Peakbagging Cheating (or cheated)?

[dug]

Mine was also in doing the Wildcats. When we first did them as kids, we had no idea we had done them. It seemed to be up, down, up, down all day until finally it was all down. We assumed we hit them all.

About 25 years later, when completing them with my furry companion, they were done again. The 'legal' peak had changed (Peak 'C' or 'D' or something), so I spent a good part of the day standing on every lump I could find just to be sure.

 

[TenPeaks]

The first time I bagged South Twin was from the summit of North Twin. On the trip between the two peaks the sky darkened and it began to rain hard. I managed to poke my head above treeline on the summit of South Twin, but did not want to stay long since I was afraid it would begin to thunder at any moment.

A year later I bagged Galehead and saw this as an opportunity to head up the trail to "officially" bag South Twin. This day was much better with great views in all directions. I found the highest point of the mountain on this trip and used the date in my application to the 4,000 footers committee.

 

[Jasonst]

I just started hiking about two years ago, and for my first trip, a buddy took me up the Rocky Branch trail to the Davis Path to Mt Washington. At the time I was completely unaware of how many 4k's there were, where they all were, and that there was such a thing as peakbagging. As many of you know, Mt Isolation is one of the more remote peaks in the Whites. My buddy and I blissfully walked by the turn off to Isolation and continued on the Davis Path north. Yes, I was within a 1/2 mile or so of the summit and just walked by. In hindsight I felt cheated, mostly because of my ignorance. I managed to make it back there last fall and fortunately the weather was better than the first time. By the way, you may or may not agree but there is a section of trail just south of the Davis path junction on the Isolation trail that I think is one of the most beautiful sections of mossy forest that I have seen. 1 peak left for the NH 48!

 

[woodstrider]

Thoughts on An Aborted Trip- Chasing the Rainbow

I live in NYC and I was here for 91101. The next year as part of my healing process I planned a trip to the White Mtns. I decided on the Presidential and Moriah/Wildcat Ranges. While backpacking the Moriah/Wildcats I met up with a SoBo (thats Southbounder, in Appalachian Trail parlance). We decided to stick together as we were traveling at the same rate, felt there would be a safety element and we also enjoyed each others company. It turned out to be a good decision- for the both of us.

The next day, while crossing the Wildcats, I became ill from the heat and my new friend stayed with me. Then, while we were trying to get over Madison on 91102, we were hit with a severe storm. The temps. plunged to the 40's, the winds were really ripping, and the rain was horizontal. And, even though we were expecting this storm (we had diligently read the weather forcast at Pinkham), we barely got over Madison. We laughed and giggled to be in the shelter of the hut, getting dry and eating bowl after bowl of soup. But my friends friend, another SoBo, was not so lucky-He died that day while trying to get to the next hut. I was involved in the rescue attempt- which became a recovery.

We waited for two days for the weather to get better and then tried to finish the Presidentials. But the weather worsened. As we bypassed Jefferson, I decided not to try to go to the summit, only some 300 ' away. I knew that we would bail on the rest of the range, electing to be safe and smart, and we did.

But, for almost a year I was absolutely obsessed with completing this range. I finally did complete these peaks, and so have been able to move (somewhat) past several tragedies.

 

[Papa Bear]

woodstrider

I'm also a NYer who was there on 9/11. A year later I remember well 9/11/2002.

My daughter and I were hiking the AT about 40 miles from where you were. We started north from Grafton Notch to go over Baldpate and had to bail out due to the rain and thunder. Then we almost froze trying to hitch hike from Grafton Notch down to Bethel where we could get a ride to our hostel in Andover.

I did Baldpate the next day as my daughter took a zero. It was a beautiful blue ski day: Baldpate on 9/12/2002 . But as you know, that was not the end of it.

Next morning over breakfast at Addie's in Andover all the NOBOs were talking about the death on Madison of Peter Busher, whom you mention, and whom many of them had met just a few days previous. The day he died was horrific on the Presis with winds up to 92 MPH and lows of 25 degrees at the Washington observatory. (There were numerous threads on this at the time.)

It taught me that not only do we need to finish unfinished business, but we must live each day as if it were our last.

Pb

 

[woodstrider]

Neither cheater nor cheated- just ignorant

On the lighter side-

My first trip in the Dixes (Adirondacks) I was happily hiking alone on the herd paths over these summits. It was a perfect summer day and I was blissing out on the great views and vibes. I think it was on my way back that I stopped to talk to a well seasoned hiker. We were on the subject of the 46ers when I was informed that there were canisters on these "trailless" peaks that one should to sign in in, take down names, etc. I felt kinda dumb that I had hiked them and had not signed in. I know they still counted, in my mind, where it counts- but I did go back eventually to sign in for the 46ers.

Otherwise- as far as having to "bail" on a trip or miss the summit- most of the times that this has happened to me has been for very good reasons. Like serious weather conditions, or if I am with someone that can't go further and has to turn back. These have things have happened to me a few times and I've had to call it a trip. But, well thats OK with me. We'll turn around, no hard fellings, the mountain will always be there, right?

But - and readers, tell what your thoughts are on this- I seem to feel really bad if I am the cause for "loosing" someone the summit.

This did happen to me once with a bunch of people from RWMS. We were on the Dix Range and my snowshoe broke as we were dropping from Houghs summit. We did a field repair that allowed me to use the snowshoe, but as we had full packs (the RMS way) I did not feel I should continue on to the rest of the Range. Instead of splitting up the group of 4, we all bailed together. I know in my mind that it was a logical decision, but my heart aches for those who wanted the other peaks. I feel like I really let those people down.

 

[MonadnockVol]

A different kind of memory

When I was doing the Catskills for the Catskill 3500 Club I felt like I would never forget any of them. I could sit on any summit and name every peak I saw. Now I live in New Hampshire and I'm working on the 111 (115) 4k's and when people write to this BB asking about a mountain like Rusk, I have to really stop and think before any memory comes back to me.

I do keep a journal but I find I have a different form of memory as well. 40 years of bushwhacking has given me a map of fine scars on my shins that record all those mountains where the bushes whacked back.

As my friend Hank Jenkins says of bushwhacking, "If you get back to the car and you're not bleeding, it wasn't a good hike."

- MonadnockVol

 

[woodstrider]

Cheated or cheated

About those Canadians- They ARE pesky . When I climbed Rocky Ridge Peak I also tried to avoid a huge crowd of them as they shouted, smoked and in general just pissed up the summit of Bald Mountain. Luckily they didn't go any further, so we were able to escape them. Probably all that smoking- couldn't get further Cheers

 

[jjmcgo]

Bienvenue! Ici on parle Francais.
Be nice to our Quebec friends. We go back a long way. I remember in the late 1960s almost every wall and bridge support in Montreal was adorned with the French phrase, "A bas les Etats Unis."
Now, I have no idea what this meant but it was nice to see the Quebecois keeping us in mind.