Summit Rituals/Traditions ?

I have been known to try to dislodge large bolders from the summits of some peaks.

cantdog said:

Are you sure that's the summit, Phil? That looks like higher ground behind you to the left.

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We had already rolled it 50 feet from the top

I should point out to anyone who hasn't read my trip report that the caption on that photo is

"Prino and Bunchberry attempt to commit a felony"

My only summit ritual is to make sure I can get back down. Other than that it is just one (or more) of the following:

Taking pictures, running from lightning, napping, eating, laughing with friends, trying to stand in hurricane force winds in July, trying to stand (and stay alive) in hurricane force winds in January, finding a crowded summit in summer and bypassing it for some solitude, finding other people on the summit in winter and looking forward to talking to them, trudging thru cold horizontal rain in the spring while cursing to myself about why I am even up here, popping the cork on a bottle of champagne to celebrate someone's final peak on one of the many lists, hugging a friend while they finish the AT, hugging a stranger while they finish the AT, trying to get a glimpse of a view thru the fog, finding yourself saying "Wow! you can see the smoke from the Cog all the freakin’ way from here!", signing the canister on a trailless peak while being eaten alive by blackflies, signing the canister while your hands are freezing solid by the second and standing in a waist deep snow drift, watching my 1-1/2 year old dog tired (yet psyched) to be on a summit, standing on a summit in winter with a guy who takes off his shirt, standing on a summit in summer where there is a 400 lb guy smoking a cigarette standing next to you complaining about the price of Cablevision (hate those auto roads), watching an A-10 Warthog salute the flag you are flying on a peak. Watching a SAR helicopter trying to land to fly down the deceased person that you are helping to carry. Seeing my 11 year old daughter’s smile at the fact that she has reached the summit.

Not much for rituals, but I definitely live for experiences…

Hummm

We'll umm I guess I've always sat and thought about my wife, children, other family, friends, and my life in general. I often become emotional, but I think it's because 1st - I have an emotional side occasionally 2nd I'm tired and hungry.

Like another poster I have a going home ritual depending on which way I chose to drive home.

If I go south on 302 or 2 to (or some other interesting way (Bear Notch Rd) 93 I usually stop at this little gas station/sub shop (the name exscapes me, but it's near 302). Oh and if I can I stop in to see an old friend in Gorham. Sometimes if money is plentyful (not often) I'll stop in to Mr. Pizza for some food an beer. Very oftne I'll stop at the Grand Summit Hotel (Attitash Mt). Then I sneak into the heated pool and hot tubes. It's really nice after a long summer or winter hike!

Change base layers and socks and soak up the sunshine for a while if I'm alone of if it's otherwise quiet and peaceful.

Usually take at least one picture.

Survey the landscape and map out a route to bushwack back down, which is always the better half of my hike.

Enjoy some high-end chocolate.

Enya is my queen.

full hack.

My ritual happens only when hiking with one great friend in particular - if I am not with him I partake in no ritual. We have to have a "full hack" on the summit - meaning everyone in the hack circle kicks the hacky-sack at least once. Typically just the two of use, so that makes it vary easy!

Since we don't do a lot of peakbagging..
The Enya CD goes in going north on 93,just at that point that the Notch comes into view.
I love that view,never the same view twice.

Enya is good...
Enigma is better

good god guys and gals - there is much better new age type stuff out there that is much better than enya

tangerine dream, - get canyon dreams, oasis, rockface, east, etc...

john serrie, patrick o'hearn, delerium

I'm not a big new age music fan, but it does kind of compliment the mountain experience.
As far as the summit ritual goes, I'm working on a combination of the Aerosmith/Run-DMC recording of "Walk this way" and components of a Monty Python skit.

If I'm with a newb (someone who has yet to summit a 4Ker) I make them lead the way to the summit. Other than that, the usual.

-percious

When I get the summit to myself, I've been known to sing.

I don't subject crowds to that.

In my quest to add OCD to the growing list of acronymns - I haven't so much committed to a summit ritual, but I have adopted different rituals for different places.

Mt. Cardigan has emerged as the most climbed and therefore most ritualized.

1) Water is from the spring in Bristol (Breck-Plankey(?) spring) across from the old Mill Stream. And only from here. I usually fill up a few gallons for home.

2) First trip of the year, I usually immerse myself in Newfound lake before hand. When the lake has been frozen, I'll actually find an ice fishing hole to splash some water.

3) Ice Cream Sandwiches in summer, Thermos of Cocoa in winter. I can't leave the summit without sharing.

4) My grandfathers old brass waltham-watch army compass goes with me on this mountain. Everytime. Otherwise it stays at home. I usually hold it on the summit and wonder which of my kids will get the hiking bug and carry this up ol' Baldy when I'm gone.

5) Just before leaving, I look out towards where I grew up, do a clockwise 360, and head down.

6) Dinner at the Homestead Restaurant. Not a ritual, but a reward. Gives me something to look forward to on the walk out.

McRat said:

6) Dinner at the Homestead Restaurant. Not a ritual, but a reward. Gives me something to look forward to on the walk out.

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this place is great!! love the hot apple cider in winter

new age: this is hit miss music some stuff is good - some is very lame (john tesh and yanni being on the lame side) - it does work well in the mountains and ocean settings. Ok - I am in done being in touch with my feminine side. Need to go funnel a beer.

du wu,
A question was asked, I answered, I could do without the self serving commentary. I enjoy alot of your post, but your stock just dropped signifigently.

MichaelJ said:

I should point out to anyone who hasn't read my trip report that the caption on that photo is

"Prino and Bunchberry attempt to commit a felony"

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At this point, having just read about posting links to pictures on the net, I would like to credit Michael J. for that rock rolling shot!

I've moved away from this just a bit but, it happen's one of two ways...

(a) Reach in pack, remove beer and consume (then screw up trying to name peaks correctly)

(b) Call dog over, reach in his pack, remove beer and consume...

(c) Take off wet cotton t-shirt and put on dry one...

I enjoy alot of your post, but your stock just dropped signifigently. -seirra

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Amen.

I pull out my laptop and set up the mini-dish, connect to the net and check the futures market on pork bellies, switch over to the dow jones and if need be call my broker. Then I check my company e-mail, personal e-mail and the webcams in each factory I own. If anything's amiss I call the manager in charge and ream him out. Once that's done I out with the Blackberry and deal with the multitude of messages that have accumulated since leaving the trailhead. Then I pace back and forth with my hands behind my back dictating correspondance into my digtal dictaphone which I then link to the wireless network port, convert to text in a word document and transmit to every major city in the western hemisphere.

Finally, I sit back, relax and smell the roses.

Lately,

I tend to my wounds. Enjoy the view (which is usually something like this)



Then I sign the register (if there is one), sigh, maybe grab a bite. Then I swear to beat the ever loving crap outta of the guys that "told me this list was cool". Then I look at my GPS, realize it does not work, sigh again, and then turn around and go home, or at least in the direction that I think home is in.

Ohhhh, all that and........... (as a hat tip to the totally amazing machine that is Frodo), seeing my 11 year old daughter’s smile at the fact that she has reached the summit of her 46th and final Adirondack High Peak. Hiking with kids is awesome, esp. as I are one

I take the boots off, eat something, and try not to think of the trip down. Of course, there's a summit picture and some glassing with the binoculars.