Chugach001
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Well...? .
What is an Epic?
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Barbarossa
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nartreb
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If you go there and come back, that's a journey. If it takes you ten years, you have to fight monsters, and you come back to find 108 men competing to marry your wife, that's an epic.
bignslow
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For me "an Epic" is any hike/trip that takes you way outside of your comfort zone. For instance, climbing the trap dyke in winter (as my first winter hike 
) = epic. I think an epic would vary person to person, for instance, my threshold is a lot lower than all the super-hikers we have on this board. For instance, a 20 mile hike with a lot of elevation gain might be easy for some, but for me, it would probably be a 12+ hour day with me dragging myself out by the end of the day, for me it would be an epic, for them it would be a good warmup
) = epic. I think an epic would vary person to person, for instance, my threshold is a lot lower than all the super-hikers we have on this board. For instance, a 20 mile hike with a lot of elevation gain might be easy for some, but for me, it would probably be a 12+ hour day with me dragging myself out by the end of the day, for me it would be an epic, for them it would be a good warmup 
forestgnome
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There are some hikes on which something extremely memorable happens and it stays fresh in my memory. That's my idea of epic.
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cbcbd
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I think I'd call that an "odyssey"nartreb said:
Barbarossa
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. . . . . .cbcbd said:I think I'd call that an "odyssey"
D'oh!
Chugach001
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I hear the term used so freely that I wonder if it is starting to lose its meaning.
My first "epic" happened during my first forced bivy – followed by my dear wife calling in a rescue for me in the morning. And the very embarrassing situation of trying to wave off a pave-hawk helicopter loaded with SAR personnel. To add further insult my friend quickly told me that I did not epic and that any mountaineer worth his salt establishes a 24 grace period with their spouse before concern is warranted. And in retrospect, it was just a cold night of deep kneebends on a snowy ledge. Not really an epic.
My question is, are there base qualifiers for an epic? Does there need to be an injury or a serious delay? Or just exertion and inconvenience?
It seems that some just flat out qualify - Doug Scott crawling off the Ogre with two broken legs – Epic! Shackelton – Epic!
My first "epic" happened during my first forced bivy – followed by my dear wife calling in a rescue for me in the morning. And the very embarrassing situation of trying to wave off a pave-hawk helicopter loaded with SAR personnel. To add further insult my friend quickly told me that I did not epic and that any mountaineer worth his salt establishes a 24 grace period with their spouse before concern is warranted. And in retrospect, it was just a cold night of deep kneebends on a snowy ledge. Not really an epic.
My question is, are there base qualifiers for an epic? Does there need to be an injury or a serious delay? Or just exertion and inconvenience?
It seems that some just flat out qualify - Doug Scott crawling off the Ogre with two broken legs – Epic! Shackelton – Epic!
sapblatt
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Epic
Here are a few epics...for me, epic = death march
Thoreau Falls the hard way
Madison the hard way
Monroe the hard way
Notice the common theme here? Yes - LarryD was on all three of these delightful jaunts thru the forest!
And yes - I have a poor hiking memory as I would do any of these hikes over again - well, maybe!
Here are a few epics...for me, epic = death march
Thoreau Falls the hard way
Madison the hard way
Monroe the hard way
Notice the common theme here? Yes - LarryD was on all three of these delightful jaunts thru the forest!
And yes - I have a poor hiking memory as I would do any of these hikes over again - well, maybe!
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MattC
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I've never been involved in anything I'd consider an epic. Tough to define what one is. Maybe the word "unplanned" somewhere in the story would be a qualifer.
I once heard epic used as a verb, as in "That guy was really epicing", meaning that that the speaker felt that the guy was exagerrating the difficulty/danger/whatever of a hike.
Matt
I once heard epic used as a verb, as in "That guy was really epicing", meaning that that the speaker felt that the guy was exagerrating the difficulty/danger/whatever of a hike.
Matt
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Jay H
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Neil
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Overheard at Starbucks: Have an an awesome epic of a day sir.
This being said to my 84 year old father who says that every trip to the bathroom to pee is an epic.
None of the above is true. But base on modern language abuse and hyperbole it could be.
Every hike I enjoy is an epic. Otherwise I don't enjoy it.
I also like epicurean things.
This being said to my 84 year old father who says that every trip to the bathroom to pee is an epic.
None of the above is true. But base on modern language abuse and hyperbole it could be.
Every hike I enjoy is an epic. Otherwise I don't enjoy it.
I also like epicurean things.
Toe Cozy
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It's poetry
Epic poetry
So, the next time any of you use the word "epic" in your trip reports I will now expect to see it as a poem instead of standard prose. Now, that would be fun.
Epic poetry
So, the next time any of you use the word "epic" in your trip reports I will now expect to see it as a poem instead of standard prose. Now, that would be fun.
NewHampshire
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Epic is plodding through waist deep snow for 2 1/4 hours just to go 1 mile while only having 5 guys to break trail....oh yeah, and lets add in a few steep spots (the Chimney in between the Osceolas) that threaten to send you sliding away. Yup, thats an epic!
Brian
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Gris
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An Epic Hike is...
Finding yourself crossing the swollen Wild River after midnight one early June night, in the midst of a horrendous lightening storm, after a 15+ mile hike through beautiful sun, sweltering heat, waste deep post-hole snow and driving night-rain, then being swept away in the rapids, deciding it's an acceptable way to die, only to have your best friend mysteriously reach out and grab you a hundred yards downstream - from a rock in the middle of the river -during an 'illuminating' lightening strike, losing the trail and getting lost in woods after that, only to emerge and get hit by another boomer storm... Right Sherp?
Finding yourself crossing the swollen Wild River after midnight one early June night, in the midst of a horrendous lightening storm, after a 15+ mile hike through beautiful sun, sweltering heat, waste deep post-hole snow and driving night-rain, then being swept away in the rapids, deciding it's an acceptable way to die, only to have your best friend mysteriously reach out and grab you a hundred yards downstream - from a rock in the middle of the river -during an 'illuminating' lightening strike, losing the trail and getting lost in woods after that, only to emerge and get hit by another boomer storm... Right Sherp?
IMO an EPIC is relative to the situation and the indvidual. In other words what might be EPIC for me may not be to another. Although I would say an EPIC would probably be a situation for me that would be outside the realm of my everyday life. I have certainly had some Epic Powder Days where no one got hurt or lost...just had an Epic time. I have also seen Garcia play when it was Epic to me and the guy next to me thought it was a low energy show. I've also seen people flown out of the Mountains in body bags who certainly had an Epic time. The word is used so much that it has different levels of intensity and meaning for different people. I could think of a few other words like harrowing or humbling that probably are closer to what Epic meant a few decades ago.
sierra
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MY favorite epic occurred in CO 3 yrs ago. I was climbing Mt. Shavano and Mt. Tabequache, the standard route requires you to climb Shavano descend the col then climb tabe and return over shavano. While descending back into the col I hit a section of loose talus and began sliding, while sliding my foot wedged between 2 rocks and snapped my right ankle. My first reaction was to look up at the summit of Mt. Shavano and say oh shit Im f'ed. Now I know most dissagre with my solo rules of leaving no itinary but in cases like this it really helps. I have no choice but to proceed directly to my own rescue as that is the only option. Anywho, long story short, many hours, with both trekking poles together as a crutch and I got out. One of my most satisfiing days in the mountains, 2 14ers, a great epic, and I felt extremely proud to have gotten out myself. I
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