summit "notes" or registers?
Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 8:16 pm
A climbing history / mountaneering tradition question, inspired by this article
http://www.summitpost.org/how-the-briti ... ing/713630
In Russia, traditionally, they don't use summit registers like in America / Gipfelbuche like in Germany.
Instead, there is a "summit note" system, the 1st ascending group leaves a brief note in a cairn on the summit, essentially the same info as would go into a summit register entry, but scribbled on a piece of paper. The next ascending group would take the previous group's note "as a proof of ascent" and then leave their own note with the usual info, but also adding that "we took a note of such-and-such group from such-and-such date". In the end there is always one note in the cairn, and it tells you something about the previous two ascents, but not deeper into the past. The note is constantly replaced by successive climbers. The old notes are typically archived by the local S&R office
Some people think that it is really a British tradition, but I couldn't find any proof, and I don't know how the original A.C. members recorded their ascents, did they use any registers or just gentelman's word. But in the Caucasus, some of the more obscure summits were told to still have British-issue food tins, where the firs ascenders presumably left their notes... And then the British are very fond of letterboxing game, where players leave and take little notes from special containers in the countryside, and collect the old notes as a proof of their exploits. Which sort of like how Russian Alpinism works
http://www.summitpost.org/how-the-briti ... ing/713630
In Russia, traditionally, they don't use summit registers like in America / Gipfelbuche like in Germany.
Instead, there is a "summit note" system, the 1st ascending group leaves a brief note in a cairn on the summit, essentially the same info as would go into a summit register entry, but scribbled on a piece of paper. The next ascending group would take the previous group's note "as a proof of ascent" and then leave their own note with the usual info, but also adding that "we took a note of such-and-such group from such-and-such date". In the end there is always one note in the cairn, and it tells you something about the previous two ascents, but not deeper into the past. The note is constantly replaced by successive climbers. The old notes are typically archived by the local S&R office
Some people think that it is really a British tradition, but I couldn't find any proof, and I don't know how the original A.C. members recorded their ascents, did they use any registers or just gentelman's word. But in the Caucasus, some of the more obscure summits were told to still have British-issue food tins, where the firs ascenders presumably left their notes... And then the British are very fond of letterboxing game, where players leave and take little notes from special containers in the countryside, and collect the old notes as a proof of their exploits. Which sort of like how Russian Alpinism works