Shannon County Highpoint Trip Report
five areas - including 1,359 ft BM Thorny (1,340+ ft)
Date: October 6, 2007
Author: Bob Schwab
This is just an addendum to Bob Packard’s April 2007 report on the five areas in
Shannon County and specifically the approach to Thorny Mountain. The primitive
road turnoff from Route NN (near BR 662, see 37-06-31N, 91-12-06W) immediately
bends left, twists around, fords a stream and comes to an intersection with a
badly eroded path about 0.9 mile in. At the time, I continued on the better
path which went to the left for another 0.3 mile, then opted to park near a
hunter’s shelter and bushwhacked up the hill to the ridge. Shortly after I got
on the ridge, I noticed an ATV path that came in from the northwest and I
realized that the bushwhack may have been unnecessary. There are good ATV
trails along the ridge that can easily be followed south to the open rocky area
where the BM and a large cairn can be found. As Bob said, you can continue
south to the second area but there really isn’t much question that the BM and
cairn mark the highest point on the mountain.
On my way down, I decided to follow the ATV trail I’d found coming in from the
northwest. It did descend to the prospect area and then drops steeply in places
down to the primitive road. Thus, you can get to the top without bushwhacking.
Park in a wide spot just east of the intersection 0.9 mile in on the primitive
road and hike up the ATV trail to the ridge.
I agree that the other three areas south of Bunker really don’t compare in
elevation with Thorny Mountain. None of them seem to rise any where close to 19
feet inside the 1340 contour, thus BM Thorny is the Shannon County highpoint.