| Topic | Page |
|---|---|
| A Note From Your Editors | 2 |
| Nominations for Directors | 2 |
| Jack’s Final High Notes Letter | 3 |
| Farewell to Jack Longacre | 4 |
| Jack Longacre’s Final Wish (Scattering of Ashes on Highest Points) | 5 |
| Jack Longacre’s Eulogy | 9 |
| Club Business – Le Cache ($$$) | 11 |
| Club Business – Chairman’s Corner | 11 |
| Club Business – New Members | 12 |
| Club Business – Volunteers | 13 |
| Marsha Griggs Obituary Tribute | 14 |
| Clark Hall Obituary Tribute | 15 |
| 50 Completers (Brian Pease) | 15 |
| Illinois 2003 Convention by John Mitchler | 17 |
| An Interview With Jean Trousdale | 22 |
| QUIZ: Final Mystery Photo | 25 |
| HttP:// Computer Column on Jack Longacre Resources By Roger Rowlett | 26 |
| Klimbin’ Kollaborator | 26 |
| Milestones | 27 |
| County Highpointer | 28 |
| S.afety O.n Summits by Rick Hartman | 29 |
| Most Isolated Peaks in Each State By Greg Slayden | 30 |
| HP Updates | 31 |
| World HP: Kilimanjaro by Jennifer and Gerry Roach | 31 |
| Chat with North Dakota Van Dahles by Chuck Shom | 32 |
| Health Updates on Paul Zumwalt and Jack Parsell | 33 |
| The Merc (and 50 Flags Poster) | 34 |
| Books By Members | 35 |
Jack’s Last Wish: Persons Responsible for Scattering Jack Longacre’s Ashes On State Highest Points
NORTHEAST
STATE DATE LEAD CONTACT
D.C. April 4 Robert Hyman ro*********@***ls.com (202) 342-5485
CT April 26 Leon Barkman LE******@*sn.com (203) 426-8949
NJ April 27 Al Welenofsky (no e-mail) (973) 667-0323
PA May 10 Sam & Sue Snyder ss*****@*****tt.net (610) 932-7477
MD May 10 Gene & Lillian Elliott lv*****@*ol.com (301) 334-1001
WV May 11 Jean & JerryWagener je***@*****er.com (918) 742-2566
DE May 11 Joe Snoha (no e-mail) (215) 438-4772
MA May 24 Peter Anderson wi*******@*ol.com (see below)
ME June 14 Carl Rosenthal cr***********@*sn.com (207) 647-4578
VT June 14 Norm & Kip Smith (no e-mail) (845) 361-4683
NH June 21 Rick Moore rm**********@*****on.net (617) 566-7567
RI July 5 Chuck Bickes (open access) cb*****@***bi.com (508) 485-6633
NY Sept. 6 Roger Rowlett ro***********@**********of.com (212) 245-3393
SOUTH
STATE DATE LEAD CONTACT
OK Dec. 6 ’02 Jean Trousdale DONE: 4 attended
FL Mar 22 Jon Mann (alt. Mar. 23) Jm***@************up.com (615) 566-4380
SC Mar 29 Bob Failing (alt. Mar.30) FI*******@*ol.com (805) 455-2132
AL April 10 Gary White wh******@********er.com (205) 489-5351
TN April 11 Tim Webb (alt. April 13) ti*****@***et.net (205) 489-3360
KY April 26 Aaron & Anna Daniel aa**********@*****il.com (317) 442-6478
MS May 3 Fred Dale if****@*ol.net (228) 875-6489
VA May 17 Jean Sumner wu*******@*ol.com (540) 382-1974
LA May 22 M. Luke/R. Scott (alt. May 28) sm*******@*sn.com (318) 325-0027
AR May 25 David & Brenda Young dc*********@*sn.com (817) 560-0784
NC June 28 Sherm.Stambaugh (alt July 12) (no e-mail) (828) 254-1736
GA June 29 Craig & Mary Jane Noland cn*****@**********rs.org (865) 428-7512
TX Sept.27 Buddy & Tresa Gilchrest bu*************@****or.edu (254) 754-6998
MIDWEST
STATE DATE LEAD CONTACT
MO Nov 16 ’02 Faith & Paul Light DONE: 40+ attended memorial service
KS Mar. 22 Diane & Charlie Winger wi******@**ne.net (719) 485-3067
NE Mar. 23 John Mitchler Ne********@**********rs.org (303) 278-1915
IN April 12 Nikki Hemphill & Wayne Stitt gr*********@***oo.com (219) 864-9771
OH April 12 Mark & Wendy Comstock al**@***ch.edu (734) 663-0098
MI April 25 D. Whitehead, G. Johnson DR***@**.net (906) 542-2542
SD June 6 David Gwinn pe*******@*****il.com (605) 348-1466
ND July 17 Carol Emlen ct*****@**no.com (303) 485-5228
MN July 29 Jan & Ray Nelson ja****@*****er.net (952) 985-5186
WI July 30 JimSutton je****@*****ny.net (916) 395-8780
IL Aug 2 Paul Zumwalt (convention) (convention signup at www.highpointers.org)
IA Aug 3 Wendy Hecht Ws****@**.com (608) 223-9304
WEST
STATE DATE LEAD CONTACT
HI May 26 David & Debbie Fees Da********@******de.us (302) 629-7130
AK May 31 Rick Hartman RT****@*sn.com (928) 541-1852
UT June 15 Alan Bean (trip 6/13-6/16) al******@****r2.net (801) 463-1810
AZ June 21 Bob Packard (alt June 22) Ro************@*AU.EDU (928) 779-2398
CO June 22 M. Maurer & G. Vandersluis mm*****@*we.net (970) 240-0875
OR June 22 Dave & Beckie Covill (alt Jun. 23) da*********@**********es.com (303) 674-7963
WY July Don Holmes dh*****@**********rs.com (303) 663-2008
NM July 5 Rich Small ri***********@***oo.com (505) 425-9637
ID early Aug. Vince Golbeck, Charlie Lutomski K2*******@*ol.com (972) 530-3550
