HoFMeister’s Report

The peak-bagging community has witnessed a year of staggering accomplishments, with 138 avid climbers reaching an incredible 2460 summits in 2023 (P600m and more) - that's an average eighteen peaks per person, a figure that encapsulates both the collective fervor and the individual tenacity of this high-altitude fraternity.

In the rarified air where eagles dare, five extraordinary peak-baggers stand tall, having scaled more than one thousand peaks each. "Impressive" is indeed an understatement when speaking of Rob Woodall, who leads this elite pack, with Ken Jones, Bob Packard, Andy Martin, and Petter Bjørstad trailing close behind. They've not just climbed mountains; they've set a towering standard for what seems humanly possible.

Joining them in the annals of peak-bagging prowess are another thirteen who have each surpassed the 500-peak mark. This remarkable league includes Brian Kalet, Richard Carey, John Stolk, Josef Nuernberger, Adam Walker, Deividas Valaitis, Richard McLellan, Connor McEntee, Daryn Dodge, Barbara Lilley, Martin Richardson, Denise McLellan, and Kathy Rich, each one a beacon of determination and endurance.

A special round of applause is due for the fifteen peak-baggers who scaled more than fifty-two peaks in 2023. With one peak per week on average, they have woven a tapestry of triumph that is both inspiring and breathtaking.

We also extend a warm, high-altitude welcome, to the new members of the P600m club: Ron Bartell, Jay Dolan, Sarah Martin, Christine Mitchell, Toni Montaña, Dave Golias, Steve Sheriff, Chad Thomas, Chris Upson, Sean Caulfield, Alfred E. Neumann, Richard Wood and Joel Brewster. Your achievements bolster the club’s legacy, adding new chapters of adventure and persistence.

Hovering on the cusp of this illustrious list, five peak-baggers -  Nick Down, Julie Brown, Lindsay Munro, Fiona Clark, and Stuart Clark—are within ten peaks of reaching the hallowed table. For these climbers, the summit is not just a place but a journey, and perhaps by now, they have already reached their milestone.

Congratulations to Richard McLellan and Connor McEntee for your well-earned Silver Awards, and to Dustin Erickson, Sarah Martin and Steve Sheriff on achieving Bronze, the latter two going straight into the awards as new entrants in 2023.  The P600m Awards roll now stands at thirty-nine – five Gold, eight Silver and twenty-six Bronze.

And as we look to the trails and peaks ahead, we bid a long retirement to four veterans of the vertical: Barbara Lilley, Stewart Logan, David McSporran, and David Purchase. Your well-earned retirement stands as a salute to your past achievements and the inspiring trails you have blazed for future climbers.

In every climb, each peak-bagger has not just scaled a mountain; they've elevated the human spirit, pushing the boundaries of what adventurers can achieve. Here's to all the climbers—for every summit reached is a pinnacle of human endeavor.

Good luck and memorable P600m peaks in 2024!

Deividas Valaitis

P600m HoFMeister

April 2024