Does Difficulty Affect U.S. State High Points Ascents? Download it at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4516746   24 Pages Posted: Linus Wilson University of Louisiana at Lafayette - College of Business Administration Date Written: July 20, 2023 Abstract We develop a six-factor ranking of U.S. state high points. While this index is significantly associated with fewer ascents, only one of the six factors drives that result. Technical difficulty is the only measure of high point difficulty that significantly discourages summits. Climbers seem indifferent to physical effort required and are significantly attracted to higher elevation U.S. state high points. We also show popular through hikes near the high point are associated with significantly more summits. This indicates that mountain communities could see surges in tourism if a route to the summit was made less technically difficult.   Keywords: altitude, Appalachian Trail, ascent, climbing, Denali, difficulty index, high point, highpointing, hiking, mount, mountain, mountaineering, Mt. Whitney, Pacific Crest Trail, peak, peak bagging, state high point, through-hike, trekking, Yosemite Decimal System JEL Classification: R42, Q38, Z2, Z3 Suggested Citation: Wilson, Linus, Does Difficulty Affect U.S. State High Points Ascents? (July 20, 2023). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4516746     Dr. Linus Wilson[1] Professor of Finance Department of Economics & Finance B.I. Moody III College of Business University of Louisiana at Lafayette Moody Hall, Room 253 P.O. Box 43709 Lafayette, LA 70504 (337) 482-6209 linus [dot] wilson {at} louisiana [dot] edu https://www.linuswilson.com www.financeprofessor.org