Even in death, the only way for Highpointers founder was up
When Missourian Jack Longacre became interested in climbing to the loftiest point in all 50 states in the 1980s, he noticed several who had signed the registers that await climbers at some peaks listed how many summits they attained. Longacre wrote an open letter to the editor of Outside Magazine, noting his observation, and adding the comment: “My God! I thought there must be others out there with no more sense than myself, and I’d like to meet or correspond with them.”
Soon he was communicating with 30 like-minded individuals and became president of the newly established Highpointers Club. Members now number more than 2,500 men and women.
Longacre died in 2002, but his final wish was to have his ashes scattered on the high points of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
“It is remarkable just how far his wish has been exceeded,” says Mick Fords, the club member responsible for sending Longacre’s ashes to lofty heights. “To date club members, and friends of members, have taken Jack not only to the highest points in every state, but also to all seven continents and the peak of Mount Everest,” he reports.
“Jack is still willing to go,” Fords says. “There is plenty of ash left, and we get him out to new highpoints two or three times a year.”