SF0 / clrnt / The Highest Place

15 + 1 points

The Highest Place by Cole E

October 6th, 2008 8:21 PM / Location: 41.951551,-93.66872

INSTRUCTIONS: Go to the highest point of anything.

This task was easy, mostly because it's what my dad and I do for fun. We are "highpointers", we climb to the highest point in each state (some are much easier than others). Now here comes the fun part... I'm afraid of heights (yeah, figure that one out). Each highpoint has a story with it that makes my father and I laugh whenever we look through these pictures. The ones I've posted are just at the highest points but we've got plenty of pictures documenting the fun (and sometimes stress) that was had reaching the peaks of some of these bad boys. So here is the list and pictures to go with it of all the high points we've accomplished thus far (in order of highest to lowest).

Colorado - Mt. Elbert (14,433 ft.; 3rd highest in the nation)
New Mexico - Wheeler Peak (13,161 ft.)
Texas - Guadalupe Peak (8,749 ft.)
South Dakota - Harney Peak (7,242 ft.)
North Carolina - Mt. Mitchell (6,684 ft.)
Nebraska - Panorama Point (5,424 ft.)
Oklahoma - Black Mesa (4,973 ft.)
West Virginia - Spruce Knob (4,863 ft.)
Georgia - Brasstown Bald (4,784 ft.)
Kansas - Mt. Sunflower (4,039 ft.)
South Carolina - Sassafras Mountain (3,560 ft.)
North Dakota - White Butte (3,506 ft.)
Maryland - Backbone Mountain (3,360 ft.)
Pennsylvania - Mt. Davis (3,213 ft.)
Arkansas - Mt. Magazine (2,753 ft.)
Alabama - Cheaha Mountain (2,407 ft.)
Minnesota - Eagle Mountain (2,301 ft.)
Wisconsin - Timms Hill (1,951 ft.)
Missouri - Taum Sauk (1,772 ft.)
Iowa - Hawkeye Point (1,670 ft.)
Illinois - Charles Mound (1,235 ft.)
Mississippi - Woodall Mountain (806 ft.)
Louisiana - Driskill Mountain (535 ft.)
Delaware - Ebright Azimuth (448 ft.)
Florida - Britton Hill (345 ft)
District of Columbia - Tenleytown (410 ft.; Ok, not really a state but we consider it extra credit)

- smaller

Wisconsin - Timm's Hill (elevation 1,951 ft.)

My families first highpoint. I believe this was the summer of 2001. My dad wanted to bring along our grandfather's US flag for the picture.

Iowa - Hawkeye Point (elevation 1,670 ft.)

Taken in August of 2001.

Arkansas - Mt. Magazine (elevation 2,753 ft.)

Taken November of 2001.

Illinois - Charles Mound (elevation 1,235 ft.)

Taken June of 2002.

Missouri - Taum Sauk Mountain (elevation 1,772 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 1 of 12 highpoints that were hit in a massive road trip after Christmas.

Mississippi - Woodall Mountain (elevation 806 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 2 of 12 highpoints.

Alabama - Cheaha Mountain (elevation 2,407 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 3 of 12 highpoints.

Florida - Britton Hill (elevation 345 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 4 of 12 highpoints. I broke my sunglasses in the car and decided that since we were near the ocean I would be a pirate for the day.

Georgia - Brasstown Bald (elevation 4,784 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 5 of 12 highpoints. It was very cold and very windy, of course as soon as we made the summit my dad figured out he forgot his tripod... guess who was stuck holding the camera.

South Carolina - Sassafras Mountain (elevation 3,560 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 6 of 12 highpoints.

North Carolina - Mt. Mitchell (elevation 6,684 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 7 of 12 highpoints. A huge icestorm had come through before we arrived and the park rangers closed the road. However, my father either being illiterate, crazy, or on a mission decided to forgo the warnings, signs, and road blocks and head up to the peak anyway. As we headed back to the car after this photo, a state trooper was at the bottom waiting for us. My dad now loves to brag how this photo cost him $350 dollars.

West Virginia - Spruce Knob (elevation 4,863 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 8 of 12 highpoints. The same storm blew tons of snow into West Virginia. However, when we arrived there were no closed roads to the peak (even though the snow dunes would have warranted it).

District of Columbia - Tenleytown (elevation 410 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 9 of 12 highpoints. The real highpoint is just a ways behind this fence surrounding Fort Reno. If it weren't for the Patriot Act we may have been tempted to jump the fence.

Maryland - Backbone Mountain (elevation 3,360 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 10 of 12 highpoints.

Delaware - Ebright Azimuth (elevation 448 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 11 of 12 highpoints.

Pennsylvania - Mt. Davis (elevation 3,213 ft.)

Taken December of 2003. 12 of 12 highpoints. This highpoint was in the middle of Amish country. Also, despite popular belief, this is supposed to be a reenactment of the beginning scene in "the Lion King" NOT somebody shoving something up my bum.

Minnesota - Eagle Mountain (elevation 2,301 ft.)

Taken March of 2004. With my family is my then girlfriend (now wife). Notice how thin I'm beginning to look... just wait.

Kansas - Mt. Sunflower (elevation 4,039 ft.)

Taken June 26, 2004. Look at stick boy... yep, by now I had finally lost that nasty 150lbs of extra weight. To celebrate we are on our way to Colorado to climb the third highest peak in the United States.

Colorado - Mt. Elbert (elevation 14,433 ft.)

Taken July 2, 2004. My crowning achievement.

Oklahoma - Black Mesa (elevation 4,973 ft.)

Taken July 5, 2004.

Louisiana - Driskill Mountain (elevation 535 ft.)

Taken July 6, 2004. This highpoint should be renamed Tick Kingdom because we were all pulling off ticks for the rest of the night.

North Dakota - White Butte (elevation 3,506 ft.)

Taken August of 2005.

South Dakota - Harney Peak (elevation 7,242 ft.)

Taken August of 2005.

Nebraska - Panorama Point (elevation 5,424 ft.)

Taken August of 2005.

New Mexico - Wheeler Peak (elevation 13,161 ft.)

Taken July 1, 2008. Words cannot describe how steep this SOB was to climb.

Texas - Guadalupe Peak (elevation 8,749 ft.)

Taken July 4, 2008. This trail can only be described as the "King of all false summits." We kept thinking we were almost there and then we get to a summit and there's another behind it... and another... and another. By now it is really hot out and we are extremely happy to finally find the top of this crazy mountain.