Stearns County High Point Trip Report

Date: October 20, 2001
Author: Michael Schwartz

From the junction of MN 9/40, go south 2.0 miles on MN 9. Where 9 jogs right (west), turn left (east) onto Lindbergh Lane. Take this 0.7 mile to the sharp left bend west of spot elevation 1380 feet. At this point a woods road leads east toward the ridge, but is posted.

While hatching a plan of action, I flagged down a jeep driven by a Mr. Rau, and told him why I was there. He sent me north to the second black mail box, marking the driveway of his brother Tom's house. I drove up to Tom's house, a nice place with a garage from which he runs a granite monument business. He was very cordial, and gave me permission to park and hike. He maintains trails toward the ridge and is well familiar with the highpoint.

I used his trail a short distance until it turned sharply left, then bushwhacked southeast to the ridge line. I found the woods road mentioned by Bob Packard, which leads to the summit. It is gated further west, and is not a good direct access route from the auto road. No need to count bumps on the woods road -- when it turns northeast and there are no more bumps, just climb gently up the ridge until obvious high ground is reached. A boulder in the path next to a yellow-topped wooden post seemed to me to be the high point. 20 minutes to the summit.

I left Mr.Rau a copy of my topozone map, and he took a Polaroid and had me autograph it to prove to his wife that someone had come all the way from New Jersey to climb the mountain. He would definitely welcome future county highpointers.