Highpoints of the United States: A Guide to the Fifty State Summits

by Don Holmes

The highpoints of the fifty states range from Alaska’s 20,310-foot-high Mount McKinley to 345 feet at Lakewood Park in Florida. Some highpoints, such as Mount Mitchell in North Carolina and New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, can be reached by car on a sightseeing drive. Others, including Colorado’s Mount Elbert or Mount Marcy in New York, are accessible as wilderness day hikes. Still others, such as Mount Rainier in Washington or Gannett Peak in Wyoming, are strenuous and risky mountaineering challenges that should be attempted only by experienced climbers. Whatever your level of skill and interest, these varied highpoints offer a diverse range of experiences.

The third edition of this classic guide updates route descriptions and maps, changes to private property ownership and public lands requirements, lists of guides and outfitters, and essential online resources. As with the two popular previous editions, Highpoints of the United States is arranged alphabetically by state, each site description accompanied with a map, photographs, information on trailhead, main and alternative routes, elevation gain, conditions, historical and natural history notes, and lists of potential guides or outfitters. Appendices include a list of highpoints by region and by elevation, useful resources, and a personal log for the unashamed “peak-bagger.”

Whether you’re an armchair hiker or a seasoned climber, interested only in your state’s highest point or all fifty, this book will be an invaluable companion and reference.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Mountaineering, Travel

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2000

Reviews

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Religious people may say their Bible (or equivalent) is the New Testament, Old Testament, Quran, Book of Mormon, etc.

I'm not religious, but this book is my bible.

[Gwynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not all of this information is the most updated but it's a very interesting book and particularly helpful if you are part of the highpointers club. I definitely recommend.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

theres a 3rd edition out. fantastic information

[Tony Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I've climbed over 35ish of the nations highpoints using this wonderful book. I still have CA, AK, and WY left that are BIG mountains. Iowa, Nebraska, and some other lower highpoints are just too far out of the way, but I'll get them! Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, and Washington were LIVE TIME MEMORIES. Florida, Indiana, Missouri, NC ... it just felt silly standing over the high point markers. The book gave us everything we needed to "bag" the highpoints! Tony McLean Brown, author www.HappyGuidetoaShortLife.com

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book in order to pursue my goal of climbing the highest peak in each of the 50 states by the time I turn 50. I guess I expected it to be more of a narrative account and less a cut-and-dry manual about each of the state summits...I leafed through it and may use it as a resource when planning my trips...then again, there is this Internet thing (the net as some say)I keep hearing of, and it probably would be better served for up-to-date information.