Vulgarian Ramblers
Mountaineering Club

Check out the 2015 Tour (including Video)!

Who Are the Vulgarian Ramblers?

The Vulgarian Ramblers are a small band of climbers loosely associated with the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house at MIT. Our unofficial leader is Mike Bromberg, a.k.a. Foo’ball. We get together each year to climb in the Sierra, Cascades, Rocky Mountains, or elsewhere in the West. However, the club was founded and is still active in New England’s beautiful Appalachian mountain range. Most of us could be characterized as “peak baggers”. However, the Vulgarian summit aesthetic probably comes closer to defining the club than anything else. Look for us sprawled across the summit blocks enjoying gourmet delicacies ranging from marinated artichoke hearts to mandarin oranges in light syrup.


Are You the Guys Who Climb Naked?

No, but one night at Cabot Lodge (c. 1973) Mike Martinek suggested the name “Vulgarian Ramblers” in admiration of that renegade Shawagunks (NY) climbing group’s “damn the torpoedos” style. The original “Vulgarians” (c. 1960s) got a brief mention in the August 1996 issue of the Smithsonian, including a picture of one of their members (no pun intended).

Pictures of our (clothed) founders


California Thirteeners List

Chris Schneider (aka Schmed) has compiled the official VRMC California Thirteeners List comprising all California peaks above 13,000 feet which also rise at least 300 feet above any saddle connecting them with a higher summit (updated 2015-07-18). Bob Burd is the first registered climber who has finished all 147 peaks. (Schmed has only 99.)


Tools For Planning Your Next Adventure!

Schmed developed some Google Maps and MyTopo mashup tools to display the Thirteeners on USGS topographic maps. He has generalized this tool set so that anyone can it to plan trips, automatically calculating total mileage and charting the elevation profile as you interactively draw out a path on one of these topographic maps. You can then configure the display options of a custom path URL to share with your team.

Why not give it a try?


Climbing Tours

Summer 2015 Tour
The 2015 tour included Liberty Cap on Mt. Rainier (congratulations, Foo’ball!) and Red Kaweah in California’s Sequoia NP.

Summer 2014 Tour
The 2014 tour included an attempt on Mt. Tom and a climb of "Adamson Point". Sorry, no pictures have been posted from this rather low-key trip.

Summer 2013 Tour
The 2013 tour included an attempt on Coxcomb Peak and a climb of Mt. Powell in Colorado, plus climbs of Mt. Winchell, Gendarme Peak and Picture Puzzle in California, plus a few other Colorado peaks before and afterward.

Summer 2012 Tour
The 2012 tour included climbs of Mt. Gabb and Mt. Abbot in California, plus a few Colorado peaks before and afterward.

Summer 2011 Tour
The 2011 tour included climbs of Birch Mountain and nearby peaks in California, plus a few Colorado peaks before and afterward.

Summer 2010 Tour
The 2010 tour included trips to the Palisades and Mts. Powell & Thompson in California, plus the Arapaho Peaks in Colorado.

Summer 2009 Tour
The 2009 tour included multiple trips to both Colorado and California. It was the first tour for which slideshow videos were published on YouTube.

Summer 2008 Tour
The 2008 tour included Foo’ball’s solo climbs in Colorado and a return to Darwin Canyon in California’s Sierras.

Summer 2007 Tour
The 2007 tour included trips to the area surrounding the Bear Creek Spire in California, Mt. Rainier in Washington, and a couple peaks in Colorado.

Summer 2006 Tour
The 2006 tour included trips to the Palisades and Kaweahs in California and a couple peaks in Colorado.

Summer 2005 Tour
The 2005 tour (sans Foo’ball) included trips to Russell/Whitney, Sabrina/Evolution Basin, and Mt. Conness.

Summer 2004 Tour
The 2004 tour was focused on Colorado, with climbs around the Wham Ridge, Chicago/Ruby Basins, Mt. Jackson, and Holy Cross Ridge.

Summer 2003 Tour
The 2003 tour included a climb of Rainier and Mt. St. Helens in Washington, plus two segments in Colorado.

Summer 2002 Tour
The 2002 tour had five segments, the first was a climb of some peaks near Mt. Julius Caesar with a couple recent graduates from Bitney Springs High School (where Schmed teaches). Foo’ball did a couple of trips in Colorado, before joining Doug & Kathy for a climb of Mt. Humphreys. Meanwhile, Schmed, Leslie & Kirsten headed into the Evolution region. Foo’ball, Tad & Jim hiked in after us, while Ken crossed the Sierra to join the group. The trip was capped atop the summit of Mt. Darwin.

Summer 2001 Tour
The 2001 tour had four segments, the first a continuation of Muss, Ken, Tayls, and Schmed’s 40th birthday party, with a twelve attendees. Foo’ball and Schmed continued with the following three segments, escaping back to Bishop after each for a night in a motel before the next one began.

Summer 2000 Tour
The 2000 tour had two major segments, both focusing on the high California Thirteeners, as Schmed eventually wants them all, and Foo’ball was closing in on his U.S. Hundred Highest.

Summer 1999 Tour
The 1999 tour to the high peaks of Colorado and Washington was marked by the highest participation of Vulgarians in the 15 years for which records exist. 11 friends joined Foo’ball for the hikes and climbs (including 8 Delt alumni, 5 from the class of ’83), and 3 others met the group in town for dinner and such.