How Many Peaks?

[Bob_Clarke]

Good topic spray boi

 

When I began climbing the rage was getting a badge of peak bagging honor. The more peaks the more "experienced" and revered.

 

I generally get about 20 peaks a year not counting those Tiger mountain & Mt. Si runs. Is peak bagging important. Sure, every peak has a distinct view and personality kind of like a buffet table. Enjoy all of them!

[Ned_Flanders]

Peak bagging was at first important, but now it doesnt mean anything to me. If I go up an easy route, I do it for the views, relaxation in the mountains, photography, not to tick a peak.

[MysticNacho]

300 or so.

[mark]

Is Peakbagging important? Obviously it depends on whats important to you.

 

Consider that climbing covers a spectrum of activity. At one end of the spectrum, is the highly technical activity that is totally divorced from the mountains (i.e. – gym climbing or bouldering). At the other end of the spectrum is the surroundings oriented aspect of the sport related to being in the mountains (i.e. peakbagging-summiting peaks with little or no technical challenge). Where you operate on the spectrum is each person’s choice and based on their choice, that slice of the sport become “important”.

 

Dru, as somebody who would rather “do a route, than tick a peak” I think you're on the end of the spectrum closer to the peakbagger than the gym climber. Seems to me that you and Scot’teryx might have something in common after all- the mountains.

 

So what would you rather do, move up a letter grade in the gym or stumble to the top of Point 7372 in the Prince Creek quadrant? The cool thing is there is no wrong answer.

[Dru]

depends what the rock is like on point 7372.

[Ade]

Quality not quantity

[Scotch-a-Go-Go]

Heh,

 

I've got some old (and I DO MEAN OLD }guidebooks for Peshastin, Darrington, Index, etc., that calls the routes "practice climbs".

 

Seems that the worm turns in what is fashionable. Best thing to do is not worry about labels and climb Nirvana Ridge on acid. Trust me you won't do anything more stupid in your life and so you won't worry about whether you are a geek for wanting to tick lame Olympic walkups!

 

Cheers!!!!

[Goat_Boy]

Originally posted by Scotch-a-Go-Go:

[QB]Heh,

 

I've got some old (and I DO MEAN OLD }guidebooks for Peshastin, Darrington, Index, etc., that calls the routes "practice climbs".

 

Seems that the worm turns in what is fashionable. Best thing to do is not worry about labels and climb Nirvana Ridge on acid. Trust me you won't do anything more stupid in your life and so you won't worry about whether you are a geek for wanting to tick lame Olympic walkups!

 

True, but you just labeled the Olympics as lame. Let me come to their defense here--since this is my backyard range. They are what they are. Mostly igneous, chossy and low, by Cascade standards. But they are beautiful in their own way and offer many fine challenges for a mountaineer. Sure, you're going to leave your camalots at home, but that doesn't make them lame. If you need to brag on your first 5.9 OW lead, you can still head to the backside of Constance.

 

BTW, peakbagging IS the sport for this range, since a wide variety of fine sporting routes on major summits don't generally exist.

[Dru]

YeahI wanna do Nirvana this year. I have a copy of a TR some guy wrote for it climbing it in 1969 in stiff soled boots. Acid sounds Xtra fun but you will have to supply it b4 my ascent.

[Scotch-a-Go-Go]

I didn't mean to put the Olympics down. There are some really fun climbs over there and I was facetiously talking about bagging lame walkups since I've done plenty!

 

For Dru on Nirvana ridge. That is one of the weirdest and coolest climbs. Kind of like skinnying up the side of the Millenium Falcon. A very nice exposed cross onto the face and when I did it twenty years ago just very rare rusty old 1/4 inch bolts for pro. The cool overhanging rap off the top is fun too.

 

[Bronco]

I think I am pathetically, 2 for about 20 attempts on peaks this season, it's just not happening for me this year.

 

Pretty good learning experience, examples:

 

don't attempt an ice route when there is only wet snow cover on the rocks and you're expected to be back at the office by late afternoon,

 

don't encourage your partner to wear new boots that haven't been broken in on the long flat approach,

 

do climb snow filled 45 degree approach gullies in good weather lest you be trundled and avalanched on when it turns to wind and rain,

 

do pick partners who have similar motivation for attempting the climb. It's not fun being the frusterated "gung ho" partner (SUMMIT OR PLUMMIT) or the frusterated guy who needs to get back to town for a comittment. I've been both this season.

 

here's to doing some cool winter climbing

 

ps: if anyone wants to go out to big 4 and destroy some ice, let me know.

[eric8]

Since I started climbing in june I bagged 15 summits without failure and know have failed on my last 2, blast. Summits still matter but lately I have been looking for more then simple walk ups or scrambles, wich aren't really climbing.

[plexus]

It's all about the experience. Is the summit important, that varies depending on the climb. I never celebrate a summit until I am back at the truck, then I pop the top on a few microbrews. Ya can kill yerself getting down those things !!

 

I went to do Frisco a couple of days ago and didn't tag the summit, why? Cause I went a different way than the ones recommended and encountered exposed Class 4 on extremely loose rock. A few hundred feet from the summit, we turned around. Was I disappointed? Not in the least. I spent a day out in a beautiful area with beautiful weather with my beautiful fiancee.

 

On the same note, I was determined to get to the top of Liberty Bell despite getting offroute and doing Overexposure instead of the Beckey Route (don't ask, we took the wrong gully up and wound up doing mid-fifth class moves on the "approach" before making two raps down into the right one).

 

It all depends on how much you want it. Do you want the summit or do you want to have a good experience? It's the best of both worlds when they are one and the same.

[Dru]

its kind of ironical that after this post i went out and bagged a peak via a choss hike route up dirt. great dirt ski on the way down and views of unclimbed alpine ice.

[allthumbs]

Pass the Visine

[dR]

Dru...the 'mountaineer dude' you spoke of in the opening post...do you know this guy?...if not, how do you know that ALL he did was bag peaks?...just a queery...

[Cpt.Caveman]

I just want to declare that on sunday I drove to the summit of Mount Erie 412 times to add to my summit numbers.

[allthumbs]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman:

I just want to declare that on sunday I drove to the summit of Mount Erie 412 times to add to my summit numbers.

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Hey Ray, how's that grow operation goin' up there anyway?

[Cpt.Caveman]

I got some hefty plants. Ready to harvest next week.

[Mr._Chips]

So is Beckey a peak-bagger then? Or is he considered to be a climber or a mountaineer? what do you think Fred calls himself?

[Cpt.Caveman]

Try reading his book "Challenge of the North Cascades". There is reference to this question in there.

[Mr._Chips]

the real question is what do you call it?

[Cpt.Caveman]

What he calls it. A mix of everything is what he mentions in a nutshell.

[Mr._Chips]

Dru says it's an indication of how active someone is and that perhaps they are not good at anything else. THEN he proceeds to bag peaks. what is up with that if he looks down on it so much.

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mr. Chips:

Dru says it's an indication of how active someone is and that perhaps they are not good at anything else. THEN he proceeds to bag peaks. what is up with that if he looks down on it so much.

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its cause im not good at anything else wiseass