Aurora County Highpoint Trip Report
three areas on Lyonville quadrangle (610 meters)
Date: May 5, 2003
Author: Dan Nielsen
Areas 1 and 2: From Interstate 90, use exit 296 and go north on 11 for 12.5 miles. Turn left and go another
2.2 miles, parking just before the big blue water tower. The Lyonville map uses meters and the highpoint is
within the 610 meter contour. Just hike directly north through the field for a quarter mile.
The larger contour, as usual, contains the higher ground.
Area 3: Continue another 0.8 mile on this road and turn right. Go 2 miles and right again.
Go 0.8 mile again and park at the top of the hill. Hop the fence at an old piece of farming machinery
and walk northeast for 300 yards to the small pile of cactus and rock marking this highpoint.
Sight leveling between these two areas proved inconclusive. However my GPS gave me a 20-foot higher
reading at area 1 and my Suunto Observer watch read 10 feet higher there. I would conclude that the
larger contour (area 1 to the south) is the actual Aurora County highpoint.
Webmaster's comment: GPS and pressure-based altimeter data do not have the required accuracy
for distinguishing areas which differ by such small amounts in elevation.