Some State High Points

Moab Library, UT Updated on 25 May 2014

    Many of you may be wondering why I haven't been posting any new photos. The reason is that my new laptop/notebook runs Windows 8.1, and my camera manufacturer, Olympus, has not updated their Master software to work with Microsoft's latest Operating System. [A cynic might conclude that Olympus wants those of us using their older cameras to shell out for newer cameras. Per the advice of a UCSC computer science grad I ordered a USB card reader which may allow me to move photos from my camera to my laptop -- and thence to this blog.]

    Another software firm, Google, whose Picasa program allowed me to upload photos from my Olympus camera to my laptop, also has not updated that program to work with Win8.

    One of my goals during my travels has been to take photos of the highest peaks in each state I visit; what follows are the High Points in most of the western states as well as Texas and the Rocky Mtn states north to the Canadian border. (I debated whether to list the High Points in alphabetical order or some sort of geographic sequence; the latter won out!)

 

 

    A view of Washington's Mt. Rainier (14,414') taken on 12 Jun 2012.
    Natl Park Service website.

 

    The highest peak in Oregon is Mt. Hood at 11,249'; I have no photo of it yet; see the 1st link below.

 

    California's Mt Whitney (14,494') as seen from Inyo County's Portagee Joe Campground. For more info see the 2d entry in the Links below; it has an excellent photo on a National Park Service page called "Climbing Mt. Whtiney."

 

 

 

    Nevada's Boundary Peak (13,147') as seen from US Hwy 6 not too far from Montgomery Pass.


    More info.

 

 

 

 

 

    Arizona's Humphrey's Peak (12,637') in the San Francisco Mtns just north of Flagstaff.
    See the 3d link below for more info.

 

 

 

 

    New Mexico's Wheeler Peak (13,159') to the north-east of Taos.

    More info.

 

 

 

    I drove around the Ashley Natl Forest hoping for a clear view of Utah's Kings Peak (13,534'), but there was never a clear shot until I was back on the nearest highway. See the 4th link below for a good photo.

 

 

    See 5th link below for a photo of Idaho's Borah Peak (12,662 or 12,668')

 

 

    See the 6th link below for a photo of Colorado's Mt Elbert (14,440')

 

 

 

    And Wyoming's Gannett Peak (13,809') is the 7th link below.

 

 

    Montana's Granite Peak (12,807') as seen from the Beartooth Highway.

    More info.

 

 

 

 

 

    Guadalupe Mtn (8,751'), TX, in Guadalupe Mtns Natl Park.

 

More info

 

 

 

 

    While reading my 2008 World Almanac I noted Mt Harney, the highest point in South Dakota and realized I had a photo of it taken after I visited Mt. Rushmore. See Link #8 below for more info.

 

 

    

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[Return to the top of the page]
Links:

1. Wikipedia article on Mt. Hood, OR
2. Climbing Mt. Whitney
3. Wikipedia article on Arizona's Humphrey's Peak
4. Wikipedia article Utah's Kings Peak
5. Wikipedia article on Idaho's Borah Peak
6. Wikipedia article on Colorado's Mt Elbert
7. Wikipedia article on Wyoming's Gannett Peak
8. Wikipedia article on South Dakota's Harney Peak
9. Wikipedia list of states by elevation

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Routes:

Th 10 Apr Actual Route: Riverton W/M - Riverton P.O. - Payson - Nephi Lib - Ephraim W/M

F 11 Apr Actual Route: Ephraim W/M - McDs - Salina - Richfield Dollar Tree - Circleville - Panguitch Lib - UT143 bd

Sa 12 Apr Actual Route: UT143 bd - Panguitch Lib - Cedar Breaks Natl Mon - Kanab, UT - Vermilion Cliffs NM, AZ

Su 13 Apr Actual Route: Vermilion Cliffs NM - Marble Cyn - Grand Canyon NP - Flagstaff, AZ - Winslow bd

M 14 Apr Actual Route: Winslow bd - Holbrook Lib - Sanders, AZ - Gallup, NM, Walmart

T 15 Apr Actual Route: Gallup Walmart - Albuquerque - San Mateo Blvd & Zuni Rd W/M

W 16 Apr Actual Route: San Mateo & Zuni W/M - Erna Fergusson Br Lib - VA Hosp - San Mateo/Zuni W/M

Th 17 Apr Actual Route: San Mateo/Zuni W/M - VA Hosp - Erna Fergusson Br Lib - San Mateo/Zuni W/M

F 18 Apr Actual Route: San Mateo/Zuni W/M - San Pedro Br Lib - Dollar Tree - Tony Hillerman Br Lib - Wyoming Blvd W/M

Sa 19 Apr Route: Wyoming Blvd W/M - Hillerman Br Lib - Wyoming Blvd W/M

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Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.

