4000 Footer Dinner Recap ~ 4/13/13

Record turnout at last night's dinner! It was mentioned there were 462 [or something like that] NH 4000 footer applications sent in! It was great to see so many VFTTers there that I recognize from postings made here.

Congrats to everyone. It was great that Bombadil received a standing ovation when he picked up his certificate for completing the New England Hundred Highest in one winter season! And thank you to the 4,000 footer committee for the work they do.

It was a big turnout, indeed. And the slideshow was superb.

What I find strking is how many women are completing these lists. It seemed that there were more women than men - would be interesting to see what trends have developed, although I don't think gender is indicated on the app, so it would be a bit of an approximation.

Sorry I didn't get to meet you there Kevin. Since we haven't crossed paths yet I guess I didn't know exactly who I was looking for. It was great to meet a number of folks there many for the first time. Another vote for that slide show, it was outstanding. It was also mentioned that over 10,000 have now completed the 48. The thought that occurred to me was that's well over 10,000 who have done Owl's head, yet is still has not been deemed necessary to put an official trail to the summit. Will it take 10,000 more before someone gets the idea that 10,000 people 'whacking' the summit will do some damage?

The committee did a great job organizing things. I would recommend though, that they reverse the order the awards were given. It was a shame that those who had accomplished the most difficult hiking awards received their scrolls before a half filled auditorium.

There were a good number of canine finishers also. We were able to get a group photo of them. According to Eric Savage it was the first time it has been done.



This second pose is a bit better than the first.

Great point Ed about Owl's Head. And that doesn't count all those that have done it and haven't finished the 48 or don't play the "list" game. Karen and I discussed the same thing you proposed. 1. Great job by the committee, and 2. The order of awards should be reversed. Those that saw Pat and the other "big" list finishers were the ones that have done them or are trying to do them. The "gateway druggies" on the three season 48 mostly had left.

Ed'n Lauky said:

Sorry I didn't get to meet you there Kevin... The committee did a great job organizing things. I would recommend though, that they reverse the order the awards were given. It was a shame that those who had accomplished the most difficult hiking awards received their scrolls before a half filled auditorium.

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I'm sorry as well, Ed. As my friend Al and I were pulling in I saw you walking in front of the school (recognized you from pics) but didn't see you again later.

I'd also second the suggestion about reversing the order. It used to be done that way.

I can't speak for Bryan and Tom but I know I wasn't really looking around the auditorium at how many people were still in there. For me it's just a nice way to see friends, familiar faces, and meet some fellow hikers.

I was quite surprised Eric made a note of the single season since I don't recall him doing that (for ss W48) in the only other time I made it to the dinner 2 years ago. I was touched by the standing ovation, it was so very much unexpected. Big thanks to Eric, Steve, and the other members of the committee!

There was one thing that I did find "curious". Eric mentioned that there are some lists that aren't recognized by the committee and he did mention the NHHH and the NH 3000 footers and the NH 200 highest and he gave the names of those who had completed the list. I thought that was nice but wondered why if those categories were mentioned that he didn't mention the grid finishers.

Ed'n Lauky said:

The thought that occurred to me was that's well over 10,000 who have done Owl's head, yet is still has not been deemed necessary to put an official trail to the summit. Will it take 10,000 more before someone gets the idea that 10,000 people 'whacking' the summit will do some damage?

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I agree. I recall a few years ago rebuilding the cairn to the Owl's Head trail junction, then meeting the Forest Service Rangers at the summit who complained about the cairn and took it down an hour later, then when we got to the broken down cairn after they left rebuilding it again. There are a lot more of US than THEM and if we continue to make this trail easy to follow for the greater hiking community, they will evolve.

I went for my first time as I finished the all season 4Ks last summer. My wife and I discussed things on the way home about the night. She has only done 1 4K so far, so she was just there for support of me, and not to get a scroll herself. We both thought it would be good if they reversed the order they give out awards so as many people are there to clap as possible. I figure part of why they don't though (other than pleasing the biggest group first) is because these people have already been recognized at least once before. I also imagine, that these people are doing those lists for the love of hiking, rather than the recognition. The scroll is just a nice bonus.

