Airmen Use Highpointing as Training Exercise

A view from the trail to the summit of Mt. Rogers, Virginia’s highpoint.

While many people take up highpointing as a hobby to enjoy the great outdoors and to travel to new places, Chief Master Sgt. Dean Werner highpoints as a way reinforce the four pillars of comprehensive airmen fitness: mental, physical, social and spiritual fitness.

The idea of highpointing providing such reinforcement should not come as a surprise to those involved in the activity. While there are many peaks that only require walking a few hundred feet from a parking lot, there are several that require long hikes or travel over difficult terrain, pushing people past limits they may have seen as impassable.  Highpointing is a way to make one mentally tougher than they have been before, but also it has a way of making people push their critical thinking and decision making skills to another level as well.

It would also be tough to argue that highpointing is not good for one’s soul.  Who doesn’t have moments from highpointing trips that have become part of the fabric of who they now are?  Whether this has been a result of nature, company of the trip, or other factors, the quest often provides new dimensions to one’s life. 

How has highpointing changed or reinforced the person you are?