MT Aug. 5 Larry Baker lr*****@***ch.edu (734) 663-7230
CA Sept. 10 Penelope May (trip 9/10-9/14) Br******@*ol.com (909) 659-5343
NV Sept. 17 Rick Hartman RT****@*sn.com (928) 541-1852
WA 2004 Will Mokszycki (convention) wa****@********ed.com (425) 830-6169
Peter Anderson contact: 276 Temple Hill Road #1108, New Windsor, NY 12553-6802
alt = alternate date
Chairman Column
2002 will probably go down as the most emotional year thus far for the Highpointers Club.
Not only did we lose Jack Longacre, but we also lost Clark Hall, who was also one of the original 9 highpointers who summited Arvon at the eventful 1988 Convention #1.
Within weeks of Jack’s passing, Kenton Merc co-owner Marsha Griggs who brought us so much cheer (and good food) at the Oklahoma convention died. A few days before Clark Hall died, Highpointer John Biggs died in an accident on Mount Hood in which 3 were killed and a rescue helicopter crashed.
And as if this were not enough, Highpointers spontaneously embraced the “Flags Above America” concept to produce a poster that prompted the thanks from the likes of former New York Mayor Rudolph Guilliani and President Bush.
Then there was gunfire on Jerimoth Hill.
It’s been quite a year. Adversity certainly has brought out the best in the Club.
Jack’s passing for me was a personal loss. Since becoming Chairman, I always enjoyed having to phone Jack to discuss issues with the one email-challenged member of the Board. In him, I found what I considered a like-minded ally in the direction of the Club. The fact that I am a native of Missouri was the icing on the cake (I enjoyed getting Missouri’s Governor Bob Holden to declare Nov. 16 “Jack Longacre Day” in the State of Missouri”). I will always be grateful that his last words to me were “Thank you.” Jack had an almost cosmic sense of the Club’s direction. He may be gone but he is definitely going to be with us for sometime.
There are some administrative issues following Jack’s passing. First off, Don Holmes has been elected to succeed Jack as President. Almost from the beginning the Club’s direction has always been defined by Jack and Don. It will be nice to know that we will still have Don’s star shining brightly in the Club’s firmament. I was personally very grateful to be able to spend more time with Don during Jack’s memorial service in Missouri. Don is always there for the Club. If you don’t know it personally just look in the past newsletters to see all the accounts of how Don rolls his sleeves up in many, many ways.
However there may be some changes coming. The Club bylaws adopted in 1999 placed term limits of two-terms (6 years) on Board members. Assuming Don runs and is re-elected in 2003. He would have to “retire” for at least one year in 2006.
Other directors up for re-election for a final term are Dave Covill, Bob Failing, Jean Trousdale and Diane Winger. An article is elsewhere in the newsletter describes the process if you would like to run for the Board.
Before moving on from the topic of Jack, I would also like to point out a few other things which might not be mentioned in this “Jack” issue. I want to thank John Mitchler who drove to Missouri in May when things looked very bleak to pick up archives and discuss an orderly transition with Jack. Dave and Beckie Covill do a lot of things for the Club and don’t toot their own horns. You should know they spent a week of their vacation earlier this year running errands for Jack, cleaning his house, and helping him cast his ballot on a vote for the Vin Hoeman Award.
As a side note the Board has voted to rename the Highpointers Summa Cum Laude Award the Jack Longacre Award. You can’t do better than getting a “Jack.” Paul Zumwalt received the first award in 2001 in Maryland (I was very grateful to see him make it to the Missouri memorial despite having a pacemaker installed three days before). Jack received the second award in Oklahoma.
No set of thank yous can pass without of course acknowledging the Mother of All Jack Helpsds — Jean Trousdale. If I could bestow sainthood, she would get it. Over the course of the year, she made repeated trips to Missouri from Oklahoma to run errands for Jack and work on editing and publishing his memoirs “Keep Klimbin'” which incidentally is the first book to be published with a copyright owned by the Highpointers Club. Jean is coordinating the effort to scatter Jack’s ashes on the summits.
