Are 3k's becoming trendy?

[onestep]

Man, what a Labor Day weekend!

Marchowes bags 7 3000 footers, Albee does 16!, skimom's into it for a 6pack, and I'm over in VT doing 8. Rumor has it that the Man in Orange was spotted thrashing about NH, and an OJI-Barren-Owl traverse took place!

A 451 completer recently expressed to me his concern that bushwhacking in general may be becoming a bit too popular!

What do you think?

 

[sapblatt]

What's a 3k?
They do seem to be getting more popular - which if it is what keeps you hiking I am all for it...they do not appeal much to me as many are bushwhacks which I pretty much want to avoid...

 

[dr_wu002]

Man, what a Labor Day weekend!

Marchowes bags 7 3000 footers, Albee does 16!, skimom's into it for a 6pack, and I'm over in VT doing 8. Rumor has it that the Man in Orange was spotted thrashing about NH, and an OJI-Barren-Owl traverse took place!

A 451 completer recently expressed to me his concern that bushwhacking in general may be becoming a bit too popular!

What do you think?

There's a certain appeal that gets transmitted, presumably, by places like this website.

Seems like some names get thrown around a lot like, The Captain, which seem like a tough challenge and interesting perhaps due to remoteness, or the cliffs or something. The Captain begins to acquire a sort of mystique that could/will be somewhat shattered when people continue to make it look like a not-so-hard hike or when everybody and there brother goes there so it seems like a conga-line.

Scar Ridge seems to me like yesterday's trend in a way. It seems like a few years ago people were talking about Scar Ridge like it was pinnacle of difficulty or something and now it's so routine that it probably will have a herd path soon. Not saying that The Captain will become routine but I bet we'll see 20+ trip reports in 2008.

1. Challenging
2. On a list that more and more people are doing
3. Talked about a lot.

-Dr. Wu

 

[giggy]

not for this boy. if its below the trees, it ain't for me... . I will just other people sign me in - like vose spur, or is it the captain??? - I know I am in one of them books.

 

[skiguy]

There's a certain appeal that gets transmitted, presumably, by places like this website.

Seems like some names get thrown around a lot like, The Captain, which seem like a tough challenge and interesting perhaps due to remoteness, or the cliffs or something. The Captain begins to acquire a sort of mystique that could/will be somewhat shattered when people continue to make it look like a not-so-hard hike or when everybody and there brother goes there so it seems like a conga-line.

Scar Ridge seems to me like yesterday's trend in a way. It seems like a few years ago people were talking about Scar Ridge like it was pinnacle of difficulty or something and now it's so routine that it probably will have a herd path soon. Not saying that The Captain will become routine but I bet we'll see 20+ trip reports in 2008.

1. Challenging
2. On a list that more and more people are doing
3. Talked about a lot.

-Dr. Wu

More and more people on planet Earth and more and more accesible information has made more people playing Bocce Ball and bagging 3000 ftrs. more trendy IMO

 

[onestep]

not for this boy. if its below the trees, it ain't for me... . I will just other people sign me in - like vose spur, or is it the captain??? - I know I am in one of them books.

Kilroy was here!

 

[dr_wu002]

Notoriety has something to do with it. There are some very central 3k's that get a lot of press. There are former notorious peaks such as Vose Spur and Scar Ridge which it seems a few years ago were talked about as being difficult and now seem more routine. It's not because the mountains have changed: easier routes are found, herd paths emerge or the conga lines to the top make them seem not as mystical or notorious or even as challenging anymore.

The Captain, Barren, Scar Ridge: they all have relative easy access too. No logging roads to drive on or weird out-of-the way places to go to.

In terms of the 3k list, it's getting increasing exposure, people have the means to do it, and an increasingly robust community here (VFTT, RoT, HH's) ensures that more people will throw themselves into it. I think that yes, you're going to see more and more 3k finishers coming soon.

-Dr. Wu

 

[albee]

I think you notice it more because you are looking for it more. Before I started doing 3k peaks, I would see something like Chandler/Sable or Mullen and not even read the report because I didn't know where the mountains even were or care who was doing them. Now you recognize the same characters over and over again here on this message board.

