McRat
New member
(This may be a little bit less detailed than my usual long-winded TRs, but I have been reflecting on the whole list thing lately, and will probably be sending this to the AMC with my application. I hope you enjoy it. Moderators are welcome to relocate this to another section if deemed approproate.)
Sometimes a list is just a list. Grocery lists, lists of names, lists of dates, lists of lists… a piece of paper tasked with serving as reminder, organizer, and unifier. The New England 4Ks qualifies as all of these and more.
Reminder – I keep my list on the wall next to my desk... just a small list of places I have been, dates and elevations. Most wouldn’t know it was there or care, but on dark days in my subterranean office I can look over and be reminded that I am quite fortunate to have the health and circumstances that allow me to visit these places. No matter how deep the rut may seem, my imagination can propel me to dozens of summits in an instant.
Organizer – From the moment I first stood on Mt. Pierce in January 2005, I started hiking 4Ks, but by the end, I was even more hooked. I stand on a summit and mentally make lists of summits I would like to visit, often including those distant bumps that I can’t even name yet. The viewing of familiar peaks from different locations provides a dynamic sense of geography, growing richer with each new viewing. The amount of places to go exceeds what my free time allows. When I think of the places I will likely never get to, it is a little disappointing because of the scale. The lists certainly simplify planning; with each accomplishment the list of remaining objectives becomes more manageable.
Unifier – This is my favorite part of the AMC 4000 footer club. I have met people from all walks of life who have yielded to the siren call of a list. I have met dozens of great people; a few interesting rogues, and could name a hundred acquaintances I have contacted in the online community. They are amazingly different – I’ve enjoyed my times with so many sinners and saints, athletes and couch potatoes, drunkards and teetotalers, deep thinkers and fools – all bound by their love of the outdoors and the sense of community from participation in the 4K list experience.
On November 1st, I stood on my final two 4000 footers on the list. Saddleback and the Horn. I was surrounded by near endless views, November ice, biting wind, and the company of friends. A beautiful day, peak, hike, and experience. There were challenges, laughs, falls, bad jokes, and even a headlamp finish to add a sense of the epic to an otherwise strenuous hike.
Some people are wary of the lists, and refuse to have their enjoyment of the outdoors influenced by what some feel is an arbitrary collection of peaks. Others enjoy the excitement and accomplishment of a set of goals. Each approach is as valuable as the joy it brings to the hiker.
November 1st was a joyous day for me. It was the conclusion of one list, the continuation of another. The value we assign to a list finish may be meaningless, but the journey was outstanding.
Though the sentiment is not original, as I raised my glass of beer to celebrate my finish, the wind whipped the foamy head into the breeze and I shouted, “There will come a day that we can no longer do this… TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY!”
I am filled with gratitude to my family for allowing me to enjoy these indulgences, to the many wonderful people I have met along the way for their encouragement, to the AMC for setting up this fun 4000 footer game, and to the creator of the universe (or to the chaotic void if the atheists are on to anything) that a small speck on the top of a mountain could have the excellent fortune to be alive for these days.
With all the possibilities for happiness awaiting your pursuit, I thank you for taking the time to read this. Now go take a hike!
Sometimes a list is just a list. Grocery lists, lists of names, lists of dates, lists of lists… a piece of paper tasked with serving as reminder, organizer, and unifier. The New England 4Ks qualifies as all of these and more.
Reminder – I keep my list on the wall next to my desk... just a small list of places I have been, dates and elevations. Most wouldn’t know it was there or care, but on dark days in my subterranean office I can look over and be reminded that I am quite fortunate to have the health and circumstances that allow me to visit these places. No matter how deep the rut may seem, my imagination can propel me to dozens of summits in an instant.
Organizer – From the moment I first stood on Mt. Pierce in January 2005, I started hiking 4Ks, but by the end, I was even more hooked. I stand on a summit and mentally make lists of summits I would like to visit, often including those distant bumps that I can’t even name yet. The viewing of familiar peaks from different locations provides a dynamic sense of geography, growing richer with each new viewing. The amount of places to go exceeds what my free time allows. When I think of the places I will likely never get to, it is a little disappointing because of the scale. The lists certainly simplify planning; with each accomplishment the list of remaining objectives becomes more manageable.
Unifier – This is my favorite part of the AMC 4000 footer club. I have met people from all walks of life who have yielded to the siren call of a list. I have met dozens of great people; a few interesting rogues, and could name a hundred acquaintances I have contacted in the online community. They are amazingly different – I’ve enjoyed my times with so many sinners and saints, athletes and couch potatoes, drunkards and teetotalers, deep thinkers and fools – all bound by their love of the outdoors and the sense of community from participation in the 4K list experience.
On November 1st, I stood on my final two 4000 footers on the list. Saddleback and the Horn. I was surrounded by near endless views, November ice, biting wind, and the company of friends. A beautiful day, peak, hike, and experience. There were challenges, laughs, falls, bad jokes, and even a headlamp finish to add a sense of the epic to an otherwise strenuous hike.
Some people are wary of the lists, and refuse to have their enjoyment of the outdoors influenced by what some feel is an arbitrary collection of peaks. Others enjoy the excitement and accomplishment of a set of goals. Each approach is as valuable as the joy it brings to the hiker.
November 1st was a joyous day for me. It was the conclusion of one list, the continuation of another. The value we assign to a list finish may be meaningless, but the journey was outstanding.
Though the sentiment is not original, as I raised my glass of beer to celebrate my finish, the wind whipped the foamy head into the breeze and I shouted, “There will come a day that we can no longer do this… TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY!”
I am filled with gratitude to my family for allowing me to enjoy these indulgences, to the many wonderful people I have met along the way for their encouragement, to the AMC for setting up this fun 4000 footer game, and to the creator of the universe (or to the chaotic void if the atheists are on to anything) that a small speck on the top of a mountain could have the excellent fortune to be alive for these days.
With all the possibilities for happiness awaiting your pursuit, I thank you for taking the time to read this. Now go take a hike!
