7 summits in 365 days

[Mark Compton]

17-year-old becomes youngest to conquer 7 Summits!

Johnny Collinson, a high school senior from Utah, just became the youngest person to climb the seven summits – the highest peaks on each of the seven continents.

Way to go Johnny! Here's a young man getting the most out of life!! Kudo's

Read about it here.
http://www.johnnycollinson.com/

[Nick Gatel]

Yea, and it looks like it must have cost him around $150,000 to do it. Not your typical teenager's allowance :).

But kudos to the kid.

[Art …]

mountains are never conquered. they merely take pity on us and allow us to pass safely to the summit.

[Ryan Linn]

"mountains are NEVER conquered. they merely take pity on us and allow us to pass safely to the summit."

Yeah. What's with all the violent language used to describe hiking up a mountain? I see a lot of things like "besieging the mountain" or "beginning their assault of the summit" or "the hikers attacked the mountain" in writing about significant hikes or peakbaggers. What's wrong with "they walked up the mountain in often adverse conditions"? Not exciting enough?

[Mark Compton]

Hmmmm, maybe a more fitting title would be. " Rich,spoiled,bratty,entitled teen gets to have all the fun!"

The remarks thus far are quiet suprising coming from such an outdoors group! I'm seeing alot of -hands in pockets,head down and dirt kicking. My apologies if I'm interpreting this wrong?

In my eyes the kids living the dream! The particulars,philosophy,bankroll etc.. are irrelevant to me. HYOH.. right??

[Nick Gatel]

>> Hmmmm, maybe a more fitting title would be. " Rich,spoiled,bratty,entitled teen gets to have all the fun!"

No, I don't think so. It is quite an achievement. But only an elite few can do it. If you remember the book, "Seven Summits," Bass and Wells were two wealthy men. The average Joe isn't going to be able to do this.

[Art …]

. . . . .

[William Johnson]

"The average Joe isn't going to be able to do this."

Mostly because he won't want to. Thanks for linking to this guy's website. I like looking at all the cool gear.

What a fantastic year he had.

[Ryan Linn]

"The remarks thus far are quiet suprising coming from such an outdoors group! I'm seeing alot of -hands in pockets,head down and dirt kicking. My apologies if I'm interpreting this wrong? "

My comment wasn't specific to this guy, it's more to writers in general who feel they have to compare mountaineering and hiking to war. I get a lot of this from reading Appalachia or Backpacker, I think. And it seems overly sensational to me, like the writers think hiking isn't exciting enough to write about without adding silly things like violent analogies. Anyone else see this a lot?

I say good for the kid for chasing his dream. I'm always jealous of people who have the means and drive to do things like that. The 7 Summits probably wouldn't be on my list of things to do even if I had the money, but I'm sure some of the things I'd like to do would elicit the same kind of response (which doesn't seem entirely hostile to me). Especially if I had lots of publicity.

I haven't looked at his website, but it would be interesting to see what he does to follow up the seven summits. Aside from finishing high school :)

[Devin Montgomery]

"My comment wasn't specific to this guy, it's more to writers in general who feel they have to compare mountaineering and hiking to war. I get a lot of this from reading Appalachia or Backpacker, I think. And it seems overly sensational to me, like the writers think hiking isn't exciting enough to write about without adding silly things like violent analogies. Anyone else see this a lot?"

+1

When I read this stuff I think two things. 1) does it really feel like this to these guys? If so, why do they do it? Who in the hell seeks war for recreation? and 2) even if it does feel like this, and I can kind of see how it may at times, the metaphor, simile, analogy, whatever is just so overused. Don't the words just yell "hackneyed!" as they're coming off their pen (popping off their keystrokes)?

Anyway, that was a bit intense, but suffice it to say that I agree with you, Ryan. :)

[Kendall Clement]

Congrats, Johnny! That's a great accomplishment.

[Mark Compton]

A difference of style.

Two men stand in the shadow of a great mountain. The first beats his chest,lets out a rebel yell and proclaims,"I'm going to assault this mountain and victory will be mine."

The second saunters off without so much as a word and begins his leisurely ascent.

Neither are right-neither are wrong. Just different.. It's the first step of their journey that inspires me….

[Bob Gross]

If you go back into the Everest history, climbing expeditions were often led by military men. Often, the logistics and management were more like a military campaign than like a hike up a hill. For example, John Hunt led the 1953 British expedition when Ed Hillary and Tenzing were first successful. That continued until the late 1970's. Messner changed a lot of that style.
–B.G.–

[Ryan Linn]

Very good point, Bob. I'd be willing to believe this is where that started. Happily, that kind of activity is much less military-oriented these days

@Devin: I'll spare you my thoughts on most books about mountaineering/hiking for now :)

Sorry for hijacking the thread, by the way. Oops!

[. .]

Most people are doing battle with their own volition on Mountains and when pushing their own limits, fighting against formidable forces. I find the sensationalism humorous, but certainly have felt the "fight" when the weather turns fowl or something goes wrong beyond any man's control. Mountains don't conquer, they just are. Men conquer all kinds of things – be it noble or silly – and chiefly with their minds. Significant accomplishments are won through battles, be they internal or external; I commend those who are courageous and do not cower to avoid a good struggle.

[Author]

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