November, 2025 - love | cook

My Highest U.S. High Point: It Tested Me

At 13,161 feet, Wheeler Peak is the highest point in New Mexico, ranked #8 among all U.S. state high points and my own #36. I’ve climbed higher mountains before, Kilimanjaro twice and a few peaks in the Alps—but Wheeler is still my highest U.S. high point so far. Even with those bigger summits behind me, I felt this one. On paper, it’s an 8.7-mile round-trip with 2,972 feet of gain, but altitude has a way of making even simple numbers feel different. With an average of 683 feet gained per mile, Wheeler demands a slow, steady kind of grit.

What surprised me most wasn’t the altitude or the trail; it was how mentally challenging this climb became for me.

An Adirondack Adventure I’ll Never Forget

Mount Marcy, the highest point in New York at 5,344 feet (ranked 21st among U.S. state high points), became my 35th state high point — and one I’ll never forget.

Most of my summit stories begin with sweeping views and triumphant moments. This one began with rain sweeping sideways, fog swallowing the treetops, slick boulders running with water, and wind strong enough to push you off balance. And yet, in its own rugged way, it became one of the most meaningful Adirondack climbs I’ve done on this journey.

Marcy gave us no views.
But it gave us a story that will stay with me forever.
And a group of friends who found their way through all of it together.

In terms of sheer intensity, this climb rivaled — and in some ways exceeded — my experience on Mount Katahdin.

Different mountains, different terrain, but the same reminder: when conditions turn, the margin for error disappears fast.

sharing my love for philanthropy, cooking, and adventure

Month: November 2025

Wheeler Peak | New Mexico (#36)

My Highest U.S. High Point: It Tested Me

Mt. Marcy | New York ( #35)

An Adirondack Adventure I’ll Never Forget