P1500m

P1500-metre Peaks

This is a very popular higher prominence P-category among international peak-baggers, the metric equivalent of P5000ft – (nearly) ‘a mile high’.  They are generally known as 'The Ultras'.  They are sparse in distribution (five in all the Carpathians) and heavy on carbon footprint to bag them.  Many of these peaks represent a major challenge to peak-baggers, which helps to raise the list to a more iconic status.

There are currently 1,541 known Ultras.

This Table has a Hall of Fame, and also a Roll of Honour, but no Progress Register. 

To enter the P1500m BwB Hall of Fame, you need to have reached the summits of at least 30 peaks worldwide.

Bronze Awards are given at 75 peaks, Silver at 150 peaks and Gold at 300 peaks worldwide.

The current HoFMeister for the P1500m Table is Adam Walker.

Adam was introduced to the wild places by his father Arthur.  His first experiences on-trail, the ways of tent camping, and road-trips, were the seeds which would expand to fill the main focus of his life.  His first summit was at 10 years old, with Arthur.  They hiked up Mount Constitution 734m, P734m, through wet snow.  Cotton socks led to blisters, and it was not entirely a great experience, but something about the challenge stayed with Adam.

His first ultra was Mount Rainier 4392m, P4037m, at the age of 22.  His first high-altitude summit was Kilimanjaro 5895m, P5885m at the age of 25.  Growing up in Washington State allowed Adam a special opportunity to learn through experience about rock climbing, snowshoeing, map and compass navigation, and glacier travel.  In college he took a job as lead glacier guide for the Outdoor Center at WWU.  For a few years he volunteered to assist in teaching a non-profit crevasse rescue course.

For many years he has worked to give back to online resources such as SummitPost and NWHikers, where his full debt of beta harvesting (route info) can never be repaid.  His mountain photography has been published in numerous guidebooks, newspaper covers, magazines, websites, book covers and the like.  His favourite places to hike include south-west British Columbia, the North Cascades of Washington, Death Valley California, and the north shore of Lake Mead.

With over three thousand ascents, Adam has never intentionally completed a well-known peak list.  His main focus is not drawn to any specific prominence category.  Any peak which looks attractive and satisfies the local threshold cut-off will do.  He is currently working with friends to identify the best scramble peaks of the US desert south-west, and is presenting the findings to the DPS chapter of the Sierra Club in May 2023.