One of the true adventurous undertakings in the U.S. it to attempt to reach the highest spot in each of the 50 individual states. If one wanted even more of a challenge they would try to do so in just 50 days as well. That’s exactly what mountaineers Melissa Arnot and Maddie Miller are attempting to do at the moment, as they are currently in the midst of the 50 Peaks Challenge, as they strive to become the first women to nab each of the high points.
The list of high points across the U.S. is quite diverse. At one end of the spectrum you have Britton Hill in Florida, which is a mere 345 feet (105 meters) above sea level and barely a challenge at all. On the other hand, Denali in Alaska is a stunning 20,308 ft (6189 meters), and a true mountaineering challenge. In between you’ll find all kinds of other mountains and hills, most of which are mere walk-ups. Still, nabbing all of them in under 50 days remains a significant achievement in no small part because of the travel time involved.
Melissa and Maddie began their challenge by summiting Denali earlier this spring, and have now been slowly but surely ticking off the other high points as they go. At this point, they’ve now reached the highest elevation in 43 different states, with Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii yet to go. Each of the mountains in those states are above 10,000 feet (3048 meters), which means they will all present a unique challenge. But, considering the resumes that these two ladies bring to the table, they should certainly not have too much of a problem claiming them all.
You can follow their progress on Melissa’s website as they close in on the end. Check out the video below for a preview of the challenge as well.
50 Peaks Challenge – Trailer from Eddie Bauer on Vimeo.
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