Define Obsessive Behavior

[Scott P]

If Mount Elbrus is on the border between the continents of Europe and Asia, then it’s still not the highest mountain IN Europe! I guess it’s the highest on the edge of Europe.

Elbrus is not on the border. It's 100% in Europe (at least by the standards Seven Continent model used here) as it is north of the main spine of the Caucasus which forms the boundary.

As far as Carstensz Pyramid, I thought it replaced Australia’s high point mainly because Mt Kosciuszko is just an easy day hike, at 7,000 feet elevation, and is therefore not mountaineering.

Mountaineers (and guiding companies!) might favor Cartenz for that reason but that's not why the Oceania model is taught in many European schools.

US and Australian schools teach the model that Australia is the continent while many European schools teach that Oceania is the continent.

In addition, much of Europe even considers the Americas to be a single continent. That's what's taught in countries such as Spain, Portugal, Greece, etc. That's why the Olympic Flag has five rings-one for each of the populated continents. It is interesting that they combine North and South America but not Europe and Asia.

Screenshot_20260811_141141_Google.jpg

You could really have a lot of fun with that European poll if you wanted too. Wait until you hear some of their debates on whether the Canary Islands are geographically in Europe or Africa or if Greenland is geographically in Europe or North America. Back in the early days of Summitpost, it was almost a brawl between members of different European countries concerning such issues. Other than the Carstenz vs. Kosciuszko debate I didn't even know about all these debates about continental boundaries among Europeans until I joined Summitpost and started climbing peaks in Europe.

[seannunn]

Winter in the mountains starts on the solstice and ends on the equinox.

Best example so far! Try explaining to a non-peakbagger that you don’t want to start your hike before 3:50pm on 12/21/26, because then it “doesn’t count” as a winter ascent.

It would, however, count as a winter SUMMIT if you started that day before 3:50pm, but didn't reach the summit until 3:50pm or after.

Sean Nunn (person with mild obsessive behaviors at times)
Peculiar, MO

[cedica]

Darin, are you saying that it would be obsessive of me to poll hundreds or thousands of citizens of European countries?

You can’t talk me out of doing this.

Why bother when we all know the outcome. Greenland in North America, Caucasus in Europe, Indonesia in Australia. Boy Oh Boy, It's A Hasbro Toy!
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[LifeIsGood]

Oh! I totally forgot to mention that I have also summited Chimborazo in Ecuador, and therefore I have stood atop the HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD, AS MEASURED FROM THE CENTER OF THE EARTH! (but really it’s only 20,000 feet elevation).

Some of these geographical debates, I have never even heard of. A glance at a map tells me that Greenland is either part of North America, or it is its own landmass, but it certainly does not appear to be part of Europe.

The Canary Islands certainly do not appear to be part of Europe.

Australia certainly DOES appear to be a continent (especially since I don’t have the determination to ever summit Carstensz Pyramid).

And finally- the 5 Olympic Rings MAKE NO SENSE AT ALL!!! Europe and Asia are really just one huge continent, called Eurasia. And North and South America are obviously two separate continents. As for “Oceania,” how can any rational person call a vast group of islands a “continent”???

IN CONCLUSION, it appears that there are many quandaries and conundrums in the life of a peakbagger. But really I just want to know, why are we even here on Earth?

[cedica]

Europe and Asia are really just one huge continent, called Eurasia.

Respectfully, sir, no way. Halford Mackinder, the Lord of Fackham Hall, wrote that lyrics while smoking dope:

Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland;
who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island;
who rules the World-Island commands the world.

[Scott P]

Some of these geographical debates, I have never even heard of. A glance at a map tells me that Greenland is either part of North America, or it is its own landmass, but it certainly does not appear to be part of Europe.

The Canary Islands certainly do not appear to be part of Europe.

I agree, but apparently those are fighting words to many Europeans. This is even true of people who live in the Canary Islands. When I was there, I made the mistake of mentioning that the Canary Islands are geographically part of Africa. While this is factually true, I'd recommend not doing this while you are there.

https://canariasacross.com/blog/are-can ... -territory

I'd like to say Europeans are unique concerning their continental classifications but I guess here in the US we have some weird classifications too. For example, in the US, the Caribbean Islands are considered to be part of North America. That makes sense for islands such as Cuba, but not so much for islands such as Trinidad. Trinidad is right off the coast of Venezuela (only 7 miles!) and both are highly visible from each other. Trinidad isn't even close to the North American mainland.

north-america-map.png

I guess this is getting a little off topic though. It's still fun for geography nerds.

