Peak-bagging is hiker jargon for those who get satisfaction in summiting mountains. Peak-baggers will climb (bag) peaks usually in some type of organized quest. It’s how I developed a passion for hiking.
Some years ago, I met a hiker in the White Mountains who said he was going to summit all the 4000 footers in New Hampshire. There are 48, and he was up to 23. I checked my journals and realized I’d done seven. Over the next years, I finished the ones in New Hampshire and went on to complete all the 4000 footers in New England. There are five in Vermont and fourteen in Maine.
This whole idea can become addictive. There are separate lists of the 100 highest mountains in New England, the Northeast, and the USA. There are backpackers who try to “bag” all those peaks. I stopped after the 4000 footers in New England, but will begin a quest of the 4000 footers in the Adirondacks of New York state this autumn. There are 46, so it will take me a while.
The landscape photo with the towers is New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the highest mountain in the northeast, at 6288 feet. The other landscape photo is from Washington’s peak, looking down on Lakes of the Clouds Hut on the shoulder of Mt. Washington. The profile photo shows the Franconia Ridge Trail up to the peak of another 4000 footer, New Hampshire’s Mt. Lafayette (5260 ft).
Most peaks are scenic and peaceful, the perfect place to dream, plan, hope—all that good stuff.
Related articles
- They Are My Own: A brief look back at bagging New Hampshire’s 48 4,000 footers. (nh48.wordpress.com)
- Camping (givinggave.wordpress.com)
- Tecumseh on the Third Try (sjmaddock4000.net)
Rings a bell! I’ve always resisted “bagging” hills but recently started to set myself targets and you’re right, it’s addictive. There are 282 “Munros” – mountains over 3000 ft – in Scotland and while they’re small by your standards, most are too pointed or ridgy for my liking. However … I’m enjoying ticking off the gentler ones. And once they’re done the real challenge will start.
Interesting. I’ve heard of the word “Munroe” but not in a long while. That’s a lot of mountains. Good luck in your quest.