We tell you the toughest 19 state high points and why they are so hard. Glaciers, falling risk, huge walks, cold weather, and massive elevation gains.
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Does Difficulty Affect U.S. State High Points Ascents?
24 Pages Posted:
Linus Wilson
University of Louisiana at Lafayette - College of Business Administration
Date Written: July 20, 2023
Abstract
We develop a six-factor ranking of U.S. state high points. While this index is significantly associated with fewer ascents, only one of the six factors drives that result. Technical difficulty is the only measure of high point difficulty that significantly discourages summits. Climbers seem indifferent to physical effort required and are significantly attracted to higher elevation U.S. state high points. We also show popular through hikes near the high point are associated with significantly more summits. This indicates that mountain communities could see surges in tourism if a route to the summit was made less technically difficult.
Keywords: altitude, Appalachian Trail, ascent, climbing, Denali, difficulty index, high point, highpointing, hiking, mount, mountain, mountaineering, Mt. Whitney, Pacific Crest Trail, peak, peak bagging, state high point, through-hike, trekking, Yosemite Decimal System
JEL Classification: R42, Q38, Z2, Z3
Suggested Citation:
Wilson, Linus, Does Difficulty Affect U.S. State High Points Ascents? (July 20, 2023). Available at SSRN:
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