Oakland County High Point Trip Report

3 areas (1,230+ ft) - 7/30/31-5N-11E
1 small area in SW 1/4 of SW 1/4 (1,230+ ft) - 9-4N-9E

Date: November 12, 2005
Author: Andy Hatzos

There are four 1230+ contours in three regions of northern Oakland County. Two ski hills -- Pine Knob and Mt. Holly -- have been artificially raised above this elevation and do not count as natural high points. Oakland County is my home county, and though its completion was a bit more involved than some of the area's other counties, it was well worth it to finish the task!

--Area 1: 7-5N-11E
Starting from Rochester, I drove north on Rochester Road for a while until reaching the village of Leonard. I took Leonard Road to the west for two miles, and then Lake George Road to the north for a half-mile. I then followed Oakwood Road to the west, passing Hosner Road after a mile, and reaching Duffield Farms at 3400 Oakwood Road. This is private property, so I had to locate the stable manager and ask for permission to hike to the high point. The staff was very friendly and allowed me to complete the hike. There is a farm road that leads south from the parking lot. Where the road turns to the west, I continued south into the woods to the summit. There is no obvious high point, so I wandered around for a few minutes to make my claim.

--Areas 2 and 3: 30/31-5N-11E
Starting from Oxford, I drove south on M-24 (Lapeer Road) for one mile, and turned to the east on Drahner Road. The areas of interest are a few miles away, between Markwood Drive and Hosner Road. At the intersection of Drahner and Hosner is the St. Benedict Monastery. I parked along the road just west of there.

The first area is on the south side of the road, along a fence that bounds the monastery property. This area is not terribly impressive. The area to the north, into the woods a bit further, seems to be higher. There is no obvious high point here, so some wandering was certainly in order. What is interesting about this area is a remnant of an old stone wall, which manifests itself as a long, rocky mound which cuts across the wooded area.

--Area 4: 9-4N-9E
The final area is certainly the easiest to reach, and is absolutely the most impressive of the Oakland County high points. From Exit 91 on I-75, I took Ortonville Road (M-15) north for about a mile. I turned east into a subdivision at Deer Ridge Drive, and then made a left at Fawn Valley Drive. I went north at Deerwood Road, and then turned west at West Crest Forest Court. This uphill road features a cul-de-sac at the end, so park along the edge. From here, the highpoint is obvious. I followed a trail up the hill at the end of the road to the highpoint, which has a bench and a sign indicating the crest. The sign notes an elevation of 1240+, but the elevation is actually 1230+. There are no homes at the south end of the cul-de-sac, and since this area can be completed with a round trip of two minutes flat, permission issues should not apply here. This pleasant hill was a fitting completion to the county.

PICTURES:
Area 1:
Picture 01 (234 k) - The road alongside the fenced-in area, which leads up to the top of the hill.
Picture 02 (275 k) - Here, the road turns to the right, but the highest point is just ahead into the woods.
Areas 2 and 3:
Picture 03 (318 k) - Here's a view looking north from the road, toward the northernmost area of interest.
Picture 04 (321 k) - The remnant of the stone wall is clearly visible in this picture, running from the lower-right to the top-left.
Picture 05 (292 k) - The southernmost area of interest, with a small clearing beyond a few trees.
Area 4:
Picture 06 (275 k) - The hill at the end of the road.
Picture 07 (206 k) - The (slightly incorrect) sign, indicating the summit of Oakland Crest.
Picture 08 (286 k) - The area at the top, with a few trees and a bench.
Picture 09 (220 k) - Looking down at the cul-de-sac, and the subdivision. This is the best place to park.


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