A lengthy interview with elsewhere in this newsletter.
Oklahoma seemed to been the focus of so much this year. It was devastating to hear the news about Marsha. Another article (including my comments published in Oklahoma newspapers) is elsewhere.
I enjoyed spending time with Jack and Joyce Parsell (also members of the original Michigan 9) at the Oklahoma Convention during the Tri-Pointing expedition. We have New York in common. Jack is devastated over the loss of Clark Hall who accompanied him on expeditions to the tri-points and low points. Jack underwent hip surgery in November and we will have more on him the next newsletter.
Two other members of the Michigan 9 — George Johnson and Dennis Whitehead were also at the Missouri memorial.
And of course it was wonderful getting to know Jack’s daughter Lorie Kronz and brother George who may disagree with Jack’s wishes (e.g., cremation), but none-the-less have graciously permitted the process to begin. Lorrie’s son, Eric Kronz (Jack’s grandson) incidentally was one of the Michigan 9.
Also at the Missouri memorial were Jean’s Oklahoma neighbors Bill and Lee Strickland who helped out so much with Jack at the Missouri 1999 convention hosted by Jack and at the Oklahoma Convention. It’s hard to believe that a full bird coronal be so personable. Bill suffered a stroke following the Missouri memorial but is doing better.
It was fitting with all this adversity that Tom Hillman who accompanied John Biggs on the ill-fated May Hood climb was at the Oklahoma convention. Tom, a Methodist minister, has a spiritual “at peace” view of things which has been helpful in dealing with everything.
As we enter 2003, I want to add a couple more thanks for initiative. Many thanks to Diane Winger who has become the volunteer coordinator. We always have lots to do but often are not good at coordinating it. Diane’s task will be formidable. And special thanks to Craig Noland who gave us those magnificent information cards and is in the process of chasing down lost souls whose memberships have lapsed.
So there you go, everything that has happened in the past year is tied together in some cosmic manner. For a hobby that is very much based on individual achievement, it sure seems we have a lot of team players. I probably haven’t thanked or mentioned as many people as I should have in this column. There were so many this year.
2002 was a difficult year. But I can’t say it was a bad one.
Interview with “Mother Merc” Jean Trousdale
It’s hard to imagine the kind of year that Jean Trousdale has had.
Starting on September 11, her daughter Betsey, who then lived in Brooklyn, watched the World Trade Center collapse from her midtown office. This was part of the inspiration for Jean to coordinate the Club’s “Fifty Flags Above America” to fly flags from the highest points of each state prompting thank yous from the like of New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani and President George Bush.
This past summer Jean took on two formidable tasks as she made repeated visits to Missouri to assist Jack Longacre do chores and finish his memoirs “Keep Klimbin'” which she shopped until finding a publisher for the first book ever copyrighted by the Highpointers Club. Then, of course, she hosted the highly emotional Convention at Black Mesa where she managed to get Jack to the summit.
Jean was alone with Jack when he died. Three weeks later Marsha Griggs
And somewhere in between, she managed to shepherd a dramatic expansion of the the Highpointers Merc which has seen its offerings double in the past year and at times gets so busy that she is filling 21 orders/day.
I personally have seen Jean more in the past year than any other Highpointer as she frequently visited New York City to visit Betsey. We have experienced a wide range of emotions over the year ranging from comparing notes on our golden retrievers to visiting the smoking ruins at Ground Zero to the moment of Jean got the double edged news that Jack’s book had been delivered from the publisher — one week after Jack passed.
If there is such a thing as a Highpointer Saint, Jean certainly would fill the bill. We are very lucky to have her doing so much for the Club and I feel very lucky to consider her a friend. Here’s an interview to give you some background on Mother Merc.
1. What was your first highpoint?
Five years before I ever heard of the Highpointers, but after about 10 years of hiking in Mt. Rainier Park, I got Summit Fever. In 1989, I climbed Mt. Rainier, an exhilarating experience! 42 summits later, Rainier is still my all-time favorite.
2. What is your background? (birthplace, college, vocation, kids, etc.)?
I was born in Fergus Falls, a small town in West Central Minnesota. My education got off to an inauspicious start, as I flunked resting in nursery school. Three years running. I haven’t changed much, have I? I was graduated from Fergus Falls High School, spent a year at Smith College in Massachusetts, then got my B.A. and M.A. at the University of Minnesota. During this time I married, and after a 10 year Maternal Sabbatical, a move to Oklahoma and my husband’s death, I finished my Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma. I’ve been a Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Norman since 1970. I love my work–I do psychotherapy with adults and couples. I frequently use clinical hypnosis for pain control, habit control and memory retrieval, primarily.
