Hawkins County Highpoint Trip Report

Chimneytop (3,118 ft)

Date: February 8, 2006
Author: Patrick Craft

Good reports by Fred Lobdell and Ken Oeser. At the intersection of Nelse Roberts and Old Firetower Roads, turn right onto DeVault Lane. Follow to end. The jeep road is between the 2 houses to the left of the barn. As I approached the house there was a sign that read "Mossy Unincorporated". Nobody answered the door so I assumed it would be OK to hike up.

I never found the BM. The summit is almost surrounded by cliffs. One can get up by the north side or a gully on the west. I did see fresh footprints in the snow. The firetower is still there. With the leaves down there were some views to the east. One could see the western edge of the Appalachians and what I think are Big Bald and Unaka mountain.

This climb is long (more than 1,000 foot gain), and the hike from the end of the jeep road to the ridge is steep. Time up to summit about 1.5 hours, down about 45 minutes, length about 4 miles round-trip.

Some snow on the ground and poor traction with all the leaves. Tough little hike.