Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Saving the Toughest for Last: 50th Completers’ Final U.S. State High Points
21 Pages Posted: 17 Jan 2024
Linus Wilson
University of Louisiana at Lafayette - College of Business Administration

Date Written: December 27, 2023

Abstract
This paper finds that the most difficult U.S. state high point climbs are saved for the end. 50th completers are significantly more likely to save more difficult U.S. state high points for their final high point ascent. There is also some more limited evidence that 50th completers save more distant high points for their final ascent.

Keywords: altitude, Appalachian Trail, ascent, climbing, Denali, difficulty index, high point, highpointing, hiking, Mauna Kea, mount, mountain, mountaineering, peak, peak bagging, state high point, through-hike, trekking, Yosemite Decimal System

JEL Classification: R42, Q38, Z2, & Z3

Suggested Citation:

Wilson, Linus, Saving the Toughest for Last: 50th Completers’ Final U.S. State High Points (December 27, 2023). Available at SSRN: ssrn.com/abstract=4677346 or dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4677346

See also

Wilson, Linus, Does Difficulty Affect U.S. State High Points Ascents? (July 20, 2023). Available at SSRN: ssrn.com/abstract=4516746 or dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4516746

linuswilson.com
financeprofessor.org

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