International Peak-baggers' Tables 2022

HoFMeister’s Report

One hundred and twenty-four people have been recorded in the third edition of the P1000m Table for 2022 (one hundred and nine in 2021), with sixty-two in the Hall of Fame and fifty-five in the Progress Register. In addition, one deceased peak-bagger appears in the Roll of Honour.

The separate Progress Register for junior peak-baggers, first introduced last year, now lists six participants, with one former entrant having “graduated”, and thus moved into the regular Progress Register.

Progress was substantial in this P-category, as international travel fully opened up after two years of COVID restrictions. Many people took advantage to advance their totals, with several setting personal records for highest altitude reached.

Twelve people joined the Hall of Fame in 2022. Daryn Dodge, a name well known to peak-baggers in the USA, is now a member of the group, with his extensive resumé earning him a Bronze award right away. Other newcomers were Casey McCoy, Craig Barlow and Markus Fischer, each with over 100 peaks, while totals for Claudia Kurzböck, Yan-Éric Douvier, Dave Golias and Péter Hugli were sufficient for direct Hall entry. Working their way up from the Progress Register were Seán Caulfield, Renee Ernster, Tom Milliard and Oscar Argudo. Their qualifying peaks are representative of the ground covered by folks, from Canada to Austria to Turkey to Spain.

There were several new Awards in 2022. Adam Walker earned a Silver with another impressive year. Bronze recipients were Deividas Valaitis, Steven Song, Kathy Rich, Chris Hood, James Barlow and Eric Gilbertson, alongside Daryn Dodge as mentioned previously.

A total of thirty-one Awards have now been achieved – two Gold, seven Silver and twenty-two Bronze.

In the Hall, the most impressive peak-bagging total was again from Rob Woodall, who climbed an amazing one hundred forty-five new P1000m peaks, many of those during extended trips in the United States. He widened the lead over Petter Bjørstad in second place, who was no slouch himself with forty-nine peaks. Other notable performers this year were Deividas Valaitis with over sixty peaks; Adam Walker and David Hart with over forty peaks each; Michael Graupe with over thirty peaks; and Denise and Richard Mclellan, Connor McEntee, Steven Song, Kathy Rich, James Barlow, Craig Barlow, Markus Fischer, Claudia Kurzböck, and Renee Ernster, all of whom added over twenty peaks.

People in the Progress Register were again less active overall, with twenty-eight participants on +0. Richard Harbron and Arjan van Denzen led the way in terms of gain numbers. Other notables were Rok Podgornik, along with his son Žiga – they are both near the top of their respective Registers, with Rok’s entry into the Hall of Fame being just a matter of time. Also inching his way closer to the Hall was Matthias Fieles, who is now just one peak away. William Musser, a new entrant to the P1000m Table for 2022, brought totals which place him near the top of the list. David McSporran retired from international peak-bagging, joining two others with that status.

Mihai Giurgiulescu

P1000m HoFMeister

April 2023