I completed the 50 state highpoints last week on Mauna Kea! We had perfect weather until we reached the final mile, where we encountered very heavy winds. A ranger told us the wind speed was 51MPH at at one of the observatories. It seemed even higher than that on the actual summit but that merely served to add a nice exclamation point to my final state highpoint.

I also completed my State Highpoint Album over on SummitPost.



-George Naxera

That's awesome, George. Glad that you got to finish on a great mountain in interesting conditions. I hope I'm not too many years behind you in completing the quest myself.

-Puma/Catamount

Thanks Mark. It's great to hear from you. You must be getting pretty close to finishing the state highpoints by now. Best of luck with your goal!

Unfortunately no closer now than when I left SP. Still 5 toughies to go. Going big this summer, however, with a month-long trip where I'll be attempting Hood, Rainier, Gannett and Granite. All the best to you in your continued mountain pursuits.

Looks like a beautiful day on Mauna Kea. Congratulations on completing the 50! I'm seven behind you...none of the easy ones left, of course!

Thanks Alan. Sounds like you saved the best for last. Good luck with the tough peaks!

Kongratulations George! Looking at your album on SummitPost I noticed that the time of year you chose to summit some of these peaks didn't seem to be much of a factor. A winter climb of Mt. Washington is always a challenge and most wait until summer months for attempting the Rockpile. Well done; it's a great accomplishment.
Happy Trails & Safe Climbs. Stony

Thanks Stony. As a Midwesterner, I found that doing some of the HPs in winter is a good way to sharpen my winter mountaineering skills. A winter ascent of Mt Washington, in particular, is a great prerequisite for some of the higher western peaks. Cheers!

that is a great finish. Hope our paths meet again.

Thanks Doug. With only 2 more to go, I look forward to seeing your completion report. Good luck with Denali and Mauna Kea!