I didn't realize they still allowed jerks on the mountains

[patrickbrusil]

This may sound like I am venting and I suppose I am, because I did not feel the need to make a big scene on the summit of Ike. With that said, I hope the dude who tried to scold me on top of Ike today -for walking on the rocks in the alpine scrub because there was 50 people on top- feels real special. I hope he has a happy 4th of july and can rest peacefully knowing he is a big bully.

I forgot he must have owned the top of the mountain.

I should have asked him if he heard about the legislation in place to but a McDonalds on 24 of the 48 4,000 footer in NH.

people can really be a pain once in a while.

 

[Maddy]

T
I should have asked him if he heard about the legislation in place to but a McDonalds on 24 of the 48 4,000 footer in NH.

That would have been a really good one!
I can never think of those clever replies when they are needed.

 

[patrickbrusil]

I always have them ready to go but there were little kids and such right there and I'm sure my verbal communication woudl have turned south.

So instead of using a good remark I told him he was clearly right and I was wrong and I turned to go down 15 feet from the actual summit.

Does that mean I have to hike it again to have it counts towards 48?

 

[Lawn Sale]

Only when there's a McDonalds on top.

 

[steppinwolf]

Not sure if I'm following you as to why he was so much of a jerk. When he "scolded" you for being in the alpine scrub area, was he real loud about it and embarrassing in front of the other people up there? Was he rude and beligerrant? Was he a steward who let his "authority" go to his head or was he just another hiker blowing off some steam? Educating someone in a respectful way on top is one thing, but no one should come off a mountain feeling belittled by another person regardless of who they are. I'm sorry to hear this happened to you.

 

[patrickbrusil]

Well he certainly wanted to belittle me infront of a lot of people but I don't really care that he needed to raise his voice. I thought that was more embarrasing for him in all honesty.

I understand trying to educate hikers and I know all about the not walking on the fragile alpine vegitation.......... but anyone with any sense of descency would have calmly walked over to me once I reached the summit and said "Hey, you really shouldn't walk off the trail...blah, blah,.........alpine vegitation" and so on. I would have responded positively to a person reacting in such a manor. To me that would show that they really care about the protection of the alpine zone.

Whatever, it's not a big deal. He knows he is a jerk.

 

[patrickbrusil]

also....FYI........... he was yelling at me from about 20 feet away.
real classy.

 

[giggy]

I would have just yelled at him back, told him to mind his own freakin business - or - better yet - dropped your pants and mooned (or sunned) him. hahahaha

yea - while I do my best to not mess anything up - up there - some people just get out of control with it.

don't let it bug ya too much - there are jerks everywhere.

 

[Puma concolor]

Patrick -

Perhaps it's just Eisenhower. Ike was my first NH 4K peak (in 1995) and not yet being familiar with the Whites, I politely asked the only other "gentleman" on top if I was on the summit of Eisenhower. He sarcastically replied "Yeah, buddy, last time I checked." What an utter jack***! I almost punched him in the head. Maybe it's the same guy.

 

[ADK4Life]

The guy should have been more mature/respectful about the whole situation.

 

[steppinwolf]

Well he certainly wanted to belittle me infront of a lot of people but I don't really care that he needed to raise his voice. I thought that was more embarrasing for him in all honesty.

This guy needs to get an education in how to deal with people. Either that, or someone's going to turn the tables on him sometime and humiliate him in front of a group of people.

also....FYI........... he was yelling at me from about 20 feet away.
real classy.

That's the clincher. What a moron.

 

[RGF1]

Sorry to hear that happend to you. There are jerks no matter where you go. Sadly some hike.
Sounds like some self important ego freak . I love all the resposnes . Me Personly , I would ignor the SOB and kept on going. That would have really got him mad . I bet most of the pople upo there thought we was a Butthole.
FWIW had some fool yell at me for walking off the trail near the summit of Adams . Yeah I am really going to hurt those rocks or cause some serious erosion up there on on those huge boulders .

FWIW Unless they are working for the USFS they have no authority and just ignore them . I am a Peak Steward out west. I just talk to people and answer questions . I never pull that crap . Most of the time I describe the route and ask that they stay on it as best they can and to watch the weather. A lot time I end up explaining to people the chirps are from Pikas and the cute guy you see sunning on the rocks is a marmot .
If I am on the summit I am usaully asked to point out other mountains or other intersting land marks. Some ask about other cool hikes , nothing like that idiot
If he was a steward or some thing like that he sure did give being a peak stweard a bad name.

