- The Highpointers is made possible by- Burnsville, North Carolina, (upbeat music) a small town with big adventures, big peaks, and home to Mount Mitchell.

Information on hiking and more available at explorerburnsville.com.

Acro ball, advanced ink pens.

(playful music) Engineered for extremes, Pilot, power to the pen.

Ohio Caverns, (gentle music) adventure for the whole family.

See and discover formations year-round.

More information at ohiocaverns.com.

America's most colorful caverns.

FRBO.

(cheerful music) Bringing owners and renters together to find vacation rentals online.

Live local, feel at home, frbo.com.

Gossamer Gear, (inspirational music) makers of lightweight packs, trekking poles, and shelters, take less, do more.

- This week we're visiting Mount Davis, the high point of Pennsylvania.

- Welcome to the Keystone State.

- [Both] We are the Highpointers.

(exciting music) - My name is Brandon Bargo.

My brother Greg and I have been climbing mountains, all over the world for years.

Our obsession is high pointing.

We find the highest natural point wherever we are and do whatever it takes to stand on top.

Sometimes it's a mountain, other times a molehill, but we've learned the real excitement is found in the journey to get there.

So join us as we climb to the top of all 50 US states.

We are the Highpointers.

Today, we're in one of the oldest most historic states in the country.

So many important moments have happened right here.

From the US Constitution to the Declaration of Independence.

My focus is to get us to those historic places.

Your focus should be to get us to the high points.

- Sounds good.

When it comes to the high point of Pennsylvania, Mount Davis, most people drive to the parking lot and take a short hike to the top but it's in a state forest, it's got some great trails, so I think we should take the more scenic option.

The 'Shun' List is gonna make sure we have everything covered.

We got location, elevation, precipitation, gear identification, and regulation.

Let's focus on location and precipitation.

Mount Davis is located in Forbes State Forest in the southwestern region of Pennsylvania.

It's designated as a natural area, which means it's set aside to protect important historical and biological features.

We're gonna be covering over five miles, so we need to make sure we think about precipitation.

Mountain Davis has variable weather patterns.

The temperatures can range from -30 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, so we need to make sure we come prepared.

- I have a feeling we're probably gonna have some weather in there somewhere, so I think we've got a long way to go.

Mount Davis, here we come.

(upbeat music) (cars driving) Pennsylvania is a state full of firsts.

First zoo, first bookstore, and first hospital.

We're heading to the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the birthplace of American medicine to visit the Mutter Museum.

(upbeat music continues) Wow, this is my kind of museum.

- Wonderful, I'm so happy to hear that.

Yes, we've been around since 1863, but it's only about the past 50 years that we had the public coming in.

Before that, it was almost all medical students and doctors.

So the one thing that has been constant throughout our whole history is we've been an education and teaching collection.

The only thing that's changed is our demographic, who we're teaching.

- There's so many unique and different specimens all around us.

What are some of the highlights?

- I think some of the highlights that we're known for, is we have two FOP skeletons.

They're Harry and Carol.

We have the death cast of Chang and Eng Bunker, and most people know them as the first Siamese twins.

The megacolon, it's a really interesting specimen because it actually represents something that's quite common, even today.

But you're not gonna see somebody walking around with an eight foot long colon because it's now so easily treatable.

- Something I've noticed is when you're talking about specimens, you're using their names.

It's not just, "Oh, this skeleton over here."

You're, you're saying, Carol, you're using the actual name.

- You can't help but have a personal connection because these are human beings, and first and foremost, we like to treat everybody and everything here with the utmost respect.

But it's also about sharing their story and sharing their medical experience, and that's a little different.

That's what we're flipping the script a little bit to talk less about the physician's experience and more about the patient's experience now.

- There's some specimens that are like at the top of the list, and Albert Einstein's brain is one of them.

- To my knowledge, I think we're the only place that has pieces of Albert Einstein's brain on display to the public.

What actually happened is the actual brain is the box of slides, so not that big brain over there, but like the box of slides.

- Is it possible for us to touch some brains?

- No.

- That's probably not okay.

(all laughing) - But I can show you around some more, would you like to go?

- Yes.

- Yes.

- All right, let's go.

(laughs) (gentle music) - Hannah, thank you for taking the time today.

- You're welcome!

- To show us around.

- Yeah, it was fascinating.

- I had a great time too.

