How much of a summit do you have to clim b…

“The thread on “Highest Peaks” got me to thinking. How much of a mountain do you need to have do on foot in order for you to consider that you “climbed” it?

Case in point: On North Carolina’s Mt. Mitchell, you can drive up almost the entire mountain (all but the last 100 feet or so. You can also start at seas level and hike the entire way (the Mountains to Sea Trail). There are also many access points in between.

So where, in everyone’s opinion, would you have to start in order to consider the top of the (a) mountain “climbed” and not just “visited?””

“IMHO, you just have to get there...even if by helicopter it counts.”

“I'm known for gettin' within a couplea hundred ft. of a few summits and havin' to turn around for something - cliffs, wind, nasty dump...

Got a membership to the ASC - (Almost Summit Club) and a subscription to their monthly magazine "I Can't".”

“MouseSpray - I almost joined that club. :)”

“Great club! Avoid them crowds at the summits.

Ya get a nice ASC patch for coming within 200ft of each summit in the lower 48, but stopping there. It pictures an embroidered peak with a little stick man almost at the top and our motto "Why Try".”

“I never thought of it as 'climbing' a mountain. I was just walking uphill.”

“Must read:

http://www.outdoors.org/bbs/mountains-and-molehills/98x22.html”

“MouseSpray, you're funny! i don't believe i've seen you around...come here often?
;-)”

“lyra - well thanks...dunno yet - been around before, jus' maybe I'll stay.”

“kewl. where the heck did you come up with that name?? :-)


and i'd say that if i wore myself the heck out, i'd count that as having climbed to the top of the mountain, even if i didn't start at the base of it...”