My kids? My older daughter, Peggy, is a Senior Associate with First Investors, a Wall Street-based investment firm. She and her husband, John Wilkerson, 3 cats and 2 horses, live in Oklahoma City. Peg is an expert equestrian, and one day will train horses full time. My younger daughter, Betsy is Executive Vice President and Creative Manager for Lowe New York, a large advertising agency in mid-town Manhattan. She and her husband, Takaya Yamazaki, live with my 4-year-old twin Grandarlins, Jeannie and Leo, in White Plains, NY. None of my kids climb or hike, but we are all avid skiers, so family vacations are usually in the winter, with one get-together in Norman in the summer.
3. What brought you to the Highpointers Club?
Well, that’s Don Holmes’ fault. In August of 1994, we were visiting Carlsbad Caverns and stopped in the gift shop. There I found a copy of “Highpoints of the United States”, started reading, and I was hooked. Just like that! I couldn’t put it down. I had climbed Wheeler Peak the day before, and although we had a 13 hour drive back to Norman the next day, I was on the highway at 4:00 A.M. making the 35 mile trip down to Guadalupe Peak. That was scary! I didn’t know where I was or where I was going or if I could even find the trailhead. But I did, it was a wonderful hike and I was back in White City ready to start home by noon.
4. How did you get started doing the Merc?
Actually, that was Don Holmes’ fault, too! I had just volunteered to take over as Merchandising Chairperson from Ken Jones. I was talking to Don on the phone, tossing around ideas about what to do with this position, when he mentioned “Store”. As I have often remarked, other people have most of my good ideas–I just run with them.
5. How did you come up with the Merc name?
The Highpointers Mercantile is a spin-off from the Kenton Mercantile, Allan Griggs’ store at the foot of the Black Mesa. My moniker, Mother Merc, came from John Mitchler. My Golden Retriever, Penny, is the only staff I have at the moment, and just between you and me, she’s not much help.
6. How many orders a week (or month) does the Merc get?
This depends on the time of year and on when we have new and different merchandise. Spring and just before Christmas are good. We might have a week with just one or two orders or a week with 10 or 15 orders. Right now, with the 50 Flags posters and Jack’s book, I often get 4 or 5 orders a day. The day after I received the first shipment of Jack’s book, was an all-time high–21 orders!
7. What are the most popular items?
New items, of course, but in general, the old stand-bys, guide books and tee shirts.
8. What is the work that is involved in the Merc?
Keeping the inventory up, processing orders, answering questions, usually by e-mail, finding space for my ever-increasing inventory, keeping track of what I sell, endless trips to the post office (I’m on a first-name basis with everyone at both post offices here) and keeping the bank account up to date. When members write for awards, I send a list of their highpoints on to Bill Strickland who is keeping a data-base. Time-wise, I spend 3-4 hours a day at it. Then there is the matter of transporting merchandise to the conventions–I guess folks are getting used to seeing my red Explorer with its black pod on top around convention sites.
9. Can somebody help?
I really should have a back-up, but given the nature of the job, this would require someone in Norman, since the merchandise is here. One of these days, I am going to write congratulatory notes to everyone who writes in for awards. Now, all I manage time for is a post-it to say congratulations. At the conventions, there are always friends around who pitch in and help out, and running the Merc at the conventions is its own kind of highpoint.
10. What is the most rewarding thing about the Merc?
It is fun! When members write, they often include notes about what they are doing, how many highpoints they have, or what’s next. The enthusiasm of the members is wonderful. Because I think we sell nifty stuff, it is satisfying to fill orders, too. I try to update The Catalog in every issue of the newsletter, and I am really delighted with the Merc information card Craig included with the membership cards in the last issue.
11. What is the least rewarding?
Two things: When the packing tape sticks to itself, and keeping the checkbook balanced.
12. How did you get involved in the Fifty Flags Project?
When John Mitchler was first casting about for someone to help out, I was intrigued. I wrote at once that I wanted on board. Members sent me pictures for months–then finally I had to choose the ones for the poster. Now THAT was very hard work. We had so many great photos, it was really tough to decide. I tried to make the pictures as varied and representative as I could, and there were times Dave and John had to help me choose. It is because we got so many good pictures that I decided to make the scrapbook/photo albums that contain all the pictures that were submitted, something over 200. I think the albums are great, too, and I will always take them to the conventions.
13. Did having your daughter Betsy watch the World Trade Center collapse affect the decision to pursue this project?
Yes, I think so. I was in constant touch with her that day and everyday for several weeks after 9/11. I visited New York in early October, and for both these reasons, I was acutely aware of the impact on New Yorkers. Of course, 9/11 impacted all Americans; because of the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, 9/11 was a re-traumatization for a lot of people in this state. I worked closely with the de-briefing process in Oklahoma in 1995, and again in 2001, and there was a special awareness, I think, of 9/11 in Oklahoma.
14. What was involved in coordinating the project?
MUCH time. John and Dave and I were on the phone or e-mailing almost daily as we worked on it. I also did a lot of e-mailing with folks who had submitted pictures, to be sure we had accurate names, places and dates. We had to decide to whom to send the posters–we sent a total of 13 posters to national dignitaries most closely associated with 9/11. Then, of course, there was the poster you hung at Ground Zero. When we finished, Mary Maurer and Diane Winger took over and got addresses and letters together and got posters sent to all of the highpoint owners.