Thank you so much for coming.

- You're welcome.

- All right.

- Greg, I definitely think we need to go to this gift shop.

- Absolutely.

- All right, yeah.

- Bye- bye, take care!

- Thank you.

- Thanks.

(upbeat music) (transition sliding) - Man, the Mutter Museum, that place was impressive.

There's a lot of stuff in there that I saw that I've never seen before and I probably won't see anywhere else.

- I think my greatest takeaway from that museum was this plush mega colon.

- Your greatest takeaway from one of the world's best medical museums, is it plush toy?

- Yep.

We're headed to Lancaster County, the oldest and largest Amish community in the United States to visit the Plain and Fancy Farm.

It's where we're meeting our guest, Anne Beiler.

Anne is the founder and former CEO of the world's largest hand-rolled, soft pretzel franchise.

She has been an author of multiple books and on countless TV shows, including Oprah, Good Morning America, and Secret Millionaire.

Most people know her as Auntie Anne.

- I mean, she's kind of like an aunt to us 'cause she is a family friend.

We've known her for a long time, but we haven't seen her in a long, long time but I'm glad you thought of her cause she'll be great.

- I think she's gonna be an awesome guest.

(upbeat music continues) (hooves clattering) - Anne, so great to see you!

- Hey, it's great to see you, - Hello, Anne!

- Greg, Brandon.

- Great to see you!

- Great to see you after all of these years.

- It's been a long time.

- That's right.

That is right.

- Like, a long time.

Like this little.

- We go way back.

- Like way here.

(brothers laughing) - Wait, wait, are you saying we're short?

(all laughing) We were at the Mutter Museum earlier today and we were at a gift shop and I saw the perfect gift.

- A gift for me?

- Yes.

- Oh, how nice.

(giggles) - And when I saw it, I thought, this is for Anne.

This is the super plush megacolon.

Guys, check this out, - Okay, okay, I thought it was a, okay.

Okay.

- It's a pretzel.

- Okay, weird pretzel but thank you for the gift.

(laughs) - You don't have to accept that.

Let's just go to the buggies.

- [Anne] Hold on, he's strange.

(heartfelt music) - When I think of Lancaster, Anne, to me, this is the way (hooves clattering) to experience it, in a buggy.

- No other way.

- Yes.

(men laughing) - This is authentic.

- Yeah.

- Yes, it is.

- And we have some fun weather.

- Do you feel like the culture of the Amish, it seems like it's faith, family, and hard work, that kind of propelled you into leaving the farm and having a successful life?

- Absolutely.

No complaining, like you would never say, "I don't want, I don't feel-" Are you kidding me?

That's just not what you do.

- Yeah.

(driver kissing) - And we never did that on our farm.

(hooves clattering continues) And the beauty of that really is, it really prepared me for the real world.

- Hard work and discipline and then just using your hands, - Oh.

- And all of those things.

It's kind of like a recipe for what you ended up becoming.

- It's really a recipe for being a contributor to society.

And I'm just grateful.

- Yeah.

- I really am, 'cause it really set me up to become successful in life.

(heartfelt music continues) (hooves clattering continues) - Anne, what a beautiful place that you come from.

It was a little bit rainy, but still so beautiful.

- Yes, it's my hometown, I love being here.

And this is really where Auntie Anne's started.

It's where we learned how to make a mean pretzel.

(brothers laughing) A good pretzel.

And I'm wondering, did you ever make a pretzel?

- Never.

- Never?

- Never even- - Would you like - Thought about it.

- To learn how to make an Auntie Anne pretzel?

- Yes, that'd be awesome.

- Well, let's do it, I'll show you how.

(transition sliding) So, of all the jobs at an Auntie Anne store, rolling the pretzel was always my favorite.

And I would just, any day of the week, I would love to roll pretzels, so today I wanna show you and you how to make a pretzel.

(brothers laughing) - I have to say this, that I am completely out of my element, all right.

- It's okay.

- I do not cook.

- That's okay.

- I make pasta and I make oatmeal.

- Brandon knows how to boil water for oatmeal, for some ramen noodles.

- Okay.

- All right.

- But we start with the dough, obviously.

(brothers laugh) And you watch me carefully because you're gonna have to do this all by yourself.

You take the dough, and it's like lassoing a pole.

This is your pole and you just swing this around and you do that.

