Looking back…Moving forward

[Frodo]

#49174

A planning party is something that has been mentioned in the past, and is a great excuse to get away for a weekend. I will not be available from late May thru most of June, but If you plan one earlier, I’ll be there 🙂

My biggest concern over the last 2 years has been people who sign up (mostly for major peaks like Washington and Adams) and do not show up 🙁 . In 2002, Adams, Jefferson, and Washington did not ever have any confirmation, and these are the 3 highest peaks in the Northeast!

In 2003, Adams, Pierce, and Washington were left out. People tend to sign up becuse these peaks are available, but for whatever reason don’t make it. I hope to show justice on Adams next year…

I think that if we had peak coordinators (people assigned to organize a region of peaks, one of which they would hike, and communicated closely with the rest of the peak supporters in that region), we would minimize the no-shows, and would likely find out about them in advance enabling us to fill them in…

Which brings us to the other problem… enough support to cover them all. In 2002 we had all the peaks covered on paper, but it did not turn out that way….

All of you have great ideas on how to expand this event. Lets work over the winter to expand these ideas and make the next Sept 11 a day that no one ever forgets….

More to follow soon…

[MtnMagic]

#49175

Thinking about it, after reading your post Frodo, 100% I’m completly in agreement
_____________
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[SilentCal]

#49176

Frodo is on to something with his peak co-ordinator idea. Maybe we can have six volunteers to take an assignment of eight mountains to “watch” over. Upon signing up for a mountain, a confirmation letter could direct a group to this volunteer for further help and instructions. Maybe then you could get better coverage of the mountains. Perhaps we could divide the Peaks as
1. Presidentals +Isolation
2. Carters, Moriah and the Wildcats
3. Sandwich Range
4. Kinsmans, Moosilauke, Cannon, Waumbek, Cabot
5. Hancocks, Carrigain, Tom, Field, Willey, Hale, Zealand
6. Franconias, Owls Head, Twins, Bonds + Galehead,Garfield.
It’s not split totally evenlly but a co-ordinator could organize people to meet at like trailheads to hike a little ways together.

Anyone have a date to throw out for a planning party? How about May 8th weekend?

[MtnMagic]

#49177

Great tentative date to meet in the Whites as those very hungry black flies will attack a few days later. This is based on years of the average conditions during springtime.

C’mon, let’s hear from the others.
Super ideas!

[Stephen]

#49178

Hello all. I’ve been silent on all of this planning stuff as mostly I’ve been evaluating my potential role(s) in the next event. Not to mention I just moved my family of 5 from Rollinsford to Dover. While it may be a hop, skip and a jump away, it’s still an adventure, as none of my children have known another home than our “red house”.

Anyhow, I have to say I like the way this is turning. Most of my ideas combine the many that have been mentioned.

I think we should have the option at signup to select a single mountain, join the pool for an area (as listed above), or to indicate “wherever I am needed”.

Next, an indication of difficulty might be good for those joining the pool. That is, if someone joins a pool or is a whereever hiker, allow them to inidicate their maximum difficulty level, so that they will not be assigned a peak that they give up on. Remember our goal is not to just have each peak assigned, but rather, to ensure that a flag makes it up there.

Finally, we should make a list of the target peaks (those which have been missed the past 2 events” and the targeted peaks (those that are most likely to be covered or over-covered, or that have non-hiking access). Having these lists available might help encourage more experienced hikers to go for the target peaks and leave the targeted peaks for the lesser-experienced or late-comers.

We should also start a program whereby people who wish to participate but cannot hike, or aren’t interested, can donate/loan flags or poles. They could also host a campsite and/or meal for the hikers.

So, to sum up, the two major issues (IMHO) to be addressed at the planning meeting (which I am looking forward to attending) are:

1) 100% peak coverage, that is, a flag on each peak
A. remote/difficult/viewless peak coverage
B. dropout avoidance
2) Non-hiker participation

There may be other issues I’ve missed, but I don’t mind starting to build the agenda! 🙂

-T

[MichaelJ]

#49179

I’m in agreement. Partitioning off the peaks will definitely help with overseeing the planning, allowing for greater detail. I might break down the list a little differently, basing it a little more on trailhead than destination. Ie, group together Twins, Galehead, Hale, Zealand, Garfield; Tom, Field, Willey with Pierce and Jackson; Ike & Monroe with Washington & Northerns. I have no real justification for this other than thinking that having the same person coordinate hiking in from the north along Rte 3 as well as from Lincoln Woods seemed odd.
🙂

I especially think the signup levels will draw more people in. I’m sure there are folks who’d love to commit to hike a summit for this event but would prefer not to have to deal with planning/getting a flag & pole. Now, you’ll be able to sign up for a peak or area and just be there to help out, not have to coordinate.

May 8, eh? Sounds good to me! Is this going to be a gathering in civilization, at a campground, or at a hut?

[brianM]

#49180

I think all the ideas being kicked around are good and will be helpful in getting more people involved and ALL 48 covered on September 11, 2004. From my experience on Flags on the 48 2003, I had a couple of take-aways that some of the ideas presented here should address.

Publicity – many people I met said they loved the idea, wanted to participate next year, would’ve done it this year had they know, etc. Of course, perhaps their feedback was more spur of the moment, but more awareness/publicity will help.

“Target Marketing” – I also met a couple of hikers that had heard about the event on a hike a few weeks earlier, but didn’t know how to find out more or how to sign up. Somebody mentioned business cards on this site but I couldn’t find the thread, so am not sure if I am talking about the same thing. But having something similar to the “mission statement” that could be distributed on the trails to interested hikers prior to the event would work, maybe just a 2004 version of the statement?

