Highpoint # 16 Spruce Knob, 4,861 feet (24th highest) November 22, 2004 West Virginia is an odd state. It has a terrible rap for being backwards and poor. It was a Democratic stronghold until 2000, and then voted for Bush. Twice. It's famous for a John Denver song, coalmines, and being so lame that Virginia … [Read more...]
Maryland: Backbone Mountain
Highpoint # 15 Backbone Mountain, 3,360 feet (32nd highest) November 21, 2004 BANG! BANG! "What's that sound?" Hoang asked. "Um, shotgun blasts." "Oh... Are we going to get shot?" "I hope not, baby. Let's hike!" My wife, having grown up in Hard Hittin' New Britain, Connecticut, had never really … [Read more...]
Pennsylvania: Mount Davis
Highpoint # 14 Mount Davis, 3,213 feet (33rd highest) November 20, 2004 Drizzle, fog, coalmines, steel mills, mud, barren winterscapes and Amish people do not usually make for an exciting road trip. But in the case of bagging Pennsylvania's (as well as Maryland's and West Virginia's) highpoint, it … [Read more...]
New York: Mount Marcy
A Nice, Placid Hike Mount Marcy, 5,344 feet September 4, 2004 #1 on the ADK46 List #6 on the NE111 List On February 22, 1980, the single greatest sporting event in US history took place in Lake Placid, New York. The "Miracle on Ice," as it is known, still affects me to this very day. I can watch the … [Read more...]
Alabama: Cheaha Mountain
Highpoint # 12 Cheaha Mountain, 2,405 feet (35th highest) April 23, 2004 Our 3 day highpointing tour of the south continued with a relatively short drive west from Rome, GA to the Talladega National Forest in Eastern Alabama. Before we got going, we opted for a nasty IHOP breakfast in Rome (Later, while … [Read more...]
Georgia: Brasstown Bald
Highpoint # 11 Brasstown Bald, 4,784 Feet (25th highest) April 22, 2004 The day dawned sunny and beautiful... A perfect day for a hike in northern Georgia. Even more exciting was the view from our hotel window: The summit tower of the highpoint several miles to the southeast. We jumped from bed for joy, gobbled … [Read more...]
South Carolina: Sassafras Mountain
Highpoint # 10 Sassafras Mountain, 3,560 Feet (29th highest) April 21, 2004 Worst. Highpoint. Ever. Sassafras Mountain was the first of three southeastern highpoints in three days. I live in Connecticut. I am a "liberal elite," whatever that means. I'm literate, I'm in a hurry, I don't like NASCAR, and … [Read more...]
Vermont: Mt. Mansfield
Highpoint # 9 Mount Mansfield, 4,393 Feet (26th highest) September 14, 2003 # 24 4000 Footers Peaks Lists #47 on the Northeast Hundred Highest List # 3 on New England Fifty Finest List Less than a week after conquering what was our most challenging highpoint to date (Katahdin), Vermont's Mount Mansfield … [Read more...]
Maine: Katahdin
Highpoint # 8 Katahdin, 5267 Feet September 7, 2003 #6 on New England Hundred Highest Peaks List #7 on Northeast 111 List #2 on NE 50 Finest List After attaining the summits of the furthest highpoint from our home (Mauna Kea) and closest (Mt. Frissell), I was eager to bag one that I've dreamt about doing with … [Read more...]
Hawaii: Mauna Kea
Highpoint # 6 Mauna Kea, 13,796 Feet June 4, 2003 After bagging 5 northeastern highpoints in 2002, it was time for us to get a big one. I needed a good excuse to convince Hoang to go to Hawaii (let alone to a desolate, cold, Martian-like mountain top), so I started planning way back in the summer of 2001 and … [Read more...]