RUMFORD – A hike up Whitecap Mountain when she was a child was the beginning of Barbara Smith-Baker’s passion for climbing mountains. From that, she has conquered some of the highest peaks in the eastern part of the globe as well as completed the Appalachian Trail.

She was one of the 80 or so people who turned out Wednesday night to help kick off the final fundraising push to gather about $160,000 that will complete the $714,000 price tag for the purchase of 761 acres of the 2,214-foot-high peak. The Mahoosuc Land Trust wants to purchase the land to preserve it for public use.

Smith-Baker is one of more than two dozen people who have pledged to find donors.

Bob and Lida Isles, Andover residents, have lived in the area for 16 years. They are campaign co-chairs and have a personal reason for wanting to save the popular peak, known for its hiking, skiing and blueberry picking.

They lived for 30 years in Florida, from a time when the town they lived in was bustling with birds, canoe-ways, wildlife and plenty of plants, to a city of more than 100,000 people that is paved over and built upon.

“All the trees were cut. We realized that we had lived there long enough. I’m not a native, but I do love it here,” he said. “I’m not anti-development, but there are certain places we have to preserve and Whitecap is one of those. I would hate to see mountaintop homes. I want everyone to be able to enjoy some of these properties.”

Maura Rodway, a lawyer living in Hanover and one of the fundraising volunteers, agreed. She has taken Cub Scouts up the mountain and marveled at the beauty from the top.

“I just want to be able to preserve as much open space as possible,” she said.

Fundraising consultant Bill Stockwell of Waterford will help guide volunteers in their push to raise additional money for the Whitecap Mountain Project.

Isles said the money must be raised by March 30, which is the date for closing on the purchase of the property from Bayroot LLC. The land had been owned by Mead Paper Division until the company sold most of its property more than two years ago. The paper company had allowed use of the mountain by the public for decades.

During the past year, fundraising efforts have yielded $243,000 from the Land for Maine’s Future, and thousands of dollars more from foundations and individual donations.

John Emery, a fifth-grade teacher at Andover Elementary School, is teaching a new generation of people to appreciate the beauty of the mountain. He takes his class of eight pupils on an annual trip up the mountain, and when they were asked whether they wanted to take advantage of free skiing at Sunday River in early January, or travel to Augusta to plead the case for preserving Whitecap, they chose Augusta.

The youngsters spoke on behalf of the mountain at a news conference for nonprofits, Emery said.

“They even had an audience with the governor,” he said.

Rumford resident Jolan Ippolito is serving as campaign manager for the final push to collect funds. “Now is the time for everyone to invest. We need your time, energy and thoughts,” she said.