(brothers laughing) It should look exactly like that.

- That looks very good.

- That looks real.

- I did hear that you're competitive.

So you can choose is it competitive, or fun?

- If there's a choice, it's always competitive.

- It's always competitive.

(brothers laugh) - Well then, okay.

Okay, let's see who can make I don't know, how many pretzels in two minutes.

- Probably.

- And so, - 10.

(Greg laughing) - We're gonna start, just let me- Okay, good to go.

- All right.

- Okay.

(upbeat music) - Okay, you remember, you start by cutting- - Wait, what?

- Do whatever you want.

- Whoa, whoa.

(laughs) - No, no!

(laughs) (Greg laughs) No, you're gonna have to lasso the pole because if you wanna make it into (indistinct).

It's jus a flick of the- - I'm pretty sure two minutes is not done by now.

- Okay, (indistinct) (all laughing) (upbeat music continues) (timer buzzing) Okay, guys, time's up!

Time up.

- You didn't even finish.

- Okay.

- You didn't get one.

- Okay.

- No, the competition was to make a snake.

(all laughing) - I did that and I did- - We have a clear winner.

Clearly you have no coordination.

(brothers laughing) I mean, I hate to tell you, but- - Thank you for saying that out loud.

- All right, Anne, even though I lost, I still think it would be great if you joined us for our high point of Pennsylvania.

What do you think?

- I'm looking forward to that.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- That'd be awesome.

- Mount Davis.

- Yeah.

- Tomorrow.

- We're climbing the mountain.

- Hope you're bringing your hiking legs.

- Yeah, I'll bring the pretzels.

- I'm ready.

(Greg laughing) - Oh, we'll take.

- Okay, take his pretzel.

- I'll take Greg's pretzel.

(all laughing) (gentle music) (car driving) - There's so many great bed and breakfasts in the town of Gettysburg, we're headed to one of the best.

Battlefield Bed and Breakfast is surrounded by a pristine 30 acre preserve.

We're gonna be resting up before an early start for our tour of the military park.

(inspirational music) (car driving) - We're headed to Gettysburg National Military Park.

The three day battle is considered the bloodiest of the Civil War, it helped shape the course of American history.

We're visiting the Park, Texas style.

(inspirational music continues) - How you doing, I'm Greg?

- How you doing?

- Morning.

- I'm Les Fowler.

- How you doing?

- Brandon.

Hi, Brandon.

- Nice to meet you.

- Nice to see you.

- We are excited to be here in Gettysburg.

- We are gonna have a great time.

Let's see some interesting sights, ride some horses.

- Let's do it.

- Okay.

- Okay, let's do it.

(inspirational music continues) We're riding through the battlefield of Gettysburg.

Bloodiest battle of the Civil War.

170,000 troops fought each other.

There will be 51,000 killed, wounded, captured, and missing in the three days of this battle.

From July 1st through July 3rd, 1863.

We are on the ground covered by the Confederate soldiers as they attacked the union position on the Emmitsburg Road Ridge.

- So being that this is a really wide open field, was this a strategic location?

- So this battle really is all about who controlled Cemetery Hill.

And the Confederates are trying to push the Union soldiers off of it so they can get to Cemetery Hill and capture Cemetery Hill.

If they can do that, there's no good union position that can be formulated over here.

And the Union army will either have to be retreat or be destroyed.

- This area is beautiful.

- It really is.

- You have really farmland and these fields and the mountains in the distance but then thinking about what happened here, it's this weird juxtaposition of, its beautiful, but man, thinking about the casualties.

- It really, it's hard to wrap your mind around how many people died here and sacrificed here.

- It's hard to say battles are good things, but the results of the battle can be good.

A lot of people fought here.

A lot of people exhibited extraordinary bravery on both sides and they were, both sides, fighting for what they believed in.

America's always been a diverse country and sometimes we don't agree with each other.

And in the late 1850's, that got so bad to the point that we fought each other.

This was a battle between ourselves and this was a war between ourselves and we can never, ever let that happen again.

- Yeah.

(heartfelt music) - The Civil War is sometimes referred to as the Brothers war because of the families that fought against each other, including brothers.

And it makes me think, as we're riding along these trails, all the stories that played out here over the three grizzly days.

