Polk County Highpoint Trip Report

Tryon Peak (3,280 ft)

Date: August 4, 2006
Author: Don Desrosiers

From NC 108 in the middle of Columbus, turn northwest onto Houston Street at the light and zero odometer. At 1.1 miles, turn left onto White Oak Road. The road is paved but ascends much more steeply than I would have expected. At 4.1 miles, pass through a condo complex at a strange left turn. The road will become dirt. At 5.1 miles, park at the overlook near Tryon Road.

From here I used a little chutzpah. Based on previous trip reports, I knew there was a troll equivalent landowner at the beginning who was prone to denying access. So I put on long pants and a polo shirt rather than my usual shorts and pitted out t-shirt, grabbed the clipboard, and started walking down the dirt road. I was soon accosted by the landowner who was working on his house.

"Can I help you?"
"Just going up to check the benchmark."
"What?"
"I need to check the benchmark."

Landowner waves to me. I keep walking (I hadn't slowed down anyway). The walk along the dirt road is easy enough but is all in the open. The highest ground looked to be near the old fire tower. This does agree with the BM datasheet.

Did not see the troll on the way back out.