To be a 46er or not to be?

[Tahawus]

If I climb all 46 can I call myself a 46er and display a patch and sticker without being registered with the organization? I have never been much for paperwork and beauracracy and would be personally satisfied to know that I had done it. However I wouldn't want to tread on anyone's toes by illicitly using a copywritten term or sticker.

I have been plugging away at climbing all the 46 since my teens (back in the '70s). Back then I dutifully signed my name in all the canisters. I had a ten or 15 year hiatus as I raised a nonbackpacking family(sob!) but for the last several years I have been going for it again. With only 8 or 9 more to go I have to face wether it's worth it to do the documenting paperwork for official 46er status or wether maybe it is too late already since some of the mountains I climbed several years ago.

 

[DLhiker]

I don't much care, but it's not hard to join the 46ers. I didn't "register" until 25 years after my first peak. When I first wrote in, I was at 38 peaks.

I recommend that people register earlier, not so much for the accountability, but the interaction with fellow hikers. The accountability here should be self motivated. It's pretty pathetic to lie about something like this just to get a patch!

 

[mommabear]

Tahawus,

Whether you choose to get recognized as a 46er or not is up to you. As far as wearing their patches, I know that you shouldn't buy one unless you're a 46er and I doubt that they would want you wearing them if you're not actually recognized by them as one.

I'm glad I decided to go for the 46. It was fun to write my letters and know that somebody enjoyed reading about my hikes, and I didn't find the paperwork to be a big deal at all.

As far as your older hikes, if you're curious, I would suggest you contact them and see if they're willing to recognize them. From what I've seen, in most cases, they give credit for those hikes from way back when.

 

[KZKlimber]

No time limits

I've reported hikes from the early 80's without issue in my trip reports to date. As long as you can reasonably estimate the month/year and remember enough to write a few sentences about your experience like who were you with, what was the weather like, how was the view (if any), any funny anectodes, etc it will be fine. Obviously the reports for the more recent hikes are much more elaborate. You should try to report every few hikes to keep the reports reasonable to read. I too reported something like 32 peaks in my first report.

I was surprised and pleased with the very nice return letters I get They obviously read every bit of your letter and take the time to make thoughtful replies. Very classy!

KZ (43 down 3 to go)

 

[rhihn]

We've been reporting for many years now. When we first wrote, I think we had seven or eight. I won't mention the person's name we write to, as I haven't seen him on this board, but I'm sure many here know him. We enjoy his responses to our reports, and once accidentally ran into him on the Dix trail. Anyway, we're sure he's wondering why we're taking our sweet time. The answer is, we do lots of other hiking besides the 46, and some of the 46 we've done several times over. With only five to go, we'll finish, probably next summer. They've asked us for a summary of the past ones (something they apparently do after 36 peaks), which we haven't filled out yet. I can remember every rock and log on most of the trails, but for the life of me I can't remember even the year, let alone the month, for some of them (we're not the greatest record keepers). When we do finish, I'm sure it will be a sense of great satisfaction, but we won't be wearing any patches. Not our style. I've never so much as put a bumper sticker on my car. We're intentionally saving Haystack for last.

 

[mommabear]

Anyway, we're sure he's wondering why we're taking our sweet time.

I doubt he's really wondering like you think. In fact, it's kind of funny, at the end of each year, they list all the new 46ers and give a special acknowledgment to some of the more unique new members. They list couples and families who hiked the 46 together, and even whoever earned the 46 the fastest and whoever took the longest. It seems that they don't care how fast or slow or young or old you are. They acknowledge everybody no matter what the details are.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

It was fun to write my letters and know that somebody enjoyed reading about my hikes,

This is what the correspondants live for. A nice interaction. The mood comes through in the letters, which are truely enjoyable to read.

I remember waiting for my letters back from Grace (who, by the way is not doing well these days.. please remember her in your prayers.)

And, according to the bylaws of the orginization, only "recorded 46ers" can wear the patch/use emblem.

 

[crazymama]

Go for it!

I think you should go for it and write in with your hikes so far, documenting them to the best of your ability. Obviously its important to you to be able to call yourself a "46er" and have the patch. The paperwork really is not much and in my experience is not all that "bureaucratic."

I've actually kind of enjoyed writing my letters. And they're not really interested in JUST peaks and dates, but want you to write about the experience of each hike. Its a good thing to do anyway for yourself (keep copies.)

 

[Tahawus]

Okay I can write about my hike, I can write up my route and what I felt and saw but I am lucky to get the year correct forget about the month or day. Even for the hikes I took last year I would have a hard time doing anything more than pinning down the month. Kind of sad but I have been that way all my life so at least I know that it is not just getting older doing it to me.

Most of my hikes have been solo although I will happily hook up with people on the trail. I keep telling myself I need to keep a journal because I meet some great people while hiking and 2 weeks later I can never remember their names, embarassing.

 

[Bhoody]

writing in...

I believe it was Grace that said something to this effect - if it's worth climbing a mountain, then it's worth writing about it!

BTW - the correspodents love to hear from folks.

