How long should you wait for hiking certificate?

[RoySwkr]

Several posts lately have asked about how long it takes to receive recognition for completing some list, so I am asking how long people think it should take.

These awards are essentially on the honor system so there is no reason you couldn't just print yourself a certificate and buy a patch at EMS. However some people might like to think that their application would be touched and read by a human, which might reasonably require 2-3 days plus backup readers. Others might prefer that some panel review and approve all applications, or that a once-a-year ceremony is enough.

I have finished 2 non-AMC certificate lists this year, one was 6 days after their annual awards ceremony and they asked if I would mind waiting until next year. The other I filed in July and have received nothing yet.

 

[Rik]

I kinda wish "whenever" was a poll choice. I almost like having some wait. To get it in a day or two wouldn't thrill me as I would still be all pumped up from finishing the list. When it comes month's later it feels like getting a surprise in the mail. It then triggers all sorts of fond memories of the hikes it took to earn that certificate/patch. I don't mind waiting and appreciate the fact that there are people out there willing to do the work of processing applications.

 

[bill bowden]

Roy:

I've been giving out certificates for NH HH and NH 3000 footers. My turn around depends pretty much on how busy I am and whether I can recall the person sending in the list. Never have been much good at getting things to bank to cash checks.

Bet that's about the same situation for all the volunteers doing the certificate/patch thing. Probably leads to large disappointments for some hikers but still perhaps better than no patch at all.

You beat me up the Fire Warden's Trail by one day plus multiple years, we summited in a lot of snow in a truly micro-epic performance (who ever heard of an epic on Hale?) Loved the trail anyway

Bill

 

[bill bowden]

The NHHH list I work from was made up of "Gene's list" ca. 1987, "John McHugh's list" ca. 1995 and and a recent updated list which Gene kindly e-mailed me a couple of years ago. In total there are 108 different peaks listed on the three lists; because I am pretty lazy, I don't actually check which of the NHHH a correspondent has climbed; figuring all of them are pretty thick and sprucy.

I'm hugely ambivalent about publicly posting information regarding bushwhack routes, but not sure my concerns are totally rational:
1. clueless hiker susing routes and requiring rescue (those folks can get lost quickly enough without our help)
2. "wrong people" bushwhacking (and who pray tell are the right people to bushwhack)
3. Excessive bushwhacking because of publicity (75 have done the NHHH and 27 the NH 3000 footers) number of submissions appears to be delcining slightly

A perhaps more realistic concern is that stylistically bushwhackers vary from strictly by the bearing to random meanders through the woods. Overall, I don't see much problem with discussing bushwhack routes in public for the whites since all the heavily traveled peaks have trails.

 

[Peakbagr]

Anyone else notice the results of the poll yet?

 

[bill bowden]

Cantdog. If you come by in person I'll throw in a glass of wine gratis.

If only 60 something per cent think this is silly we're doing better than many.

Bill