First time summiter- a few thoughts

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angry
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by angry »

I'd be worried about a weirdo running off with or touching my kid inappropriately while I was out of sight for that period of time. I've read too many unsolved mysteries. I definitely would not consider myself an adult or responsible when I was 9, but perhaps I was just a late bloomer. I can think of plenty of times where my parents told me to stay put and I didn't. Understanding the words spoken doesn't equal fully comprehending the consequences of not listening (and you can't post something like this and not expect people to have opinions about it either way). Free range parenting.

Also this made me LOL. Don't judge me for leaving my kid unattended while I judge you for starting your hike at lunch.
shannonez wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 10:52 am (6) So many people were coming up at lunchtime-- there was an obvious storm brewing. What were they thinking?
Maybe they were thinking:
shannonez wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 10:52 am *It's not your freakin' business.*
:lol: :lol: :lol:
ajg1
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by ajg1 »

In which photo(s) for Bierstadt's trail description is the subject 'shoulder' best depicted?
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Scott P
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by Scott P »

rijaca wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 10:57 am You left your nine year old on the shoulder while you went to the summit?
We used to climb peaks all the time without our parents when we were that age. I even used to solo mountains at that age. When I was 12 and my oldest brother was 10, we used to take our four year old youngest brother on backpacking trips without our parents. Since my brother was four, he didn't have to pay for the bus.

We used to take our old packs or gym bags and if we could scrounge up 35 cents we could ride the bus (bus 34 or 36 depending on starting point-I still remember) from West Valley (Utah) to the Salt Palace where they didn't care if kids fished change out of the water fountains. It was usually pennies, nickles, and occasionally dimes, but sometimes we would get really lucky and find a quarter. We were always able to gather enough change from the fountains that we could buy some basic foods (bread, crackers, and occasionally cookies) and from there either walk all the way to Ensign Peak where we could hike or backpack over the hills to Rudys Flat, or we would catch a bus from downtown to places like the University of Utah Medical Center where we could hike or backpack up Dry Creek, or hike up places like Mount Van Cott, Avenues Twin Peaks, or Black Mountain. Using the bus to the zoo we could climb Mount Wire/Big Beacon. Using the Fort Union bus route we could get to the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon and climb peaks such as Storm Mountain (I was always afraid to hitch hike alone until I was 13, so I didn't start hitching up Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons until then). We would also climb peaks such as Granduer Peak (west route) using the bus system. We never got lost either and always knew our way around.

All of this done without our parents.

I guess the world's a different place now days because parents would probably get in a lot of trouble for that now. Even so we were probably safer in the mountains than at home because we lived in a bad neighborhood (by Utah standards at least).
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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nyker
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by nyker »

angry wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 4:54 pm I'd be worried about a weirdo running off with or touching my kid inappropriately while I was out of sight for that period of time. I've read too many unsolved mysteries....
That would be my main concern too...call me cynical growing up in NY. Assuming I go back at some point, I'd also sooner carry bear spray in central park than on most hikes I do given the deterioration of the city over the last year.
If the nine year old had been on several peaks before maybe they'd be comfortable in that environment who knows, everyone is different. I know some grown adults who wouldn't be comfortable there!
In Tokyo, four year old kids walk to and take multiple connecting trains to school every day. If parents did that here, they'd be arrested.
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tornado
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by tornado »

I can't imagine how many people had to ask the 9yo kid if they were doing ok on their journey up or down while the kid was sitting there.

'I'm good, my parent just got summit fever and left me here when I was tired' was probably the general response.
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by JChitwood »

I think it’s great to see kids on mountains and you’re to be congratulated for getting to the summit of a high peak. I wouldn’t have thought twice about parking my kid at the foot of the summit rocks on one of the most crowded mountains in the world but my wife said she would have flogged me if I’d done it. Unfortunately I’ll never have to make such a decision since my 14 year old son barely leaves the house and anything requiring even a minimal amount of effort is completely out of the question. Good job raising active kids.
"I'll make it." - Jimmy Chitwood
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JGiffinPhotog
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by JGiffinPhotog »

shelly+ wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 3:41 pm gosh.... someday i truly hope to be as absolutely perfect as all of you are.
Maybe someday. Don't give up hope!
Wentzl wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 3:58 pm Would it be better parenting or worse if the kid had a harness and was tied to a rock?
Definitely better. Always leash your children when in the backcountry.
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timisimaginary
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by timisimaginary »

back in my day, if we wanted to summit a mountain, we had to walk uphill both ways!
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-wren-
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by -wren- »

ultimategully wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 2:32 pm Hiking in the Front Range is a zoo
As soon as you venture out to peaks below 14k and hikes that aren’t popular on AllTrails, no it’s not
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Curve
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by Curve »

Breaking news, old farts argue about people having fun.
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Jon Frohlich
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by Jon Frohlich »

Curve wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:30 pm Breaking news, old farts argue about people having fun.
Breaking news, you'll be an old fart too eventually.
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Tony the Iguana
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Re: First time summiter- a few thoughts

Post by Tony the Iguana »

Lol you crazy humans and your hangups. After I hatched from the egg, my mom just said "ocean's over there, you eat bugs - they're everywhere, watch out for birds. Peace out." And then she went to sunbathe on some rocks. Of course several of my kin were immediately eaten by gulls, but that's beside the point.
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