Are you a peakbagger?

[ILUVSWTAS]

Just wanting to know the number of baggers using this site.

I personally am. I do enjoy making lists and ticking things off though so I took to peakbagging like a duck to water.
Make a list of what I have to do each day before I leave the house..... Yes im a tragic!!!

[Ringo]

Whats the Definition of peak bagger? Making the top of a lovely mountain is always a high point in a trip for me and most of my trips include a peak as one of the main objectives. Does this make me a peak bagger?

Rowan

[tasadam]

Rowan that's a good point. I don't set off specifically to put ticks in boxes, but they are often part of the greater agenda.
For example, an 8 day 7 night walk in February 09 included the summits of Pelion West, Achilles and its heel, Perrins Bluff and the unnamed peak on the way, Thetis, and Paddys Nut. But one of the main objectives for this walk was to visit Leonards Tarn, which I obviously achieved.

Last attempt at a peak was Pelion East last month, but was thwarted at the top by some particularly icy slippery rocks.

Thinking about it, all the high spots I have been to, maybe that does make me a peak bagger.

[kramster]

I'll add my name to the list of peakbaggers (as a Dishonourable Peak Bagger)... although I haven't increased my score for some time (as I keep re-visiting old haunts, which don't count).

For those who wish to know:
Peakbaggers are a sub-species of Bushwalker who have an infatuation with
a) getting to the summit of certain nominated distinctive peaks around Tasmania; and,
b) tallying up "points" gained the first time one reaches the actual summit (and adds said peak to their "bag")

The original guide was published some years ago by Hobart Walking Club's publication "Tasmanian Tramp"
I think the current tally (2000 edition) has a total of 465 peaks around the state and a possible 881 points
(the number of points for a peak are generally determined by level of difficulty, height and remoteness).

[eggs]

I guess a real peak-bagger is someone going for all the peaks.

Others, like myself who live interstate and hence have to be very selective, simply monitor our peak-bagging points (I am at 66)
The shame is that you only get to count a peak once in the tally

[Nick S]

I'd say I am
Though I realise the word comes with some connotations, that we only do it to tick the box, don't appreciate it, etc.
I like peaks because they are an obvious goal to reach. Not necessarily the best view (but usually). Hah I actually feel somewhat of a failure if the true top hasn't been reached
And just letting yous know that I reached Dishonourable status last summer.. gloat. Na, it's just interesting finding how many other peaks are out there.. Actually If it wasn't for that list I wouldn't have spent so much time poring over google earth finding all those lesser known peaks. I imagine it will be a long time before I reach honourable status, if ever.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Exactly right Nick and Eggs! If you dont spend time pouring over maps and lists then ticking them off upon successful completion, and keeping a CLOSE eye on your tally I'd say you are not a "bagger""
Either way, it's just a bit of fun to add to the wonderful world of walking.....

[Son of a Beach]

I'm not a peak bagger (in the lists, and records sense), but of course I do like the feeling of having overcome the challenge of getting to the top of a mountain. However, I'm just as content to walk to other destinations bypassing nearby mountains when it suits me, and I don't feel like I've missed out on a mountain top if the walk includes other interesting views, and locations.

[whynotwalk]

I'm a bit ambivalent on this one. I'm officially an "honourable peak bagger" (241 points, by the book), and am very glad to have reached the top of so many magnificent places. And yet my attitude has changed quite a bit since I "bagged" my first Tasmanian peak in 1980.

Maybe an analogy is the difference between a bird watcher and a twitcher. I love birds and consider myself a bit of a birdwatcher. But twitchers, or some that I’ve met, are something altogether different. By twitchers I mean people who spend serious money on travel, equipment and other accoutrements to the bird “bagging” game. They travel to exotic places for the express purpose of “ticking off” new birds from their ever-growing (and highly competitive) lists. To some the place doesn’t matter; the company doesn’t matter. In fact it often seems that the bird per se doesn’t matter much either. The bird is just a metaphorical scalp – a name to be ticked off – rather than a living, breathing, endlessly fascinating creature worthy of an honoured place in the cosmos.

In short this extreme form of twitching makes birds look a lot like a commodity; an item for consumption that only has a temporary value while it can enhance my reputation. Once consumed it is of no further value. Some forms of peak bagging seem to me like this. Aware of this tendency within myself, I now temper summit fever with taking time to delight in where I am, what I'm seeing and who I'm with.

cheers

Peter

[Nuts]

That does sound a bit sad Peter.... Everything in moderation I say....


I used to be a peak bagger but i'm alright now
No, not really. I wonder when they are all ticked off will you get bonuses for repeats?
I worked with someone who had been up Ossa 250+ times....

