Although many have tried to explain, it is hard to describe the reasoning behind mountain climbing, mountaineering, or peak bagging. I came to the sport later in life. Although I will never stand on top of the most significant summits in the world (I have little desire to do so anyway), I find immense joy and satisfaction in being where few people will ever stand.
"To those who have struggled with them, the mountains reveal beauties that they will not disclose to those who make no effort. That is the reward the mountains give to effort. And it is because they have so much to give and give it so lavishly to those who will wrestle with them that men love the mountains and go back to them again and again. The mountains reserve their choice gifts for those who stand upon their summits." ~ Younghusband, Francis
Peak bagging or hill bagging is an activity in which hikers, climbers, and mountaineers attempt to reach a collection of summits published as a list. The movement was popularized in Scotland in the 1890s with the creation of the Munro list by Sir Hugh Munro. [1]
I have two recollections of mountain climbing before I realized it was an actual sport. First, an unnamed peak 3950 resided just off of UT-17 that my mother and I would pass to see grandma B in Toquerville, UT. The peak was a small red sand and rock knoll that I constantly pestered her to stop so we could climb. I was ten years old at the time. Years after her death, I drove past the small knoll when the memory surfaced and caused me to pull to the side of the road. Standing at the summit marker, I looked down the road toward Toquerville and cried. I marveled at the beauty before me and was thankful for my memories of the area and my loving mother.
Second, I would try rock climbing, but I have not found the sport rewarding. Lots of risks, but the reward was minimal compared to the risk of climbing sheer cliffs. I live close to Zion National Park and spent days hiking existing trails the park offered, enjoying the more challenging routes of Angels Landing and Observation Point. Growing bored with the same hikes, I finally took to the internet and found a website listing hikes in and around Zion National Park. [2] I was about to move on to the following website when a series of names caught my eye: Mt. Kinesava, Mountain of the Sun, Bridge Mountain, and Lady Mountain.
"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view." ~ Edward Abbey
I was unprepared for my first attempt at climbing Lady Mountain; however, I connected with a husband and wife team on my second attempt, and the three of us worked our way to the top. Standing on that majestic mountain (I didn't cry), however, my soul's feelings of awe and amazement surged again.
Over the next few months, I would devour the peaks on the Zion website. I found that I was involved not in climbing but in a sport called scrambling. In part 2 of Uncovering The Space Between the Lines, I wrote a review of the Yosemite Decimal System so that I won't go into detail here; however, class 5 is considered rock climbing, anything below, i.e., class 4, 3, or even two is considered scrambling.
"get out there... mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space." ~ Edward Abbey
The scrambling was a blast; with less risk, my risk/reward balance evened out, and I found myself drawn to summit peaks and websites pinpointing where to find more peaks. I was stunned to find thousands of individuals enjoyed the sport of scrambling, and like most things on the internet, there were clubs, rules, dues, and restrictions. I sampled most of the offerings before settling on a single base website [3] which is minimal in cost ($25 donation per year) and provides a listing of ranked and unranked peaks by quadrangle. Other sites exist, and I used to try and keep up with three or four of them before realizing I was spending most of my time updating sites instead of scrambling.
A Norwegian "legend says that when you arrive at the gates of the afterlife, you will be judged by how many peaks you've stood atop." [4] I wonder if that's true; however, I know that the awe I first experienced has never diminished in all the years of ascents. Over time I've discovered the route to the top doesn't reduce the experience either; in other words, if I can drive to the top of a peak, the same feeling of awe always exists. I still prefer to scramble to the top, but it is nice to know I'll enjoy the experience no matter how I arrive.
Written November 1, 2022
References:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_bagging
[2] http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-hiking.htm
[3] https://Listsofjohn.com
[4] Powder Magazine Dec 2012, Full Circle, p.54.