|
 |
| Mt. Washington, NH. Can you spot the one person who drove instead of hiking? |
Do you know the highest point in your state? Paul Lenhart does. Lenhart is a member of the US Highpointers Club, a group whose goal is to stand on the highest natural ground in each of the 50 states. With 24 states down, he is well on his way to achieving success.
Highpointing is a most unique way to see America. From the bucolic Britton Hill in northwest Florida (345 ft., the lowest highpoint) to the imposing Mount McKinley in Alaska (20,306 ft., the highest point in the US as well as North America), highpointing is a journey most take over a course of years. As of May 2003, the official web site, www.highpointers.org, lists 113 completers with the first full 50 being achieved in 1966 by John Hoeman. Four others had completed the original 48 states prior to Alaska and Hawaii being admitted into the union. To show how elite this club is, fewer people have reached all 50 summits than have summited Mount Everest (over 1,500 as of May 2003.)
“I hope one day they make Puerto Rico a state,” says Lenhart, “what a great excuse to head to the Caribbean!”
The Highpointers Club was founded in 1986 by Jack Longacre, a highpointer who sought others to share in his vision. Starting with a short recruitment blurb in Outside magazine, Longacre’s informal club has grown into a well organized association with over 2,000 members.
A majority of state highpoints can be reached by car, meaning almost anyone can get a few under their belt. Many states take great pride in their highpoints. Georgia (Brasstown Bald 4,784 ft.) and Tennessee (Clingman’s Dome 6,643 ft.) are among those that have wonderful visitor centers on their summits. The seemingly flat farmlands of Kansas (Mount Sunflower, 4,039ft.) and Nebraska (Panorama Point, 5,424 ft.) are adorned with modest monuments letting you know you are above it all.
 |
| Shaine Smith summits Mount Elbert, Colorado. |
But don’t think that daydreaming couch potatoes can easily add their names to the list of completers. Mount McKinley in Alaska, Gannett Peak (13, 804 ft.) in Wyoming, Mount Rainier (14,411 ft.) in Washington, Granite Peak (12,799 ft.) in Montana, and Mount Hood (11,239 ft.) in Oregon all require solid mountaineering skills. These are serious mountains that require a high fitness level, backcountry proficiency, and hearty ambition.
 |
| All that trouble for this--Jerimoth Hill, Rhode Island. |
Jerimoth Hill (812 ft.) in Rhode Island is among the lowest high points but one the most difficult to achieve, courtesy of a landowner who confronts trespassers on his property with threats of violence (he has been known to occasionally lay waste to bewildered hikers’ cameras). The actual highpoint is on Brown University proper but the access trails to the highpoint go through private property. The Highpoints Club has recently worked with the landowners to set up access days where aspiring highpointers can visit Jerimoth Hill without having to wear camouflage and sneak in under the dark of the new moon.
Likewise, Kentucky (Black Mountain 4,145 ft.) has been embroiled in legal issues regarding mining on the summit of this non-technical peak. A permit is required to visit the top and legislation continues to threaten public admission to Black Mountain.
 |
| Representing the midwest, Hoosier High Point, Indiana. |
Each highpoint has its own personality. Read on to learn a little about your state’s highest point! (Information on access, trails, and driving routes can be found by visiting the websites listed at the bottom of the article or from Paul Zumwalt’s guide).
Alabama Cheaha Mountain 2,405 ft.
Height Rank: 35th highest of 50
Notes: Great museum, open in 1983, awaits you at the top.
Alaska Mount McKinley 20, 306 ft.
Height Rank: 1st highest of 50
Notes: Highest and most difficult highpoint to get. Requires serious mountaineering skills.
Arizona Humphreys Peak 12,633 ft.
Height Rank: 12th highest of 50
Notes: Volcanic rock offers unique terrain; great summit views. Trailhead starts at an Arizona ski area, a welcome oddity of the southwest.
Arkansas Magazine Mountain 2,753 ft.
Height Rank: 34th highest of 50
Notes: Tricky highpoint to pinpoint! Bring your map and compass!
California Mount Whitney 14,494 ft.
Height Rank: 2nd highest of 50
Notes: Permit required in advance to hike standard routes. Whitney is the highest point in the lower 48 states, just edging out the highpoints of Colorado and Washington.
Colorado Mount Elbert 14,433 ft.
Height Rank: 3rd highest of 50
Notes: Colorado Avalanche executive carried hockey’s Stanley Cup to the summit of this famous 14er in 2001.
Connecticut Mount Frissell 2,380 ft.