 

[jjo]

Too bad. Climbing a mountain should be a relaxing and satisying experience. Sorry yours was ruined by (perhaps well intentioned) someone lacking manners, etiquette and respect for the "other person". Forget about it and keep hiking...Unfortunate

 

[McRat]

In general, I've found hikers to be pleasant people. They are generally predisposed to helpful conversation of the hobby, or at least maintain deliberate understood silence. Predatory jerks usually stick to the populated areas where targets for their abuse are more plentiful.

Sorry you ran into this idiot. A friend of mine used to say "Don't admonish anyone for doing anything wrong unless you care enough to gently show them how to do it correctly." Unsolicted rebukes are hard enough for some people to deal with when done courteously... when rudely shared I can't expect much will be learned.

Oh well... God must love jerks and have a purpose for them. He made SO MANY of them.

 

[Panama Jack]

Josh, The Summit Steward On the Moose

I'll take this opportunity to compliment the young man on top of the Moose on Saturday. He even had to chase 3 youngsters off the lawn up there.


He was polite, courteous and very good about speaking to each group and imparting his educational information in an interesting and non-judgemental way.

That position is being funded by the Guy and Laura Waterman foundation.
Excellent!

-PJ-

 

[arghman]

With that said, I hope the dude who tried to scold me on top of Ike today -for walking on the rocks in the alpine scrub because there was 50 people on top- feels real special.

ouch, that's too bad... and being so bossy like that probably has the opposite effect. One of these days I'm going to run into one of those guys when I go off trail above treeline to look for plants, and I wonder what I'll say back (if anything).

FYI -- the worst plants to step on are the mat & cushion plants (the most common being diapensia / alpine azalea) which can continue eroding as soon as the cushion surface is broken. Go above treeline and you can see which plants are hurt the most. Black crowberry and deer's hair sedge are others I've seen that get damaged. Anything w/ evergreen leaves is more affected; the herbaceous plants which put out new leaves each year wouldn't be hurt as much. But otherwise as long as you try hard to step on rocks you should be fine. Don't quote me on this one, but the conifers (fir, mostly) and blueberry are probably okay if you step on them.

 

[Rich Lachapelle]

Yea, we have a lot of busybodies over in Vermont, probably
more per-capita. I once heard someone admonish someone
above treeline for walking on the rocks off-trail claiming he
was harming the lichen on the rocks. Why dont we close
all the trails as well so they can "regenerate"? Do we humans
really need to be up there at all? Cant we just be satisfied
playing some "vitual hiking" game on a computer?
And all the while, it doesnt matter how many signs are
posted and the size of the lettering, there's always some
ignoramus letting a dog run unleashed above treeline.
I'm just glad the Long Trail was
built many years ago because if someone proposed doing
all that disturbance in present day Vermont it would require
-endangered species survey
-environmental impact assessment
-archaological significance evaluation
-wetland certification
-act 250 permit
etc etc.
and would never get done.

just lighten up already...

Rich, in the Peoples Republic of Vermont

 

[Puck]

Your consolation is knowing this guy has to live with himself for a lifetiem and you had to suffer him for only a few moments.

I saw two teenagers walking in the alpine vegitation between Lincoln and Lafayette. My son looked at me and said "Dad, are you going to say something?" I waited for a breif moment. One of the teenagers yelled back to thier parents asking where the trail was. They gingerly walked back. They were already aware of the problem and wanted to correct it. If I said anything before I understood the situation I would have come out in a bad light. Remeber, people's actions speak more about them then you.

It has taken 250 Million years to form those hills, don't let a jerk ruin them in two seconds.

 

[Frosty]

He knows he is a jerk.

Unfortunately, he probably doesn't

 

[skiguy]

Sorry this guy had to ruin your day.I think most of us who go to the mountains go to escape the level of mentality that you encountered.My experiences with "FORMAL" Summit stewards has been quite positive. They are usually very upbeat and imformative without shoving their presence down your throat.
Sounds like the guy you met has some serious Karmic rehab to do. Thumbs up for not yelling back!