Question for all peakbaggers

[Double Bow]

I suppose that I'm a "reformed" peakbagger. I was definately chasing the list when working on my 48. With that done, I'm now doing a wide varirty of peaks, some on lists, some not. The lists give me ideas of places to go. On a clear day, you can't go wrong with looking at the 52 With-A-View list and climbing something on it. Do I care if I'm doing a hike on a list every weekend or not? No. Am I keeping track of what I hike and checking it off if it's on a list? Yes.

One may ask "what's the difference?". The difference is that one way you're a peakbagger who's driven by the lists. The other way, you're a peakbagger guided by the lists. I'm happy to belong to this second group.

Like I said before, I'm working on the "Mountains I Haven't Climbed and Mountains I Have Climbed" list. Climb them all!

 

[Kermudgn]

Many many thanks to the several folks here who've replied both on- and off-list. Just to reiterate: if you have a thought on the subject that you'd like have quoted in the article (and again, no promises it'll be included), please e-mail it to me off-list, worded a bit differently than any response you post here in the forum -- otherwise I'm just trawling what could be construed as previously-published internet posts, strictly speaking, which ain't quite kosher for newspaper publication. Thanks so much again to everyone here who's so far contributed. Keep 'em comin'.

Best wishes
-- K
[email protected]

 

[Puma concolor]

Or, if you remove the b, a, a and p ... you get "kegger"

Why not keep all the letters: GRAB APE KEG!

 

[dr_wu002]

Idea Bagger

I think that I'm more of an "Idea Bagger" rather than "Peak Bagger" -- I get some idea in my head, whether it's Washington or some irrelevant rock in the middle of nowhere and I just want to go look at it. Sometimes I want to find a canister. Sometimes I want to go pee off the trail somewhere else. Other times it's a pond or an old rail road switch in the woods somewhere. Then it might be Franconia Ridge. It could be the history of something that intrigues me and I want to go and be in that area. It might be the foundations of an old fire tower. Maybe the prospect of seeing a neekid lady. I don't know -- the ideas come out too fast and I sometimes overcommit myself to various hikes. The reason I don't do the NH48 per say is because it interrupts my manic approach to bagging other things. You say I'm un structured? I say Bull Dongs. Why would I want a list telling me what to do next, limiting my options, when my head is constantly screaming at me, instructing and providing me with coordinates to my next destination.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Adk_dib]

i peakbag becouse i like to climb to different summits for different views. I dont want todo the same summit all the time so i use a list. one i am finished with the list, i will start from the beginning again.

 

[Kermudgn]

Hi again, and, again, thanks to everyone who's responded both on- and off-list to the original post. All of the replies have been thoughtful, many of them eloquent, some of them downright moving. I wish I had space in the article to use all of them. The one thing, though, I haven't gotten yet -- given this forum's title, and the general tenor of the opinions expressed over its many hundreds of topics and threads, maybe I shouldn't expect to find this here -- is feedback from anyone I'd consider a hardcore peakbagger in the strictest sense, which is to say the hiker/climber in Ironman Triathlete condition who'll dash over half a dozen peaks in a day and a half just to tick them off on his or her list without much stopping to admire the scenery... the climber who's done the entire ADK 46 in two weeks or something just to say they've done the 46 in two weeks, without much remembering the difference between one ascent from another nor this view from the top from that. Not passing judgment on that way of hiking -- indeed, as has often been said, "hike your own hike," and peakbagging that way is a most impressive feat of athleticism and endurance. Anyone here do that, or done that, in the climb-as-many-as-possible as-fast-as-possible sense? Please reply off-list if you'd like to be quoted for publication.
Thanks again to all.
Best wishes --
K

 

[carole]

a hardcore peakbagger in the strictest sense, which is to say the hiker/climber in Ironman Triathlete condition who'll dash over half a dozen peaks in a day and a half ...
indeed, as has often been said, "hike your own hike," and peakbagging that way is a most impressive feat of athleticism and endurance. Anyone here do that, or done that, in the climb-as-many-as-possible as-fast-as-possible sense?

I know there are several here who would fit the 'impressive' category but they may or may not speak up for your article.

