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 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.
Nice post! I’ve heard the term before and am left wondering how to keep from being so goal oriented that one misses the joy in the journey for the destination…until the last line when you wrote peacefulness found at the peak. That’s definitely a compelling reason to stay on the quest. Thanks for sharing. Happy Trails! MG
Nicely put, MG. I, too, have to remind myself to enjoy the journey. Happy New Year.
Nice pic of the famed Mt Washington, it must have been quite the hike. I hope to scale it one day on an AT thru-hike. I’ve always imagined it snow covered and have heard warnings of it being life threatening the wrong time of year. Good luck on your quest, look forward to reading your posts. MG
Thank you. My Washington is a deceptive and dangerous mtn to summit. Plan ahead for decent weather. Best to you.