# of New England 50 Finest finishers

[hiker0200]

Does anyone know the most up-to-date number of finishers of the New England 50 most prominent peaks (aka "New England Fifty Finest")? I can't seem to find any recent numbers, and any numbers I did find were from years ago. Also, have any of you finished that list?

This list has caught my interest recently. The idea of a prominence-based peakbagging list combined with "off the radar" peaks and a supposedly rather low number of finishers (unlike the 48, which has 11,000+ finishers) tickles my fancy. I mean when was the last time you read a report from Grass Mtn, East Mtn, or Mt. Putnam? Also, the mountains on that list IMHO are more like real mountains than peaks on, say, the NE 100 Highest (200 ft. of col). Also, I've already done 21 of the 50 peaks, so might as well finish what I started.

Thanks in advance!

 

[albee]

Does it matter how many hikers have completed the list? I'd guess 20 or so, but not because the list is especially difficult or due to the remoteness of peaks - mostly because it is a more recently-popularized concept that hasn't caught on as much yet due to driving distances and some of the off-trail navigation required.

Prominence is kind of a neat way to look at mountains, but you can't really compare a Moxie or a Saddleback 2998 with a Hamlin or a Jefferson. Yes, you will feel more remote, and yes you might feel like you're doing something more ground-breaking, but in the end you have to form your own definition of a "quality" mountain.

Check out the website "listsofjohn" for some interesting rankings of mountains based on prominence.

 

[Raven]

You could have a conversation with VFTT member Papa Bear. He knows a lot about this list. I have not seen him post in a while.

 

[dug]

I was looking to start a list of various peaks, with or without prominence, views, terrifying, season, trail, etc. There won't be any finishers publicized, there won't be any patches, ceremonies, or registers to sign.

Dogs will be allowed.

 

[Papa Bear]

Did I hear my name mentioned? yes I am still alive.

I finished that list in 2005 and I have not seen a lot of mention of it, at least on VFTT. My own list with trip reports is below after my signature.

There is a list that was maintained by the Yahoo Prominence group, but we lost Adam Hellman recently so I'm not sure it's kept up to date. Here's the Link USA Regional Lists

It's down towards the bottom. It has names up to 2013.

Roy Schweiker may be a good person to talk to also.

 

[Cumulus]

have any of you finished that list?

Almost. I'm at 49.

--

Cumulus

NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 22/115 (17/67, 5/46, 0/2)
NEFF: 49/50; Cat35: 36/39; WNH4K: 36/48; NEHH 81/100
LT NB 2009

"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll

 

[Driver8]

I like the idea of the Fifty Finest list and consider myself as working on it long term. Among other things, it tends to get you all over New England.

The value of prominence is illustrated by the fact that all 8 White 4K's on the finest list are respected, significant mountains among the 48. Doubtless, Adams and its northern Presi neighbors are among the greats and exceed many of the finest 8 peaks in most minds, but each of the 8 - Washington, Lafayette, Carter Dome, Moosilauke, Cabot, Osceola, Carrigain and South Kinsman - ranks high with most, I think it fair to say.

 

[albee]

This website is thought to have the most definitive compilation of prominence-based climber rankings going: http://tinyurl.com/pot9mt7

If you don't see your name on there, feel free to email Andy Martin with corrections. He officially updates it every four months.

To answer the original question, it looks like 13 finishers so far.

 

[bigmoose]

Bagging prominence peaks such as those on the finest fifty list gives you a new perspective on what constitutes a mountain. Yet the vast majority continue to consider only a peak's height as a measure. As Albee related, few of us have completed the finest fifty and fewer yet the 100-most-prominent lists for New England or its individual states. And to my knowledge no one's completed New York's finest fifty list, let alone NY's hundred-most-prominent. You may have guessed I'm a big fan of the prominence game....

 

[Cumulus]

Almost. I'm at 49.

Done. See Gore in Trip Reports.

--

Cumulus

NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 24/115 (19/67, 5/46, 0/2)
NEFF: 50/50; Cat35: 36/39; WNH4K: 36/48; NEHH 81/100
LT NB 2009

"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll

 

[Driver8]

Done. See Gore in Trip Reports.

--

Cumulus

NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 24/115 (19/67, 5/46, 0/2)
NEFF: 50/50; Cat35: 36/39; WNH4K: 36/48; NEHH 81/100
LT NB 2009

"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll

Congrats! I ticked off #11 couple weeks ago with Mt. Ellen. Such outstanding views from its upper reaches, on a singularly beautiful day.

 

[hiker0200]

I haven't made much progress. Now at 24/50. I have some other goals for the upcoming winter, so the FF, like a slew of other lists, will be on the backburner for a while

 

[Raymond]

Hey, Papa Bear! I met your friend Melissa (and Kent) a couple of months ago while hiking to Mount Isolation. She twice mentioned a friend of hers who seeks survey benchmarks, so the second time she brought him up I asked if her friend’s name was Richard. She stared at me for a moment, then said, ‘‘Yes, Papa Bear ...’’

I told her that you had invited me to go along on one of your forays several years ago along the U.S.-Canada border, but I had declined. My loss!

I have forgotten what she said you were doing these days, but I hope you are well.

Actually, if you have seen her recently, maybe she already said hello for me.

 

[Papa Bear]

Hi Raymond

Yes she told me the story. She is one of my running buddies and we run together about once a week. I'll tell her hello ffom you. And I'll send her a link to your post above -- nice picture.

And here's my question to you: I had forgotten which trip it was on which you couldn't come along with me. There were a bunch, and if you're like me, all the trips I took some 5 - 10 years ago tend to merge in my memory. But it's nice that the trip reports on this site are still there.

On that subject, I've started to migrate some of those old reports onto my own web site so I have a better record of what I did in the good old days.

Best regards
Rg

 

[MarkJ]

looking at my diary I am 11 short... don't know why the only Kibbey I have not done is the 1 with the trail and tower.Congrats to Cummulus

 

[Raymond]

Papa, I don’t remember specifically, but I’m sure it was somewhere around the Maine-New Hampshire-Canada junction. I know you did something either there or slightly south in New Hampshire (Mount Magalloway?) around that time. The hike would have been in early October, because that’s when my and my brother’s birthdays are, and the reason I couldn’t make it.

I’m pretty sure some others did go with you, and I believe you posted a report here. I can almost visualize a photo of a long, straight road or clearing dipping down, with lots of colorful foliage, if that rings any bells.

 

[Papa Bear]

Thanks for trying Raymond. I did a number of hikes like that. Maybe this one: More Boundary Peaks, Benchmarks and Stragglers (09-02-2006). About one page down there's a picture of the boundary swath like one you described.

 

[Driver8]

Who issues the patch for this list? I'm a long way off, just bagged Kearsarge for #13, but am curious.

 

[Cumulus]

Who issues the patch for this list?

No one.

--

Cumulus

NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 51/115 (39/67, 11/46, 1/2)
NEFF: 50/50; Cat35: 39/39; WNH4K: 40/48; NEHH 84/100
LT NB 2009

"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll

 

[Ramblings]

If someone wants to get herd paths going to the less popular peaks on this list, all they need to do is create the patch.