You know you are NOT a peakbagger when...

[erugs]

Most excellent, Ellen. Give yourself a greenie.

Kevin

And how many groans?

 

[Raven]

Where's MY team?

Some recent hikes within the past 5 months:

-Adams and Madison. Why? If you've hiked them, I don't need to tell you. Adams "counted" for two lists I keep track of but I went up Madison just because it's Madison and it had snow all over it....I lost count of both of these summits at 10. Adams is totally a holy mountain IMO. I will climb it as long as I can.

-Cannon. Rainy day with good company. Totally a peak bag trip - a fun day anyway.

-Upper Inlook and Dome Rock loop. I just like this loop when I feel like a mid range day and want to be out.

-Washington. FOTF. It counted for a list but that's not why I did it.

-Caps Ridge Trail about halfway up before finding a great spot to sit, relax, and enjoy. Then down.

I do alot of hikes that don't get recorded anywhere other than in pictures and my mind and am looking forward to getting back out to places that "don't count" like the Kilkenny Ridge Trail and doing a few cool looking bushwhacks. However, I also keep track of the grid, seasonal, solo48, solo W48, W48 bag nights, and have considered that it might be a worthy endeavor to try to hike the 48 with a different person each time....admittedly I was thinking female companionship. Ask me how that's going.

Peakbaggers and Nonlist Hikers are like peas and beans. We're a little different, but we're all just legumes. We should both be keeping our eyes clearly on those carrots.

I simply love the mountains - so do all of you.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Exactly

I guess I'm an eternal optimistic -- if I am turned off a peak, I don't consider my hike unsuccessful - I just redefine my expectations such that I still feel gratitude for having a day in the mountains :/)

Hey, does this work with work? You know, deadlines and such? "The software delivery date was a success, Boss. I had to redefine it to have fewer features and more bugs though."

Maybe it's just me, but I am always at least a little bit disappointed if I fail to do what I set out to do. Be it peakbagging, delivering quality, working software on time, catching that big fish, etc. Even if nobody bagged peaks (100MPH winds), or all the servers went on the fritz for a week, or nobody found fish. Even if I gave 100%. Even if I learned some new things. (All these things ease the disappointment somewhat, but there is always a little bit.) I will always regret never having won a bicycle race. Came in second/third a handful of times, many top-10s, but I never stood on the top stair of the podium.

Yes, I am a goal-oriented person.

Tim

 

[Raven]

Hey, does this work with work? You know, deadlines and such? "The software delivery date was a success, Boss. I had to redefine it to have fewer features and more bugs though."

The Big Dig comes to mind. Construction is sometimes "more flexible on deadlines" than the software industry though.

I will always regret never having won a bicycle race. Came in second/third a handful of times, many top-10s, but I never stood on the top stair of the podium.
Tim

Don't give up on your goal Tim! Train now for winning the "80 and over's" categories far down the road so to speak.

 

[Maddy]

I gave up my quest years ago for my Old English Sheepdog, "Martha". "Ben", the hiking fool, could have scaled all of them and then some, but poor Martha was genetically compromised. Bad hips at a young age. Soooo we hiked for sheer joy of it, spent countless wonderful hrs in the woods, bagged some easier peaks, and I walk away having summitted 26 of the 48. From then on, I always had one dog or the other who could not handle a peak bagging quest and I never gave it a second thought. I derive so much joy from being on most any trail that it matters not to me whether I summit or not as long as we are all in it "together".

I love reading all the trip reports and continue to gain a wealth of info from all the people on these boards. Keep 'em coming! You are often my inspiration when the going gets tough, even on what might be considered not so challenging for many. I find the older I get, my definition of challenging is changing dramatically!

 

[hikerbrian]

Peakbaggers and Nonlist Hikers are like peas and beans. We're a little different, but we're all just legumes.

I'm actually not so sure that's true. I used to think that anyone who spent considerable time outdoors must simply love the outdoors in and of itself. Two conversations changed my viewpoint:
1. Several years ago I was soliciting advice (from another message board) on the best place to camp on Shasta's Cassaval Ridge for a winter ascent. The overwhelming response was, "Do it as a day hike, then you can stay in a cozy hotel and not have to deal with setting up camp etc." Many seemed unable to understand that it wasn't just about the summit, it was about being on the mountain. I'd rather sleep outside if given the choice.
2. I had the opportunity to speak with Tom Frost (very famous Yosemite climber) a few years ago after he gave a presentation to an alpine club that I belonged to at the time. I asked him how he had first gotten into climbing - "You must have been an outdoorsman first, then found that there were places you wanted to go that required technical climbing skills?" I asked. "No," was his answer. "I have never been much of an outdoorsman, I just got in with a group of people who were doing really amazing things, and I wanted to be like them." Since then, I've noticed that many "climbers" have no desire to actually sleep outside (for example), they want to get to the top of the route or mountain and then get the heck out of there. To be sure, this does not describe all climbers, and it certainly doesn't describe all peakbaggers, but it definitely describes some. That attitude is really very, very different from my own.