[Phil]

I for one definitely love the finalisation of the summit after a long and enjoyable (and often challenging) walk. Unfortunately for me, my scalps are very limited but the sense of 'bagging the peak' is the highlight of the day

Being only 28, I hope to be able to do this for a long time yet and once the kids (x 3 under 5 years of age) get a little bit older, I look forward to 1) getting them involved, and 2) having a bit more freedom to get out more often.

[whynotwalk]

Being only 28, I hope to be able to do this for a long time yet and once the kids (x 3 under 5 years of age) get a little bit older, I look forward to 1) getting them involved, and 2) having a bit more freedom to get out more often.

They're great ambitions Phil. Being double your age (sigh) ... but having 3 adult kids, and a mounting score of grandkids, I can vouch for the benefits of both 1) and 2) above. All my "kids" were dragged out bush with us, and now they all love the mountains. With them married and "gone", and me still fittish and in my fifties, the opportunities to get out have opened up more often. But enjoy the bairns while they're with you!

Just for a (slightly whimsical) laugh, I've attached an ancient and crappy pic. of me with our firstborn at Cradle Mt in 1980. She's now about to have her third child. Time flies when you're having kids!

cheers

Peter

PG+Sal Cradle.jpg (358.18 KiB) Viewed 18529 times

[stu]

ILUVSWTAS knows all too well my passion for Peak Bagging as we have started walking together, along with several others on this site
(MJD, scrubmaster, Ollster, aljscott);

camaraderie is a big part of it for me, sharing the journey, adventure, wild remoteness & ultimately the mutual high of achieving a goal (think about all those motivational posters - those cliches are anything but cliches when you are actually climbing mountains, rather than climbing corporate ladders etc.).

Having only been in the bagging game for less than 3 years, but approaching 400 points (200 peaks, which I prefer to count), I guess you'd say i'm a little OCD about it; I like the word passionate rather than obsessive I love pouring over maps (particularly SW Tas) & planning ever more remote missions, the wild & untracked places are what really compel me. Tho the summit is a large goal, the journey & the adventure are a huge part of my passion.

One of my favourite old Tas Tramp articles is Alex Sklenica's solo journey in 1959 from Lake Pedder to the Gordon river via the (still today) very remote Olga River valley - a very compelling read, ignoring the misery (read adventure) that he endured. Summits were not his goal here, tho he may have passed over one or two along the way.

Another example of the 'journey' would be a summit like the Provis Hills which I am looking forward to doing some day (I plan to finish the list, or try). A 10 day trip for 1 measley point would be more about the trip than the point once it had been completed, but to stand on a summit that has only seen a hand full of walkers would be very satisfying (& I don't care if I was in a large group which has been shunned by the likes of Martin Hawes, again, sharing the adventure is part of the passion & saying these sort of adventures are tainted / less pure unless done solo is a bit condescending in my books).

Essentially to me, Peak Bagging is an excuse rather than a reason to get out amongst it on a regular basis, to explore areas I'd never bother or contemplate going without this as a prompt, and as many have said here, peak bagger or not, standing on a beautiful mountain summit is a goal shared by most walkers.

With our world & lives so bubble-wrapped & regulated high adventure is becoming harder to find; remote, untracked Tasmania provides some of this & it's in our own backyard. Humans are inquisitive by nature & exploration is a natural side-effect of this.
To each their own adventure I say, as long as you are 'living' rather than stagnating...sorry, that's my sermon over

[Nuts]

I can relate to the motivation.
May have been hooked if I started younger (obsessed/'passionate' about other things), though I do like to read the accounts. Great to see you guys post more of these... Obviously, at the pointy end there are always the eccentric (must be solo ) but its especially interesting to see/read of 'ordinary' people aspiring to extraordinary goals.

[stu]

Nuts, I once met Dave Harris who was the first person to complete the current edition of the PB's list
(also now completed by Paul Geeves in < 10 years? & probably a few others to come in the near future).
He said he didn't seriously start ticking off the list until he was 42, taking 25 years to complete the list;
doing Provis Hills (his final peak) at 67 would have been very hard work, no offence intended; I feel the pain now at 37!
It's never too late, tho the effort required obviously must increase with time.
I hope I can find time to complete the list while still pursuing / finding time for my other passions.

[stepbystep]

Hmmmm, I guess the answer is no, have just tallied up my list to a grand total of 26
I believe repeat journeys should count, I would be at least 40
Thats ok, I'm gearing up to start some overnighters this summer/autumn, so the tally will climb, along with me.
I also believe it's about the journey not the destination, but the destination can be pretty special. The journey back can be pretty painful on the knees and ankles though.
I've got a list of peaks I'm sure I will get to, but there I some I strongly doubt, and the points system is debateable, such as 1pt for Provis Hills, that's a hell of a slog for 1pt.

Happy bagging

[ILUVSWTAS]

Well said Stu! Its an excuse to do more walking and a bit of fun at the same time! I've found since becoming a bagger I spend much more time carefully planning a trip and reading maps for the best routes.

