PEAKS SUMMITED
This is a list of all the peak crossed (from north to south – more or less) during my traverse of the Japanese Alps this summer. For more on this hike, check out these posts.
- ๅ ฅ้ๅฑฑ – Nyudoyama (1,470 ft / 448 m)
- ๅฐป้ซๅฑฑ – Shiritakayama (2,221 ft / 677 m)
- ๅ็ฐๅณ – Sakatatoge (1,903 ft / 580 m)
- ็ฝ้ณฅๅฑฑ – Shiratoriyama (4,222 ft / 1,286.8 m)
- ไธ้งใถๅฒณ – Shimokomagatake (4,072 ft / 1,241 m)
- ่็ณๅฑฑ – Kikuishiyama (3,969 ft / 1,209.7 m)
- ้ป่ฎๅฑฑ – Orenyama (4,462 ft / 1,360 m)
- ็ฌใถๅฒณ – Inugatake (5,225 ft / 1,592.5 m)
- ใตใฏใฌใๅฑฑ – Sawaganiyama (5,290 ft / 1,612.3 m)
- ้ปๅฒฉๅฑฑ – Kuroiwayama (5,327 ft / 1,623.6 m)
- ้ทๆ ๅฑฑ – Nagatsugayama (7,438 ft / 2,267 m)
- ๆๆฅๅฒณ – Asahidake (7,047 ft / 2,147.9 m)
- ้ชๅๅฒณ – Yukikuradake (8,566 ft / 2,610.9 m)
- ไธๅฝๅข – Mikunisakai (9,026 ft / 2,751 m)
- ็ฝ้ฆฌๅฒณ – Shiroumadake (9,620 ft / 2,932.3 m)
- ไธธๅฑฑ – Maruyama (9,081 ft / 2,768 m)
- ๆๅญๅฒณ – Shakushidake (9,226 ft / 2,812 m)
- ้ใถๅฒณ – Yarigatake (9,525 ft / 2,903.2 m)
- ๅคฉ็ใฎ้ ญ – Tengu Peak (9,226 ft / 2,812 m)
- ๅๆพๅฒณ – Karamatsudake (8,845 ft / 2,695.9 m)
- ๅคง้ปๅฒณ – Daikokudake (7,851 ft / 2,393 m)
- ็ฝๅฒณ – Shiradake (8,337 ft / 2,541 m)
- ไบ้พๅฒณ – Goryudake (9,232 ft / 2,814 m)
- ้นฟๅณถๆงใถๅฒณๅๅณฐ – Kashimayarigatake (North Peak) (9,324 ft / 2,842 m)
- ้นฟๅณถๆงใถๅฒณ – Kashimayarigatake (9,479 ft / 2,889.2 m)
- ๅธๅผๅฑฑ – Nunobikiyama (8,802 ft / 2,683 m)
- ็บใถๅฒณๅๅณฐ – Jiigatake (North Peak) (8,632 ft / 2,631 m)
- ็บใถๅฒณ – Jiigatake (8,760 ft / 2,669.9 m)
- ็บใถๅฒณๅๅณฐ – Jiigatake (South Peak) (8,727 ft / 2,660 m)
- ๅฒฉๅฐๅฑๆฒขๅฒณ – Iwagoyazawadake (8,630 ft / 2,630.5 m)
- ๆฐ่ถไน่ถ – Shinkoshinokkoshi (8,077 ft / 2,462 m)
- ้ณดๆฒขๅฒณ – Narusawadake (8,665 ft / 2,641 m)
- ่ตคๆฒขๅฒณ – Akazawadake (8,786 ft / 2,678 m)
- ในใใชๅฒณ – Subaridake (9,029 ft / 2,752 m)
- ้ใๆจๅฒณ – Harinokidake (9,254 ft / 2,820.7 m)
- ้ใๆจๅณ – Harinokitoge (8,320 ft / 2,536 m)
- ็ซๅฑฑ(้ๅฑฑ) – Tateyama (Oyama) – 9,852 ft / 3,003 m)
- ้พ็ๅฒณ – Ryuodake (9,423 ft / 2,872 m)
- ้ฌผๅฒณ Onidake (9,022 ft / 2,750 m)
- ็ ๅญๅฒณ – Shishidake (8,904 ft / 2,714 m)
- ใถใฉๅณ – Zaratoge (7,703 ft / 2,348 m)
- ้ณถๅฑฑ – Tonbiyama (8,583 ft / 2,616 m)
- ่ถไธญๆฒขๅฒณ – Echuzawadake (8,503 ft / 2,591.6 m)
