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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
2 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 12:34 PM
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On Monday August 22, a short distance below the pass overlooking Wind Valley, about 2km up the trail from Smith-Dorien Highway (east side Spray Lake), I found a ziplock bag containing a painted flat river cobble (would make an ideal skipping stone) about 3x3.5cm and a saddle-stapled, 60-page booklet entitled "An Adventure Muse". The booklet, whose pages measure 6cm wide x14cm tall, contains quotes on the nature of adventure, journeys, etc. The Booklet apears professionally produced, with stapled binding and machine-trimmed pages, with a blue cover. The stone and booklet were folded inside a tan-colored cover letter of sorts with more stuff on journeys inwards etc and closing with the words "A Summit Stone for you. May the spirit and meaning you create for yourself on your adventures be forever present. As I climb past my 120th mountain summit and journey beyond 150 lakes, rivers, and oceans.....DSD".
The stone is painted in a mountain-water-field motif, somewhat geometric in its layout, and the stone has the initials "DSD '04" on the back.
The ziplock bag was tucked into a crevice in a rotting log beside the trail and located not at the summit, but not far below it. It was somewhat disguised by the tan color of the letter in which the stone and booklet were folded, but being right beside a heavily-used trail I would have expected it to have been found Sunday, if it was not in fact put there on Sunday; or it may have been placed on Monday. I must have walked by it on the way up, but leading our party on the way down I spotted it right away.
So I wonder how many of these things are out there? How many have been found? |
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 adventure seeking, peak-bagging, high-enduring, strong and silent forest gnome
N49°09', W122°47'
Canada
3812 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 2:08 PM
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We had a post on this topic a little over a week ago, and assuming it was some kind of marketing or spam, the topic was deleted. Since then I've been in contact with the original poster, and discovered that although it sounds pretty unbelievable, it seems to be true.
One of the links that the originator of the previous topic (Ukeman) sent me was to another forum - and contained a post by our very own Dru. It seems he's received one of these gifts as well - so that makes 3 people that say they have received them.
If it's a hoax, it's a pretty good one...
Here's the content of the email I received from Ukeman:
quote:
Hi there,
My name is Jonathan Miller, and I have, on two occasions found summit stones in the Kananaskis area.
About a year ago while hiking near Fortress Mountain, I climbed into a large crack in a huge boulder. I was surprised to discover a zip lock bag with a couple of typed sheets and a small, beautifully painted stone. On the back of the stone was written "DSD '04"
I was delighted with this find and intrigued by the cryptic and inspiring text on the typed pages.
Just this past month while scrambling again in Kananaskis country, I returned to my van to discover a similar package tucked under the windshield wiper.
On the back: "DSD '05" and in the packet a booklet containing a wonderful compilation of inspiring quotes from various wilderness adventurers and others who possess a deep appreciation of Nature.
This little booklet is 60 pages long containing over 200 quotes. It has been published and printed very professionally. It is clear that the entity behind these stones and this publication is a dedicated outdoors person going the extra mile to make the outdoor experience even more special for people like me.
I have been able to find out very little about DSD and the summit stones. I found your message board question posted back in 2003. and the reply regarding one found while sea kayaking the Broken Islands. I posted a question on a message board called club tread but had only sceptical replys. I suppose I should try the Canadian Mountaineering Message board too.
As a humorous aside, I got a little wierded out when I found yet a third packet on my kitchen counter, but it turned out that my wife had found this in the back of the van while unloading groceries the day after my hike. So I must assume that it was slipped into my back window at the same time as the other one was left on the windshield.
Cheers,
Jonathan Miller
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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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 Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 2:19 PM
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| Yeah one was left on my bivi sack in Yamnuska Meadows in 2002. At that time the mysterious DSD had apparently only completed 100 summits. There was just a one piece sheet of folded paper too, not a stapled booklet. My stone is now resting under the bathroom mirror. |
Edited by - Dru on 08/24/2005 2:20 PM |
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Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
10983 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 3:21 PM
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Kind of a good karma thing, beats leaving an urn of ashes. (Which Chwk Valley mountain was that at?)
I delight at finding cool stuff people leave in remote places, with some notable exceptions, of course. The older, the better... |
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Satirical photoshop junkie who frolics in the mountains of the Chilliwack River Valley
THE GREAT OUTSIDE
Canada
5610 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 5:23 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by mick range
Kind of a good karma thing, beats leaving an urn of ashes. (Which Chwk Valley mountain was that at?)
I used to be Elk but the ashes urn has been turned to ashes itself.
Very cool. Wonder if I'll ever come across one, one of these days. |
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bandana wearin', pole huckin', view lovin', dog herdin', 4x4 navigatin', lake huntin', butt-slidin' bridge crosser, who enjoys postholing with an overnighter pack
Surrey, BC
Canada
4035 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 5:48 PM
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| Neat! I hope to come across something like that too one day |
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5 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 6:32 PM
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| Thanks for restoring my credibility in regard to the Summit Stone mystery! It truly is an uplifting experience to find one of these gifts and to consider the great expenditure of time, tallent and energy that DSD has made in this unique endeavor. |
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Alberta-based choss climbin', flame throwin', rappel lovin', ass talkin' hater who doesn't like "Gumby" for a descriptor
4770 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 6:55 PM
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That is pretty cool.
quote:
So I wonder how many of these things are out there? How many have been found?
