Washington County Highpoint Trip Report

Date: June 27, 2004
Author: Adam Helman

Note: coordinates use the NAD27 datum

A comment regarding the short pair of hikes to each summit of Saddle Mountain.

Assume you have reached the saddle at zone 10 UTM coordinates (470536 E, 5043457 N), and have parked your vehicle there.

The southwestern summit is accessed via a road walk with a 300 foot elevation gain. I took all of six minutes to reach the summit radio facilities. Since I was really pushing myself, you should count on eight to ten minutes one-way.

The northeastern summit is most favorably accessed via locating a bermed ATV trail with large branches added to ensure no vehicle can pass. Find this trail to the northeast of your vehicle and hike it to essentially the highpoint area give-or-take fifty horizontal meters. I found the delapidated house chimney noted by Bill Jacobs in his trip report, and obtain zone 10 UTM coordinates (470836 E, 5043701 N) for this second highpoint.

The elevation gain is nearly identical to the first hike described above - otherwise, how could both summits compete as possible county highpoints?

Incidentally, coming on a weekend, I had no problems with logging trucks, and found the Beaver Dam Road to be quite navigable.