Embedded Files
2/8/2017
Adirondack 46ers
"Don't forget to stop and smell the roses" - W.B.
link to our DEC "work" group folder
Acquired an ice axe and deep spike crampons from my friend / old DEC boss Bill Berner. He became a member of the elite hiker crowd climbing all 46 Adirondack Peaks over 4000 feet elevation back in 1974. His number is #1015 as can be seen on the ADK 46er roster listing. His 10 year old son completed the journey with him and is also patched. Their full site is linked here. Do I need these tools, probably not but I just like them.
A recent story about a guy achieving the 10,000th patch for the accomplishment spurred my interest. That guy did them all in 4 months just to stay in shape. The record is 3 1/2 days to do them all. The typical hiker takes about 3 1/2 years to finish. I joined one of their Facebook groups (becoming #10,300) and they were quite interested in my lean-to photo near the top of Mt. Marcy since it has been removed for nearly 40 years. My niece (#8778) and two of her kids are 46ers come to find out. My old College of Forestry prof/ friend to all, Ed Ketchledge (deceased) was #507 having completed the summer I graduated. I ran into him on top of the Mt. Van Hoevenberg that winter. He was becoming a licensed Bob Sled driver.
"The 46ers" beautiful documentary film will be coming out this summer. It is produced by an 23 year old kid who started the project when he was 18. The whole concept of the high peaks and the variety of those who climb them is quite interesting and an almost spiritual experience. Comprehensive site on "How to become a 46er".
Bill has been all over the high peaks many times as well as many other lower elevation mountains. He generally avoided the peak crowd summer months of July and August preferring the spring and fall months. You have to watch out for bad weather conditions, especially snow and ice in the spring. There are many ADK climb videos. Winter rescue on Algonquin. Here is a video of a guy who climbed starting in the morning dark only to find the peak all fogged in. One can lose his bearings quickly in these conditions resulting in getting lost, a more lengthy stay or worse. Probably someone dies every other year up there.
We stayed right across from the Eiger Mt in Switzerland in '73 and twice more so it was a must to see the "Eiger Sanction" movie in 1975. Clint used this same Austrian ice axe to climb the mountain and defeat the bad guys. Kind of special, especially since I have my photo of the Eiger and our hotel in the family room.
Markings on my axe: Führerpickel - Führer Hitler sponsored an Himalayan Alp Expedition to Nanga Parbat Kashmir India/Pakistan in 1934. Aschenbrenner stands for Peter Aschenbrenner who led the team and designed the axe. Hickory wood. Ges. Gesch. = Gesetzlich Geschutzt German copyright.
Peter Aschenbrenner was an Austrian Mountain Guide (1902-1998) who was somewhat controversially involved in early expeditions to climb Nanga Parbat (9th highest mountain in the world). The German led - and Hitler backed - 1934 Nanga Parbat climbing expedition ended in disaster when several Sherpas perished, the result being that Aschenbrenner and fellow expedition member Schneider were hauled before a 'court of honour' for 'abandonment' of Sherpas and were excluded from further expeditions to Nanga Parbat. This was later rescinded and he was back in 1953 taking over the role of expedition leader from Karl Harrligkoffer. On this occasion, Herman Buhl made the summit alone, to claim the first ascent and though the expedition had technically been a success there was much acrimony.
Aschenbrenner left behind a much less controversial legacy in the form of an ice axe which he developed in the early 1930's and got the Stubai Austrian axe company to manufacture for him. These axes became almost universal in the mountains from the mid 1930's right up to the 1960's when metal and alloy shafted tools began to take over. There were many variations and it seems that some were custom made. Batches were made for German mountain troops during WWII and thousands were exported to the UK, mostly just after WWII.
misc:
Bill is shown in my photos when we did Algonquin in 1979.
Bill took my 1974 ice axe on it's first journey up Eagle Slide (bare rock) on Giant Mt from the Keene Valley entrance near Chapel Pond. He met up with a fellow hiker, Art Bandorik (#958) who he had met near Marcy one time. Bottle and Diagonal slides are also on Giant.
Danny Newman has youtube documented his journey linked here. The typical hiker takes 6 years to do the difficult feat but the record is 3.7 days. I might go for the longest time to complete which is currently 64 years. Since I started in 1979 I will have to finish the last one when I'm 96. Possible?
Cascade hike 2
Even the easiest 46er Cascade Mt hike can be dangerous with bad visibility
Noah Rondeau hermit of northwoods
Ice climber saved from fatal fall
1917 Russian Revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky was killed with this ice axe in Mexico in 1940.
.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse