NEW SALEM, North Dakota (STPNS) -- After graduating from college in 1997, James Just moved with his wife, Rebecca (Keuther), to northern Idaho and was introduced to the mountains and hiking. Initially, James spent most of his time on established trails hiking to alpine lakes and low mountain summits. As his experience and knowledge grew, so did his desire to begin scrambling and climbing more difficult and higher peaks. In 2001 the Just family relocated to southern Idaho and James had the opportunity to do just that.

Idaho has nine peaks over 12,000 feet, commonly referred to in the climbing community as ?12ers? or ?twelvers.? These mountains all require Class 3 scrambling and at least 4,500 feet of vertical elevation gain. Along with many other Idaho mountains, James managed to summit the Idaho 12er over a three-year period. At this point, he had certainly come a long way from his first short nature trail hike.



In 2003 James and Rebecca and their two daughters, Taylor and Kennedy, moved to the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Denver, Colorado. Colorado is home to 55 peaks over 14,000 feet, or course called the ?14ers? or ?fourteeners.?

It seemed only natural to raise the stakes again and attempt to climb the tallest peaks in the central Rockies.

James wasted no time in accomplishing his goal of summitting all 55 14ers in just three years. It took over 400 miles of hiking and approximately 211,000 vertical feet of climbing to reach all the peaks. James has climbed in all seasons with several winter ascents. He has also utilized crampons and an ice axe to climb steep snow routes on numerous 14ers.

Beyond Idaho?s 12ers and Colorado?s 14ers, James has also climbed the state highpoints of Washington (Mount Rainier), Oregon (Mt. Hood), and California (Mt. Whitney).

James is the son of Jerry and Carlene Just, and son-in-law of Bill and Vickie Keuther, all of New Salem.

To read more about James? hiking adventures you can visit his website at http://www.justhiking.com.