A BOUNDARY PEAK TRIP REPORT
Lois & Randall Horne #33....

The couple flew to Reno from New York, rented a car, then based themselves in Bishop before making the climb on 9May. Lois reports as follows:

Yesterday I got the photos from our Nevada trip developed so I thought I would share a few with you all. Nevada's highest peak is ranked 9th in elevation (13143ft.) and considered a strenuous hike. It took us 11.5 hours round trip and approximately 8 miles to reach the summit and return to camp. The weather was gorgeous. High's in the mid to upper 70's and low's in the low 40's. While we were in NV we were able to travel into CA to talk to the ranger's about Mount Whitney which is the highest in the continental US (14496ft.) and not far from Boundary Peak. Mount Whitney still had snow at 9000 feet and above. Fortunately for us, and despite what the rangers told us before we left for the West coast, there was very little snow on top of Boundary Peak.

Pic set: http://bilwe.jalbum.net/NVhp/

AL/GA/FL VISIT REPORT
Bug spray and boots recommended...

This tri-point trip report/update is provided compliments
of Jack Baker (35), long time Highpointers Club member ('89).

Following protocol for this one, Jack contacted land owner Ansely Whatley by e-mail and made arrangements to meet him on May 1st for a trek to the AL/GA/FL corner. Mr. Whatley, who lives in Dothan, AL, drove 30 miles to accommodate tri-pointer Jack (16). Since the heavily wooded access to be crossed was home to rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, chiggers, and skeeters, Whatley, a true Southern Gentleman, kindly provided Jack with bug spray and knee high rubber swamp boots before driving him to within 300 yds. of the marker. From here a bushwhack to the Chattahoochee River followed, and they trodded merrily to the recently erected sign atop a 15 ft tower which faces east, meant to be seen from the river.

It is important to understand that this tri-corner is on private property in a county with strict enforcement of trespassing laws. In that Whatley’s land is directly east of the Chattahoochee State Park, some have attempted to access the tri-point through the park. Mr. Larry Weaver, park ranger, strongly advises against this route. The owner of the land directly south of the FL line has erected a fence along his property line that prevents access by this previously suggested route described in Jack Parsell’s U.S. State Tri-Corners guide. Mr. Whatley is your only way in.

Ansely Whatley owns 700 acres of land dedicated as a nature preserve, 300 of which are set aside as a nature sanctuary. Hunting of deer and turkey is allowed on a limited basis. Whatley feels fortunate that he is able to warden this piece of paradise and feels obligated to share it with others. This particular area is rich in history including a goodly share of boundary issues. Tri-pointers are very welcome within the access window between the end of April and October 15th. Contact Ansely Whatley by e-mail well in advance of your travel schedule to arrange a visit: answat@aol.com

And, remember the above mentioned snakes and bugs to be dealt with here - just another example that tri-pointing is NOT FOR WUSSES!!!

Preceding post w/sign view: http://trekstop.blogspot.com/2009/03/algafl-tripoint-update-news-is-good.html

NC HIGHPOINT REVISIT
Finally, views from a hp mountain top...

This is HP #4 of 4 to take a look at the new "wheelchair accessible" tower. From Asheville, the Blue Ridge road that would ordinarily take us to Mt. Mitchell, was detoured. We agonized awhile over taking 1 1/2 hrs to reach it this route. Our pioneer spirit won out and, with gas at 2$/gal, what the hell...? And, the weather was in our favor for a change. Doing the detour turned out ok: a winding mountain road and, with little traffic this time of year, an enjoyable, cut-the-butter drive.

While we miss the original NC hp stone tower, this new mountain topper was quite nice, though more like an observation deck. The sky was clear and the views spectacular.

There were no original marker disks to be found. Before, one was centered in the floor of the tower and another on a close-by rock cropage which was, supposedly, the highest natural point. Excavation for the new masonary topage, it turns out, negated those. Based on the recent Four Corners fiasco, who knows where's what?

SC HIGHPOINT REVISIT
And, an encounter with an errant tree...

HP return #3 of 4. This visit was more an aside/country drive to take another look around the Sassafras Mountain high point site. We sloshed around in the rain and mud, and left the area satisfied that the tree in front of the Foothills Trail signage was the highest natural point here. The tree, with a white trail blaze, is 50 feet east of the brass disk/concrete post which seemed lower than it's surroundings as we recall from the first time here.

On the drive back down F. Van Clayton Hwy, within a half-mile of the hp parking area, the road was now obstructed by a small, live tree, tall enough to block the road. It's roots had given away to the wet ground and it tipped over. Of course, my backpack with folding saw was not in the car. Since we didn't expect "help" to arrive anytime soon, we managed to bare-handed break off the top branches until just enough by-pass clearance was made for the Honda. Driving off , we wondered if it was a sassafrass tree.


Revisit video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgL4vIxTLH8

CLINGMAN'S DOME REVISIT
Seems like it's always "smoky" up here...

This is # 2 of 4 recent hp returns for fine-tuning sake. The goal of this TN visit was to discover a concealed marker that was rumored to exist and most accurately identify the highest natural point: the top of the wheel-chair accessible tower is NOT that.

The rumor-marker was said to be located at the base of the tower and inside a door in the pedestal. We arrived there in the mist to discover...no door. Somewhat discouraged, we squirreled around a bit and did locate a door, but underneath the ramp abutment, not ordinarily visible. The steel door was actually wide open and led into a room that tapered darkly to zero.

Without a flashlight, we groped blindly in this confined space, finally deciding there was no brass disk in here, anyway. (Sour grapes?). Our GSMNP Clingman's Dome brochure did state that there was a marker "nearby." There are, according to the NGS Datasheet Point Radius Form web site, 2 marks near the parking lot - a survey disk and a horiz cont disk - not what we had in mind. The datasheet says the "mark" on summit is the tower, i.e., the center of the tower.