15. What was the most rewarding thing about the project?
I am very proud of the work we did on the 50 Flags poster, not only because it turned out so beautifully, but also because of the great tribute it pays to our country.
16. What was the least rewarding?
Having to choose the pictures. I am just now tackling the job of writing thank you notes to everyone who submitted pictures–I know I’ve put it off because it is hard to write to folks whose pictures weren’t chosen. But they are ALL in the albums.
17. Why did you decide to host the 2002 Convention?
Do you mean “What possessed me?” After Jack and Gary White and Tim Webb and I got blizzarded off Mt Hood in May of 2000, I was pretty sure I was done climbing big mountains. I had a long talk with myself about how I could contribute to this Club of ours. When I got back to Oklahoma, I talked with Lee and Bill Strickland about hosting the 2002 convention. We drove out to the Black Mesa to talk it over with Allan and Marsha Griggs. They were very enthusiastic! In fact, Allan got on the phone at once and called Paul Zumwalt, who offered to nominate Oklahoma for the 2002 convention site. About then, I added Gary and Tim to my committee, and I decided to go to Hawaii to campaign at the 2000 convention.
18. Describe the work and time involved (and who helped).
The very most important thing I did was choose the committee that I did. Every one brought different ideas and skills–having Lee, Bill, Gary, Tim, Allan and Marsha working together is what made the convention run so smoothly. And two years of planning is not an exaggeration. Lee and I talked about nothing else for 2 years! We’d decide on something, then we’d change it or dump it for some other idea. We came up with new ways of doing things, I wrote 4 or 5 articles for the newsletter. We worried about money, we fretted about logistics. We planned surprises, we talked with Marsha about food. Tim and Gary were here one week-end and we went over duty rosters. We drove out to the Black Mesa to meet with local people we needed to rely on. With no hotel/restaurant for our banquet, Marsha had the humongous job of feeding us. It was a lot of work! Another important aspect of making a convention work is in the planning–planning every single detail you can think of, so that when snafus happen (and they do), you have the time and energy to deal with them.
19. What was the most rewarding aspect of the convention?
Not only that Jack made it to the convention, but that he loved it! And so did all his friends, who had a chance to say good-bye to him. The “highpoints” for him were being serenaded Friday night, getting to go to the summit on hike day, and receiving the Summa Cum Laude (now the Jack Longacre Award).
20. Anything that was not rewarding?
Only that the 4 days of the convention went by so fast!
21. Was there anything you would have done differently?
Oh, probably, but it worked. There were some details that could have been better, or smoother, but you can’t anticipate Everything…..
22. What were the logistics of getting Jack to the convention and to the summit?
Wow! These two things really took some planning. First, getting Jack to the convention: We weren’t sure until just a few days before the convention that he was going to be able to make it, but we planned ahead anyway, and it worked. (I’ll give you an abbreviated version.) On Sunday before the convention, Gary drove the 400 miles from his home in Alabama to Jack’s home in Missouri. Monday, they drove the 500 miles from Jack’s home to mine. Tuesday, we caravaned the 400 miles to the convention. At that time, Jack was able to sit up in Gary’s truck. Getting him home again was a little different. Sunday, when we had finished cleaning up after the convention, Tim and Gary loaded their trucks with all their stuff and mine, as I made a pallet in the back of my Explorer for Jack. We got to my house about 8:30 that evening. Monday, Tim left Norman, as did Pen (my friend Penelope May, who did the slide presentation at the convention). Gary and Jack stayed an extra day so Jack could rest; on Tuesday, Gary took Jack back to Missouri. It was a rough trip for him, but he was so glad to have been able to do it!
Getting Jack to the summit began in May, on one of the trips the Stricklands and I made out to the Black Mesa. While we were there, I wanted to go to the summit for a flag picture and for a picture of the USGS marker for pins and paperweights. Marsha wanted to go with me, but I was sick and she had a sore foot, so we got Monty Joe Roberts to drive us up there via an all-but-non-existent road. We got to talking about the convention, and it was Monty Joe’s idea to transport Jack and Paul Zumwalt to the summit on hike day. Well, you know I ran with that one! And we kept it a secret, so that when 200+ hikers arrived at the monument on Saturday morning, they were greeted by Jack and Paul reclining in lawn chairs by the monument! Both Paul and Jack remarked that it was one of their scarier summit ascents–there’s not much road there………..
23. Tell us more about Allan and Marsha Griggs.
Marsha’s untimely death has shocked and saddened all of us who knew and loved her. I refer you to the article on page ___ of this newsletter.
24. How and when did you meet Jack Longacre?
May 18, 1996, about 5:00 o’clock in the morning. Lee and I were highpointing in the Midwest; we got to Taum Sauk the evening of the 17th and stopped at Jack’s house. He wasn’t home but we left a note saying we were sorry we had missed him, but that we were leaving early in the morning. We camped up at the campground, and about 5:00 a.m., my dog began to growl. I stuck my head out of the tent, and could barely see someone striding toward me. He said, “Jean?” I said, “Jack?” He said, “I thought you said you were leaving early!” We sat and talked for about 2 1/2 hours. By then we were old friends!
