The inevitable occurs this October. Turning 30 is a milestone for some and a phobia for others; admittedly I fall somewhere in between. This past February I decided to take on a personal challenge as a way of celebrating turning 30 (also as a way of thumbing my nose at it). In August, my father and I will be hiking Yosemite’s legendary Half Dome. Turning 30 has made me take stock and the challenge of climbing a mountain seems the best way to celebrate and defy it!

Background: I am not an avid hiker. I live in Seattle so I have my requisite membership to REI and I enjoy the outdoors. In 2008, I went hiking once, for less than 5 miles and it was relatively flat. In August of 2009, I will be hiking roughly 17 miles from sunrise to sunset with an elevation gain of 4,796ft.

Physical and mental preparation will be the key to my success. Since early February, I have established a schedule that includes daily workouts and weekly hikes. This blog will be an interactive diary of my transformation from outdoor novice to hiking enthusiast. I will share the tips I am learning by preparing to do the Dome and I welcome any insight, advice, and feedback from this community.

Sure, it is possible that I might be slightly insane but I am determined to do it. Even if in the end the only thing that gets me up to the top of the Dome is my ego, I’ll take it!

When not out hiking or writing about it, Anne serves as Community Outreach Manager for the Seattle office of Ecometro and recently received her MPA from Seattle University.