Mt Adams is Holy Mountain of 19 in world

[Ear Drum]

I'm just bummed that this Lazarus thread just barely fell short of being a 20 year old resurrection. Impressive.
...

this came to mind:

 

[TEO]

This was what was painted on the summit. It was there when I first ascended Adams in 1956, and then someone used a rock to obliterate it around 1985 or so. I remember being a little annoyed at the defacing of what I considered a religious symbol no matter whose religion. View attachment 7724 It is the "Om" symbol.

I think the symbol was defacing the mountain, just as crosses, Tibetan prayer flags, rock figures, private memorial plaques, et cetera are inappropriate. Admittedly I feel differently about summit canisters and summit signs, but they serve a purpose that isn't related to any individual's personal beliefs religious, pseudo-religious, or cultish beliefs or fads.

 

[Hillwalker]

A Ha!

 

[BroccTheDog]

I think the symbol was defacing the mountain, just as crosses, Tibetan prayer flags, rock figures, private memorial plaques, et cetera are inappropriate. Admittedly I feel differently about summit cannisters and summit signs, but they serve a purpose that isn't related to any individual's personal beliefs.

I would put whatever you think the purpose of canisters and summit signs into the "personal beliefs" category. I'm not sure why you think they should be there, but I'm sure I can find plenty of people who personally believe they shouldn't

 

[JoshandBaron]

I would put whatever you think the purpose of canisters and summit signs into the "personal beliefs" category. I'm not sure why you think they should be there, but I'm sure I can find plenty of people who personally believe they shouldn't

Considering what the one on the Captain has turned into, I'm in the 'shouldn't' camp. Especially in Wilderness.

 

[peakbagger]

A general observation is I really do not mind thread resurrections, if its the same subject makes a lot of sense to just drag the old carcass out and keep going ;0 .

Its also a reminder that VFTT is "ancient" by commercial internet standards, to bad the early database got lost but much of the history is available to anyone that uses google site search (so much better than the default search on the forum software.

 

[Rhody Seth]

I also like bumping old threads when appropriate. It's one of the advantages of a message board over most forms of social media which constantly just bury old content in favor of the new.

I had no idea Mt. Adams was so powerful. Next time I'm up there I'll try to feel some of its cosmic energy.

 

[peakbagger]

You my have missed out in modern era the power of Mt Adams. My house looks over it about 6 miles away. I built in 1988 and for the first 10 to 15 years if there was a thunderstorm in the area, Adams seemed to be the center of it in the north country. More than few summer nights I could sit at home and watch Adams and to lesser extent Madison get hammered for 45 minutes of nearly continuous lightning. Over the years the weather patterns have shifted and storms centered over Adams are far more rare. When U watch the radar tracks, they will be heading towards the northern Whites and then at the last minute will split with one branch heading south towards Washington and eventually North Conway and the other branch heading up into the Killenny, then over to Milan and out into western maine. Sure there are still a few strikes in between but definitely not center of the storm track like previously.

I believe the folks had to "charge the mountain" to make it a place of power so maybe they need to get the jumper cables out

 

[TEO]

I would put whatever you think the purpose of canisters and summit signs into the "personal beliefs" category. I'm not sure why you think they should be there, but I'm sure I can find plenty of people who personally believe they shouldn't

I am sure you can, too. I understand the wilderness argument and could agree with it, except that by clearly marking the summit, they limit the amount of wear in the summit area. And, the entries in the New England summit logs are special, but to understand how, you have to read them. I happen to deeply value wilderness/wildness and I've not found canisters and summit signs to intrude on my enjoyment thereof.

Considering what the one on the Captain has turned into, I'm in the 'shouldn't' camp. Especially in Wilderness.

What has the Captain canister turned into? Is the area littered with bottles?

 

[skiguy]

I am sure you can, too. I understand the wilderness argument and could agree with it, except that by clearly marking the summit, they limit the amount of wear in the summit area. And, the entries in the New England summit logs are special, but to understand how, you have to read them. I happen to deeply value wilderness/wildness and I've not found canisters and summit signs to intrude on my enjoyment thereof.


What has the Captain canister turned into? Is the area littered with bottles?

I am sure you can, too. I understand the wilderness argument and could agree with it, except that by clearly marking the summit, they limit the amount of wear in the summit area. And, the entries in the New England summit logs are special, but to understand how, you have to read them. I happen to deeply value wilderness/wildness and I've not found canisters and summit signs to intrude on my enjoyment thereof.


What has the Captain canister turned into? Is the area littered with bottles?

I guess that is your personal belief then. Why dis on other’s beliefs then promote your own? Seems pretty NIMBY to me. For the record IMO any crap whether prayer flags or summit canisters are all garbage and don’t belong. In todays digital world if reading others thoughts and experiences is important then why not just post them on line. It could be just like geocaching without the cache.