 

[dug]

I mean no offense with what I am about to say, but regarding the Peakbagging // Peakbragging note, isn't that exactly what it is when signatures are posted w/ NE 69/100; NH48; NY46; etc.?

Should I look at a poster differently if it says that, vs. just "I walk in the woods"?

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I mean no offense with what I am about to say, but regarding the Peakbagging // Peakbragging note, isn't that exactly what it is when signatures are posted w/ NE 69/100; NH48; NY46; etc.?

Should I look at a poster differently if it says that, vs. just "I walk in the woods"?

It could be. Or, it could be that I am working on the NEHH and you are free to join me and encouraged to share information. I've finished the 48 in any season and winter and you are encouraged to ask me questions.

I am kind of astonished that what was clearly started out as something humorous has taken on the view of dividing hikers into two camps and pitting them against one another

Just because I don't sleep outdoors doesn't mean I don't want to, or that if you do, you are any less of a person. It really means that I am lucky enough that my family grants me time for day-hiking and I don't want to test their limits. I don't have time, money or room for back country camping or the gear or learning curve it would require.

I think most of you know by now, and if not you can probably figure it out without too much trouble, that I have to divide my recreational free time amongst other hobbies as well... skiing and fishing don't overlap much, so on any given weekend, I have to pick between three things I enjoy doing almost in equal amounts. Does that make me less of a 'hiker' because I am also a cyclist, angler and skier? I don't think so. Because I want to finish the NEHH, I use my hiking time to bag peaks. It doesn't mean I wouldn't walk along side you should we meet on the trail if you aren't out to bag peaks.

I write trip reports and share pictures so Maddy, among others, can enjoy my travels vicariously. This includes an aunt who has very limited mobility. It's not about bragging or who has more notches in their belt. I do find it convenient to check with the grid folks if I have questions about a route or conditions since they generally have very recent beta. It's nice that they love to share information, but if I didn't know they were grid folks, I wouldn't know to ask. I've learned a ton from this site (and others) and it's my way of giving back.

Of all the thousands of interactions I've ever had on the hiking trails, I can only recall one where I got a negative "you peakbagger" reaction.

Tim

 

[sierra]

I'm actually not so sure that's true. I used to think that anyone who spent considerable time outdoors must simply love the outdoors in and of itself. Two conversations changed my viewpoint:
1. Several years ago I was soliciting advice (from another message board) on the best place to camp on Shasta's Cassaval Ridge for a winter ascent. The overwhelming response was, "Do it as a day hike, then you can stay in a cozy hotel and not have to deal with setting up camp etc." Many seemed unable to understand that it wasn't just about the summit, it was about being on the mountain. I'd rather sleep outside if given the choice.
2. I had the opportunity to speak with Tom Frost (very famous Yosemite climber) a few years ago after he gave a presentation to an alpine club that I belonged to at the time. I asked him how he had first gotten into climbing - "You must have been an outdoorsman first, then found that there were places you wanted to go that required technical climbing skills?" I asked. "No," was his answer. "I have never been much of an outdoorsman, I just got in with a group of people who were doing really amazing things, and I wanted to be like them." Since then, I've noticed that many "climbers" have no desire to actually sleep outside (for example), they want to get to the top of the route or mountain and then get the heck out of there. To be sure, this does not describe all climbers, and it certainly doesn't describe all peakbaggers, but it definitely describes some. That attitude is really very, very different from my own.

That funny and like me. I HATE backpacking, all my hikes are dayhikes even out west on the 14ers, Ive logged 20+ miles to avoid sleeping out. I travel fast and long and sleep in my truck at night. Sometimes like in the Sierra's or CO IM forced to bivi outside due to distance but I try and avoid it.

 

[Little Rickie]

Does any of this really matter as long as you're having fun and getting what you want out of your life?

 

[JacobH]

Does any of this really matter as long as you're having fun and getting what you want out of your life?

But, what if posting in this thread helps me have fun and get what I want out of life?

 

[una_dogger]

Never say never. I've been hiking and backpacking for 22 years, and only peakbagging for the past 5 (and still backpacking though not as much due to career). I've enjoyed all of the time I've spent out hiking. I don't divide my life into chapters.

And quite frankly, I think of myself as simply a girl who likes to hike with her dog.

