A Guide to the Highest Points in the 50 states:
There are a number of
people (
Highpointers) who have visited all 50 highest points (points, not peaks, there aren't peaks in places like Louisiana) in the
United States. It's not a difficult feat if you make it past
Denali,
Mt. Ranier, Granite Peak, and Gannett Peak. It's actually quite interesting to look at the differences in
elevation extremes by
state. I personally have been to 18 of these
high places, but I don't see myself completing all 50 by the time I'm unable to do so anymore.
For each state, HP stands for "Highest Point." Elevations are listed in
feet above
sea level. I don't have figures for height in
meters, but I would be willing to add it if someone can find a complete or partial
listing. With all
natural phenomena, elevation above sea level changs slightly over time.
Mountain range
upheavel and
erosion can change some mountain elevations as much as 1-2 feet over a 50 year period. Elevations are determined by the
USGS in 1995, and are subject to their error.
The Martin Classification of Difficulty for U.S. State Highpoints is presented here. It is the general standard for classifying difficulty for U.S. high points. It is only relative to this scale of high points, and does not apply to other technical rating systems. Something that gets a 9 here, may be ranked lower on a different mountaineering or climbing scale.
Difficulty ratings correspond to the following definitions and include the number of points earning that difficulty:
- Class 1 (21) - Drive-up sites and highpoints with vertical gains less than 130 feet and less than 0.6 miles round trip from car.
- Class 2 (7) - Highpoints with vertical gains between 150-400 feet and from 0.4 to 2.0 miles round trip from car.
- Class 3 (3) - Highpoints with vertical gains between 450-750 feet and from 2.2 to 3.6 miles round trip from car.
- Class 4 (4) - Highpoints with vertical gains between 600-1,500 feet and from 5.8 to 8.6 miles round trip from car.
- Class 5 (3) - Highpoints with vertical gains between 2,950-4,200 feet and from 8.4 to 14.8 miles round trip from car.
- Class 6 (4) - Highpoints with vertical gains between 3,250-5,000 feet, from 6.2 to 9.0 miles round trip from car, and with summits over 12,633 feet.
- Class 7 (2) - Highpoints with vertical gains between 5,350-6,750 feet, from 21.4 to 28.8 miles round trip from car, with summits over 13,528 feet, and likely requiring more than one day to summit and return
- Class 8 (2) - Highpoints with vertical gains at 5,300 feet or better, between 6.8 to 8.0 miles round trip from car, with summits over 11,239 feet, and requiring handholds and/or the use of ropes.
- Class 9 (3) - Highpoints with vertical gains between 7,000-9,100 feet, from 16.0 to 40.4 miles round trip from car, with summits over 12,799 feet, and requiring technical skill on rock and glacier where ropes are required.
- Class 10 (1) - Highpoint with a vertical gain between 24,500 feet, 46.0 miles round trip from base camp, summit elevation of 20,320 feet, and requiring technical skills for glacier travel where ropes are required.
The above difficulty listing can be found here and was reformatted to fit your screen:
http://www4.wittenberg.edu/academics/hfs/tmartin/highpointing/hparticle.html.
The List:
Alabama
Cheaha Mountain
HP: 2,407
Difficulty: 1
Alaska
Denali (Mt. McKinley)
HP: 20,320
Difficulty: 10
Arizona
Humphreys Peak
HP: 12,633
Difficulty: 6
Arkansas
Magazine Mt.
HP: 2,753
Difficulty: 2
California
Mt. Whitney
HP: 14,494
Difficulty: 7
Colorado
Mt. Elbert
HP: 14,433
Difficulty: 6
Connecticut
Mt. Frissell--S slope
HP: 2,380
Difficulty: 3
Delaware
Ebright Azimuth
HP: 448
Difficulty: 1
Florida
Britton Hill
HP: 345
Difficulty: 1
Georgia
Brasstown Bald
HP: 4,784
Difficulty: 2
Hawaii
Mauna Kea
HP: 13,796
Difficulty: 2
Idaho
Borah Peak
HP: 12,662
Difficulty: 8
Illinois
Charles Mound
HP: 1,235
Difficulty: 1
Indiana
Hoosier Hill Point
HP: 1,257
Difficulty: 1
Iowa
Hawkeye Point
HP: 1,670
Difficulty: 1
Kansas
Mt. Sunflower
HP: 4,039
Difficulty: 1
Kentucky
Black Mt.
HP: 4,139
Difficulty: 1
Louisiana
Driskill Mt.
HP: 535
Difficulty: 2
Maine
Mt. Katahdin
HP: 5,267
Difficulty: 5
Maryland
Backbone Mt.
HP: 3,360
Difficulty: 3
Massachusetts
Mt. Greylock
HP: 3,487
Difficulty: 1
Michigan
Mt. Arvon
HP: 1,979
Difficulty: 2
Minnesota
Eagle Mt.
HP: 2,301
Difficulty: 4
Mississippi
Woodall Mt.
HP: 806
Difficulty: 1
Missouri
Taum Sauk Mt.
HP: 1,772
Difficulty: 1
Montana
Granite Peak
HP: 12,799
Difficulty: 9
Nebraska
Panorama Point
HP: 5,424
Difficulty: 1
Nevada
Boundary Peak
HP: 13,140
Difficulty: 6
New Hampshire
Mt. Washington
HP: 6,288
Difficulty: 1
New Jersey
High Point
HP: 1,803
Difficulty: 1
New Mexico
Wheeler Peak
HP: 13,161
Difficulty: 6
New York
Mt. Marcy
HP: 5,344
Difficulty: 5
North Carolina
Mt. Mitchell
HP: 6,684
Difficulty: 1
North Dakota
White Butte
HP: 3,506
Difficulty: 2
Ohio
Campbell Hill
HP: 1,549
Difficulty: 1
Oklahoma
Black Mesa
HP: 4,973
Difficulty: 4
Oregon
Mt. Hood
HP: 11,239
Difficulty: 8
Pennsylvania
Mt. Davis
HP: 3,213
Difficulty: 1
Rhode Island
Jerimoth Hill
HP: 812
Difficulty: 1
South Carolina
Sassafras Mt.
HP: 3,560
Difficulty: 1
South Dakota
Harney Peak
HP: 7,242
Difficulty: 4
Tennessee
Harney Peak
HP: 6,642
Difficulty: 2
Texas
Guadalupe Peak
HP: 8,749
Difficulty: 5
Utah
Kings Peak
HP: 13,529
Difficulty: 7
Vermont
Mt. Mansfield
HP: 4,393
Difficulty: 3
Virginia
Mt. Rogers
HP: 5,729
Difficulty: 4
Washington
Mt. Rainier
HP: 14,410
Difficulty: 9
West Virginia
Spruce Knob
HP: 4,861
Difficulty: 1
Wisconsin
Timms Hill
HP: 1,951
Difficulty: 1
Wyoming
Gannett Peak
HP: 13,804
Difficulty: 9
Sources:
-
Ashley, F. Highpoints of the states. 1970: La Siesta Press. out of print.
- Holmes, D. W. Highpoints of the United States: a guide to the fifty state summits. 2nd ed. from Don Holmes, 1998.