 

[sli74]

the hiker/climber in Ironman Triathlete condition who'll dash over half a dozen peaks in a day and a half
K

the climber who's done the entire ADK 46 in two weeks or something just to say they've done the 46 in two weeks
K

There are people here who have done such things, though I can't say if they will speak up BUT your problem won't be finding people who have done these things so much as finding people who fit the following . . .

just to tick them off on his or her list without much stopping to admire the scenery
K

just to say they've done the 46 in two weeks, without much remembering the difference between one ascent from another nor this view from the top from that.
K

Here is where you might have a problem finding someone. A lot of people who have done a list over and over, maybe even 12 times over might "run" the list for the sake of a challenge but rarely do you find someone who is doing the list as a "run" just to finish the list.

The people who do the ultra-marathon peakbagging are folks who hike a more regular pace just like everyone else (well except us snails) and do the "run" as something else to push their limits.

anyone I'd consider a hardcore peakbagger in the strictest sense
K

Sounds less like you are looking for peakbaggers and more like you are looking for record-breakers. Not all peakbaggers are fast . . . maybe I am not understanding your definition of peakbagging but I was always under the impression it had less to do with speed and more to do with how many summits, etc . . .

I also think you will find that most people who hike, hike for all many different reasons. Sometimes I hike for the solitude, other times for the views, and still other times just to get away from the daily grind. Sometimes, I hike to summits and sometimes long distance trails, sometimes to sit by a pond and other times to get exercise, finding a hiker who hikes SOLELY to bag a summit once and for nothing else might be a bit harder, though maybe not impossible.

Anyway, hope you find what you are looking for . . .

sli74

 

[frytz]

Bagging

i peakbag becouse i like to climb to different summits for different views. I dont want todo the same summit all the time so i use a list. one i am finished with the list, i will start from the beginning again.

I used to peakbag (NH 4000s), but now I trailbag! In either case, it keeps a carrot in front of me!!

Fred

 

[Kermudgn]

All excellent points, and thanks once more for that feedback. I suppose the problem with the question is that the definition of "peakbagger" is awfully fuzzy, and means quite different things to different people. Few of us, including myself, hike and climb for only one reason -- the scenery, the sounds, the summits, the solitude, the camaraderie, the challenge, you name it, several and usually most of those things are part of what motivates us to engage in something a lot of people couldn't be paid to try (their loss, obviously). The funny thing is, most folks who've come forward for this article and identified themselves as "peakbaggers" cite most or all of those things as what drives them to hike and climb, while a few I've spoken with who say they hate the idea of peakbagging go on to say they hike and climb for the very same reasons. Except for working on or completing a list, there's just no discernible difference between those who'd describe themselves as peakbaggers and those who wouldn't. So let me try to refine the question further, one last time, and see if some self-described peakbaggers will respond. Is there anyone on board here for whom completing a list is clearly the overarching priority, the other parts of the wilderness experience being, well, not at all negligible, but secondary to the list itself? Forget the racing over the peaks thing I brought up last time, but climbers consumed by their list(s), that's who I'd like to hear from (*in addition* to less list-driven hikers).
Thanks very much again to everyone here for your very patient and thoughtful indulgence. Please reply off-list if you're keen on being quoted in the article.

Best wishes --
K
[email protected]

 

[spaddock]

Peakbagging is clearly my primary goal and here's why.

Before I started climbing the 46 I would have never gone on a hike just for the fun of it for 13 hours. Hiking before discovering the 46 I'd go out for 3 or 4 hours, maybe 5 tops.

Before I started peakbagging I would have never thought to get up at 3am to drive 3 hours just to get an early winter start, and then drive the 3 hours back home the same day.

Before peakbagging I wouldn't stretch out an already 10 hour hike just to get another peak that's so close.

Before peakbagging I wouldn't have given up downhill skiing for an entire season because, "there are only 12 weekends for winter hikes".

Before peakbagging I would have never woken up from surgery and immediately be thinking... I think I'm good for a hike this weekend.

I love the outdoors, always have, but peakbagging has definitely taken it up a notch or two.


-Shayne