Cumberland County Highpoint Trip Report

near county line on north side of Pleasant Mtn (1,880+ ft)

Date: July 26, 2004
Author: Michael Schwartz

I thought I was hiking up from the Shawnee Peak Ski area as mentioned in Denis Hanson's report from November 2000 but actually hiked up from the Shawnee Peak East area. I had come up Mountain Road from the south and, as soon as I saw a ski area, I assumed it was the right one. In my defense, note that only the main area shows on the topo so I wasn't expecting a second area. Of course it would have helped to read Denis' report more carefully. The gain is probably the same but I thought my GPS was broken when it showed the summit to be northwest of me, rather than southwest.

Once you reach the top of the ski lifts, very close to each other and inside the closed 1,760+ foot contour, either find a trail heading south into a shallow saddle or just bushwhack through the easy woods to intersect the blue-blazed North Ridge Trail. Turn right and head west-northwest and a little downhill until the trail turns steeply left and uphill. As you regain the ridge line, note a bump to your left. GPS verified that the bump is inside the part of the 1,880+ foot contour protruding into Cumberland County. GPS also shows the trail crossing the county line about 100 feet south of the bump, prior to climbing sharply again toward spot elevation 1905. Ergo, as previously mentioned by Messrs. Lobdell and Schweiker, the county highpoint is at the bump and this not a true liner.