James City Highpoint Trip Report

six unnamed areas (140+ ft)

Date: June 12, 2007
Author: Fred Lobdell

I followed Mike Schwartz's excellent report and found little change. A few comments follow.

Area 1: I parked at the first turnaround on the entrance road to the golf course. As traffic was light and I was only out of my car for 5 minutes, this didn't seem to inconvenience anyone.

Area 2: As I approached the abandoned house, I spooked a buck with a fairly impressive rack. He ran off a short distance and then stood regarding me but when I spoke to him he took off again.

Area 3: I stood under the oak tree mentioned in Mike's report but I thought it was slightly higher on a roadside berm a few feet south. This berm, however, could have been manmade. I also thought the lookout tower, in clear view, stood on higher ground than this area, even though the topographic map shows it to be lower.

Areas 4 and 5: No change.

Area 6: Mike's directions were spot-on. The chain across the road was lying on the ground, a condition that I suspect is semi-permanent as there is some earth- moving going on a short distance up the road and lots are being advertised for sale. Farther up the road, there is a gate that doesn't look as though it has been closed for quite some time. It wasn't until I reached the last dirt road mentioned in Mike's report that I found a bar to vehicular travel. A passenger car could easily be driven to this point unless there had been much recent rain. However, like previous visitors, I walked from VA 30. It took me about 40 minutes for the round trip. After I got back to my car, I started removing ticks and by the next morning had dealt with 23 of the little buggers. Talk about being ticked off! I also seem to have acquired some chigger bites, even though I washed thoroughly upon my return home.