[supranihilest]

After five days in the mountains, I have come to realize that the moon is actually just the government's largest parking meter.

Anyway, I saw a pink car on the way home.

This is concerning because pink is not a naturally occurring car color unless the car has first been exposed to sufficient quantities of Wednesday.

And I don't remember ordering a Wednesday.

My refrigerator has been making a noise that sounds exactly like the word “municipality,” but only when I am in another room.

There is no reason for this.

I have checked.

The carpet is lying about the stairs again.

People keep saying that a chair has four legs, but nobody has ever explained why it doesn't have knees.

I don't want to get political about this, but I think the ducks know.

Last night I put a spoon in the dishwasher and woke up with a receipt for 47 pounds of mayonnaise.

The cashier was a lighthouse.

I asked her what aisle the batteries were in and she gave me a very disappointing look.

This is why I no longer trust plaid.

Also, the pink car was driving normally, which I found suspicious.

I think it may have been following the concept of me.

Anyway, carry on.

[Skimo95]

Something like what Ben said. Most of us have been up the “true” summit of Bross several times. It is not condoned but it is not advertised either by most individuals will a lick of intellect. That being said, when you get far enough into the co hill climbing journey, it becomes more predestined. Someone chasing the winter 14er list, and 13er lists aren’t going to risk lying about an accomplishment over a mild risk. I say don’t but I won’t spank you if you do. Just wanted to add the pre LiDAR centennial list was a lot more honorable than the current one (do both)

[nyker]

...

Rather than re-hash these topics here, I am interested in what else can we include on this list of irrational thought processes, that the people seem to think they are 100% correct about???

Irrational?

How about from the viewpoint of an average nonathletic or non-outdoor person: going through the effort of preparing and spending a ton of money for specialized gear just to walk to the top of a mountain which might take all day, starting before dawn half asleep when most people are sleeping for several more hours, carrying a huge amount of gear, exhausting yourself, often in bad weather, cold, rain, snow, sun, risking lightning, potential to run into wild animals, pounding the feet up hill the whole time...all when there is a road to the top than you can just drive any car up...sounds crazy.

[LifeIsGood]

pink is not a naturally occurring car color unless the car has first been exposed to sufficient quantities of Wednesday.

And I don't remember ordering a Wednesday.

I have some information on this phenomena, but I dare not post about it here, because I’m pretty sure I’m already on some Government watch lists (it involves a conspiracy among paint manufacturers).

[LifeIsGood]

there is a road to the top that you can just drive any car up

But driving up really doesn’t count as an ascent!!!

This reminds me of a Mount Evans/Mt Blue Sky ascent, when I went up a steep north face couloir, with crampons and ice axe, which was super fun, as usual, but then there was a brief section of really hard water ice at the narrow choke point, which I wasn’t really equipped for, so it was kinda scary.

This route is called Snave II on Summitpost, and North Face Steep on 14’ers.com. I decided to check off this peak on my checklist, even though I had only ascended 1500 feet, which some here would slander me for (at least I eventually made several more ascents, including the Tour de Abyss).

But yeah, I guess I could have just driven up.

[ltlFish99]

I CERTAINLY WILL REPEAT MT. BLUE SKY, AS OUR CLIMB WSS FROM SUMMIT LAKE YO TGE DUMMIT, THEN SAWTOOTH, RETURN VIA SAWTOOTH, BUT I DUId NOT CLIMB 3,000 FT, TO GET TO THE SUMMIT OF BLUE SKY.
THERFORE, I WILL IRRATIONALLY GO BACK TO HIKE BLUE SKY FROM THE ECHO LAKE LODGE TO OBSESSIVELY GET MY 3 000 FEET.

ON OTHER IRRATIONAL THOUGHTTS, HOW MANY OF THE LOWER ALTITUDE 14ERS, WILL BECOME DISQUALIFED, WHEN SEA LEVELS RISE?