Highpointing

Last year I started my quest to be a Highpointer and visit/climb the highest peak in all 50 states.  In 2015 I made it to 8 states.

1. MN: Eagle Mountain 2,301 feet
2. WI: Timms Hill 1,951 feet (not nearly as cool as MN's and all I remember is mosquitoes!)
3. GA: Brasstown Bald 4,784 feet
4. TN: Clingmans Dome 6,643 feet (super neat observation tower that looks like a UFO)
5. NC: Mount Mitchell 6,684 feet (very pretty hike; I would do this one again)
6. SC: Sassafras Mountain 3,560 feet (by far the saddest excuse of a state high point)
7. IL: Charles Mound 1,235 feet
8. CO: Mount Elbert: 14,433 (I made it nowhere near the top, but struggled pathetically for at least 4 hours)

My goal for 2016 was to do 4 more, but I think I can do way more than that as my work has me doing some travel that will put me within driving distance of a few and also some two week audits where I plan to stay through the weekend rather than flying home and back.  So here is what I'm aiming to accomplish!

I have an audit in Mobile, AL February 29th - March 3rd.  I'm flyingto Atlanta on Saturday 28th and driving 2 hours or so into Alabama, staying the night and hiking Cheaha Mountain in Alabama on Monday morning, then driving the 4.5 hours to Mobile in time for dinner with clients.  After the audit, my coworker has his wife flying down to meet us and then we are planning to rent a beach house in Pensacola for the weekend, which is about an hour from Mobile.  The FL highest peak is about an hour and 15 mins from Pensacola, so I'll take Friday or Saturday to go there quick, not much for hiking as Britton Hill is the lowest of all 50 states at just 345 feet.

I have another audit in Toledo, OH April 26th-28th and the following week May 3rd-5th, and this is where I am really going to crank out my high pointing.  The plan is as follows.  Fly into Indianapolis on Monday, April 25th and hit the highest peak in Indiana, stop and do Ohio's on my way up to Toledo for work on Tuesday afternoon.  On the Thursday- Monday following I am doing a road trip to bag PA, MD, WV, VA, and KY and then driving back to Toledo for week 2 of the audit.  

By April 30, 2016, I should be able to add these states to my list:

1. AL: Cheaha Mountain 2,407 feet
2. FL: Britton Hill 345 feet
3. PA: Mount Davis 3,213 feet
4. MD: Backbone Mountain 3,360 feet
5. WV: Spruce Knob 4,863 feet
6. VA: Mount Rogers 5,729 feet
7. KY: Black Mountain 4,139

I am planning to visit Liz in Arkansas (the highest peak is 2 hours from her town), and Iowa is just a matter of a road trip one day, so I should be able to hit at least 9 peaks in 2016.  If I can sneak in more on any other business trips throughout the year, I definitely will!