- ในใดใฎ้ ญ – Sugonoatama(?) – 7,976 ft / 2,431 m)
- ้ๅฑฑ – Mayama (8,482 ft / 2,585.4 m)
- ๅ่ฌๅธซๅฒณ – Yakushidake (North Peak) – 9,514 ft / 2,900 m)
- ่ฌๅธซๅฒณ – Yakushidake (9,600 ft / 2,926 m)
- ่ฌๅธซๅณ – Yakushitoge (7,526 ft / 2,294 m)
- ๅคช้ๅฑฑ – Taroyama (7,785 ft / 2,373 m)
- ๅใไฟฃๅฒณ – Kitanomatadake (8,733 ft / 2,661.9 m)
- ่ตคๆจๅฒณ – Akagidake (8,602 ft / 2,622 m)
- ไธญไฟฃไน่ถ – Nakamatanokkoshi (8,038 ft / 2,450 m)
- ้ป้จไบ้ๅฒณ – Kurobegorodake (9,645 ft / 2,939.7 m)
- ไธไฟฃ่ฎ่ฏๅฒณ – Mitsumatarengedake (9,322 ft / 2,841.4 m)
- ไธธๅฑฑ – Maruyama (9,364 ft / 2,854 m)
- ๅๅ ญๅฒณ – Sugorokudake (9,385 ft / 2,860.4 m)
- ๆจ ๆฒขๅฒณ – Momisawadake (9,039 ft / 2,755 m)
- ็กซ้ปไน่ถ – Ionokkoshi (8,399 ft / 2,560 m)
- ๅไธไน่ถ – Senjo Junction (8,957 ft / 2,730 m)
- ๆงใถๅฒณ – Yarigatake (10,433 ft / 3,180 m)
- ้ฃ้จจไน่ถ – Hidanokkoshi (10,105 ft / 3,080 m)
- ๅคงๅฐๅฒณ – Obamidake (10,180 ft / 3,103 m)
- ไธญๅฒณ – Nakadake (10,118 ft / 3,084 m)
- ๅๅฒณ – Minamidake (9,950 ft / 3,032.9 m)
- ๅคงใญใฌใใ – Daikeretto – 9,016 ft / 2,748 m)
- ๅ็ฉ้ซๅฒณ – Kita-Hotakadake (10,190 ft / 3,106 m)
- ๆถธๆฒขๅฒณ – Karasawadake (10,203 ft / 3,110 m)
- ็ฉ้ซๅฒณ – Oku-Hotakadake (10,466 ft / 3,190 m)
- ใธใฃใณใใซใ – Gendarme (10,377 ft / 3,163 m)
- ๅคฉ็ใ้ ญ – Tengunoatama (9,544 ft / 2,909 m)
- ้ใๅฒณ – Ainodake (9,537 ft / 2,907 m)
- ่ฅฟ็ฉ้ซๅฒณ – Nishihotakadake (9,543 ft / 2,908.8 m)
- ่ฅฟ็ฉ้ซๅฒณ ็ฌๆจ – Nishihodoppyo – 8,862 ft / 2,701 m)
- ่ฅฟ็ฉ ๅฑฑ่ – Nishiomaruyama (8,045 ft / 2,452 m)
- ๅฒ่ฐทๅฑฑ – Waritaniyama (7,297 ft / 2,224.2 m)
- ๆฐไธญๅฐพๅณ – Shinnakaotoge (7,021 ft / 2,140 m)
- ไธญๅฐพๅณ – Nakatoge (7,021 ft / 2,140 m)
- ็ผๅฒณ – Yakedake (8,056 ft / 2,455.5 m)
- ็กซ้ปๅฒณ – Iodake (8,379 ft / 2,554 m)
- ๅคง้ปๅฒณ – Daikokudake (9,094 ft / 2,772 m)
- ๅฏๅฃซ่ฆๅฒณ – Fujimidake (9,242 ft / 2,817 m)
- ่็ๅฒณ – Kodamadake (9,760 ft / 2,975 m)
- ๅฃใถๅณฐ – Kengamine (9,927 ft / 3,025.7 m)
- ็ถๅญๅฒณ – Mamakodake (9,380 ft / 2,859 m)
- ๅพกๅถฝๅใฎๆฑ – Hidachojo – 9,226 ft / 2,812 m)
- ๆฉๅฉๆฏๅคฉๅฑฑ – Marishitenyama (9,710 ft / 2,959.5 m)
- ่ตคๆๅฑฑ – Akabayashiyama (7,145 ft / 2,177.9 m)
- ้งใฑๅฒณ – Kisokomagatake (9,698 ft / 2,956 m)
- ไธญๅฒณ – Nakadake (9,596 ft / 2,925 m)
- ๅฎๅฃๅฒณ – Hokendake (9,616 ft / 2,931 m)
- ๆชๅฐพๅฒณ – Hinokiodake (8,950 ft / 2,728 m)