I also thought it funny that they mentioned names of people that have finished lists they don't recognize, but never mentioned the grid. After all, in it's simplest form, the grid is just finishing one of the lists they do recognize 12 times.

Since I almost always hike alone, I haven't met many of your here in person on the trails or anywhere else. It was fun picking out people in the crowd though that you do recognize from trip reports and other pictures. Some of the stats of the finishers were interesting to hear and quite impressive.

Maybe it's because the grid IS, in its simplest form, finishing the NH48 12 times - they don't recognized the 2nd or 3rd round, so by extension, not the 12th - All other lists they recognize or mention do include more peaks, but none of them repeat anything.

Also, it seems to me that like most everything else award-related, they award them from easiest (or lowest) to hardest (or highest). They ask that people stay through the end, so those who leave are being inconsiderate (possibly with an excuse, I admit, like getting home to the family...)

Tim

bikehikeskifish said:

Maybe it's because the grid IS, in its simplest form, finishing the NH48 12 times - they don't recognized the 2nd or 3rd round, so by extension, not the 12th - All other lists they recognize or mention do include more peaks, but none of them repeat anything.

Also, it seems to me that like most everything else award-related, they award them from easiest (or lowest) to hardest (or highest). They ask that people stay through the end, so those who leave are being inconsiderate (possibly with an excuse, I admit, like getting home to the family...)

Tim

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What you say could well be a reason not to award a certificate, but it is a major accomplishment worthy of being recognized and it wouldn't take that much time to simply mention the names. I remember one year it was mentioned how many winter peaks Tom and Atticus had done in their fund raising venture. Tom probably knew in advance that he and Atticus would be recognized because he was there that year. The audience that is there is interested in that sort of thing and I would guess that many of those finishing the 48 for the first time probably haven't even heard of the 'grid' and would have been awed to hear about it.

Ed'n Lauky said:

It was a shame that those who had accomplished the most difficult hiking awards received their scrolls before a half filled auditorium.

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I was sitting at the very last row and got a good perspective of the audience. I don't want anyone who was not there think that half the people left during the event. The auditorium was just about full with some empty seats at the start. I did see people leave early...many were families. I would say about 1/4 of the people left so the auditorium felt to me that it was 2/3 full when you take the empty seats at the start into consideration.

Bombadil said:

I can't speak for Bryan and Tom but I know I wasn't really looking around the auditorium at how many people were still in there. For me it's just a nice way to see friends, familiar faces, and meet some fellow hikers.

I was quite surprised Eric made a note of the single season since I don't recall him doing that (for ss W48) in the only other time I made it to the dinner 2 years ago. I was touched by the standing ovation, it was so very much unexpected. Big thanks to Eric, Steve, and the other members of the committee!

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i was glad that eric made a note of pats single season (though some of us would have been yelling it had he not). i had not heard that before for people who had done ss48 or ss67 finishes while working their lists. very much deserved. i also appreciate the mentions of the nh100, 3k, etc.
it was a nice night to meet people and congratulate them on their accomplishments.

bryan

Sure wish I hadn't missed this but I had family events to attend. I believe Dave Bear picked up my NH all season 48 finish certificate for me, thanks Dave. I didn't realize it was such a huge affair. congrats to all who received recognition and a special thanks to all those family members who supported their goals and to the committee for supporting this great event and to the AMC for all they do to allow us such awesome place to hike and backpack!

Dave Bear and Thor were there. It was the first time I got to meet Thor. He's a magnificent dog.

Sunshine Chris said:

I believe Dave Bear picked up my NH all season 48 finish certificate for me, thanks Dave. I didn't realize it was such a huge affair.

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When I saw him going up for the name that was called, I wasn't sure he had heard it correctly, but then he said 'accepting for'.