Top Twelve Photos of 2012

Gila Bend, AZ

 

 

 

    Here's what I feel is the best photo I took during 2012.
    Shoshone Falls, which is mispronounced as "Show-Shown" by the locals, is just up the Snake River from Twin Falls, Idaho.
    More Twin Falls Photos.

 

 

 

 

    Photo of the HooDoos at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah; taken on 8 Apr 2012.
    More Bryce Canyon Photos.

 

 

 

 

 

    Mount Rainer, Washington, as seen from the north-east; taken on 10 Jun 2012.
    More Mt Rainier Photos and yet additional photos.

 

 

 

    Mount Lassen, California, the southern-most volcano in the Cascade Range, looks considerably different after the 2011/2012 winter than it did in 2011; this photo was taken on 18 Jul 2012. (Lassen NP did not open until August the previous year.) This photo was taken on 18 Jul 2012.
    More Lassen NP Photos.

 

 

 

 

    Grosvenor Arch in Utah south of Kodachrome Basin State Park; it is named for the founder of the National Geographic Society. Taken 7 Apr 2012. [Reached by a gravel road not advisable for travel by large RVs or 5th-Wheelers.]
    More Grosvenor Arch & Kodachrome Basin Photos.

 

 

 

 

    Strait of Juan de Fuca from Washington's Salt Creek County Park just after sunset. Photo taken 3 Jun 2012. [There are remnants of a former Coast Artillery Battery near the park as well as an RV Park.]
     Additional Juan de Fuca & Olympic Peninsula Photos.

 

 

 

    Rock formations at Kodachrome Basin State Park in Utah. Taken on 7 Apr 2012.
    Additional Photos of Kodachrome Basin State Park.

 

 

 

    Vista Point atop 9200' Sherman Pass with Olancha Peak just to the right of my rig. [N.B.Forest Service road not advised for large Class A RVs or large 5th-Wheelers.]

 

 

 

 

 

    Iconic Half Dome in Yosemite NP as seen from Olmstead Point along CA120, the Tioga Pass Road. Taken 7 Oct 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

    Devils Postpile NM, reached via Mammoth Lakes Road from US395. [N.B. There are travel restrictions during the summer and early fall on the Minaret Summit Rd to the Monument through the end of September.] Taken 5 Oct 2012.

 

 

 

 

    In an article in Century magazine John Muir spoke of a valley on the South Fork of the Kings almost as grand as that on the Merced River in Yosemite. The photo was taken from the Canyon View(point) on the way to Roads End past Cedar Grove. Taken on 21 Oct 2012.

 

    Number 12: you recommend one. Send me an e-mail with your recommendation for the 12th photo. If others send in photos which I prefer, will still keep a link to your recommendation along with your name.

 

    From Trevor Glenn of Mi-Wuk Village, CA: a photo of Shiprock in northwestern New Mexico.
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Links:

• More Twin Falls/Shoshone Falls photos
• Bryce Canyon images
• More Mount Rainier photos
• National Park Service website on Lassen Volcanic National Park
• Whikpedia article on Grosvenor Arch
• Many, many Grosvenor Arch Photos
• Wikipedia article on the Strait of Juan de Fuca

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Su 13 Jan Actual Route: Ajo Hwy bd - Tucson VA Hosp - Ajo Hwy & Mission Rd McD - Ajo Hwy bd
M 14 Jan Actual Route: Ajo Hwy bd - Mission Br Lib - Ajo Hwy bd
T 15 Jan Actual Route: Ajo Hwy bd - Mission Br Lib - Wilmont TJ's - Ajo Hwy bd
W 16 Jan Actual Route: Ajo Hwy bd - Mission Br Lib - So Tucson - Benson - Willcox - Sagebrush MH & RV Park
Th 17 Jan Actual Route: Sagebrush MH & RV Park
F 18 Jan Actual Route: Sagebrush RV Pk - Bowie - Lordsburg, NM, - Deming - Wagon Wheel RV Pk
Sa 19 Jan Actual Route: Wagon Wheel RV Pk - Deming - Wagon Wheel RV Pk
Su 20 Jan Actual Route: Wagon Wheel RV Pk - Las Cruces Walmart
M 21 Jan Actual Route: Las Cruces Walmart - Big Lots - Las Cruces Walmart
T 22 Jan Route: Las Cruces Walmart - Dollar Tree - Library - Las Cruces Walmart
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Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
• Free campsites website
• Info on finding BLM Campgrounds

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life, Woodalls, or FreeCampsites.net for including links to their free campground lookups.