Arizona highest peak is Mt. Humphries at 12,637 with a prominence (elevation gain) of 6,039 compared to New Hampshire's Mt. Washington peak at 6,288 with a prominence of 6,148. So sure the peak is higher but the climb to the top is not. Mt. Washington weather is known as some of the worst in the world, tree line is around 4,000' due to the extreme weather
Hence the little laughy smiley thingy behind the post.joke
/jōk/
a thing that someone says to cause amusement or laughter, especially a story with a funny punchline.
Now, in all seriousness, having climbed Washington, Humphreys, Lemmon, Graham, Wrightston, and various over 10,000 peaks in the Sierras near Tahoe, I can assure you that Washington is a good climb, but not nearly as hard as some that I listed. The difference between the elevations is much more than just the prominence. The cardiovascular differences between 6000 and 9000 are profound. Above 10000 it is difficult to maintain an output, approaching 12000 you begin to feel the beginnings of hypoxia. I have never done a CO 14teener, but I would estimate them to be substantially more difficult than any mountain I have done.
Washington gets points for it's rather extreme wind conditions, but choosing the wrong weather conditions on the western mountains can also easily be lethal. Outside of that, the main difference for us here is that Washington has a maintained road to the top that is of little interest to 4x4 people. Is the cog railroad still running? That was fun.
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