Question on Summit ting

[attroll]

Here is a question. I have looked but have not found the official answers anywhere on this. I don't want to get flamed over this. It is just a questioned.

What do you need to do to qualify as reaching the summit?

What I mean is do you have to reach the summit by foot or do you just have to reach the summit? For example can you take a helicopter ride to the top and get off and call it summit ting? Or can you snowmobile to the top in the winter and consider it a summit?

I just want an answer or have someone refer me to the page that has the rules. I don’t want to get slammed for a simple question.

 

[attroll]

I just found the rules. Sorry about the last post. For anyone else interested here is what I found:

Q. What are the rules for climbing 4000 footers?

A. The basic rule is very simple: You must climb (on foot!) to and from the summit of each peak on the list. In winter skis and snowshoes are both allowed.

For peaks with trails starting at maintained roads the rule is simple: Drive to the trailhead then walk (note that you are not allowed to use the auto roads on Mts Washington, Mansfield and Equinox). For peaks in areas with rough logging roads you may drive as far as you dare with a normal car (that includes four wheel drive), but ATVs are not allowed.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

You mean that those five summits that I just visualized while lying in my hammock with a beer don't count? Damn! Bummer.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

I don’t want to get slammed for a simple question.

It is a perfectly valid question. Peakbaggers are hikers, so they hike to the summit. Highpointers are not, so they get to the summit by any means. Many people here belong to both communities.

 

[REK]

You mean that those five summits that I just visualized while lying in my hammock with a beer don't count? Damn! Bummer.

You have to drink a seperate beer for each summit visualized. I know its tough but them's the rules!

 

[snowshoe]

It all depends on the person. Some are satisfied if they make the top and others have to find the highest part of the summit, even if it is a bump. Me as long as I am on top and in the general area I am happy. I dont waste too much time looking for that 1 ft bump. I new someone who did not consider it a bagged peak unless he camped on the summit overnight.

 

[HikerBob]

On Saturday I hiked Bondcliff. While chatting with an older (but fitter!) hiker he mentioned that he was 'doing the 4k's' but had cycled in to the Wilderness Trail to save a little time.

I didn't mention that this invalidated the climb from a perspective of the 4k rules. However, in my book that 3 miles and 300ft of elevation cycled is a drop in the bucket in comparison to the 2,800ft climbed from that point on. If you climb Jefferson by way of the Caps Ridge you climb 2,700ft.

Did he climb Bondcliff? Yes.
Did he climb Bondcliff by the 4k rules? No.
Does it matter? Depends on your outlook.

Bob

 

[Jay H]

... Drive to the trailhead then walk (note that you are not allowed to use the auto roads on Mts Washington, Mansfield and Equinox).

Gee, I guess then if I biked to the trailhead, it wouldn't count? Jeez Louise, I don't know if those are literal quotes (I personally don't care to look at the rules, it's not that big a deal to me), but if the rules actually state how you should get to the trailhead, then I think we're getting a bit to anal in these matters!

What's next, to consider bagging a peak, one must drive a red 4-door sedan (with one broken headlight) to the trailhead while repeating 'I am not worthy, I am not worthy' three times?

I guess Goran Kropp can't consider climbing Everest as a peak when be biked there?

Do they really tell you how to get to the trailhead? If so, I find that quite interesting.




Jay

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Do they really tell you how to get to the trailhead? If so, I find that quite interesting.

I am not sure whether Jay is serious or not, but since I wrote the offending sentence let me clarify.

I was trying to explain things simply. You are allowed (but are certainly not required) to use mechanical transportation to go as far as a car can go. Beyond where a car can go, you must hike, which includes using snowshoes or skis.

 

[ExploreTheEast]

I guess Goran Kropp can't consider climbing Everest as a peak when be biked there

I don't think Goran is considering much of anything these days, RIP...



Hopefully these rules can pick up some corporate sponsorship, so that you haven't really summited until you've bought and consumed a sausage egg and cheese McGriddle Value Meal on the way to the TH. What? You want to maintain a little bit of dignity?! We're giving you the choice of Coffee or Orange Juice with that!!

 

[John H Swanson]

A different spin to the same question

What do you need to do to qualitfy as reaching the summit?

Often we accept finding a canister as the summit, but some canisters are not on the top of the mountain. Take Whitewall for instance. The actual summit is well to the east, away from the viewpoint near the top of the wall. Though there was a view at the summit too. Do all those people who accept the canister at the top need to walk to the actual summit or is the canister adequalte.

Then what happens if you don't find the canister?

Sometimes it's not easy to determine the location of the actual summit. Meaning some mountains are sufficiently flat to pose a challenge. Imagine a near flat mountain (like Flat in NH or Table in the Cats or others) Now imagine the same mountains without an indication of the top. No canister. how much walking around is sufficient?

And what if there are two near equal height bumps, say for Big Spencer, ME. Do you NEED to bash the ridge to the second bump, or is the firetower peak sufficent to say you summitted?

Ahhh, the challenges of trying to be "pure"

JHS

 

[Mr. X]

I've always found the whole system to be pretty silly. They are just numbers, they mean nothing. Why not set the bar at the 1300's all in both summer and winter while skipping, swinging your right to your left and your left to your right. Just climb and let the numbers accumulate. Pay no attention.