which mountain most often?

vftt.org

Help Support vftt.org:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Climbed Mount Tammany (Delaware Water Gap) over 75 times, probably closer to 100. Used to "practice" for backpacking in the Whites or Adirondacks by piling 60-70 pounds of "stuff" in the pack and climbing Mt Tammany after work, 2 or 3 days per week for 5 or 6 weeks. After that, backpacking with only 40 pounds seems very light. On one such training hike, we all carried bowling balls. At the top, we removed the bowling balls from the packs and took some pictures. I still laugh when I recall seeing the look on people's faces. :D
 
David Metsky said:
I'm sure the northeast record is held by Larry Davis on Monadnock. He climbed the mountain 2,850 consecutive days, plus many hundreds more.


Hmmm..... The word "Obsession" comes to mind.

Those of us who maintain paths will tend to have a lot of trips on their path. I have a whole bunch of climbs on Street, Nye, and Dix.

Locally, I've got hundreds of a small hill that I hike, bike, and ski frequently.
 
Pete_Hickey said:
Hmmm..... The word "Obsession" comes to mind.
You're not the first to comment on this, Larry admits it pretty freely. He was stopped by a bout of pneumonia, otherwise he'd probably still be keeping the streak alive. Personally, I think he was glad for the legitimate excuse to stop.

-dave-
 
There are two mountains I hike at least twice a year...both are kinda special to me, but for different reasons. There are other places I hike more than once a year, but they are often more for the ease of access than anything. There is something about familiarity of a place that is peaceful and homey, and I love to "know" places I hike.
The best compliment I ever got on a trail was a fellow who said I was hiking the trail like I knew it...we were on the Cutler Coast trail.
 
For me, Wachusett abut 16 times since I moved here in late August.
I toyed with the idea of climbing it every day before or after work, but then again, I am not ready just yet for a divorce and I desperately want to see my little boy grow up :)
 
Overlook

For me it is Overlook in the Catskills. It is not very difficult, but it is kind of home for me. It is my hike to break in boots, to just get a hike when I haven't been out in awhile, a place to go by myself, a night hike, a short hike I can even do after work, an easy footing hike so I don't need to think about it, and most of all...a "good for the soul" (or time out of mind) hike.
 
when i asked the question i hadn't really thought of my own answers:
i guess kearsarge over a thousand
washington about 150
moose over 100
lafayette and moosilauke over 50...
good memories all, or maybe most.
 
non-legit,

your're at an age disadvantage? meaning....? you haven't had as much time on earth as older hikers?

just wondering:)

i'm 29 and born, grew up and live in da heartbeat.

i have never understood how the gentleman who climbs monadnock every day for freakin' years has endured never going farther than a few hours from his front porch for so long. it'd be near impossible for him to go to the beach, NYC, the daks, the glades, acadia, anywhere!

to each his own!
 
Wachusett has to be over 100 times by now. I've been running it once or twice a week for several years. There's an older man with two dogs I see sometimes who says he's hiked it every day for many years. Other very familiar hills: North Pack, Mt Grace, Mt Tom, Watatic.

I wonder if Larry David is the guy we saw on the VFTT Monadnock trip on 11/13. He was youngish looking, and was on his 198th and 199th trip that day and scheduled 200th for 11/14, the count being for this year.

I'm jealous of the folks who live closer to real mountains!!!!
 
Dugan said:
I wonder if Larry David is the guy we saw on the VFTT Monadnock trip on 11/13. He was youngish looking, and was on his 198th and 199th trip that day and scheduled 200th for 11/14, the count being for this year.
I wouldn't describe him as "youngish looking", when I met him back in the 90's I would have put his age as early to mid 30's. After his streak ended I think he got away from the regular climbing of the mountain. There are others who live close by who climb it very regularly.

-dave-
 
I haven't climbed the larger mountains in NE much, but one thing I learned was in order to enjoy them I had to get in better physical shape. The best way to get in shape for mountain climbing is to hike mountains. So about 6 years ago I started climbing Mt. Monadnock about once a week year round. I probably have about 250 climbs, although I summited less than halve the time. I have more fun exploring the whole mountain rather then just the top.

I have met a lot of people on Monadnock, including Larry, who is quite the character. He doesn't hike much any more, but when he did he got a lot of people interested in hiking. On the week ends he would have an entourage of 6 to 8 people with him. For a time EMS was sponsoring him and giving him free boots. While over his place one time he started showing me all his boots,he was like the cat in the hat. He had nice weather boots, mud boots,meet the girls boots, slide down the mountain in snow boots, and about ten other pairs. BTW Larry is 43 now and his streak ended when he was 40. We figured in his whole 4th decade on earth he missed less than 50 days summiting Monadnock :confused:
 
<sigh> I guess youngish looking is a matter of perspective. The man we met was 30's or 40's, short dark hair, skinny.

Mud boots, fair weather boots, snow boots - those I understand. Should I even ask what "meet the girls" boots are????
 
Dugan said:
Mud boots, fair weather boots, snow boots - those I understand. Should I even ask what "meet the girls" boots are????
I know people with "dress Limmers". :) They even got married in them.

-dave-
 
Mud boots, fair weather boots, snow boots - those I understand. Should I even ask what "meet the girls" boots are????

You'll have to ask him. He's got names for all his boots. When you think of all the miles he hiked ( pretty tough miles on the dot ), in all the weather he's hiked in ( winds so fierce he's had to crawl to touch the summit marker and times he's been waist deep in slush ), and injuries he's endured (he cracked a couple ribs one fall but that didn't stop him ) it is ahm mm sorta kinda quite the feat. I don't even summit Wachusett, so wadda I no.

The man we met was 30's or 40's, short dark hair, skinny.

I'm going to guess here, but the person you describe sounds like Gary Harrington. He does the ridge racing and a couple years ago he finished 11th in NE. Gary works for the Keane newspaper and it was his article about Ken Holmes that was published in the Boston Globe sunday magazine.
 
North Uncanoonuc, same as Sherpa John. Ive been climbing it 3-5 times a year for a total of 40-50 now. South Uncanoonuc probably 1/2 as many. Its fun to have a "home" mountain to try gear on and experiment.
Hey John have you ever tried to go from one to the other? Its pretty thick in that "cleavage" area.
 
Mt. Kinsman, climb it couple times every summer. Roll out of bed, cut thru the back yard and pop out on the trail. I've deliberately not been over to S. Kinsman. If I ever do all 48 I want that trail to be the last hike. :D
 
yeah, im 17 and im only able to do so much as gas money i have, you know? but avon mountain and the res are always open. actually, were going to tramp around and be irresponsible teens tomorrow

*edit i work tomorrow...sweet nevermind lol
 
Last edited:
I wish I lived Close Enough To Climb More...

First off: Ken-Postrboy - stop it or you can both spend the day in your rooms! :p

Second in regards to: "Some of us are blessed to live close enough to northeast mountains to hike up a nearby little one (or big one) most days."
Pleeeeseeee rent me a room for the wkends! I would love to be able to just head out my door and be within minutes or so of a nice hike in the Daks anytime I pleased. Lucky you. :cool:
 
Does Mount Leafpile count as a mountain? If so, I've climbed it about 723 times in the last 6 weeks. :D

If not, I've never climbed anything more than a few times although I am impressed by those who fall in love with a particular hill and enjoy seeing her in all her moods at all times of year.
 
Top