Thursday, September 29, 2011

Not Just Tagging the Top: Vermont #48

Hi all,

Sorry I've been a bit behind in keeping this updated since my last post. Senior year is in full swing and I've never been busier! Well I got to the top of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont's highpoint on September 11, 2011. This was my 48th highpoint and it was spectacular. I hiked with about 30 friends and family members, taking the Long Trail to the top. At around 2:20 pm we reached the summit! There, 20 more people were waiting for me and cheering me on. It was fantastic to save my home state for last, and I did beat the record for youngest female to do the lower 48 highpoints! The previous record was 18 years and 4 days, but my new record is now 17 years, 4 months, and 13 days.

It couldn't have been a more pleasant day, warm and sunny with a few breaths of air at the top, and of course only minimal bugs. On top after I stood on the USGS marker (on the highest point) my step dad Bill took a 10 pound watermelon out of his backpack and we passed it around! It truly was a fantastic finale to a long saga of family highpointing. Unfortunately, my older brother couldn't be there, Ryan. He was off at college in New York. It marked the end of the most incredible, challenging, amazing, frustrating, eye-opening, and unique journey. My years of family highpointing were over. However, it was also a door to new and exciting possibilities. My last 2 highpoints.

Now that the continental 48 are done, I'm going to have to travel off the main-land: to extremely different climates. Alaska and Hawaii. My plan thus far is to go to Hawaii in February and Alaska in May. The only way I'll be able to climb Denali in Alaska is if I get sponsored because it is incredibly expensive between the training in Washington, the guide, the equipment, and the flight. I'm working on sponsorship applications, but it's hard to work on those as I'm starting to apply to college as well. If anyone has any outdoor company connections I'd love to get in touch. kristen.kelliher@gmail.com is the best way to reach me.

Thanks to everyone for all the love and support I received on Mt. Mansfield and throughout the other 47 states.

I was written up in a few local papers, here are 2 of the links:

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