(heartfelt music continues) (bugs chirping) (car driving) - We've seen all types of weather this week, from sun to rain showers, we're headed to the high point to meet Anne and make sure we're ready for whatever Mount Davis throws at us.

(car driving) Welcome to Mount Davis, yes.

- It's so good to be here with you all.

- So we like to say that you never know what you're gonna get at a high point and today is exactly one of those days.

We've got a little rain all day.

We were driving here, it was raining and then it was stopping.

And so what we like to do before we climb a high point is to go over the gear to make sure that we're prepared.

And that's Greg's job.

- Yeah, so we like to go through a gear check right here at the trail head.

- Okay.

- So it is rainy, it's foggy.

We're in the clouds.

A good thing, is a rain jacket.

So you want it to protect you, keep you dry, and hopefully it's breathable so you don't get too hot and sweaty, check, you have that good.

- I'm good, I'm good, all right.

- So that's a good thing.

We do have trekking poles out here 'cause it can be wet, it can be slippery, there's some rocks.

So footwear is a good idea, something like a hiking boot, which can protect your ankles, or a trail shoe, which has good grip, can be comfortable.

Check, you got that.

- I'm good, yes.

- And then there's actually no water out here at the trail head, so we brought an extra jug.

We have some bottles that are already full, but we'll make sure to top those off.

- Yes.

- And our job, Anne, is to keep America's favorite aunt alive, Making more pretzels.

- Thank you, thank you.

(all laughing) - You're welcome, so if you guys are ready, the trail head is right behind us.

You guys ready to do this?

- I'm ready.

I'll follow y'all.

- Let's go.

- Okay.

- All the way to the top.

- Let's do it.

- Yes.

(transition sliding) Here we go.

All right, Anne.

(adventurous music) It's the beginning of an adventure.

We like to celebrate at the beginning and celebrate at the end with a little suffer in the middle.

- I'm sure we will experience- - Don't say that.

(all laughing) All right, so if you're ready, just also be thinking you need to have a little bit of a unique high five with a little twist in it.

- Unique high five?

- Yeah.

- All right.

- So be thinking while we're hiking.

- Okay.

- Okay?

All right, you ready?

(hands clapping) - Let's do this!

- That was a good one.

(hands clapping continues) (all laughing) Yeah.

All right, Anne, here's our, our first stop.

We've really enjoyed getting to talk to you on the trail.

I really wish, Anne, that all CEOs or founders of companies had the same disposition and sweet spirit that you have.

Because I feel like so many leaders, really, it's just about dictating and telling.

And it's so important to have authentic leadership.

And I feel like for you, you share both sides of your story.

There's the strengths and the weaknesses.

What does authentic leadership mean to you, and what does that look like?

- I think it just means being real.

That's what you have to offer to the world.

And really, I came out of a very dark place in my life before Auntie Anne's and Auntie Anne's was really what grew me up emotionally, spiritually, and professionally.

Learning to become the leader that I needed to become, instead of pretending I'm okay, I would walk into management team meetings and just say, "Hey guys, I want you to know I'm having a tough day today."

You don't have to tell the details or even what it's all about, maybe a little bit if you feel the need to, but let your team know so that when you're grouchy and you're a little pushy, and you're a little bossy and you're little, hm hm, (all giggle) they don't take it personal.

They know that you're struggling inside.

To me, that's one of the beauties of being authentic.

- Well, Anne, we really enjoyed having a conversation with you, and I think we're gonna have a whole lot more.

- Yes, we will.

- If you guys are ready?

I think we got like three or four miles.

- Let's keep it going.

- All right, let's do it.

- Piece of cake.

(upbeat music) (water rushing) - Anne, what a beautiful spot to stop and have some water and have some snacks.

You know, I look back here.

And it just makes me think, this is why we do it.

(Anne laughing) There's so many highs and lows when we're hiking high points and we've heard so many great things about your story.

All right, you've had a lot of trauma and challenge and just difficulty.

- Yes, yeah.

- And you've been very open about that story and- - Well, thank you, I love sharing my story.

And one of the lines that I love to use is that "Life is hard."

If you think about hiking, yeah, life is hard, God is good.

The creation all around us, is so good.

And the things that my husband and I experienced were, growing up in the Amish culture on a farm, eight kids.

And life was good and we got into our marriage at a very young age and lived a very happy, we were together as a very happy couple.