I have just bagged my 80th peak for 142 pts. seems a long time since I/We have done anything worth more than 1 or 2 points. Until Sunday! 4 points for Riveaux coming up.... have only been at it for a short time (last 3 months i've totalled 47 pts) at this rate I should hit around 250 for a 12month period.....(with a few BIG bagging trips planned for daylight savings.

[tastrax]

I think one of the SW Peak Baggers should stick to the lowlands for a while and bag this confluence - its the only land based one left in Tassie. It would also be good publicity for the BWT site!

43°S 146°E
S of Strathgordon, TAS, Australia

http://www.confluence.org/region.php?id=88

[tasadam]

ILUVSWTAS knows all too well my passion for Peak Bagging <SNIP>

Stu I wondered how long it would be before you found this topic...
For those that do not know, I met Stuart and a mate of his when we were coming down from Shelf Camp in Feb '08. He'd just been to Anne summit for the day.
Interesting stories you have...

[north-north-west]

... and once the kids (x 3 under 5 years of age) get a little bit older, I look forward to 1) getting them involved, and 2) having a bit more freedom to get out more often.

and 3) having a lot less spare money with which to do it.

[NickD]

I enjoy viewing the list of mountains and ticking off peaks visited, but I don't follow the points system due to its inacuracy at rating or defining any mountain. To me, each peak is more special than a number, but it doesn't mean I don't enjoy the list.

However I find myself more interested in Bill Wilkinsons Abels list, the objective to me to summit all of Tasmania's 'major' mountains is more intruiging. I have the Abel's check list where I list the year I first summited and my companion on the trip.

Personally I'd love to visit as many summits in Tasmania as possible, but I'd like to leave some unvisited. Because, the way I see it, we've got to be humbled by something!

[north-north-west]

I think attempt and failure are more humbling than graciously declining the opportunity.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Agreed! The Abels are the first thing I'd like to check off!

Speaking of being humbled suffered my first failure recently. encountered thigh deep snow on Brown Mountain. Ironically that was shortly after I turned to Stu and said I think were gonna bag this sucker soon....

[wello]

As a mainland based peak bagger its a bit tough to watch Stu racking em up! I left Tassie for work in 1994 on about 190, and have struggled on over the years to be on 274 now.

Peak bagging has it knockers, but for me its a great way to take you to new places. I reckon the go might be to get Provis Hills early - waiting till 67 sounds like hard work. Mind you, I haven't had a go yet and like Stu, 40's not far away.

Happy bagging

Wello

[ollster]

Speaking of being humbled suffered my first failure recently. encountered thigh deep snow on Brown Mountain. Ironically that was shortly after I turned to Stu and said I think were gonna bag this sucker soon....

Bah, we could have done it easy if it wasn't for the enforced time limit! Would have been a good idea to take a bearing before the tea tree forest though... hrm.

And, yes, fairly keen bagger here... mainly for the goal-setting and the fact that it tends to take you further afield. Let's face it, would we have gone to Mt Brown otherwise?

Staring down 150, reckon I'll do it early summer.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yeh I did actually suggest we do that Ollie! anyway seemed so close thought we had it fer sure!!

Ah you'll *&^%$#! in 150 by then mate!! doing Rivueax on Sunday meeting huonville banjos 8am if your interested!!!

[ollster]

Hmmmn.... got father's day lunch on Sunday at 12:30... 8am start probably won't cut it sadly.

[johnw]

Mmm, I just calculated mine. 11 peaks for a grand total of 23 points, a couple of 4's a lot of 2's and some 1's. And I think I should also be able to add some more points for effort on the ones I didn't quite complete . Anyway I guess that score won't win me any prizes .

I wouldn't call myself a serious peakbagger, in terms of ticking off lists, either in Tassie or on the mainland. But summits are often a target on a lot of walks. I always try to have an objective on each trip to give it a specific purpose, be it a peak, waterfall, hut, lookout, lake, old mine, ruins or some other feature/s of interest. Not to say that I don't enjoy a simple stroll through a nice patch of forest or similar, but I do appreciate the satisfaction of reaching a summit, particularly those with spectacular outlooks.

[Steve]

I consider myself a peakbagger. Was exciting when I first discovered the PB list. Reaching the top of a mountain has always been my favourite part of bushwalking so I fit both descriptions.

My tally so far is a mere 25.

___________________________

Btw I got the PB list in excel form if anyone wants it. A moded version of Matthew Brain's, I redid the formulas and added some statistics stuff.

[Amanda]

Some of you know I'm a peakbagger. Been doing it for 11 years since coming across an article in the Sunday Tasmanian after i'd been on a few walks. Went to the State Library and looked up the HWC journal to find the list. Not much internet back then!

Go through phases where I do a lot then some years hardly done any.

But should be a peak- bagger extraordinary after this coming weekend! Nothing will stop me rain, hail or storm!