Morrill County High Point Trip Report
unnamed (4,600 ft)
Date: October 14, 2003
Author: Ron Tagliapietra
Bring a topo map and be sure that it shows all of Logan Canyon in Banner County. Otherwise, you will
waste time trying to reconcile your map with the ranch map. I found them irreconcilable, but after spending
time searching the Logan Benchmark (not named on topo, but shown on the McGrew quad with elevation of
4,666 ft), which was about half way between their map and mine! Also, figure on driving and walking
amidst cows for a few hours.
Follow the trip report by Bob Martin and Art Tauchen to the Flying Bee Beefmaster Ranch. Pay the hiking fee,
get their map (topo showing ranch trails), and return to the road. Continue to the next right.
Follow this to the cabin, and continue 2 miles to where the road goes down steeply. I parked here but with 4WD
one could descend and climb at least up to the ridge crest.
Hike up Trail 1 for about 0.6 mile to the crest of the ridge (4,640 ft). This part has an elevation gain of
about 500 feet. Next, hike east and pass almost immediately through a fence gate with a cattle guard.
Continue over a mile east along the ridge to the 2 western cohp candidates. You will pass the summit with
BM Logan on this stretch, the highest summit in the area and on the right side of the road/trail.
Continue over a mile further east to the other 7 cohp candidates.
You will follow a barbed wire fence for much of the
hike, crossing it repeatedly. I usually rolled under it.
I did not have a hand level with me, but I did have a water bottle which I used as one. I think the
southwestern spot is the cohp. It is certainly higher than the other of the 2 western spots as Bob and Art mentioned.
I did not go to the second of the two spots. I went to six of the other 7 spots. I agree with Bob
and Art that only the 2 large ones need to be done. The three small areas running north and south get
progressively lower, which is why I did not bother with the northernmost of them. In fact, I think that the
easternmost of the two large ones (the second from easternmost of the 7) is the highest one of the seven.
However, from the easternmost one of the seven, the next one west leveled lower than the
southwesternmost spot. The very fact that I could see the southwestern point rising over it from the lower
easternmost spot is suggestive. In contrast, it effectively blocks the view from the easternmost one to the
others of the 7 and vice versa.
Total elevation gain including return was 760 feet. Total duration was 3 3/4 hours.