Sullivan County High Point Trip Report

Date: February 3, 2002
Author: Bob Schwab

one small man-made area in strip mine (650+ ft)

From the intersection of Routes 159 and 246 which is 1.5 miles east of the town of Lewis, travel south on Route 159 for 3 miles to 1200 S Road. Turn right on 1200 S and drive west for a little more than 0.5 mile to the county line. Continue driving west into Sullivan County another 0.6 mile on a gravel road. There is a very neat house on the north side of the road (# 875) where you should ask for permission to enter the property. This is an old mine dump and there are signs posted. Drive west past the house and park in a field access on the north side of the road, just before the road bends sharply south. Hike north along the edge of the field and enter the dump area after rounding the second gentle curve to the right. Hike east across very old dump mounds and some deep trenches to area 1 (39° 13.011' N, 87° 15.148' W).

one area on east county line (640+ ft)

From the center of the town of Dugger, drive east on Route 54 for 1 mile. Turn right on 900 E Road and drive south 0.2 mile to a crest in the road. Area 2 extends west from the road out into this bean field. The highest area appears to be right near the edge of the road.

one area in section 15-6N-8W (640+ ft)

From the town of Dugger, head south on Route 159 for 7 miles to where the main road bends sharply to the left (east). Turn right and follow the Carlisle-Pleasantville Road (750 S Road) west for 1 mile to 700 E Road. Turn left and drive south on 700 E for 0.85 mile to a field pull-off on your right. Park here and hike across the cornfield to the northwest for almost 0.4 mile to the high ground in area 3. You can clearly see a white house off to the northeast from the highest point.

one large area with BM Sisson (640+ ft)

Return to the junction of 700 E Road and the Carlisle-Pleasantville Road. Turn left and drive west up the hill 0.4 mile. Either park near a white building or in a field access drive at the top of the crest and survey this large area. Area 4 crosses the road from north to south, with the highest area being just south of the road. Don't be confused by the large pile of old sawdust in the woods to the north. BM Sisson is supposed to be just to the south in the field, but I couldn't find it. Perhaps it is buried under the pile of trash that someone has dumped right on what appears to be the highest spot in the field. The report on BM Sisson indicates an elevation of 643 feet (196 meters).

two areas in section 3-6N-9W (640+ ft)

Continue west on the Carlisle-Pleasantville Road to 600 E Road. Turn right and drive north for 0.85 mile to a field access pull-off on the right. Park here in front of some brush near a former building site (marked on the topo map) that is now gone. Hike east along the south side of the brushy area to a spot just beyond the southeast corner of the woods out in the cornfield. This is area 5, and you will be able to spot a house and some buildings off to the north from this spot. Continue hiking east into the cornfield, veering to the southeast where there is an opening into an adjacent field. You will find yourself on the border between two crops, beans and corn. Hike south along this crop boundary line toward the northwest corner of some trees. The highpoint seems to be in the cornfield not too far from the corner of the woods.

one man-made area in reclaimed mine in section 11-6N-9W (660+ ft)

This one isn't mentioned in Andy's book and doesn't show on the topo maps, but I discovered this higher man-made site while investigating the sites reported above. Return to the Carlisle-Pleasantville Road and drive east 1.2 miles past the crest near BM Sisson and past the junction with 700 E Road. As you continue east the road rises to a crest where there is a steep field pull-off to the south. Park here and hike south up this broad, grassy, reclaimed hill for a good view of the ponds, mining operations, and surrounding terrain. A hand level check with adjacent areas and comparative (relative) altimeter readings lead me to believe that this area is at least 660 feet in elevation (38° 58.008' N, 87° 16.493' W). There are many other mining remnants nearby, but this one seems to be the highest and offers the best views. Consider visiting this site as well when you are in this area.