High Points

American hikers are goal driven. It's evident in the thousands each year who start a trek on the Appalachian Trail with the intent of walking 2,200 miles to a mountaintop in Maine. It's evident in the 1,600 people attempting to reach the highest point of each state in the US-members of the Highpointers Club. And, in the hundreds of people who have become 46ers by hiking the 46 highest peaks in New York State's Adirondack Mountains.

There's a new quest available for the goal driven hiker-become a 62er by hiking to the highest point in each county of New York State. Gary Fallesen, the outdoor writer for Rochester's Democrat and Chronicle newspaper, earned his Summit Club patch and wants to recruit others to join his quest. His guidebook "Peak Experience-Hiking the Highest Summits of New York, County by County" (published by Footprint Press, www.footprintpress.com) shows would-be 62ers how.

If you tell people you're heading to New York, most will envision New York City, one of the most densely populated and built-up cityscapes in the world. Yes, there is a natural high point in each of New York City's 6 boroughs and even one on Long Island. They're at street corners, cemeteries, and parks. They are at low elevations and easy to reach.

There's much more to discover in New York State. In two major mountain ranges (the Adirondacks and the Catskills) you'll find wilderness areas and mountain peaks with spectacular vistas. Some high points even require a bushwhack. Then there's the Finger Lakes Region where long, narrow glacially sculpted lakes run in valleys between hills, stretching southward like the fingers on a hand. The hillsides are covered with vineyards, producing New York's vintage wines.

In a quest for New York's natural high points you'll meet "Spotty" the cow, king of Bunker Hill. You'll visit Harris Hill, the glider capital of America, and climb a fire tower atop Hunter Mountain. Each of the 62 county experiences will be different and each will be memorable.

As outdoor writer Terry Krautwurst said, "Gary Fallesen's Peak Experiences is an excellent, comprehensive guide, full of solid outdoor-skills advice, detailed how-to-get-there information, and interesting local lore. But it's also more than just a hiking guidebook-it's a quest. Those who read it are likely to find themselves among the summit-obsessed, traveling trails and back roads in search of one county high spot after another. What a great way to discover New York!"

Highpointers climb to the summits of the 50 states. The Highpointers Club was started in 1986 by Jack Longacre. It now has more than 1,600 members, more than 60 of whom have completed all 50 summits. The club publishes a quarterly newsletter and guidebooks.

The state peaks, ranked by height, are:
Rank State, Mountain Height (feet)
1. Alaska, Mt. McKinley 20,320
2. California, Mt. Whitney 14,494
3. Colorado, Mt. Elbert 14,433
4. Washington, Mt. Rainier 14,410
5. Wyoming, Gannett Peak 13,804
6. Hawaii, Mauna Kea 13,796
7. Utah, Kings Peak 13,528
8. New Mexico, Wheeler Peak 13,161
9. Nevada, Boundary Peak 13,143
10. Montana, Granite Peak 12,799
11. Idaho, Borah Peak 12,662
12. Arizona, Humphreys Peak 12,633
13. Oregon, Mt. Hood 11,239
14. Texas, Guadalupe Peak 8,749
15. South Dakota, Harney Peak 7,242
16. North Carolina, Mt. Mitchell 6,684
17. Tennessee, Clingman's Dome 6,643
18. New Hamp., Mt. Washington 6,288
19. Virginia, Mt. Rogers 5,729
20. Nebraska, Panorama Pt. 5,424
21. New York, Mt. Marcy 5,344
22. Maine, Katahdin 5,267
23. Oklahoma, Black Mesa 4,973
24. West Virginia, Spruce Knob 4,863
25. Georgia, Brasstown Bald 4,784
26. Vermont, Mt. Mansfield 4,393
27. Kentucky, Black Mtn. 4,145
28. Kansas, Mt. Sunflower 4,039
29. South Carolina, Sassafras Mtn. 3,560
30. North Dakota, White Butte 3,506
31. Massachusetts, Mt. Greylock 3,491
32. Maryland, Backbone Mtn. 3,360
33. Pennsylvania, Mt. Davis 3,213
34. Arkansas, Magazine Mtn. 2,753
35. Alabama, Cheaha Mtn. 2,407
36. Conn., Mt. Frissell - S. Slope 2,380
37. Minnesota, Eagle Mtn. 2,301
38. Michigan, Mt. Arvon 1,979
39. Wisconsin, Timms Hill 1,951
40. New Jersey, High Point 1,803
41. Missouri, Taum Sauk Mtn. 1,772
42. Iowa, High Point 1,670
43. Ohio, Campbell Hill 1,550
44. Indiana, Hoosier Hill 1,257
45. Illinois, Charles Mound 1,235
46. Rhode Island, Jerimoth Hill 812
47. Mississippi, Woodall Mtn. 806
48. Louisiana, Driskill Mtn. 535
49. Delaware, Ebright Azimuth 442
50. Florida, Britton Hill 345

The Highpointers Club can be reached at:
Highpointers Club
PO Box 1496
Golden, CO 80402
http://www.highpointers.org