Increased Coordination & Communication – I think the idea of having some sort of increased coordination/communication is a great way to manage people that sign up for a peak but need to back out. As I mentioned in a previous post, had I (or others on the peak I flagged) known that an adjacent peak was not going to be flagged due to a last minute cancel, perhaps we would’ve done things a little differently to get ‘em both covered.

Just my feedback, and I am looking forward to next year and taking a more active role in this event.

[Stephen]

#49181

@brianM wrote:

Increased Coordination & Communication – I think the idea of having some sort of increased coordination/communication is a great way to manage people that sign up for a peak but need to back out. As I mentioned in a previous post, had I (or others on the peak I flagged) known that an adjacent peak was not going to be flagged due to a last minute cancel, perhaps we would’ve done things a little differently to get ‘em both covered.

Brian,

I updated the website hourly as the event closed in so that people knew exactly where we stood with the peaks. I’m a big proponent for not cluttering inboxes, so I leave it for the hikers to check the site for more information.

But you did give me an idea of sending out an e-mail to the participants highlight expectations, ideas and encouragements prior to the event.

-T

[Greg]

#49182

In addition, we should also come up with an automated way to update the peaks list. The Email route Stephen and I used this year was not that efficient. Stephen was very good at getting me updates, but it took me hours, sometimes a day, to get it posted. An automated system is needed next year. Add another to the list! 🙂

[brianM]

#49183

Hello,

I think I may have been a little unclear in my last post. I think that the8re and Greg and all the folks that put their time and efforts into organizing this event did a fantastic job, and I am grateful that I could be a part of it. When I mentioned “Increased Coordination & Communication” I was referring to a previous suggestion of having peak coordinators who would be able to monitor coverage & communication for an assigned group of peaks. I too agree that cluttering mailboxes is not necessary, but a coordinator might be able to put together a quick back-up plan for any last minute cancels. For example, let’s say Team Eisenhower has to back out a day or two prior. They would let the coordinator know, and he/she might then be able to find potential replacements. Perhaps the team covering a nearby peak could split up in order to cover Ike? Just an idea.

PS – got a card in the mail last week, with some new pictures from a woman I met on the hike, and posted the new pics in the gallery. The pics are pretty good, but the card was even better, thanking me (and really all of us involved) for our efforts in doing this.

Brian

[SilentCal]

#49184

Lots of interesting ideas and issues have been brought forth. I think the sign-ups do have to be done a little differently to react to the diverse amount of hiking experience a group may have and how much experience they have with the event itself. I’d be willing to volunteer to be one of the peak coordinators to help out with the logistics. I personally feel that Stephen and Greg did a butt-kicking job on the computer sign-up side of this event. After initial sign-ups, however, they can pass the torch to one of the coordinators to keep everone of the same page.
Anyone have a problem with the May 8th weekend? The Huts will still be closed but Lonesome, Zealand and Carter Notch would be availible for self-service. We could also grab a couple spots at a campground and toss ideas over a campfire. Anyone got any other ideas? Maybe we should poll this out?

[MtnMagic]

#49185

Yes, a planning party. I would love a camping weekend, snow’s gone under 3k’, early May, no bugs (none!), hike all day — camp all night :), tossing out ideas as a group, fine tuning the details while sitting around the cracking of a campfire, cooking, having a cold one (or two!) w/o the worry of having to drive. I’m looking forward to it. How do you feel? What are your thoughts?
___________________
Sounds perfect to me!

[MichaelJ]

#49186

One of the huts would be great but then we need to get a commitment for exactly the right number of people and also front the money. So I think I’ll vote for a campground. If the weather’s nice we gather ’round the fire. If it’s bad we find the nearest bar.
😀

And maybe then I’ll finally get to use my new car-camping tent!

May might be too early for sites like Sugarloaf or Wild River, but Hancock, Lafayette, and a few others are open year-round.

[Stephen]

#49187

Just had a thought (ouch!):

A number of people wanted to hike specific peaks because of personal value. Perhaps we could have an early registration whereby those with personal attachments to certain peaks can apply for one before the general first come first served group starts.

These folks will have to write a short description on why they wish to have that certain peak. The result will be 1) These people will most likely commit to their peak as they expressed a personal attachment to it and 2) we’ll have generated some early publicity sources to use throughout the event.

-T

[Jaytrek57]

#49188

Interesting…IMHO…here’s a different POV.

While I understand people wanting perhaps to do certain peaks every year and …I’ll agree that perhaps some should be able to do this (speaks to tradition)…but I personally think early sign-ups, (outside the public) give the appearance of preferential treatment and down the road a few years from now I think that can lead to some challenges. Also…who will decide? I would hate to have to be the one to choose between let’s say 3 heart wrenching stories.

Publicity. I was thinking that those who are interested should let their local community paper(s) know what they are doing. Small, home grown papers love this stuff.

I believe the success of this event, outside the actual day of course, is the buy-in from participants. Being part of something. Pre/Post-event gatherings, better overall communications (mentioned before), Frodo’s patches…etc…are IMMHO…what makes people want to come back.

Has an “All Crew” meeting been mentioned yet? It would be nice…again buy-in…if all the crews were to meet up the morning of the event for a memorial service, pep talk, recognizing certain people, whatever. Logistically challenging but I think it could be done.

I do enjoy discussing this.

[Author]

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