Jefferson County High Point Trip Report
one point 3,200 ft west-southwest of USGS BM 1724, 200 ft west of the east county line (1,740+ ft)
Date: May 11, 2002
Author: Michael Schwartz
From the junction of NY 12/177 west of Lowville, go west 10.1 miles on NY 177. Turn left (south) onto
Liberty Road and drive 2.3 miles to a T-intersection (Liberty Corners), where Liberty Road goes right.
Zero your odometer. Liberty Road eventually becomes Salmon River Road and reaches a T-intersection with
Culpepper Road at 4.0 miles. Note that the hike to the Oswego County highpoint begins another 4.7 miles
further along on Salmon River Road. Take Culpepper Road northwest 0.6 mile and bear left at a lesser dirt road.
This is shown as a jeep trail on the topo heading due west toward BM 1724 feet. In dry weather, this
road is passable to passenger cars, and at anytime for a high clearance vehicle for about a mile, to a posted
private hunting camp building. If occupied, try to obtain permission to hike beyond that point.
From the camp, the road jogs to the right, then left, continuing west. Before it takes the short jog south and
west shown on the topo, a lesser road bears right (straight) toward a swamp. The main road ends abruptly
at a stream, and picks up again across the stream about 100 feet to the right. Beyond the stream, cross the
north-south ATV trail shown on the topo and continue west on the woods road, which deteriorates,
but continues to the ridge east of the swampy area to the east of the highpoint ridge. The swamp is now a lake,
which must be bypassed. Stay on the ridge line (easiest going), keeping the lake in sight, and circle around
to the south, eventually hiking to the west side and heading north. On the west side of the lake, count the
bumps on the ridge as you hike north, with the highpoint bump easy to identify. The steep gap south of the
bump that's south of the highpoint bump is a good landmark.
On the return, bypass the highpoint ridge bumps by staying closer to the lake edge. Note that the only
postings on the entire approach/hike are at the hunting camp buildings.