25. Can you describe how he affected your life?
In nearly as many ways as there were facets of his life. We hiked and climbed together, we visited back and forth between Missouri and Oklahoma, hiking and climbing in both states as well as in Arkansas, Colorado and Oregon. He brought his kayak over and we took it out to the lake, we drove to many places to hike or climb, and we talked. We talked for hours and hours. But it was the last 5 months of his life that had the greatest impact on me, the months we spent working on his book. It was during that time that I got to know him really well, not only by reading his manuscript, which is truly “Pure Jack Longacre”, but also working with him and being so closely in touch.
26. What was the process for editing (and publishing) his memoirs “Keep Klimbin'”.
When Jack called to say that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, his chief concern was what was going to happen to his book. He had spent 17 years writing it, and now he couldn’t finish it. The third time he worried about it over the phone, I told him I would take care of it. So in early June, I was back at his house. I read the manuscript. I wasn’t far into it before I knew he had a winner! It is such a great story. I spent all summer working on the book (when I wasn’t at my office, or working on the convention or the 50 Flags project or the Merc), typing, editing, going over details with Jack on the phone, and finally, getting lined up with Jack Grauer, who published, “Keep Klimbin'”. It was incredibly time-consuming, as you might imagine, but very, very satisfying. My only regret is that he didn’t live to see it in print.
27. You were with Jack at the end. Any comments about those moments.
Only to say how grateful I am to Jack’s brother, Dave Hendricks, who summoned me the Saturday before Jack died. I had three days with Jack, which gave me a chance to pay him back a bit for all he had done to enrich my life. I will always be grateful for that opportunity.
28. What was the highlight of your experiences with Jack?
That’s a tough one–there were so many different and varied ones. But the one that really stands out is the look of delight in his eyes and the smile on his face, the day I placed his completed manuscript in his hands.
29. Any low point?
Sure. When I learned he was about to die.
30. Anything not covered?
Yes. In the first month after Jack’s death, I found myself strangely waiting for a message from him. I tried to dismiss this as being just a bit far out, but I never completely shook the feeling. After the Missouri Memorial that message was there: I am totally Committed to our Club. Not that I chose to be, it just happened. “Okay, Jack, I hear you.”
Jack loved this Club and he gave it his all for years. I now find myself with that same feeling of love and commitment………..
Thanks, Roger. Thanks for giving me a chance to share some of my personal thoughts, feelings and memories of 2002. It was a quite a year for me.
Comments on Jean Trousdale
Here are some comments about Jean Trousdale by Highpointers.
Gene & Lillian Elliott
Two words in our minds describe this fine lady. “Go Getter” and “non-quitter.” We first met Jean in MO during the 1999 convention. We found her to be a person of immense fun. We had the opportunity to join with her on the “stream of little water” white water rafting trip which was loads of fun trying to stay afloat. We shared a room together in HI for the 2000 convention and watched her tackle two or more jobs at once – the Merc and campaigning for the 2002 convention in OK. With her over zealous enthusiasm, she vigorously offered her help for whatever she could do for our turn as host and hostess for Maryland 2001. She is an avid highpointer and loves the club. We are sure there are many more words to describe Jean than those we mentioned. We count it a privilege to have her as a friend and wish her the best as she continues to be a “Go-Getter” and “non-Quitter” in any of her future endeavors.
Tim Webb
I met Jean several years ago camped at around 12,000 feet on Mount Elbert. She came up and asked if she could use our stove to cook on as hers had malfunctioned and she had thrown the $%& thing off the side of the mountain! What a great friendship that has developed since that day. Jean is one of the hardest working people that I have ever met. Where she gets her energy from I will never know. The members of our club should be thankful for people like Jean who devote so much personal time and energy to better our organization. I have been to Jeans on three different occasions this year and on each trip she has been engrossed in club work and projects. She even put me to work! There’s the flags project, the 2002 OK convention, Jakks manuscript, and the highpointers mercantile which has dramatically increased in what it has to offer members since she took the helm. She has become a dear friend to Rebecca and I and a grandmother to Andrew and Whitney. Thanks Jean, for all you have done and continue to do for the Highpointers Club.
Diane Winger
Jean was the first person who greeted us when we attended our first Highpointers Club convention several years ago, and it didn’t take long for us to realize that this wonderful, warm person is a central part of the whole “spirit” of the Highpointers Club. Whether she is helping with registration, serving a pancake breakfast, running the HP Merc, organizing an entire convention, or doing any of the other innumerable tasks for the club, Jean (“Bibi”) is someone who is always “there for you”, come rain or shine.
