Cameron County High Point Trip Report

1 1/2 miles west of Sixmile Hollow (2380+ ft.)

Date: June 6, 2009
Author: Andy Hatzos

Note: Coordinates for this report are NAD83.

I approached the Cameron County high point from the west, rather than from the east (near State Route 46) as other highpointers have done. I do not recommend my approach method, as access issues and road quality play a bigger role than in the previously published reports. I completed this point immediately after completing the highest point in Elk County.

I traveled north on Shawmut Grade Road, north of the Wildwood Fire Tower site (the highest point in Elk County). I saw a fairly large turtle while driving past a swampy, cleared area. I passed north into McKean County, and eventually reached a house (the only one within miles) and turned right on another road (location: 42.6203 N, 78.4648 W). I followed this road east, and then northeast, before reaching an intersection and turning southeast. Maps depicted a few other roads breaking off, but most of them were no more than faint trails, and the main road was obvious.

The road I traveled southeast on is listed as Cooks Run Road on some maps, and is indicated in purple on the original topo map. Shortly after the last intersection and the turn southeast, I found a gate -- but it was wide open, and did not look to have been used in some time. I continued roughly east on this road for a few more miles, seeing clear signs of an active logging operation -- however, as it was a Saturday, there were no workers around.

I did, however, catch up to a man driving a vehicle used to grate the road. I stopped and explained what I was doing, and my goal to reach the highest point in Cameron County. He said he works for the company who owns the land, and he gave me permission to continue driving and/or hiking, assuring me that I would not be gated in. I should note that while the road was in poor condition already, whatever job the man was doing was tearing the road up even further, exposing large rocks and rendering it almost completely impassable for a passenger car. There were some nervous moments, to be sure.

About 3.5 miles from the intersection at the house, and co-located with the McKean/Cameron county line, I found another gate -- and this one was shut (location: 41.6170 N, 78.4134 W). The gate is accompanied by a posting for Seneca Resources Corporation, and is posted solely against vehicles -- not hikers. However, as the gate was not locked and I had been granted permission to proceed, I opened it and drove on ahead. The road quality improved somewhat after the gate, as did the experience in general. Rounding the southern edge of a series of hills, there was a definite sense of elevation, and some great views to the south.

From the gate, it was another five miles of slow driving to the parking spot (location: 41.6018 N, 78.3600 W). I parked at the southern end of a bend in the road, and began hiking up a faint trail heading south. The trail alternated between relatively clear sections of easy hiking, and rough bushwhacks through large dead trees, thorns, and potholes. In some places, the trail seemed to disappear entirely.

The trail's crest was fairly obvious, with a rather open wooded area right at the top of the hill. The highest ground was probably around 50 feet to the southwest of the trail. Walking through the woods here was actually much easier than navigating the overgrown sections of the trail itself. There were no views to speak of, since the hill is heavily wooded.

The total round trip hike from the parking spot was about six tenths of a mile, with about 100 feet in vertical gain. Despite my success, ultimately, it would probably be easier to simply hike in from the east, as described in other trip reports.

PICTURES:
Picture 01 (169 k) - The entrance to the faint trail, located on the south end of a curve along the main road.
Picture 02 (202 k) - A section of the trail, as it heads south-southwest up the hill. The trail is littered with deadfall (foreground) and disappears entirely in some places (background).
Picture 03 (179 k) - One of the more pleasant sections of the trail, near the top of the hill.
Picture 04 (218 k) - The crest of the trail. The highest ground is into the wooded area on the left (east).
Picture 05 (229 k) - The wooded area at the highest point.

KMZ Trip Log File (Track file from Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx)


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