Reaching "The Summit"

[riverc0il]

i was listening to VPR this morning and heard a segment on weekend edition regarding blind climbers attempting to reach a peak near everest (Lhakpa Ri i believe it was called). i can not recall if any of the climbers reached the destination, but several were turned around with altitude sickness and climbing sickness. the guide asked if the climbers were disappointed to have not reached their goal, the summit they were climbing for. the guide reported something along the lines that any place can be a summit, that just having come to this point was a summit. essentially, a summit is not always the highest physical point of a mountain but rather the highest metaphysical point of the spirit.

so when is a summit not a "summit?" do you feel the need to find the exact highest point on the mountain, content to be near the summit with a fine view, or prefer to set your own summits of the soul without regard to physical specifications?

[skizilla]

I heard the same report and while inspiring and somewhat scary i have to diagree. The summit is the top of the mountain it is that simple any one who says otherwise is lying and making a mockey of language. You can be hippie dippie and politically correct as you want but do not take meaning away from words.

Why not just say destination. By telling them they reached the summit and they didn't well then they mayhave no reason to go back. i getr turned back all the time from hiking to summits and i just come back and do them later.


The most important lesson to teach these individuals is not that reaching the summit is importatnt physically or metaphysically it is that you are outside enjoying the weather and that trying is what counts because the more valuable lesson is that you will not succeed at everything in life and that is OK.
Do not talk down to these people or lie to them about thier accomplishments it demeans them and the sport. I used to be a sped kid and nothing would tick me off more than one of the aids saying i did an awesome job with so and so when i knew it was substandard compared to everyone else.
Great story though and very braveo of not only the blind climbers but also their guides for taking that responsibility.

[MichaelJ]

I set specific goals for every hike and I try to achieve them. Maybe it's a summit, maybe it's a shelter in the woods to spend the night, maybe it's a waterfall or natural feature, or maybe the journey itself is all there is. Whatever I choose, I want it to safely happen and will do what I can to not have to turn around if I think I can make it. It's a matter of basic accomplishment.

But to answer your question, no, the goal isn't always the summit. What it *is* always, however, is to try to achieve whatever goal I've set.

[SilentCal]

When i first "summited" Washington, I did it in a pea soup fog. I came up the Crawford Path and did not see the summit buildlings until I was nearly walking into them. We did find our way into the observatory and had ourselves some lunch and then hiked the Crawford to the Gulfside and down the Jewell Trail. We never saw the actual summit sign nor made the 25 foot "climb" to the highest point. I noticed my error a year later when I took my parents up the auto road. I've since redone Washington but I consider the first time in the fog as my first ascent.
Summiting might not be the right word. How about "experienced the mountain"? Just hike your hike and don't worry about what other people consider it.

[cbcbd]

Originally Posted by MichaelJ

I set specific goals for every hike and I try to achieve them. Maybe it's a summit, maybe it's a shelter in the woods to spend the night, maybe it's a waterfall or natural feature, or maybe the journey itself is all there is. Whatever I choose, I want it to safely happen and will do what I can to not have to turn around if I think I can make it. It's a matter of basic accomplishment.

But to answer your question, no, the goal isn't always the summit. What it *is* always, however, is to try to achieve whatever goal I've set.

I feel a similar way. With me, even if the goal is not something to behold, I set one so I can enjoy the journey.

I guess a silly example was one Sunday night when I just felt like going out rollerblading at night- I told myself I had to go to Home Depot, which was 6 miles away in another town - I charted a backroad route and headed out at 9pm. The roads were empty and the night was peaceful and the sound of my blades working hard as I pushed my own self in the dark gave me thrilled chills.
I got there and Home Depot was closed - I wasn't mad or disappointed- I said "oh well, I made it" and started heading back. I knew it was probably going to be closed and didn't even bother to check the schedule. I guess I just needed a reason so I wouldn't look as crazy

I don't know what was really going on in the blind climbers heads but I think that maybe they mentally set a goal to themselves that wasn't exactly the peak, reached it, and are satisfied. I'm sure we all have made goals for ourselves that sound like "I will reach this point, but I will be happy if I can at least make it to here".

[thetrailboss]

It's kind of been touched upon so far...but for me I go for the summit unless the weather is too dangerous and then I suck it up and head back to the car. It's NOT worth the risk...too many folks get in trouble by not thinking the same way...but I'll admit, it is tough to turn back

[riverc0il]

good point skizilla about not lieing to the kids. i didn't get the impression that was the case in the report. but i agree you shouldn't sugarcoat coming up short by saying you really achieved a goal that wasn't acheived. part of growing up is learning to accept failure and learn from it as much as enjoying success.

that said, i do think making a case for saying "you didn't achieve the ultimate goal, but you still achieved a notable milestone" is a good thing.

for myself, i usually consider the summit synonomous with the best view at the highest point or the part of the hike that attains my peak enjoyment. therefore if i ever hike owl's head, i'll likely turn around at the top of the slide. i won't say i reached the summit of owl's head, but i would certainly have hiked it to my own personal satisfaction.

[Mike P.]

Political meetings are summits but to stay on task, I like to see the USGS marker or at least touch the highest rock for example N. Kinsman.

However, when crowded, I don't feel the need to touch the Mt. Washington sign, climb the Memorial on Bear, climb the tower on Greylock if open or circle it (I'll it on the steps or touch the Memorial on Bear)

When I did Willard, I did venture in the woods a bit to try & find summit, some peaks like the Catskill 3500 (I think they still do) have cannisters at the trail-less peaks so if I do those I want to find the cannister, I've wandered around the clearing on Hunter too, preferring the rock with 4040 on it near the cabin as the real summit but usually also climbing a flight of stairs or two on the tower to s see over the trees.

If we hike our own hike, our destination is really our own too, I can see myself one day going with the kids to climb Owl's Head & stopping at the first spot on the slide where you get a view & waiting there for them to return. I wouldn't call it the summit for peakbagging but it would still be a great trip.