2007

It’s been a great year, probably the best of my life, and I just wanted to write something to celebrate it, and to share it. The most exciting things that happened this year involved my family, traveling, snowboarding and climbing.

Family
Probably, the greatest thing that happened this year was Kenny and Hannah graduating from NMSU and moving up to Albuquerque. Now instead of only seeing my brother and few times a year, I get to see him several times a week and Hannah feeds me almost as much. We also had another addition to our family with the birth of Ethan Anthony Baker on May 30th, now I have two nephews to get into trouble with.

Climbing
If you didn’t know, my biggest hobby and my greatest ambitions have to do with one thing—climbing, and I sure I did a lot of it this year. I started off the year with a two week trip to central Mexico to do some high-altitude climbing (this isn’t rock climbing but mountaineering) on the 3^rd highest and 7^th highest peaks in N. America, Pico de Orizaba (18,405 ft) and Iztaccihuatl (17,126 ft).

After taking more than a two year break, I finally renewed my membership to the climbing gym, and for the first time, started working out and training, climbing several times a week and climbing outside every chance I got. This year I also went to several climbing areas that I had never been to before including: New Canyon, El Rito, Big Block, and Enchanted Tower. I also started bouldering and entered into my first competition, the Yard n’ Yank, winning 3^rd place in the beginners class.

We also went down to the Pie Fest in Pie Town, mostly for climbing but also for the pie and I won the pie eating competition becoming the king of Pie Town for the year.

I also started lead climbing this year and have been out several times in the Sandia Mountains with my brother. My first lead was the Northwest Ridge (5.6) on the Thumb, my second was Crackula (5.8) on the Techweeny Buttress, and the third was Hummingbird (5.8) on the Point; all in the Sandia Mountains. Then in November Kenny and I, along with four friends from Las Cruces went to Indian Creak, UT, the crack climbing capital of the world for some for climbing. However, my first time crack was not a complete success; I attempted several routes but I only completely led one route.

I also did a little bit of dry tooling this year to get ready for this winter when ice climbing begins. I just ordered some new ice tools and can’t wait to use them. I also had the privilege of taking my nephew, Dylan, climbing for his first time at the gym; I think I’ll wait for him to get a little older before I try again.

Traveling
I did a lot of traveling this year, a lot of it had to do with climbing and snowboarding but some of it was just to get out and see the world. For spring break I went with some friends to Southern California for a little surfing, my first time ever surfing. Then I went with some friends to Denver just to hang out and see another friend for his birthday.

This summer, when my lease was up at my apartment, I just packed up and headed down to Central America (not South America) for 9 weeks. I started at the bottom and just bussed, hiked, ferried and hitchhiked north until I arrived home. I traveled through: Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico doing just about everything you could possibly imagine.

Other
I also got back into snowboarding after taking a two year break, going 13 times last season and having already been 5 times this season.

I also did a lot of backpacking this year (my biggest trips have already been mentioned, my Mexico climbing trip and Central America trip) with a backpacker to the Jemez with my sister and Matt Ray, a trip to the Gila with my brother, Hannah, and all the guys for Las Cruces, and my first backpacker to the Grand Canyon for a week at Havasu Falls with Matt Ray and Chris Sanchez.

After this year I can’t even imagine what 2008 will bring me but I can’t wait to find out. I hope to continue improving my climbing and snowboarding and hope to try my luck in ice climbing. I’m also going back to school this year and who knows, maybe it will lead me somewhere this time. For updates on what I’m going this year just keep checking back here.

Love ya,

jon