Official "Climbing the 46" Thread & Poll

[Qby]

Kevin,

You need to add one more option for those of us who are just starting and haven't climbed any of the 46 yet... something like "raw but optimistic beginner."

Brian

[billandjudy]

We're at 10 w/ 8 scheduled for next weekend

[Little Rickie]

13 down over the last 2 years & 33 to go. Seems like a long ways away but I'll get there.

[shaggy]

Originally Posted by Kevin

That explains the strange tracks I saw coming off Big Slide this past winter .

That was probably us... I went with a group of four plus one dog, and we took sleds down Big Slide. Also have sledded down parts of Phelps and the Macomb slide (BIG mistake, never doing THAT again!)

Shaggy

[Rookie]

I thought I had 20 but I have to re-do Esther because I didn't see the plaque.

But I'm not going to re-do the whole hike. I've already hiked up from the "research center" and found the cairn marking the trail to Esther's summit (from the Wilmington trail). I figure I didn't go far enough on that trail.

Some time when I get into town early and have a few hours to kill I'll drive up to the top of Whiteface and hike down the Wilmington trail to the cairn and then re-do the trail that goes to Esther's summit.

Unless I'm with someone who has to do the whole hike...then I'd re-do the whole thing.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Rookie

Some time when I get into town early and have a few hours to kill I'll drive up to the top of Whiteface and hike down the Wilmington trail to the cairn and then re-do the trail that goes to Esther's summit.

You're lucky to have that option. My redo for similar reasons was Dial, aint no shortcuts to the top of Dial .

[lumberzac]

Originally Posted by Kevin

You're lucky to have that option. My redo for similar reasons was Dial, aint no shortcuts to the top of Dial .

See if you had only gotten up an hour or so earlier when I did, you wouldn’t have had that problem.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by lumberzac

See if you had only gotten up an hour or so earlier when I did, you wouldn’t have had that problem.

True! I did a lot of things wrong that weekend, but that's a REAL long story...

The good thing about having to redo the hike was doing it with Quentin, also going over to Nippletop, for his 4th and 5th peaks.

[Dick]

Originally Posted by Rookie

I thought I had 20 but I have to re-do Esther because I didn't see the plaque.

This link might interest you and others.

Dick

[ccockrell]

I didn't choose 1 cause I had to turn back when my brother sprained his ankle when we started up Marcy. Since there's no 1/2, I just chose "intending to do all 46". Too many trails and not enough time.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by ccockrell

Too many trails and not enough time.

Make more time!

Here's a clearer picture of the same plaque:

[46erJim]

I finished the 46 in 1993. I don't remember a plaque on Esther but I did sign the register. Esther was my second to last. I finished later that day on Whiteface or perhaps I should say at the trailhead since it doesn't actually count until you hike back down.

[AdkWalrus]

I'm on 35 with the usual suspects remaining: Marshall, Sewards, Santanonis, Allen...

For those of you clever enough to realize that only adds up to nine, I've also been saving Giant and RPR for the end... Years ago, somebody told me to finish on RPR, so I've been keeping that pair in my back pocket for once I hit 43. I will actually finish on Allen, however -- by request of my mother's cousin, the only 46er in the family. When he found out I started on Haystack (like him), he insisted that I should finish on Allen (also like him). He passed away (cancer) eight years ago, but I hope to keep my promise to him someday.

[Tuchov]

Why would you keep Giant and RPR till the end? I've heard of people saving Couchsachraga, Allen or Whiteface for the end, but never RPR.

I figure save Whiteface for the end, so my family can meet me at the top to congratulate me. Some are getting to old to hike up with me, so they'll drive, eat and enjoy the view until I come outta the woods and make a dash for the top like Rocky Balboa. I wanna see the look on all the skiers when a kid goes to the top with a backpack and a stick... while they drove to the top and rode the elevator.

Just offering insight.

