10 Climbs= 20% of the way done!

As you probably heard me mention in the summit video last week on top of South Carolina, Sassafras Mountain is the tenth highpoint that I have climbed since starting my climbs April of 2009. We have raised a great deal of money and awareness for Alzheimer’s so far and have really set the tone for the next 40 climbs. I am still planning on continuing my climbs right through, averaging one per month until I am done. I expect to highpoint Hawaii in May of 2013, and with that, Summit Up will have reached its intended purpose.
Although I still have a ways to go, I thought it would be fun this week to reflect on how what 20% really means. It is no secret that I have started with some of the easier peaks. If you need proof, simply look at my list which includes states like Louisiana, Indiana, and Florida; not exactly mountaineering havens. The way I see it, I have to climb these peaks anyhow, and if I can tell the media that I have reached 20% of my planned climbs without mentioning which ones, why not? At the same time, I get experience before tackling peaks in the Northwest.
To climb the 50 state highpoints, I will have to gain a little over 100,000 feet in elevation while climbing. This is the equivalence of climbing Everest, in term of elevation gained, a little over 8 times. Out of those 100,000 feet that I am going to be climbing, I have completed an impressive…2,263 feet. For you math people, that is 2.3%. So, out of this first 20% of my climbs, 2.3% of elevation gained. Obviously I am going to step up my performance going forward, as it only gets more difficult from here. If you need an example, look at Colorado. I will gain twice the elevation on that one climb than I have in the first ten, and that isn’t the biggest climb! Thanks for all your support!