There certainly is an active group of 3k peakbaggers, but it is not as big as you might think. I see the same names in the registers time and time again. I have found about 75 registers now, and these are the names I commonly recognize (in no particular order):

Neighbor Dave, Onestep, MHRSebago, Pig Pen, Marc Howes, Karl Barry and JS from Keds, Keith and Julie, Bigmoose, Pat and Audrey, J&J, Nate, NH_Mtn_Hiker, Spongebob, Mick Dunn, MJ, Gamehiker, Ed Hawkins, Doc Ross, and Michael...

Not to mention all the finishers such as DennisC, DMS, Eugene Daniell III, JimC, Narciso Torres, Glen Houle, Ginger "Snap" Lang, RoySwkr, John Swanson, John McHugh, JR Stockwell, and Anne Gwynne... many of which are also active here.

I am honored to add my name to these lists. Some appear to only be working on the NHHH list. Some of us are working on the lists more fervently than others, but I'm sure with all of the information out there on the 'net, most will eventually finish if they want to. I don't know about some of the others, but bushwhacking is very enjoyable for me - I was telling my friend Dave on Sunday about the feeling of pride and satisfaction I get when I find a cannister and then navigate my way out of the woods in one piece. To me it is far more challenging and rewarding than just regular peakbagging. So to answer your question: no, I don't think it is trendy. There is just a small group of "us" out of the huge hiking community, and many of us are active on these message boards for obvious reasons - the free exchange of information.

I would disagree that notoriety has much to do with it. I found 2 jars on the Captain. The only names in there in the last 2 years (I think) were Roy Schweiker, BigMoose, Arm and Frodo, NH_Mtn_Hiker, Keith and Julie, JR Stockwell, Karl and Motabobo, and Neighbor Dave. 9 groups of people in 2 years isn't much... On West Field and Whitewall, we were the 3rd party to reach the cannisters this year each time. Scar Ridge and Vose Spur had tons more names in the registers - the NEHH is far more popular than the 3K list.

 

[dvbl]

...A 451 completer recently expressed to me his concern that bushwhacking in general may be becoming a bit too popular!...

What exactly was the nature of his concern?

 

[sapblatt]

What exactly was the nature of his concern?

I would guess possibly it is that people who bushwhack do not want everyone else to do it, or another idea is that a lot of people will get themselves into trouble without the experience/skills to extricate themselves - just some thoughts...

 

[Motabobo]

Or maybe because it removes the elitism in it
I read in here somewhere something along those lines: Whack free or die

 

[onestep]

What exactly was the nature of his concern?

Valid question but one that I choose not to answer !

Let's not speculate what "his" concern might be. What are your thoughts on the question... "Are 3K's becoming trendy?"

 

[Amicus]

I don't believe the NE3Ks are as exclusive as some people think, in particular the 40-odd peaks on the NHHH that are not among the NEHH. Various AMC trip leaders have been leading groups up to one or another of those peaks since at least the late '80s, posting advance notice in the AMC magazine. (They probably still do, although for one reason or another I haven't checked those postings much for a couple of years.)

I went on a couple of those AMC bushwhacks around '90 with two older relatives working on the NHHH. (Both soon finished, and one went on to the NE3Ks, retiring at about the half-way point). On one of those 'whacks, you might find 8 or 10 people on such a peak at the same time, not all of whom would bother signing the register (which then would have been in a mason or peanut-butter jar.) Probably none of those (unless Gene Daniell happened to be a leader) would ever finish the NE3Ks, but I bet half at least would finish the NHHH.

(I think a big reason a lot of people stopped with the NHHH was the inconvenience of driving to all those remote Maine peaks, especially when logging access roads were less open to the public than some of them have become.)

I don't know what legitimate beef an NE3K finisher or anyone else (other than a landowner getting trespassed) could have about others hiking to these peaks, if they observe LNT principles and, maybe, the Guy Waterman "wilderness ethics" (maximum group size of 4-6 - sorry, AMC! - etc.)

 

[jmegillon149]

popular on this (or any forum site) and totally popular in the hiking community as a whole are two totally different things. I think that the internet in general is dominated by niches. It is probably more likely that bushwhacking and obscure lists are becoming a true niche of this website.

