Gilliam County Highpoint Trip Report

Date: June 25, 2004
Author: Adam Helman

Note: coordinates use the NAD27 datum

While I was at at his home, Bob Bolton proposed this as an alternative to the route described in other trip reports. Upon composing this report I noticed that Bob Packard already documented this route in his trip report.

From Condon proceed east on Lonerock Road, passing a major junction in a few miles, keeping to the right. About five or six miles after this junction, the road curves around the southwestern flank of Black Butte. After the road straightens-out, locate a junction at UTM coordinates zone 10 (735023 E, 5006351 N) with a paved road heading south.

Take the paved road, passable in any passenger vehicle, for about six miles to a clockwise bend in the road at UTM coordinates zone 11 (266650 E, 4995787 N)^*1 and within the northwest quadrant of Section 3 on the USGS topographic quadrangle. Park here and begin the hike, noting a farmhouse to the west. Access issues are are described by Bob P in his report.

Note that at about one mile prior to this parking location, the approach road makes a sharp turn left (east), and proceeds downhill as it gradually trends again south.

Use your cross country navigation skills to access the (more western) spot elevation 4,285 feet at roughly UTM coordinates zone 11 (268249 E, 4994254 N).

Then proceed, due east, about one mile to the point, a liner, where a road passes the county boundary at UTM coordinates zone 11 (270210 E, 4994183 N).

I made a triangle route wherein I returned from the latter highpoint on a heading of 290 degrees true so as to return to my automobile without retracing the original path. Assuming a clear day, at times you may set your sights on distant Mount Hood and just walk towards it.

The elapsed time from car to highpoint pair to car was 2 hours 10 minutes. Plan on taking closer to 3 hours - I was in a hurry to do Wheeler County's Spanish Peak the same day.

^*1Note the shift in UTM zone from 10 to 11.