- ็ๆฒขๅฒณ – Kumazawadake (9,114 ft / 2,778 m)
- ๆฑๅทๅฒณ – Higashikawadake (8,763 ft / 2,671 m)
- ๆจๆฝๆฎฟ่ถ – Kisodonokoshi (8,038 ft / 2,450 m)
- ็ฉบๆจๅฒณ – Utsugidake (9,396 ft / 2,864 m)
- ๅๆฒขๅณ – Kitazawatoge (6,680 ft / 2,036 m)
- ไปๆฐดๅณ – Sensuitoge (7,428 ft / 2,264 m)
- ้งๆดฅๅณฐ – Komatsumine (9,029 ft / 2,752 m)
- ้งใถๅฒณ – Kaikomagatake (9,729 ft / 2,965.5 m)
- ๅๅ ๅฑฑ – Futagodake (8,691 ft / 2,649 m)
- ไปไธใถๅฒณ – Senjogatake (9,950 ft / 3,032.9 m)
- ๅคงไปไธใถๅฒณ – Osenjogatake (9,760 ft / 2,975 m)
- ไผ้ฃ่ๅๅฒณ – Inaarakuradake (8,264 ft / 2,519 m)
- ๆจชๅทๅฒณ – Yokokawadake (8,130 ft / 2,478 m)
- ้ๅๅท่ถ – Norokawagoe (7,579 ft / 2,310 m)
- ไธๅณฐๅฒณ – Mibudake (9,839 ft / 2,999 m)
- ้ใๅฒณ – Ainodake (10,464 ft / 3,189.5 m)
- ไธญ็ฝๆ นๅฑฑ – Nakashiranesan (10,023 ft / 3,055 m)
- ๅๅฒณ – Kitadake (10,476 ft / 3,193 m)
- ไบๅท่ถ – Ikawagoe (8,809 ft / 2,685 m)
- ๅฎๅ่ๅๅฒณ – Abearakuradake (8,835 ft / 2,693 m)
- ๆฐ่ๆๅฑฑ – Shinjanukeyama (8,750 ft / 2,667 m)
- ๅ่ๅทๅฒณ – Kita-Arakawadake (8,852 ft / 2,698 m)
- ๅกฉ่ฆๅฒณ – Shiomidake (9,998 ft / 3,047.4 m)
- ๆฌ่ฐทๅฑฑ – Hontaniyama (8,721 ft / 2,658.3 m)
- ไธไผๅฑฑ – Sanpukuyama (8,579 ft / 2,615 m)
- ไธไผๅณ – Sanpukutoge (8,553 ft / 2,607 m)
- ็ๅธฝๅญๅฒณ – Eboshidake (8,944 ft / 2,726 m)
- ๅๅฐๆฒณๅ ๅฒณ – Maekogochidake (9,134 ft / 2,784 m)
- ๅฐๆฒณๅ ๅฒณ – Kogochidake (9,193 ft / 2,802 m)
- ๅคงๆฅๅฝฑๅฑฑ – Ohikageyama (8,442 ft / 2,573 m)
- ๆฟๅฑๅฒณ – Itayadake (8,681 ft / 2,646 m)
- ๅๅฒณ – Maedake (10,066 ft / 3,068 m)
- ไธญๅฒณ – Nakadake (10,117 ft / 3,083.7 m)
- ๆฑๅฒณ – Higashidake (10,305 ft / 3,141 m)
- ๅฐ่ตค็ณๅฒณ – Koakaishidake (10,108 ft / 3,081 m)
- ่ตค็ณๅฒณ – Akaishidake (10,238 ft / 3,120.5 m)
- ๅคงๆฒขๅฒณ – Osawadake (9,251 ft / 2,819.8 m)
- ไธญ็ไธธๅฑฑ – Nakamorimaruyama (9,209 ft / 2,807 m)
- ๅฐๅ ๅฒณ – Kousagidake (8,983 ft / 2,738 m)
- ๅ ๅฒณ – Usagidake (9,245 ft / 2,818 m)
- ๅ่ๅฒณ – Maehijiridake (9,885 ft / 3,013 m)
- ๅฐ่ๅฒณ – Kohijiridake (8,734 ft / 2,662 m)
- ๅๅฒณ – Minamidake (8,865 ft / 2,702 m)
- ไธๆฒณๅ ๅฒณ – Kamikochidake (9,198 ft / 2,803.4 m)
- ๅฏๅฃซๅฑฑ – Fujisan (12,395 ft / 3,778 m)