It does make sense, as there aren't too many new members on this forum, let alone new hikers. Therefore VFTT does not have a whole lot of people who are in the middle of their 4K lists, most people are done with the popular lists, and now are moving on.

The avid peakbaggers who would work on an obscure list are more likely to write about it, as these are certainly more unique stories than an out and back on a popular 4k, or peak like Monadnock - where most people (at least on here) have been.

 

[audrey]

When Pat and I were avidly after the New England 3K's (I think we've got around 280) in the 90's, some of those registers were pretty busy and I was impressed at how many people were out there doing it.

What ever happened to the Romanos? They'd always have a witty saying or poem to make us laugh.

Every now and then we'd find no entries for the last couple of years, but often I think that was because there was another register somewhere.

 

[Neil]

Maybe it's time to start a special interest bushwhacking forum to go along with kayaking and photography.

Not long ago there were cannisters on some of the ADK 3kers. I happened to do a couple of Sawtooths twice (I get lost a lot ) at about 12 month intervals. I checked the canisters and there were no intervening entries on ST1 and only 1 on ST2.

Based on that field study what can you conclude?

Sawtooth two is infinitely trendier than one.

 

[dr_wu002]

Maybe it's time to start a special interest bushwhacking forum to go along with kayaking and photography.

Maybe it would be a good idea to start this as a separate thread. A good idea but I am sure people will have strong opinions.

-Dr. Wu

 

[marchowes]

There is just a small group of "us" out of the huge hiking community, and many of us are active on these message boards for obvious reasons - the free exchange of information.

Thats exactly what it is for me. Its just a sub group of a larger group -- hence more tight knit, more personal etc. Its been a lot easier for me to find people to do the 3ks than it ever was for the NEHH/4ks etc because there are only about 10 people to ask (most of whom I already know) and usually one of them is interested in the same thing I am.

I hope it doesn't become "trendy", its a nice tight knit community right now. The vast VAST majority of information exchange for these peaks is done privately (and thats the way it should be IMHO). I think what will happen is people will finish certain lists (ME3k, NH3k, NHHH, VTHH etc) and move on just like they always have. Then others will slowly come in and take their place. All I see in all the canisters are the same 10-15 names signed into the registers over the last 2-3 years, compared to the gazillion names in the NEHH canisters (as was mentioned).. Bushwhacking isn't for everyone, in fact, it isn't for most people and that will continue to be true. If you'll notice too, a lot of 3k Bushwhack TRs (not all) are intentionally vague, leaving out details, routes etc. There is a reason this is so, and I would encourage everyone writing TRs for 3ks to keep it that way.

 

[Neil]

Maybe it's time to start a special interest bushwhacking forum to go along with kayaking and photography.

Clarification:

I was only kidding. (Should have used an emoticon)

But if enough people want to go and start up another forum then they shall. I like the mix as it is right now though.

 

[skiguy]

Thats exactly what it is for me. Its just a sub group of a larger group -- hence more tight knit, more personal etc. Its been a lot easier for me to find people to do the 3ks than it ever was for the NEHH/4ks etc because there are only about 10 people to ask (most of whom I already know) and usually one of them is interested in the same thing I am.

I hope it doesn't become "trendy", its a nice tight knit community right now. The vast VAST majority of information exchange for these peaks is done privately (and thats the way it should be IMHO). I think what will happen is people will finish certain lists (ME3k, NH3k, NHHH, VTHH etc) and move on just like they always have. Then others will slowly come in and take their place. All I see in all the canisters are the same 10-15 names signed into the registers over the last 2-3 years, compared to the gazillion names in the NEHH canisters (as was mentioned).. Bushwhacking isn't for everyone, in fact, it isn't for most people and that will continue to be true. If you'll notice too, a lot of 3k Bushwhack TRs (not all) are intentionally vague, leaving out details, routes etc. There is a reason this is so, and I would encourage everyone writing TRs for 3ks to keep it that way.

IMO I think there are actually more subgroups out there than many realize. as Amicus has pointed out there are many who do these hikes and never sign the register. Much like there are some who have completed lists and have never registered to collect their patch.