 

[Puma concolor]

Tahawus -

The 46Rs were the first "list" I completed and most of the time I was doing them, I was pretty indifferent to the idea of being crowned an OFFICIAL 46R by the Grand Pubah of the Adirondacks. After all, I wasn't climbing them to be part of a Club or to be recognized by anyone. I was doing it because I love mountains. But my irreverance gradually faded and my tune eventually changed as I got near the very end of the list and the sense of accomplishment began to grow. Also, like you, I'm pretty much a solo hiker so the opportunity to feel like part of the community despite not really being part of the community became an incentive as well. I didn't write in until I was done but am glad now that I took the time to write down my thoughts on the various peaks and now look forward to this part of the process with every new list I complete. You'll be surpirsed how enjoyable it will be to put pen to paper on your feelings about your 46R travels. It's also a great tool for sorting out scattered thoughts about the mountains. In a way, it's kind of like these forums ... your letter to the 46Rs will probably be of far greater interest to you than anyone else. Finally, I have to say the 46Rs are an AWESOME Club and Adirondack Peeks is about the best little magazine going out there. Plus, great deals at EMS on Club Day. What more can you ask for?

 

[beverly]

EMS Club day

EMS has Club Day twice a year - Spring and Fall. Members of outdoor organizations (ADK, Sierra Club, etc.) get a 20 % discount.

 

[Rick]

Club Day?
Have I been missing out on some deep discounts?

20% (Which EMS usually has storewide 2x per year anyway) Club day use to be a Thursday in April and one in October (Perhaps First Thursday, IIRC?)

Now as I understand, Club Day has been changed to a weekend to allow more club members (any outdoor org) time to access the
stores.

BTW, I remember when I first did the 46, I wanted to complete those mountains and I WANTED that patch - I was hellbent to get them all done in 2 years - I would have with the exception of tearing my ACL a month after I hiked my first peak, Seymour, which laid me up for almost a year.
(If you are reading this Pete, 9 months before I met you and your son on the Sewards.)

Sadly, I foundered for about a year after completing the 46, though I was working on a 2nd winter round, I felt lost without a new goal such as the 46, that I had constantly thought about and lived to complete daily.

Thank God for the AT, PCT, MST, Bicentennial Trail ......

......Never ends, does it?????

 

[Pete_Hickey]

(If you are reading this Pete, 9 months before I met you and your son on the Sewards.)

Interesting you say that, Rick. Current avatar was from the day we met. When JR was 10 or so years old.

 

[Jasonst]

Club day is not exclusive any more to club members. Any Joe can go to EMS on that day and get the 20% off. I look forward to those days!

 

[Tahawus]

You know ever since I started this thread I have dredging my memory trying to recall which Mountain of the 46 I climbed first. I know it happened '77 because that was when I went to summer camp on Long Lake. But was it Marcy or was it Armstrong on my way over to Gothics. It might have been Giant but I think I did that later. Boy I should have listened to my English teacher when He recommended that we all start journals.

I do remember that Adams was my first Adirondack Mountain and Indian Pass was my first overnight. I still remember how impressed I was when we met a Ridgerunner in Indian Pass. "Wow, Someone who does this everyday for a living", I thought and he wore sneakers too, thats how tough he was. An early example of Ultralight backpacking. (I think they were Keds).

 

[Buddur]

Can Someone Elaborate Some More?

Reading through the posts many have mentioned "writing reports" and " correspondants". One (rhihn) even mentioned "reporting for many years now". Is there a standard downloadable format for this "report" and when you sign up with the organization are you assigned a correspondant to verify the claims of the report as you submit them?

My first hike in NY was in 2000 when I did Dix. I went up, then down Hunter Pass then back up the Beckhorn trail to the summit...quite a dayhike it was, I was whooped, but boy did that hike hook me. I love that area and just want to keep coming back! I've done 15 so far, just me and my Golden Retriever on all of them. I'm in no hurry to hit them all, but I do want to follow through with this accomplishment.

Anywho... Maybe I too should start reporting early. Is there a website I should brouse through that will elaborate further on this topic?

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Re: Can Someone Elaborate Some More?

Is there a standard downloadable format for this "report" and when you sign up with the organization are you assigned a correspondant to verify the claims of the report as you submit them?

The standard form, is an 8.5 x 11 peice of paper that starts off with:


Dear ........,

A letter.

When you first right in, you are assigned a correspondent. You write to this person, telling him/her about your experiences. Don't make it cold and analytical, Don't make it s long detailed trip report.. Just a plain letter telling what you climbe, when, with who, interesting things, hopes for the next climb, how you felt about the climb..

The correspondents are not clerks or robots. They are people who enjoy conversing with you. Don't think of it as willing out a form.

Once you are finished your 46, your letters are archived in the state library in Albany, where researchers can look at them in years to come.

Yes, start early. You will enjoy writing your letters, and you will enjoy getting the response, then finally you will enjoy it when you meet your correspondent

 

[mommabear]

Buddur,

I wouldn't say there's a standard 'downloadable' form - not for the hike reports anyway. Basically, they just like to have you list the peak you hiked, the date, with whom, and a little bit about the hike. Some people list everything in a table form and others write letters. Although I understand they do like letter format better.

When you contact them, they do assign you a correspondent and that same person is with you throughout (although I imagine if you take decades to achieve the 46 there's a chance they'll have to transfer you to another correspondent). I liked the fact that there was this one person that basically hiked it with me (even if just in spirit) from beginning to end. My correspondent got to know my hiking style and gave really good feedback.

The link to contact them is http://www.adk46r.org.

Once you contact them, they send you the information to get you started.

BTW, I wish I could tell you that your dog could earn a patch too but I don't think they assign 46 numbers to four-legged 46ers

 

[Pete_Hickey]

BTW, I wish I could tell you that your dog could earn a patch too but I don't think they assign 46 numbers to four-legged 46ers

Not any more. There is at least one dog on the list, however. They stopped when the AMR banned dogs, even though it is technically possible to do them without crossing their land.