So what's on the agenda for 2019? That's what I'm trying to figure out right now from my temporary accommodation in Japan (just outside Nagoya – give me a shout if you're in the area). Next week I'll try to fill you (aka myself) in on what the hell I'm thinking about doing with myself for the next year for the final episode of the two thousand and tens (I don't know if I can get behind that terminology).
And if you're reading this (and especially if you've read everything that preceded this final bit of text), then THANK YOU. Knowing that (or, I guess I don't really know, but I guess imagining that) you're out there somewhere, sitting on your phone in the bathroom and digesting this article, is what keeps me writing. Your comments, messages, and emails motivate me to continue pursuing whatever it is I'm after in the world (despite being entirely unsure what this is). So THANK YOU!
Make good decisions, friends.
Love,
Mac
Thank YOU for sharing! I managed to go to EBC/Kalapattar independently from ur sharing ๐
Awesome to hear! That’s exactly the kind of information I hope to be able to put out.
I’m amazed by all you continue to do and try! I feel like I’m entering into a “stability-focused” phase, i.e. one job, one relationship, live in one place… but whenever I read your posts I want to ditch it all and get back on the road. So, thanks for confusing the situation? Ha, seriously, it’s great to hear what you’re up to and to remember that as humans we have so many more options than we initially assume. Keep it up in 2019!
Thank you, Anna! (And you should totally do it – ditch it all and hit the road!)
I read until the end. You called it- sitting in the bathroom waiting for my hair to dry (its knee length, i takes a while!)
I love reading your posts. I literally laugh out loud frequently at times.
Your cdt video is my favorite part of the internet. I’m glad you finished it. Not only for the amazing views, but introducing me to the song paper tigers. I love it, and because of your video i associate it with mountains when i hear it.
I guess I’m just fangirling now. But what I’m trying to say is i think you are pretty great and I’m trying to follow your example and live through adventures. Keep it up!
Thanks, Rikki! Great to hear you’re a Paper Tigers fan. Javier Dunn (the artist) is actually a friend of mine – he’s got a ton of awesome stuff!