Highpoint: Mt. Rogers
State: Virginia
Height: 5729 ft.
Highpoint #: 18
Date: 7/5/2002
Trails: Wilburn Ridge
Distance: About 8.6 miles roundtrip.
Vertical Gain: 1500
Time Taken: 6 hrs.
Weather: 70s-80s. Absolutely perfect day
Group: JO & BC
Comments: This was the only significant hike on our trip that we HAD to do, as the 8.6 mile trail started from the nearest road. This trail was unbelievably gorgeous, and since it was all fairly bald, there were great views all the way up. Needless to say, we were in great condition after our other hikes, and although it felt surprisingly long, we stormed up and down the mountain without too much effort. The hike is essentially a traverse, and so is not very strenuous. A portion of the hike is along the AT, and we saw some through-hikers. There are also wild ponies all over the place, some standing right on the trail. They are very friendly and used to hikers. I'm still undecided whether or not I like this hike better than Mt. Mitchell. I'd have to say no, just because it wasn't as difficult as Mitchell, and there is no view from the top of Rogers since, ironically, it is the only vantage that is obscured by trees.  After Virginia, we drove all night into Delaware, and got a motel room.  The next day we would hit two more drive-ups, and then go home.

JO on the summit of Mt. Rogers.  We have more pictures of this hike still to come.

 

Highpoint: Ebright Azimuth
State: Delaware
Height: 448 ft.
Highpoint #: 19
Date: 7/6/2002
Trails: N/A
Distance: 0 miles roundtrip.
Vertical Gain: 0
Time Taken: 15 hrs.
Weather: 70s.
Group: JO & BC
Comments: Saturday morning we drove the short distance to the Delaware highpoint to check out the situation. This is one of the most difficult highpoints in the country, since the true highpoint resides in someone's yard. There are multiple signs posted on the access road that say no trespassing/soliciting. It was broad daylight. Running over to the Delaware highpoint quickly was well within our moral flexibility, but we didn't want to hurt relations between these people and the Highpointers Club. We were really pissed that these people don't open up there property to highpointers. They could commercialize it and make a nice profit, we don't get it. Fortunately for us, there is an official sign across the street, 2 feet lower, which states that in the vicinity is the Delaware highpoint. The Highpointer's Club officially recognizes this sign as the highpoint, so for now it will do. But I hope that eventually we can come back and visit the true "summit."

BC at the sign marking the official highpoint of Delaware.

Looking across the street towards the TRUE highpoint of Delaware.

Highpoint: High Point
State: New Jersey
Height: 1803 ft.
Highpoint #: 20
Date: 7/6/2002
Trails: N/A
Distance: .2 miles roundtrip.
Vertical Gain: 40
Time Taken: 20 min.
Weather: 70s-80s. Nice day.
Group: JO & BC
Comments: From Delaware, we drove up to the New Jersey highpoint, in the middle of High Point State Park. The top features a smaller replica of the Washington Monument. Of course the tower was closed for repairs. Oh well. The highpoint is surprisingly high, with some nice views. There was a marker off to the side of the tower on the nearby rocks, and we wondered if this was the true highpoint. This highpoint was number 20 for both of us, and was the 14th highpoint on our 9 day extravaganza. From Delaware, we made it back to Boston by late afternoon Saturday.  We had put 5450 miles on JO’s car.

 

 

Left: JO near the highpoint of New Jersey.  Right:  The summit tower of High Point, NJ

 

Go back to Thursday, 7/4/02