Vermont's High Point - "Mount Mansfield"

Vermont's high point Mount Mansfield at 4,393 feet is located near Stowe, and operates as a ski resort in winter. We had seen the impressive mountain range and Mount Mansfield's white snow covered peak on our drive from the north down to Burlington where we had based ourselves for a few days (see last photo).

On the 27th March 2008, we drove to the Stowe Ski Resort on what was intially a sunny clear sky day. As we prepared for the hike in the car park, the clouds and darker sky rolled in and the flurries started! With the weather starting to look ominous (and no one who could tell us what the weather at the summit was like), we took the gondola to the Cliff House. From there, we started the steep icy hike to the Mt Mansfield summit which was very icy. Parts of the rockface was like a sheet of ice and we couldn't have done it without the crampons. It took us about an hour to reach the summit which gave us a decent view of the cloudy mountain range and the ski runs at the resort. We tried to find the USGS marker on the highest rock which Mark had visited previously, but after chipping away at the ice on the rock with our ice axes, we gave up. We headed back down, sometimes sinking into a feets of snow as we made our way back to the Gondola. It was a relatively quick but rewarding hike to the highest point in Vermont in winter.

New York's High Point - "Mount Marcy"

New York's high point in Mount Marcy at 5,344 feet. The highest peak in the Adirondacks, this would be my most challenging hike as it would be done in winter and many foots of snow! We arrived at the Adirondack Loj at 3.30pm on the 24th March 2008 on a beautiful clear blue sky day and hiked an hour or so to Marcy Dam and camped the night in a lean to and hitched tent inside. The temperatures that night were near 0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 18 degrees Celsius!!) and relatively clear. My minus 40 degree sleeping bag was a godsend!

The next morning in near freezing temperatures, we left Marcy Dam at 9am for the summit hike on what seems like a decent part sunny part cloudy day with some flurries. Following the Van Hoevenberg Trail, it was a strenuous hike (given we had heavy backpacks on) and it was mostly uphill with some steep areas along the way. The trail looked well used which made it easier as the 6 feet plus of snow was well packed down though we still needed snow shoes. It was a pain navigating past all the tree branches weighed down with ice and snow, but the view was beautiful. After three hours we rounded little Marcy mountain thinking we had reached the top only to get our first view of the true Mount Marcy and the summit. The clouds and rolled in over the summit, and the huge mountain ahead of us was very ominous and seems so far away from where we were.

Unperturbed, we pressed on determined to summit and passed frozen ice sculpture trees (given looked very short given they were buried under feets of snow and ice). This was my first winter snow/ice summit above treeline and it was both exciting though a little tiring. Just under the summit, we changed our snow shoes for crampons as the mountain face became a sheet of ice on the steep last section. We didn't reach summit til 1.30pm in very cloudy and windy conditions. A few photos and we headed back keen to get to the car before dark. An hour after summiting and back on Little Marcy mountain again, we looked back at Mount Marcy and the weather cleared! We reached Marcy Dam at 5.30pm to collect our camp belongings and started the torturous hike out to the Loj car park at 6pm...arriving just as it was about to get dark at about 7.30pm.

Maine's High Point - "Mount Katahdin"

It was the 31st August 2007 and we made the long 10 hour road trip north to Maine and Baxter State Park. We had reservations at Katahfin Stream campground at the base on Mount Katahdin, which at 5,267 feet would be the most challenging high point we would do so far. As we looked up from our campsite, Mount Katahdin loomed ominously above with its grey rock face touching the light clouds (see last picture from campsite).

It was a decent day (09.01.07) as we started the hike at 8am from our tent to the Hunt trail trailhead. Starting out hiking through the trees, above treeline the hike became a climb as we scrambled over lots of large rocks, some particuarly steep rock areas and faced some very windy conditions. We definately needed the gloves to protect the hands from the rocks, and the windproof gear. Once at the top, the walk along the ridge was a welcoming relatively flat hike before the final climb to the top. It was a busy day full of hikers. It was a fantastic view from the top as we enjoyed lunch. We met 2 brothers in their late 70's hiking which very impressive. The hike/climb took us 4 hours up, and 4 and a half hours back (1/2 hr at top) as we arrived back at the trailhead at 5pm. The next day, and barely able to walk as we suffered the side effects of our efforts on Katahdin, we headed south to the famous Acadia National Park and some Maine lobster bake.

Illinois's High Point - "Charles Mound"

Illinois's high point is Charles Mound at 1,235 feet. Located on private property, the owners only allow visitors to the high point on the first weekend of June, July, August and September, which meant we had to make a special trip to Chicago to make this high point. We flew into Chicago on the Saturday 2nd June 2007, rented a car and drove straight to the highpoint which is located in the northwest corner of the state, near the town of Galena. As the highpoint is on private property and only open 2 weekends a year, we expected signs. Arriving at lunchtime, the driveway to the property was fenced off so we parked by the roadside and had to walk through the property along the road. We arrived at the top which was marked with a sign and a couple of chairs laid out for people to enjoy the view. The view was ok, but there was a lot of annoying flies. The flies made us take our photos and run. The return trip was about an hour and half.