Height Rank: 36th highest of 50
Notes: Summit of nearby Bear Peak incorrectly declares it to be the highpoint of Connecticut. The actual Connecticut highpoint is on the side of a mountain that summits in Massachusetts.
Delaware Ebright Azimuth 448 ft.
Height Rank: 49th highest of 50
Notes: Actual highpoint is in the middle of the road a few feet from the sign designating the highpoint.
Florida Britton Hill 345 ft.
Height Rank: 50th highest of 50
Notes: The lowest highpoint can be found at a quaint little rest area only a mile south of the Alabama state line.
Georgia Brasstown Bald 4,784 ft.
Height Rank: 25th highest of 50
Notes: Great visitor center. A bald is a southern term for a mountain with sparse vegetation on the top.
Hawaii Mauna Kea 13,796 ft.
Height Rank: 6th highest of 50
Notes: World famous observatory on summit. Most people opt to drive up instead of hiking.
Idaho Borah Peak 12,662 ft.
Height Rank: 11th highest of 50
Notes: This remote peak has some treacherous terrain near the summit; ropes suggested.
Illinois Charles Mound 1,235 ft.
Height Rank: 45th highest of 50
Notes: Please respect the fact Charles Mound is on private property.
Indiana Hoosier High Point 1,257 ft.
Height Rank: 44th highest of 50
Notes: Another highpoint on private property. Walk over the stile to clear the fence and reach the highpoint.
Iowa Hawkeye Point 1,670 ft.
Height Rank: 42nd highest of 50
Notes: The private owners invite highpointers to visit the highpoint marker, located at the end of an inactive cattle feeding trough.
 |
| Forboding sky over Mount Sunflower, Kansas. |
Kansas Mount Sunflower 4,039 ft.
Height Rank: 28th highest of 50
Notes: Highpoint features great “corral” that includes a spooky cow skull and a plaque bearing the phrase “On This Site in 1897 Nothing Happened.”
Kentucky Black Mountain 4,139 ft.
Height Rank: 27th highest of 50
Notes: Permit required to visit. Check websites listed at bottom for information on how to obtain a permit.
Louisiana Driskill Mountain 535 ft.
Height Rank: 48th highest of 50
Notes: Another tricky to locate summit. Summit is marked with a small sign. Map and compass required!
 |
| Scott Neville on Maine's prize, Mount Katahdin. |
Maine Mount Katahdin, Baxter Peak 5,268 ft.
Height Rank: 22nd highest of 50
Notes: Baxter Peak is the northern terminus of the 2,000 mile+ Appalachian Trail, which begins in Georgia. Katahdin features the Knife Edge, a famously perilous trail that joins Baxter Peak with the smaller Pamola Peak.
Maryland Backbone Mountain 3,360 ft.
Height Rank: 32nd highest of 50
Notes: Look for the prominent cast marker denoting Hoye-Crest as the highest point in Maryland. Check out the world’s smallest church (Our Lady of the Pines, seats 12) on the drive to the trailhead!
Massachusetts Mount Greylock 3,487 ft.
Height Rank: 31st highest of 50
Notes: Herman Melville composed sections of Moby Dick on Greylock. A great hike or drive.
Michigan Mount Arvon 1,979 ft.
Height Rank: 38th highest of 50
Notes: Lots of roads in this area can make pinpointing the highpoint marker difficult. Can be reached with 4x4 vehicles.
Minnesota Eagle Mountain 2,301 ft.
Height Rank: 37th highest of 50
Notes: Northernmost highpoint in the lower 48 states.
Mississippi Woodall Mountain 806 ft.
Height Rank: 47th highest of 50
Notes: Remote highpoint has suffered some vandalism in past years.
Missouri Taum Sauk Mountain 1,772 ft.
Height Rank: 41st highest of 50
Notes: Deceptively flat summit has summit marker on it.
Montana Granite Peak 12,799 ft.
Height Rank: 10th highest of 50
Notes: Summit requires some rock climbing. Considered to be the second hardest highpoint to reach, after McKinley.
Nebraska Panorama Point 5,424 ft
Height Rank: 20th highest of 50
Notes: This high plains summit is higher than the city of Denver, Colorado. Located in the midst of a rural farming community.
Nevada Boundary Peak 13,140 ft.
Height Rank: 9th highest of 50
Notes: A very dry highpoint, this climb is best done in late summer.
New Hampshire Mount Washington 6,288 ft.
Height Rank: 18th highest of 50
Notes: The fastest wind ever recorded on Earth was measured on the summit on April 12, 1934 (231 MPH.) A classic New England climb, the vibrant autumn colors in the White Mountains make this an excellent fall hike.