And it all changed when our sweet Angela Joy, our 19 month-old daughter was killed instantly on our farm, it was an accident, and she was driven over by someone in the family and that changed my world.

And, you know, trauma and tragedy changes us, and yet we almost feel like we need to go on, like nothing happened, like we wanna get back to the way it was, right?

But the truth is, you never get back to the way it was.

So I think telling your story in a very authentic and even humble way, just the truth about all of it, is really the way to freedom.

- Hmm.

- It's a deep subject, and it's not easy for us to even, like, even touch the tip of the iceberg, but I would just say, you know, it's really important for us to be real and authentic.

And no matter how dark your world has been, it doesn't have to stay dark.

My faith, my husband, and my love for family is what made me keep going, I wanted a better life.

And I knew that it was out there somewhere for me.

And here I am today with you guys.

- Hmm.

- Sharing my story.

Thank you.

- Thank you for sharing that.

I mean, as I'm hearing, I mean, brings up emotion inside of me hearing your story.

And you know, I have kids of my own and I can't, you know, I can't imagine that but you know, as I hear you talk, I feel you're so positive, you're so encouraging.

Yeah, as we hike, it's, you exude that and it's incredible.

- Absolutely, overcoming my pain has given me strength.

But overcoming our pain gives us strength to move on, and to become more, and to become encouragers and to become the voice for those who are still in this dark place, or in difficult spaces or whatever it may be, you have that authority, you have that story, you can tell that with compassion and strength.

(rushing water continues) - We appreciate you sharing the story.

- Sure.

- And just getting to have the privilege to hike with you.

- Thank you.

- So, thank you.

- Thank you, it's been an honor for me, for sure, to be with y'all.

- Yeah.

- Well, I feel like the only way to finish this is to go- - To the top!

- To the hike with it.

- To the top!

- Keep moving.

- Yeah.

- All right.

- We gotta live a little more life.

- That's right.

- There's more for us.

- We got more life for us.

- There's more, okay.

- All right, here we go.

(encouraging music) Mount Davis and its surroundings have been freezing and thawing for thousands of years.

This process is known as periglaciation, which creates unique and unusual circular stone patterns, that can be found throughout the state forest, including at the base of the observation tower.

(encouraging music) - And we made it, and that was a challenging hike.

(hands clapping) - That was more challenging than I thought.

- Yeah.

- Yes, yes.

- We had a little rain, we had rocks and roots and mud and water.

- More rocks than I have seen in a very long time.

(Greg laughing) - Yes.

- Wow.

- And the good thing is, with a hike like this, I mean, we were on the trail for a good amount of time, and we had some highs and lows like we talked about.

- Yeah, yeah.

- But it gives you time to come up with the most unique high five with a little twist.

- (gasps) I knew you were gonna ask me for this!

(brothers laughing) I came up with a high five, it's called the pretzel twist high five, so let's do it.

- Okay, that makes sense, - Here we go.

- Hold on, - One- - Hold on, hold on, I got my twist, I got my twist.

- One, two, three, yes!

(laughs) (hands slap) (all laughing) (inspirational music) - The world we live in today can often feel overwhelming.

- But our Pennsylvania High Point adventure is a great reminder that there's a time and season for everything.

- There's a time for sickness and a time for health, a time for war, and a time for peace, a time to be busy and a time to slow down.

- Our guest, auntie Anne, reminds us that there's also a time for suffering and a time for flourishing.

- If we can just remember to persevere, there's hope.

Just keep your eyes on the high point.

Until next time- - [Both] We'll see y'all on the next summit.

(hands slap) - [Brandon] For more information on the Bargo Bros HighPoint Adventures, visit us at thehighpointers.com or @theHighpointers on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

- [Greg] The high pointers is made possible by- (upbeat music) - Burnsville, North Carolina, a small town with big adventures, big peaks, and home to Mount Mitchell.

Information on hiking and more available at exploreburnsville.com.

(playful music) Acrobat advanced ink pens, engineered for extremes.

Pilot, power to the pen.

(gentle music) Ohio Caverns.

Enter for the whole family E and Discover formations year-round information at ohiocaverns.com.

America's most colorful caverns.

(gentle music) - FRBO, bringing owners and renters together to find vacation rentals online.

Live local, feel at home, frbo.com.

(inspirational music) - Gossamer gear, makers of lightweight packs, trekking poles, and shelters, take less, do more.