Jacob Grant
Bio: Army brat, Navy Vet, got my Class A license after the service, been driving airport shuttle in Las Vegas for the past 4 years. It's safe to say I like to keep moving.
Age: 36
Why did you join the 52 Peak Club: I liked the goal-oriented idea of collecting cards per hike completed, combined with the promise of getting into shape and overcoming my fear of heights.
Date Completed all 52 Peaks: Dec 14th, 2013 (55th person to become a 53er)
Toughest Peak: A toss-up between Mummy's Toe and Black Velvet. Sheila Conway was on both those hikes with me. (I doubt any further explanation is required here :)
Favorite Hike: I can't say that I have one because each one is special in its own right, especially with the fellow hikers being quite 'special' themselves. However, maybe I'll take this opportunity to roast the creator of the 52 peak club:
My first card hike with Branch Whitney was my 2nd card earned, Calico Tank Peak. I had just spent $100 the day before on some scrambling shoes. I noticed how Branch was able to negotiate scrambling with great ease while I seemed to keep slipping. I asked Branch why I was having such a difficult time. His response: "Get better shoes." And then he marked me as a no-show for the hike. Way to make a hiker feel welcome Branch! Ha!
A few months later, Branch posted a hike for Anniversary Narrows. I couldn't make the hike, but I saw an article in Backpacker magazine that mentioned Anniversary Narrows, which I thought was pretty cool, so I posted a comment on the hike in Meetup about the article. Apparently, that was all that was needed because even though I didn't actually do the hike, Branch gave me credit for it. Definitely, the easiest card I had ever earned.
How did you feel once you became a 53er: Bitter sweet. I enjoyed the journey and earning cards along the way so much that I felt I might ask myself, "What now??" Two days after becoming a 53er, however, I realized that completing the deck is just the beginning of my outdoor adventure journey with the great people I've met along the way.
Advice for new hikers: The hikes belong to you. The reasons you do the hikes are yours. It's a personal journey on many levels, so don't just settle on a single idea on why it is that you've joined the club and out there doing these hikes. It's 'you' time.
Age: 36
Why did you join the 52 Peak Club: I liked the goal-oriented idea of collecting cards per hike completed, combined with the promise of getting into shape and overcoming my fear of heights.
Date Completed all 52 Peaks: Dec 14th, 2013 (55th person to become a 53er)
Toughest Peak: A toss-up between Mummy's Toe and Black Velvet. Sheila Conway was on both those hikes with me. (I doubt any further explanation is required here :)
Favorite Hike: I can't say that I have one because each one is special in its own right, especially with the fellow hikers being quite 'special' themselves. However, maybe I'll take this opportunity to roast the creator of the 52 peak club:
My first card hike with Branch Whitney was my 2nd card earned, Calico Tank Peak. I had just spent $100 the day before on some scrambling shoes. I noticed how Branch was able to negotiate scrambling with great ease while I seemed to keep slipping. I asked Branch why I was having such a difficult time. His response: "Get better shoes." And then he marked me as a no-show for the hike. Way to make a hiker feel welcome Branch! Ha!
A few months later, Branch posted a hike for Anniversary Narrows. I couldn't make the hike, but I saw an article in Backpacker magazine that mentioned Anniversary Narrows, which I thought was pretty cool, so I posted a comment on the hike in Meetup about the article. Apparently, that was all that was needed because even though I didn't actually do the hike, Branch gave me credit for it. Definitely, the easiest card I had ever earned.
How did you feel once you became a 53er: Bitter sweet. I enjoyed the journey and earning cards along the way so much that I felt I might ask myself, "What now??" Two days after becoming a 53er, however, I realized that completing the deck is just the beginning of my outdoor adventure journey with the great people I've met along the way.
Advice for new hikers: The hikes belong to you. The reasons you do the hikes are yours. It's a personal journey on many levels, so don't just settle on a single idea on why it is that you've joined the club and out there doing these hikes. It's 'you' time.