David Pectol

Bio: Born in Las Vegas and raised in Southern Utah.  I joined the 52 Peak Club in the Fall of 2017 and did a few hikes.  Life was keeping me busy and I allowed myself to sporadically hike for a few years and it took the COVID19 shutdown to wake me up and re-introduce me to my love of hiking and being outdoors.  I will NEVER go back to what I was!

Age: 47

 Why did you join the 52 Peak Club: The Club had a great reputation in the hiking community.  I had already purchased Branches book, Hiking Las Vegas and decided to give it a try.  First hike: Fortification Hill - 11/10/2017

Date Completed all 52 Peaks: June 22nd, 2021

Toughest Peak: Holiday Peak

Favorite Hike: Holiday Peak, Mescalito, Pine Creek Peak and Magic Mtn

How did you feel once you became a 53er: Accomplished!  It had been a goal of mine for quite awhile.  I also felt like I had made a ton of new friends in Las Vegas that I never would have known otherwise.  I remember thinking to myself "what did I get myself into" and "there is no way I'm going to be able to do this" on my first 3rd and 4th hikes and about  halfway through, hiking began to make my body feel good.  

Advice for new hikers: Start at the lower card hikes and work your way up.  Everyone is sore and unsure if they will be able to complete all 52 peaks....you can do it!  Keep at it! Don't stress out on the waitlist, hike at least 3 days a week and the soreness will go away and always bring the essentials for the hike.