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People explore the United States in many ways. Some try to visit all 50 states. Others seek to travel to all of the national parks. A few seek to see a game at every Major League Baseball park.
One of the more unusual and increasingly popular ways to "collect" experiences is to attempt to climb the highest point in each state, an effort known as Highpointers.
A documentary on the phenomenon featuring two women, including Utah State student Fallon Rowe, will air on PBS on Sunday (1 p.m. on KUED Channel 7).
The film follows the women as they attempt to summit Wyoming's Gannett Peak in their quest to reach the highest geologic point in all 50 states.
The documentary shows how Rowe battles a chronic and painful hip condition in order to reach her dream.
"I think that my experiences and just being in the mountains and hiking have definitely helped me encounter other challenges and overcome those things," said Rowe. "Once you're out there and really pushing it and persevering, that does build character."
Rowe's teen counterpart, Dartmouth student Mackenzie Scurka, had never attempted a technical snow and ice climb like Gannett Peak, with its glaciers and boulder-strewn terrain.
The story takes a turn when Scurka's father, the film's director, becomes injured. She decided to attempt the climb without him.
Producer Gary Scurka, a former producer for National Geographic Explorer and prouducer for CBS News, said the project was a natural outgrowth of his high pointing adventures with his daughter.
In addition to airing Sunday, "Highpointers" will be shown multiple times in August, including on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 9:03 p.m.