Highpointers Club: Why hikers chase all 50 state highpoints
Highpointing is a niche travel-and-hiking pursuit with a simple rule: visit the highest point in every U.S. state, whether it’s a major summit or a modest marker. CBS News follows the Highpointers Club and a recent gathering of about 180 members in Bishop, California, near Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet. Club president Shannon Brumund describes a community that celebrates everything from extremely difficult peaks to family-friendly stops. The reporting also shows how the challenge isn’t always physical: Illinois’ Charles Mound sits on private land, with access allowed only four weekends a year. For many, finishing all 50 takes a lifetime, though Lucy Westlake completed them in 2021 at age 17.
Topics Covered
- 📰 What the Highpointers Club is and why members chase all 50 state highpoints
- 🔬 Mt. Whitney’s 14,505-foot climb versus low-elevation highpoints like Florida’s Britton Hill
- 🗺️ Logistics and access challenges, including private-land rules at Illinois’ Charles Mound
- 👥 The community side of conventions and shared traditions on the trail
- 🏔️ Milestones and records, including Lucy Westlake’s 2021 completion at age 17
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