Memorial Day has already come and for many of us who lead busy lives, Labor Day will be here in the blink of an eye. With the onset of the long-awaited Montana summertime, opportunities for outdoor adventures abound, but time is limited! With that in mind I sat down this weekend to do a little summer calendaring, and make sure I could fit in all my adventures without over-booking or double-booking myself. As with most things in life, having a good plan for summer activities and fun is essential, so that you’re not left saying, “I really wish I would’ve gotten to…” when Labor Day comes. So, as with any goal, we’re encouraging you to write down your summertime “Tic-list”. In the climbing/mountaineering world, a tic-list is a term for “a work in progress” and represents a list of all the mountains/routes/problems that the climber wants to tackle.
Here’s a sampling of what the Tic-lists look like in the Wellness office. Hopefully they’ll get your juices flowing and inspire you to sit down and write your own! (Plus, we’re throwing in a bonus challenge, but you have to read the entire post first!)
From Kelsey’s Tic-List:
- Hike at least one local trail I’ve never been on before
- Kayak Gates of the Mountain, Helena
- Practice/continue learning how to fly-fish
- Take an outdoor photography lesson
- Plant a small veggie garden in backyard
- Visit a Montana ghost town
- Participate in one local fun-run
- Go horseback riding
- Attend at least 2 local festivals
- (This isn’t even Kelsey’s full list! Wow. We want to hang out with her!)
From Neal’s Tic-List:
- Visit Glacier National Park
- Visit Grand Teton National Park
- Hike Mt. Cowen in Absaroka Range
- Complete Bridger Ridge Run (in one piece)
- Go rock climbing with locals to learn new routes/areas
- Do at least one overnight hike and camp
- Maybe learn to fly-fish?
- Learn to recognize local wildflowers while hiking
From Cristin’s Tic-List:
- Try rock climbing
- Wakeboard/ski/surf at least 5 times
- Fly-fish at least 8 times
- Buy veggies from the farmers market twice a month
- Support Neal in his Ridge Run training by accompanying him on some alpine hikes
- Spend as much time outside as possible in my favorite mountain ranges
Bonus Challenge! Send us your summer Tic-list, and you'll get an extra entry into our Montana Moves Quarterly and Yearly Prize Drawings. We'll post the most popular "Tics" at the end of June. Simply email us at wellness@montana.edu with the subject of Summer Tic List.
Montana Moves 