[1ADAM12]

Originally Posted by Tuchov

Why would you keep Giant and RPR till the end? I've heard of people saving Couchsachraga, Allen or Whiteface for the end, but never RPR.

I am at 42 and plan on finishing on Giant next August.

[Dick]

Originally Posted by Tuchov

Why would you keep Giant and RPR till the end? I've heard of people saving Couchsachraga, Allen or Whiteface for the end, but never RPR.

I figure save Whiteface for the end, so my family can meet me at the top to congratulate me. Some are getting to old to hike up with me, so they'll drive, eat and enjoy the view until I come outta the woods and make a dash for the top like Rocky Balboa. I wanna see the look on all the skiers when a kid goes to the top with a backpack and a stick... while they drove to the top and rode the elevator.

Just offering insight.

Maybe Neil will weigh in on this one, as he finished last year on RPR. There was quite a gathering on the summit that day, some having hiked from Giant, others from New Russia. That peak has wonderful views, not just on the summit, but on the hike up as well. Great finisher peak - for some!

Saving Whiteface for last so family can meet is quite common. So are some of the easier peaks (Cascade, for example) for similar reasons. There have been starters and finishers on each of the 46 peaks. Some of these are the result of circumstance (weather, saving the perceived 'best' for last, saving up the hard ones until the end, choosing to be alone on one of the more remote ones, Marcy because it's the highest, etc.). We chose to save Haystack for last, having heard of the stunning views. Unfortunately, low-lying clouds hovered over the summit as we approached (and dissipated after we left!).

Dick

[AdkWalrus]

Originally Posted by Dick

We chose to save Haystack for last, having heard of the stunning views. Unfortunately, low-lying clouds hovered over the summit as we approached (and dissipated after we left!).

Ack! Tell me you've been back since! Haystack's one of my favorite views in the ADKs -- right behind Gothics and Pyramid.

I have to confess that saving Giant and RPR appeals to me for more than one reason. The reasons Dick cites are part of it, but I also decided a while back that I didn't want to have the closing stages of my 46 be all long slogs over trailless peaks. As it is, they'll be dominated by hikes of that nature, but there will still be a bit of variety to look forward to right before the end. And then, of course, comes Allen...

[Tuchov]

Originally Posted by Dick

We chose to save Haystack for last, having heard of the stunning views. Unfortunately, low-lying clouds hovered over the summit as we approached (and dissipated after we left!).

Dick

Sounds like all 4 times I've gone up Algonquin during a "clear day". One of these days I'm gonna beat the damn weather system up there...

[Dick]

Originally Posted by AdkWalrus

Ack! Tell me you've been back since! Haystack's one of my favorite views in the ADKs -- right behind Gothics and Pyramid.

I wish I could tell you that we've been back, but we haven't yet! Probably this summer. Pyramid is stunning, of course. That view of Gothics et al. is better than the view FROM Gothics.

Originally Posted by AdkWalrus

And then, of course, comes Allen...

We did Allen as an overnight, and hiked the mountain on the second day, which helped break up the hike considerably. In retrospect, we probably should have hiked the mountain the first day, then take our time going out. The mountain itself was not bad at all. The open woods walk was quite enjoyable; the road slog gets old very quickly.

Dick

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Tuchov

Why would you keep Giant and RPR till the end? I've heard of people saving Couchsachraga, Allen or Whiteface for the end, but never RPR.

I was really happy to finish on RPR. As my son and I moved into the 30's we wanted a really nice one to finish on and he suggested RPR. I looked at that peak from a variety of angles as we hiked other mountains and kept saying to myself: that's the one we finish on. Then my son went away for the summer when we were at 43 or something and I started in on the "lower 54". When he came home we quickly got to 45 and then it was time to finish. We lucked out on the weather getting a perfect bluebird sky day and because we chose such a nice peak a lot of wellwishers turned out. I think there were over 30 people who came and went in various sized groups. I'll never forget that day.