Coolest Find While Hiking

Have an interesting or epic climbing story? Post it here.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
14erFred
Posts: 1033
Joined: 7/15/2009
14ers: 51 
13ers: 1
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by 14erFred »

On a solo climb of Tabeguache in June 1987, a ghostly apparition guided me safely through the fog down to Jennings Creek during a violent storm. I've never been able to determine exactly what it was -- perhaps the Angel of Shavano?
"Live as on a mountain." -- Marcus Aurelius
Dank
Posts: 13
Joined: 8/11/2010
14ers: 27  5 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by Dank »

A few weeks ago in LCW my wife and I came across this saddle.
1458668_10202490505923180_61790796_n.jpg
1458668_10202490505923180_61790796_n.jpg (138.96 KiB) Viewed 5307 times
Rick Canter
Posts: 95
Joined: 7/8/2012
14ers: 31 
13ers: 6
Trip Reports (13)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by Rick Canter »

I was hiking from Riflesight Notch near Winter Park, toward James Peak. I went a bit off-trail by design at Rogers Pass, just to peer over the nearby ridge. I found a headlamp and when I put fresh batteries in it, it worked.

This makes up for the hand-made Korean bandanna I lost high on Mt. Princeton...
User avatar
Jim Davies
Posts: 7638
Joined: 6/8/2006
14ers: 58  1 
13ers: 67
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by Jim Davies »

14erFred wrote:On a solo climb of Tabeguache in June 1987, a ghostly apparition guided me safely through the fog down to Jennings Creek during a violent storm. I've never been able to determine exactly what it was -- perhaps the Angel of Shavano?
Brocken spectre maybe?
Climbing at altitude is like hitting your head against a brick wall — it's great when you stop. -- Chris Darwin
I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now. -- Forrest Gump
User avatar
powhound
Posts: 230
Joined: 9/28/2012
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by powhound »

When I first read this thread a few weeks ago, it reminded me of many cool things I've found through the years. Two of which were aptly named encounters:
A crystal geode on Crystal Peak ... and while descending Peak 9 and entering the Breck ski area near the ski run called "Boneyard", I found an almost intact skeleton of a moose.

However, this also jogged my memory of another item I found a long time ago...

Sept.1984 ... I was in Custer State Park, South Dakota and went hiking in the "Needles" area. I was wandering around off trail and scrambled up a random rock tower. I found this "message in a bottle"... a note written on birch bark, stuffed in a rusty old Prince Albert tobacco can ... wedged in a crack in the rock formation. Apparently it had been there for 68 years.

The note requested that if anyone found it to leave their name in the can too. I didn't have a pencil or paper with me, so I took it, intending to write the guy as he also requested. Well, I figured he was probably dead or moved on, so I thought there was no rush ... and set it aside and promptly forgot all about it. It remained lost in storage for almost three decades. Then I found it (again) just two nights ago while cleaning out old junk in my garage. What a coincidence to come across it after reading this thread!

When I opened it, the birch bark started to crack. I realized that if I kept it, it would soon disintegrate as it is now over 97 years old. I contacted the South Dakota State Historical Society and sent them photos to see if they were interested in having it. I heard back this morning and the curator is very interested in preserving/displaying it. So far, so good.

I did some poking around online to try to locate a family member, and didn't come up with anything. However, I requested that the museum try to find a living relative. If they could, that would be amazing if someone unexpectedly heard that their great, great grandfather had a museum item on display. That would complete the circle and redeem my forgetfulness from 30 years ago. Now that would be cool!

The note reads:

Saturday August 26, 1916
Topped for the first time by Richard Graham Stevenson Rochester NY
The next man to climb this peak please leave his name in the enclosure.
Will you also please write me a card explaining your climb.
Wishing you a safe journey down the "needle".
Yours
R.G.S.
102 Colby
Rochester, NY
5-can and note.JPG
5-can and note.JPG (196.77 KiB) Viewed 5038 times
User avatar
davebks
Posts: 764
Joined: 6/5/2008
14ers: 10 
13ers: 10
Trip Reports (3)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by davebks »

Last winter I found a wedding ring sitting at the top of one of the Ptarmigan Fingers (snow climb) in RMNP. I am guessing someone took off a glove in winter and it fell off, then I found it in the spring.
I am still trying to find the owner but no luck so far.
Coincidentally it was just a few weeks before I got married, which is weird.

p.s. the note in the can is AWESOME!
User avatar
Canadian_bass
Posts: 69
Joined: 3/2/2007
14ers: 17 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by Canadian_bass »

Powhoud,

I actually was raised in Rochester, NY and now live and work in the area again. I work just a few block from that address, which can be seen here:

http://goo.gl/maps/pUVaO" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I checked Zwillow. The house was built in 1910. Perhaps Mr. Stevenson was the first owner? Back then that was a well to do area. Lots of Kodak execs etc. Pretty crazy. I'll see if I can wrangle any information about that family...next of kin...etc. Great find.
bking14ers
Posts: 344
Joined: 1/10/2010
14ers: 49 
13ers: 4
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by bking14ers »

The coolest thing I found/only thing I found was a folding stainless steel cat hole shovel. Ironicaly I found it when I stopped to take a piss while hiking in the Red River Gorge area of Kentucky.
Everything you want in life is on the other side of fear. -- Margaret T.
You'll never have a better chance to climb that mountain than you do today. -- Dave C.
Dude! I knew you would cave-in once we got up there. -- Dean G.
User avatar
rijaca
Posts: 3387
Joined: 7/8/2006
14ers: 58  4 
13ers: 244 1 2
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by rijaca »

I have found some new friends!!! :-D
"A couple more shots of whiskey,
the women 'round here start looking good"
User avatar
LoveThisSite
Posts: 270
Joined: 9/4/2009
14ers: 58  6 
13ers: 12
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by LoveThisSite »

I've had a few "interesting" experiences, but the coolest thing I discovered was myself.
User avatar
Kiefer
Posts: 1747
Joined: 5/10/2008
14ers: 58  39 
13ers: 317 24
Trip Reports (20)
 
Contact:

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by Kiefer »

LoveThisSite wrote:I've had a few "interesting" experiences, but the coolest thing I discovered was myself.
Probably the best response! =D>

For me however, it was...THIS. :mrgreen:
User avatar
jam6880
Posts: 146
Joined: 3/12/2008
14ers: 57  10  4 
13ers: 12
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Coolest Find While Hiking

Post by jam6880 »

^That is too cute Kiefer!!!!!
Post Reply