Although I’ve only spent short bursts of time with Jean at conventions over the years, or “talked” with her via email, I consider her to be a very special friend. Jean has a way of making everyone she meets feel like they are very special. I was particularly moved when she called me after Jack passed away, and shared some stories with me that made me feel like she was trying to comfort me. Jean’s special friendship with Jack was demonstrated in so many extraordinary ways. She reassured Jack that she would make sure his manuscript would be published, and she got it all typed up and organized, and found a publisher. She found a way to get Jack to the highpoint of Oklahoma for the convention. She jumped in her car late at night to drive 500 miles to be by Jack’s side when his family called to tell her he was doing badly. Above all, she found ways to bring a smile to Jack’s face, at a time when he needed that most of all. No one could ask for a better friend.
HttP:// Computer Column on Jack Longacre Resources
Jack Longacre’s passing this fall certainly underscored how integral the Internet can be for our club.
Jack’s passing came immediately after the newsletter had gone to press. Even though an insert was included with the newsletter many Club members did not hear the news until either after or too late to make arrangements for the services.
However, the internet-connected got the news almost immediately through four highpoint related groups. All four are not officially affiliated with the Club however they are frequented by highpointers.
These include:
Americasroof World and U.S. Highpoint News
This group (which I maintain) is immensely popular getting 3 million hits/year. I would like to think that if there is anything outdoor hiking oriented it shows up (including accident reports, trail news, changes of elevation and current events). I have been told it is the definitive mountaineering forum anywhere! I pay a third party (network54.com) to maintain the site so I don’t have to put up with such aggravations. This is no registration requirement.
Americasroof E-News
http://americasroof.com
I publish an e-news publication summarizing perhaps 20 or so headlines weekly or so generated by the Forum. The processing is handled by a third party (yourmailinglistprovider.com). The only registration is just submitting your email address on a form on the americasroof home page.
Ken Akerman’s Unofficial Highpointers News Group on Yahoo
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Highpointers/
Ken Akerman has a Yahoo email group discussing highpoints. You can read the email online or have it delivered to your mailbox. You will need to fill out a form to get a Yahoo ID (which will also can be used for the county highpointers).
County Highpointers News Group on Yahoo
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cohp/
Andy Martin and Scott Surgent moderate this group devoted to county highpointing. You can read the email online or have it delivered to your mailbox. You will need to fill out a form to get a Yahoo ID (which will also can be used for the Ken’s highpointers).
We have talked for sometime about having an instant means of communication if we have your email address.
Setting up an email distribution is not quite as easy as one might hope. You can’t just copy the addresses and bcc them in a message as ISP providers all place limits on the number of people you can send messages to at one time. Since this limit is usually 15-20, it became too onerous to send messages for the 1,000 members we have email addresses for.
I did send messages to everybody in several Midwest states and perhaps half of those addresses bounced.
Since I don’t have the expertise to maintain a mailing list, it is problematic to send messages. For confidentiality reasons we do not want our Club membership handled by third parties such as Yahoo. It would be greatly appreciated if somebody could help us set up an email distribution list.
For the record highpointers.org is on a Windows 2000 system.
While I’m talking about seeking help, does anybody out there want to help redesign the highpointers.org website so that it looks “sexier” and is more database driven?
As I envision it, I would like the Club site to get away from its “guide” format and switch something similar to the way the Sierra Club handles things with its “My Chapter” format.
The redesign would give you a chance to interact with other people in your state or region.
Adam Helman from the County Highpointers suggested that we start posting completion maps the way they do at:
http://www.cohp.org/images/completion_maps_describe.html
The maps are popular. One of the important missions of the Club is that we provide a means for highpointers to interact and this would be a dramatic way to do it. However such a project would require a fair amount of programming time. Anybody out there in tackling this issue?
In any event another strong point of visiting highpointers.org is that we have color pictures!
Even though our Club is only 15 years old, pictures from the early days do fade. If you have pictures from the early days we would love to add them to our virtual scrapbook. If you are attending any of the ceremonies scattering Jack’s ashes and have photos, I would love to include them in our various scrapbooks.
It is MUCH easier if the pictures are already in digital format either through emailing them to me or via a CD.