 

[DayTrip]

Whatever you believe about whatever object, the problem is we don't all agree. One solitary canister doesn't junk up a summit. Neither does one symbol painted on a rock. Or just one prayer flag. The problem is that everyone's being OK with one thing turns into MANY things and eventually it looks like <BLEEP>. Lots of prayer flags, multiple canisters, graffiti and eventually trash as more and more people see the mess and have less respect for the area and feel entitled to do what they want. The more popular the area, the more out of control it gets.

Did anyone watch the video on here about the kid from VT who climbed Everest? The summit looked like a bunch of people sitting in the town landfill. And that is supposed to be about the holiest of holy mountains. To simultaneously talk about the reverence and respect you have for a summit and also have no problem leaving all your crap laying around there once it's served it's purpose seems pretty absurd. I find that horrifying and massively detracts from that experience.

I'm a big fan of nothing. I like the wilderness being wilderness, not a local park near my house. There are lots of things out in the woods whose value can be validly argued, like the AMC huts, bridges, etc. but I'd prefer to see none of those things. Other than basic trail signs and blazes I really don't want to see anything else.

 

[JoshandBaron]

What has the Captain canister turned into? Is the area littered with bottles?

Last I was there it was essentially a shrine to Captain Morgan with bottles and eye patches and a Turkish flag to honor a hiker who passed a few years back.

 

[Grey J]

I basically agree with the notion that nothing should be left on summits or anywhere on the mountain for that matter. However, (confession time) I must admit that I once did a climb in honor of my dad and left behind a small token in his memory. I buried it so hopefully it won't change anyone's experience. I wouldn't do it now though and I'm sorry I did it then.

 

[DayTrip]

I basically agree with the notion that nothing should be left on summits or anywhere on the mountain for that matter. However, (confession time) I must admit that I once did a climb in honor of my dad and left behind a small token in his memory. I buried it so hopefully it won't change anyone's experience. I wouldn't do it now though and I'm sorry I did it then.

Quite a few years ago I was on the summit of Cabot (near the cairn not the official true summit) taking a break when I saw a curiously round rock on the ground that seemed very out of place. Looked like something from a stream bed. I was curious so I picked it up and discovered a name etched into the rock on the bottom. I put it back exactly as I found it and scattered a bit of dirt and debris on and around it to make it seem less conspicuous. It wasn't detracting from anything. I didn't have an issue with it.

 

[skiguy]

Quite a few years ago I was on the summit of Cabot (near the cairn not the official true summit) taking a break when I saw a curiously round rock on the ground that seemed very out of place. Looked like something from a stream bed. I was curious so I picked it up and discovered a name etched into the rock on the bottom. I put it back exactly as I found it and scattered a bit of dirt and debris on and around it to make it seem less conspicuous. It wasn't detracting from anything. I didn't have an issue with it.

How about the hiker who was leaving a bunch of painted rocks claiming to go back and retrieve them all a few years back?

 

[Grey J]

Quite a few years ago I was on the summit of Cabot (near the cairn not the official true summit) taking a break when I saw a curiously round rock on the ground that seemed very out of place. Looked like something from a stream bed. I was curious so I picked it up and discovered a name etched into the rock on the bottom. I put it back exactly as I found it and scattered a bit of dirt and debris on and around it to make it seem less conspicuous. It wasn't detracting from anything. I didn't have an issue with it.

That wasn't me. I think you handled that discovery in a respectful manner in regard to the person memorialized, the person who left it, and to the mountain as well.

As to the painted rocks, skiguy, that is definitely over the line, and so are gnomes and little gnome homes, which are popping up in the woods here in Tennessee.

 

[JoshandBaron]

Quite a few years ago I was on the summit of Cabot (near the cairn not the official true summit) taking a break when I saw a curiously round rock on the ground that seemed very out of place. Looked like something from a stream bed. I was curious so I picked it up and discovered a name etched into the rock on the bottom. I put it back exactly as I found it and scattered a bit of dirt and debris on and around it to make it seem less conspicuous. It wasn't detracting from anything. I didn't have an issue with it.

I've found rocks like that on top of the chimney on Starr King and on Garfield.

 

[dave.m]

Whatever you believe about whatever object, the problem is we don't all agree.

I'm a big fan of the concept of democracy to settle such things. Better than relying on a small group with power to settle things. And definitely better than the bloody carnage when there is no clear single small group with power. But admittedly, there are problems with democracy.

1. We don't live in a functional democracy, so there's that.
2. It's unclear how to build durably just democratic institutions that are able manage our shared infrastructure (very much including our shared wild places) while not succumbing to take-over and corruption by a few.
3. It's even less clear the degree to which, we as a species actually want democracy.

 

[dug]

"There's some lovely filth down here!"

 

[JoshandBaron]

I didn't know you were called Dennis.