Pennslyvania's High Point - "Mount Davis"

From Maryland, we drove north to Pennslyvania's high point along Negro Mountain. Mount Davis, at 3,213 feet may seem high, but due to the slow rise in elevation on the drive up, when we arrived it didn't feel like we were on a mountain at all. It was a nice drive up to the carpark where we walked to the fire tower marking the highpoint (the marker was on a large rock). The view was very nice, seeing across the plains. When we arrived, there was a Armish family (with 6 kids who looked so cute in their traditonal clothes, hats and bonnets!) who had come in their horse and buggy. As we were leaving, they all clambering into the buggy - all 8 of them! It was suprisingly they all fit!

Maryland's High Point - "Blackbone Mountain"

Maryland's high point is Blackbone Mountain at 3,360 feet. It was a little hard to find due to lack of big signs and its obsecured road on the shoulder of a main road. We finally found the "MD HP" sign and drove up the rough bumpy trailroad to a clearing not far from the main road and parked the car at the trailhead. It was quite a steep hike (700 feet vertical climb) on a dirt path/trail up to the summit which has a clearing which had a picnic table and a letterbox with certificates for reaching the highpoint of Maryland. It was about an hour return trip on this hot day.

West Virginia's High Point - "Spruce Knob"

It was our 3rd high point in a day (05.26.07) as we arrived at the Monongahela National Forest and West Virginia's Spruce Knob at 4,861 feet. It was getting late in the day as we drove up the forest road to ths summit which has an observation tower. It was a nice warm day as we walked to the top from the carpark to the observation tower which gave a decent view. It took us a while to find the USGS marker near the tower, and we followed it with a very short side hike through the woods (I even saw a deer!) back to the car. We then drove 15 minutes to the Seneca Shadows Campground which is a beautiful campground in the Spruce-knob Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area. This was a great place to stay, with its great views of the 900 foot Seneca Rocks known for its fantastic rock climbing (and was a great hike up which we did the next day) and lots of hikes in the area. We chilled out for 2 days which was nice before moving on.

Washington DC's High Point - "Fort Reno Park"

We headed south to Washington DC to its high point at Fort Reno Park. At 39th and Fessendon which is in a surburban area, we parked in front of a house across the street and walked up the small grassy hill to a fence currently surrounding Ford Reno park. This isn't officially a state high point given DC is not a stateand its not officially measured. There was no official USGC marker at the point (on 26.05.07) but we hear they are going to put on in eventually. A visit to this park would do it for us and we moved on.

Delaware's High Point - "Ebright Azimuth"

Road trip number 3. 5 high points (if you could Washington DC) in 3 days. It was the 26th May 2007. We headed to Wilmington, Delaware to the high point "Ebright Azimuth" which at 448 feet was the second lowest high point (after Florida) in the country. A few turns on surburban roads and you drive right up to the high point which is by the roadside at an intersection where there is a blue sign marking the high point. The actual high point is 50 feet away in a private trailer park which didn't allow trespass, so this sign would do. Parking on the side of the road, a shot or two and we were off to Maryland.

Connecticut's High Point - "Mount Frissell"

Connecticut's High Point is Mount Frissell's southwest shoulder at 2,380 feet. Yes, the high point is not at the top of Mount Frissell, which is on the Massachusetts state side but on the side of the mountain which is a little strange. It was the 6th May 2006. We drove to the small town of Salisbury and followed Mt Riga Rd to the AMC parking lot which was closed so we parked along the road. There were quite a few cars parked but the area was quiet and deserted. The hike to the high point was surprisingly steeper than we first anticipated, clambering high over the rocks and over some steep areas before arriving at the marker. It was about a 3-hour round trip to get back to the car.

Rhode Island's High Point - "Jerimonth Hill"

It was the 5th May 2007 and we were at it again, this time on a mini road trip to hit the high points of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Rhode Island's high point is Jerimonth Hill at 812 feet. Until recently, the high point which is located on private land was only accessible to visitors 5 times a year on special "access days", but new owners now let people visit every day between 8am-4pm. We drove up from New Jersey straight to the highpoint which is next to a home by the side of the road. We parked by the roadside and followed a path through the wooded area next to the house where we saw a sign for Jerimonth Hill. Assuming this was the high point we took some happy snaps and found the USGS marker. We noticed the trail went on further, and after following it we found yet another USGS marker and then another! As the land was so flat, it was not evidently clear which was the official highpoint, but with pictures of all of them we were happy and on our way.