 

[Little Rickie]

But, what if posting in this thread helps me have fun and get what I want out of life?

Have at it! It's all good! What do you think the rest of us are doing?

 

[Quietman]

Have at it! It's all good! What do you think the rest of us are doing?

Wishing that we were hiking, bagging, camping, walking with pets, skiing, biking, fishing, boating, instead of what we're doing now!

 

[forestgnome]

I think this thread was intended for our minority group, passionate hikers who don't follow lists/goals created by someone else, to share light hearted observations from our own esoteric point of view. I guess it is to be expected that peakbaggers would chime in, which, of corse, is fine.

I find that peakbaggers opinions/observations of non-peakbaggers does the same thing as reading the comments of fellow non-peakbaggers. It's all entertaining. A wildly off-target comment about my hiking style somehow warms my heart, and makes me look forward to my next aimless adventure in the forest a little more


anyway...you know you're not a PB when...

...you hike up to the top of Owl's Head Slide for the view and lunch, then back down

 

[Raven]

I mean no offense with what I am about to say, but regarding the Peakbagging // Peakbragging note, isn't that exactly what it is when signatures are posted w/ NE 69/100; NH48; NY46; etc.?

Should I look at a poster differently if it says that, vs. just "I walk in the woods"?

As someone who has a signature with some hikes listed that I have done, I agree with Tim's take on this. I won't speak for others, but I keep it there so people know and can ask a question I might be able to help with or as a conversation starter.

I know my place. There are many, many others on this forum (and other places) whose experience levels far exceed my own. It's just there because it tells something about me, similar to why the trail maintainer info is there too.

It's not there out of arrogance. I don't respect arrogance. But neither do I respect false humility.

I also really enjoy watching other's progress on their peakbagging, long distance hiking, and other goals. Signatures mkae that easy. But, I similarly enjoy reading and seeing trip reports by people like John (1happyhiker) and Forestgnome and other hikers (nonlisters).

With that said, I'm signing off this thread as I'm contributing to drift and will continue to hike with one foot in each camp so to speak.

On topic: you know you are not a peakbagger if you aren't paying attention to the number of replies to this thread compared to that other thread to see who "wins."

 

[Dave Bear]

I think this thread was intended for our minority group, passionate hikers who don't follow lists/goals created by someone else, to share light hearted observations from our own esoteric point of view. I guess it is to be expected that peakbaggers would chime in, which, of corse, is fine.

I find that peakbaggers opinions/observations of non-peakbaggers does the same thing as reading the comments of fellow non-peakbaggers. It's all entertaining. A wildly off-target comment about my hiking style somehow warms my heart, and makes me look forward to my next aimless adventure in the forest a little more


anyway...you know you're not a PB when...

...you hike up to the top of Owl's Head Slide for the view and lunch, then back down

Love your candor and freestyle of hiking Patrick! My first trip to Owl's Head was on a New year's Eve weekend as a 3-day backpack solo with nothing more than a summer tent and a zest for adventure! A previous group had broken to the base of the slide so I headed out during a storm using the bushwhack on completely new turf for me. On day two I broke out the slide through two and three foot drifts before calling it a day. Used the vantage point of the top of the slide to map a whack from Franconia Ridge I wouldn't make til several years later and went down to my tent for steak dinner. I weathered another storm that night and had steak for lunch at Black pond. No peak but one very fun adventure. Sure I notch off peaks but I also tally all my trail adventures and folks I meet out there as great experiences that make the path more enjoyable. Like Tim said there are many dear to me and others I don't even know that live vicariously through our adventures! That alone to me makes it worth while and everything else I get from it is a bonus ~ better health and stamina, personal accomplishments, an interesting skillset that makes me more confident in my ability to survive or help others in a harsh enviroment and above all the peace of mind I only find in the woods!
Pics from Owlie: http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow/563396140iTMmUu

 

[vinovampire]

In the spirit of this thread, perhaps we should create a list for non-peakbaggers. I propose the New England Making Every Summit is Silly (Nemesis) List.

Rules of the Nemesis List

1) The Nemesis List begins on 11/11/11;

2) Everybody starts with zero points;

3) Every time you hit a summit on a hike it counts for -1 points;

4) Every time you turn around on a hike without reaching any summit it counts for +1 points;

5) Points are calculated by multiplying the original number of points that you had at the beginning of each hike by the new number of points you earned on the current hike.

 

[natron]

+10 pts.

for pooping on the summit! that'll really teach them peakbaggers!! (just kidding, totally gross)

 

[una_dogger]

Sometimes I peak bag, other times I don't.

I guess that makes me BI. I'll hike with either.