2002 Highpoint Updates
| State | Item | Date |
|---|---|---|
| AK | Quotas for Mount McKinley | 07/01/2002 |
| AK | Solo McKinley Climber First Fatality Since 1998 | 07/01/2002 |
| AK | 2 Russians First Paraplegics to Summit McKinley | 07/11/2002 |
| AK | 2 Fatalities in Plane Crash at Anderson Pass Near McKinley | 07/11/2002 |
| AK | Red Flags Before McKinley’s Oldest Fatality | 07/11/2002 |
| AK | Cops on Top of All 50 States in One Day | 10/01/2002 |
| AK | 40 Aftershocks Following Most Powerful Quake on Denali Fault in 90 Years | 10/27/2002 |
| AK | 7.9 Quake Rocks Denali Fault and Sets Off Swarms in Yellowstone and Nebraska | 11/16/2002 |
| AL | $8.2 Million for Cheaha Improvements (including reopening the summit tower) | 11/16/2002 |
| AL | Portrait of Confederate General Patrick Cleburne Dedicated in Cheaha Dining Room | 11/16/2002 |
| AL | 4 Rescued By Helicopter After Two Nights Lost on Cheaha | 11/16/2002 |
| AT | First Hiker of AT Dies | 05/13/2002 |
| CA | Sequoia Fire Blankets Whitney With Smoke and Ash | 07/25/2002 |
| CA | Famous Sierra Photographer Galen Rowell Dies in Bishop Plane Crash | 08/13/2002 |
| CA | Roundtrip Whitney Portal to Summit in Under 4 Hours | 08/27/2002 |
| CA | California 14’er Speed Record | 09/03/2002 |
| CA | Roundtrip Portal to Summit in 2:36 Via Mountaineers Route | 09/03/2002 |
| CA | Jack McBroom Set California Fourteener Speed Record | 10/01/2002 |
| CA | California Fourteener Flags on 9/11 | 10/01/2002 |
| CO | Colorado Flags on 9/11 | 10/01/2002 |
| HI | Sierra Club Says Observatories Not Visitors Damage Mauna Kea Summit | 10/22/2002 |
| KY | Litter Problem on Black Mountain “Getting Better” (57 trash bags 2002 vs. 100 in 1997) | 11/16/2002 |
| KY | Scenic Overlook Of Black Mountain Delayed | 11/16/2002 |
| MA | $1.1 Million Funding for Adams-Greylock Road Improvements | 10/08/2002 |
| MA | Tramway Proposed for Greylock | 10/08/2002 |
| MA | 2000 Brave -4 Wind Chills in Annual Greylock Ramble | 10/22/2002 |
| MD | Climbing Mount Rainier at Age 50 Not Good to Get Elected Maryland Governor | 11/16/2002 |
| ME | Baxter Hikes Fees | 05/22/2002 |
| ME | Helicopter Rescue on Katahdin Knife Edge | 07/25/2002 |
| ME | Wilderness and Spirit, A Mountain Called Katahdin Film Premiere | 11/16/2002 |
| MT | Granite Helicopter Rescue | 08/07/2002 |
| ND | Paying to Visit North Dakota’s Highest Point | 07/01/2002 |
| NH | 60 mph Winds Cut Race Short For First Time on Mount Washington | 07/01/2002 |
| NH | Cog Railway Proposal to Transport Skiiers Up Mt. Washington | 07/25/2002 |
| NH | Ozone Warning on New England Peaks | 08/20/2002 |
| NH | Flying the Flag on New Hampshire’s 48 4,000 Footers | 09/03/2002 |
| NH | Lisa Beamer Finds Sept. 11 Inspiration from Mount Washington Hike | 10/01/2002 |
| NH | Proposal to Rename Mount Washington Crag for Ronald Reagan | 10/27/2002 |
| NJ | State Runs Out of Funds for High Point | 07/01/2002 |
| NM | Fire Closes Pecos Wilderness in New Mexico | 05/13/2002 |
| NM | Wheeler and Humphreys Peak Closed | 05/30/2002 |
| NY | Adirondack 46’ers Climbed in Record 3 Days 18 Hours 14 Minutes | 07/11/2002 |
| NY | Helicopter Airlift at Indian Falls on Marcy | 08/07/2002 |
| NY | Mixed Results in DEC’s Plans for High Peaks | 08/20/2002 |
| NY | NY Park Attendance Up 41 to 57% This Year | 09/03/2002 |
| NY | Hikers Turned Away From Adirondack Loj in Labor Day Crowds | 10/01/2002 |
| NY | Climbing Adirondacks for 9/11 Victims Children | 10/01/2002 |
| NY | Ted Keizer Sets Catskill 3500 and White Mountain 4000 Records | 10/08/2002 |
| OR | New Swarm Quakes on Hood | 05/13/2002 |
| OR | Criminal Investigation into Hood Accident | 06/17/2002 |
| OR | Biggest Quake on Hood in 30 Years | 07/01/2002 |
| OR | Hood Eruption Predicted Within 20-30 Years | 07/11/2002 |
| OR | Report: No Recklessness in May 30 Hood Acciident | 08/20/2002 |
| TN | Ozone Warning on Clingmans | 06/17/2002 |
| TN | 2 Women Complete 900 Miles in Smokies | 07/11/2002 |
| TN | Newfound Gap Tunnel Improvements Nearing Completion | 08/20/2002 |
| UT | Kings Peak Closed Due to Fire | 07/01/2002 |
| VT | Plans Proceed for $220 Million Resort at Smugglers Notch | 05/22/2002 |
| WA | Rescue Copter Crash on Rainier’s Liberty Ridge | 07/01/2002 |
| WA | Study: Rainier’s Glaciers Divert Its Lava Flows | 07/20/2002 |
| WA | Second Attempted Rape on Rainier Trail | 08/20/2002 |
| WA | Parachutting Firefighters Fight Rainier Blazes | 09/03/2002 |
| WA | Rainier Helicopter Disppears Into Crevasse | 10/01/2002 |
| WA | Ed Hommer Fatality on Rainier | 10/01/2002 |
| WA | Proposed Rainier $60 Climbing Fee | 11/27/2002 |