New Jersey High Point 1,806 ft.
Height Rank: 40th highest of 50
Notes: The impressive 220 foot tower on the summit is the highest monument on any highpoint.
New Mexico Wheeler Peak 13,161 ft.
Height Rank: 8th highest of 50
Notes: The shortest hiking trail is quite steep and features a local population of curious marmots and mountain goats.
New York Mount Marcy 5,344 ft.
Height Rank: 21st highest of 50
Notes: The gem of the Adirondacks; you can see the Olympic ski jumps from the summit.
North Carolina Mount Mitchell 6,684 ft
Height Rank: 16th highest of 50
Notes: Mitchell is the highest US peak east of the Mississippi River. The man who the mountain is named after, Dr. Elisha Mitchell, is buried on the summit.
North Dakota White Butte 3,506 ft.
Height Rank: 30th highest of 50
Notes: Great views of the plains. Research the best route before visiting.
Ohio Campbell Hill 1,549 ft.
Height Rank: 43rd highest of 50
Notes: Highpoint is found behind flagpole on school property; gates to school are locked on weekends and holidays.
Oklahoma Black Mesa 4,973 ft.
Height Rank: 23rd highest of 50
Notes: Visit nearby Kenton, OK, population 6 to make whatever town you are from seem huge! A surprisingly beautiful hike. Nice summit monument.
Oregon Mount Hood 11,239 ft.
Height Rank: 13th highest of 50
Notes: More extreme adventurers often ski or snowboard down from the summit.
Pennsylvania Mount Davis 3,213 ft.
Height Rank: 33rd highest of 50
Notes: The actual highpoint is located near an observation tower at the end of a short dirt road. The sign off the main paved road is not the highpoint.
Rhode Island Jerimoth Hill 812 ft.
Height Rank: 46th highest of 50
Notes: Consult with Highpointers Club to make sure you are visiting on an approved access day.
South Carolina Sassafras Mountain 3,560 ft.
Height Rank: 29th highest of 50
Notes: Summit is best reached by driving up access road then taking the short walk to the summit marker.
South Dakota Harney Peak 7,242 ft.
Height Rank: 15th highest of 50
Notes: After the hike, visit Mount Rushmore! Best done in early spring to avoid crowds.
Tennessee Clingman’s Dome 6,643 ft.
Height Rank: 17th highest of 50
Notes: Most visited highpoint, with over 10 million visitors in 2002.
Texas Guadalupe Peak 8,749 ft.
Height Rank: 14th highest of 50
Notes: An extremely hot hike in the summer. Best done in any other season. Check out Carlsbad Caverns while you are visiting.
Utah King’s Peak 13,528 ft.
Height Rank: 7th highest of 50
Notes: A great weekend trip, the wilderness area where King’s is found shows an unexpectedly lush side of Utah.
Vermont Mount Mansfield 4,393 ft.
Height Rank: 26th highest of 50
Notes: Be ready for fast moving bad weather; get an early start and enjoy stellar views of the Green Mountains.
Virginia Mount Rogers 5,729 ft.
Height Rank: 19th highest of 50
Notes: Visit in spring to see the amazing display of flowers along the Appalachian Trail, which comes within a quarter mile of the summit.
Washington Mount Rainier 14,411 ft.
Height Rank: 4th highest of 50
Notes: The classic “Everyman’s Everest”, Rainier offers great mountaineering routes from all sides of this unpredictable mountain.
West Virginia Spruce Knob 4,861 ft.
Height Rank: 24th highest of 50
Notes: A scenic drive-up offers spectacular views of southern mountains. Rock climbers will enjoy nearby Seneca Rocks.
Wisconsin Timms Hill 1,951 ft.
Height Rank: 39th highest of 50
Notes: Don’t forget to visit the giant fiberglass musky at the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin!
Wyoming Gannett Peak 13,804 ft.
Height Rank: 5th highest of 50
Notes: Great routes include the Gooseneck Glacier, an excellent primer for those with alpine aspirations. The Wind River Range is America’s hidden jewel when it comes to great American mountains.
 |
| The lowest highest point, Britton Hill, Florida. |
There may be no greater American adventure than the quest for highpoints! Check out www.highpointers.org and www.americasroof.com for more info online. Paul L. Zumwalt has written a fantastic guide called Fifty State Summits, published by Jack Grauer (360) 574-4799.
Last Updated: Feb 24th, 2006 - 14:18:11
© Copyright 1999-2006 by Hooked on the Outdoors
|