There is a ton of this kind of stuff out there (the painted stones may be a unique to the individual thing). I ran across a geocaching website a while back. Apparantly there are a whole wack of people out there that leave little trinkets hidden in nooks and crannies and then post the co-ordinates and directions.
There is a website where you can select from a HUGE list of places around the world. When I search using my own postal code I get over 10 pages of hits. I will not post the site...it's easy enought to find. There are enough people leaving crap out there (the stones are very nice).
Hopefully people use common sense and don't leave too much crap out there. |
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Calgary, AB
Canada
1 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 8:25 PM
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Yes, and I found one in 2003 on my car windshield after a scramble up Wasootch Tower in K-country. I posted on LTV back then and got a reply from someone who had found one on a kayak trip to the Broken Islands group.
So that makes five people who have received a Summit Stone and counting...
I think we are all keen to find out who else has found one? It really is pretty cool. Somehow, based on the messages with the stones, this doesn't sound like geocaching to me, but who knows?
-Jonathan Lytton |
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Calgary, AB
Canada
496 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 8:33 PM
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I have to eat some "crow" on this one. I was incredibly sceptical on the initial post a few weeks back and of the opinion it was a hoax or someone peddling their wares so I asked for the thread to be removed.  That said, I've never heard nor seen such a thing. I keep asking around and still no one has heard of this, but at least a few long time members have experienced this first hand so I stand corrected. If this is for real it's pretty interesting stuff.
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"We don't slow down because we get old, we get old because we slow down" - anonymous |
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| Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 9:12 PM
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I don't really care who is doing it or to find out who else has one but since there are some people who are interested I felt that I should mention I have one especially as it help[s to establish that these things actually exist. Personally it seems a little bit silly to me, but then so does geocaching.
I guess the next stage is that some collector will start offering money to buy them. FWIW I'm not going to sell so don't ask. |
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5 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 9:27 PM
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quote:
I ran across a geocaching website a while back. Apparantly there are a whole wack of people out there that leave little trinkets hidden in nooks and crannies and then post the co-ordinates and directions.
This is tatally different than geocaching. There are no directions or coordinates posted anywhere. You can't use GPS or any other technology to find them. If you are in the right place at the right time, you will find one. It's as simple as that!
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Calgary, Alberta
Andorra
2292 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2005 : 10:32 PM
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| !!!I came looking for this post the other day, upon locating one of these, and couldn't find the post anywhere. I didn't realize it had been deleted. One of these little rocks is in the summit register on The Fortress. I took a picture of it, but it's in my friend's camera and I haven't obtained it yet. Unfortunately, it doesn't have anything interesting accompanying it, or any explanation. It had DSD on the back, and was quite a pretty painted front. I left it in the register to be seen. |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
2 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2005 : 10:06 AM
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Here is a photo of the stone I found on August 22nd.
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1 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2005 : 10:45 AM
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Just passing through here...thought I'd mention that I and another member of a party of sea kayakers who'd left cars parked in Tofino while up the coast found these on our car windshields when we came back after 10 days...at first I thought it was a solicitation for some guide service or other commercial activity...then I thought it was something religious...but on closer examination, it didn't seem to be asking for anything (except to be 'passed along').
Interesting hobby DSD has. I thought it was kinda cool. |
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1 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2006 : 3:01 PM
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Passing through also here. Found one of these a few years back on Tower of Babel by Moraine Lake. Was just out on the Fist in K-Country. Took an alternate route up by Tryst Lake and traversed around to the col for getting up the Fist. Tucked under a log by Tryst lake was another DSD Summit Stone. Very nice with a fiery sky and blue mountains. Looked like there was a face in the painting on the mountains. Gave this to a good friend and he thought it was impressive too. Just reading this Muse and thought I would see what might be out there about these stones. Really interesting reading.
Wonder who else has found these??
Cheers. |
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1 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2006 : 10:30 PM
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Hi. I stumbled apon one of these rocks with 2 typed 8.5x11 sheets all in a ziplock stuffed in a rock crack above Opabin Lake, in the Lk Ohara area.
The back of the stone has DSD 2004 on it, and the sheets had some inspirational messages and graphics on one page and a riddle about gold coins buried somewhere in the rockies. Interesting stuff! Here's a pic of the "Summit Stone".
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culmination point, B.C.
Canada
737 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2006 : 09:23 AM
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palm-sized stone found on Avalanche Mtn on the 5th:  ... does this one count? |
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Canmore
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/05/2006 : 3:05 PM
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Our small group here in Canmore has been having lots of fun searching out stuff on DSD. I found two placed on a large cairn just up from the ridge that gets you up Pilot mountain in Banff. We found your posts and others on some kayak boards and hiking message boards.
I was very touched when this happened three summers ago and have wondered about them since. Our group has hiked and climbed most of what you can in this area and keep hearing about these but I'm the only one who has discovered them. One of our group also heads out west to Vancouver Island and has talked to people who have found them in the Gulf Islands and in Strathcona. As one of the other posts said, DSD gets around. As others have said they are cool, very unique and it is a touching experience. I'm always hoping to find another.
Interesting hobby is an understatement. |
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362 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2007 : 1:32 PM
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| Knew I'd seen this before. Read about this last week on the Feb 23 hiking blog I like called Two Heel Drive. |
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Tumbler Ridge, BC
Canada
1354 Posts |
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Summit Stones by DSD
