Deck Completed with the 52 Peak Club

Please excuse my brief pause in the series covering the High Sierra Trail; I anticipate that we'll pick it up again with part three next week.

Shortly after relocating to Las Vegas in 2001, I became involved with local hiking groups. I mainly participated in activities organized by the Las Vegas Mountaineers Club, which I am still a proud member of today. However, I occasionally ventured out with other clubs. One notable group was the 52 Peak Club, which focused more on climbing than general hiking, and I enjoyed that.

In 2011, the club leader Branch Whitney proposed a unique initiative: to create custom cards for each peak that members ascended. The inaugural hike to receive this special card was Fortification Hill on January 8, 2011. I'm proud to say I was part of that adventure, despite initially not being keen on the card idea. I remember that hike particularly well because it featured some challenging, steep, and rocky sections. At one point, a boulder the size of a bowling ball was dislodged during a tricky climb and barely missed hitting another hiker. Although there was a bit of bloodshed, the injured woman heroically finished the hike.

Image description: Standing at the back on Fortification Hill – January 8, 2011, wearing a black Venetian t-shirt.

After that initial hike, I participated in two additional outings with the 52 Peak Club, but then for some reason, I stepped back. It feels like ages ago, so I can't recall the exact reason. Over the years in Vegas, I went through different phases that included running, road biking, mountain biking, unicycling, fitness boot camps, and just periods of inactivity.

Jumping ahead nine years, two of my friends became part of the club and began sharing their experiences and achievements with each earned card. Their enthusiasm motivated me to rejoin, which I did. Early in 2021, I unexpectedly registered for Global Peak, and I found that hike to be both enjoyable and challenging, so I decided to sign up for additional hikes. I have to admit that the motivation from earning the cards really helped me, along with the thrill of having a concrete goal—the aim to complete the full 52-card deck. When you accomplish this, you earn a joker card, bringing the total to 53 cards, and are recognized as a 53’er.

During my journey, I expressed my desire to take on a leadership role within the club, which was granted. Since then, I have led four hikes and have provided rappelling instructional sessions on several occasions.

Twelve of the hikes organized by the club take place on or near Mount Charleston. Because of snow and ice that persist most of the year, these hikes generally occur between May and September. In the summer of 2021, I was only able to complete ten out of the twelve hikes, which meant I had to wait until summer 2022 to finish my deck.

Fast forward to April 2022, and I found myself with only three cards remaining to complete my collection: one challenging hike at Red Rock, Ice Box Peak, and two others close to Mount Charleston, McFarland Peak and Mummy’s Nose. As I wasn't familiar with the routes for any of these, I needed another leader to guide me. Thankfully, a generous leader named Ash guided me through all three of my final hikes.

The last hike I completed was Mummy’s Nose on Saturday, July 2, 2022. Typically, there’s a celebration for those who finish their card deck, where the individual receives a plaque. My case was no different. Fourteen fellow hikers joined me in celebrating my achievement at the summit, and I reciprocated with a trivia game and a magic trick.

In summary, I've experienced 52 remarkable adventures with the 52 Peak Club. Many of the peaks require advanced climbing skills and ropes, while others have sheer cliffs and ledges that come perilously close to causing falls. Conquering these fears and challenges has, in my view, contributed to my personal growth. Throughout this journey, I've forged friendships with many intelligent and strong individuals. I owe a heartfelt thanks to Branch, Ash, and all the leaders who assisted me in reaching this milestone. It was such an exhilarating adventure that I'm already setting my sights on a second deck.

Written by: Michael Shackleford