| He's got nowhere to go but up Spencer man travels
to highest point in every state
dailymail.com
George Gannon
Charleston Daily Mail Staff
Thursday October 28, 2004
SPENCER - Frank Buffum has some interesting views on America.
The 69-year-old physicians assistant has seen the country from its highest points -- all 50 of them.
Breathtaking vistas are there, but Buffum knows what's important. It's true that nature's glory was in full view from the top of Mount Mansfield in Vermont (4,393 feet above sea level), but the grocery store near Lakeland, Fla. (345 ft.) has the coldest beer.
Luara, the young lady who helped him ascend Gannett Peak (13, 804 ft.) in Wyoming was the prettiest guide. The best piece of pie came from a store en route to Eagle Mountain (2,301) Minn. -- the same peak where he encountered the most mosquitoes.
"It's a lot of fun just going and seeing the places and talking to people and visiting," Buffum said.
To celebrate his achievement, which ended on Sept. 25 at Boundary Peak (13,143 ft) in Nevada, Frank and his wife Debby -- who has ascended 43 peaks -- hosted a "High-Points" Party last weekend.
The get together marked more than a half-century of mountaineering for the Buffums.
According to Buffum's "High Points Notebook," Frank Buffum's first ascent was in 1952 when he and some campmates trekked up Mount Washington (6,288) in New Hampshire. As they walked up the trail they were passed by a singing group of young ladies from another camp -- none of whom were wearing shirts.
"Things like that turn guys into mountain climbers for the rest of their lives," Buffum writes.
Not all of his climbing experiences were quite that lurid.
In the summer of 1967, Buffum and group of friends scaled Alaska's Mount McKinley (20,320 ft.), the highest point in the country.
"I'd do them all again, but McKinley would give me a little pause," he said, a quick laugh following the comment.
The two-week trip started in Talkeetne, Alaska, where Buffum and his crew were stranded for several days due to bad weather. When they got a break, a bush pilot flew them and their 2,000 pounds of gear onto the glacier.
Fog was bad, but the team began their ascent via the West Buttress Route. The fog was so thick, Buffum said he couldn't see his shoes.
"There were big crevasses all over the place and we could hear the avalanches but couldn't see anything because of the fog," he said.
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