Adair County High Point Trip Report

eight areas (1,460+ ft)

Date: August 14, 2003
Author: Bob Schwab

It took me two years to complete this county because of field access (planted crops) issues and lousy timing on my part. According to Andy's book, Adair County has 8 areas in the Adair South quad and 4 areas in Adair North quad. When I scrutinized my maps, I found that several contours are intersected by the quad dividing line, resulting in only eight unique contours at 1460+ feet that must be visited to claim this county.

two areas south of I-80 in section 10-77N-33W

Leave Interstate 80 at Exit 76 (Adair) and head south for 0.25 mile to 110th Street. Turn left and drive east 0.5 mile to the radio tower at spot elevation 1456.. Park here and backtrack a bit to the crest in the road. Wander the bean and cornfields both north and south of the road crest (area 1). You can also access the northern portion of this area from the extreme northeastern corner of the cemetery to your northwest. A second, smaller contour (area 2) is about 0.35 mile southwest of the radio tower, out in the beans/corn. Hand level sightings and back checks indicate that area 2 is lower than area 1, but both areas are lower than the large contour north of I-80, in the vicinity of the yellow water tower (area 3).

one area immediately north of I-80 in section 3-77N-33W

From Exit 76 on I-80, turn north for 0.25 mile to Hillcrest Street. Turn right and continue east on Hillcrest, just past a yellow tower to the Noland Feed Company. Park in the large lot and hike around the building. Stand near the yellow (smiley) water tower, then hike south into the field (beans or corn, depending on year), following the east side of a fence to a point just beyond a bush. This is some of the higher ground within area 1. Hand level checks of two contours to the south of I-80 indicate that both are lower than this site.

one large area within Adair

From Exit 76 on I-80, proceed north through Adair for ~ 0.75 mile (0.5 mile beyond Hillcrest Street) to the intersection of 5th and Adair Streets, near St. John's Catholic Church. After crossing the railroad bridge, you entered area 4, which includes much of the settlement of Adair. I thought the sidewalk and ground near St. John's Church and Adair Street was about as high as anything. I looked for BM (Zook) which is supposed to be behind the church along the back lane (county line), but couldn't find it. NGS data sheets say that at BM Zook, the elevation is 1469 feet. Wander the neighborhood streets and see if you think anything is higher, but remember not to go north of the lane behind St. Johns Church which divides Adair and Guthrie counties.

one area west of Adair in section 4-77N-33W

You can approach this area either from Exit 75 (drive 0.5 mile northeast on Route G-30) or from Exit 76 on I-80. From Exit 76, go north for 0.3 mile. After crossing the railroad bridge, turn left on Route G-30 and drive west for almost another 0.7 mile to the Adair Feed and Grain buildings on the right (north) side of the road. Just west of the last building (Livestock Equipment Center) look for a lane which runs north into an alfalfa field. Follow the lane north, then hike northwest across the alfalfa to an obvious rise near a fence line (area 5). This area has undergone some regrading as buildings have been erected, but the absolute highest point is right on the fence line out in the alfalfa.

one area south of I-80 in section 6-77N-33W

From Exit 75 on I-80, go south .25 mile to 110th Street. Turn right and drive west on 110th Street for roughly 1.5 miles to a farmhouse (#1061) near a large tower on the north side of the road. Ask here for permission to park and hike across the fields to area 6, which is just south of I-80. Depending on the season, you can either park near the intersection with Afton Avenue and hike due north for 0.5 mile, or you can park near the large tower and hike northwest across the fields (longer route with less elevation gain). Area 6 used to be a part of the large contour north of I-80, but it was cut off when the interstate was built. An alternate (risky?) approach might be to stop along I-80 (headed east) and quickly dash up and down the bank! A hand level check implied that this southern contour (area 6) is lower than the large area north of I-80.

two areas north of I-80 in section 6-77N-33W

To approach these two sites, use Exit 76 and go north 0.7 mile to the intersection of 5th and Adair Street (near St. Johns Church). Turn left and drive west on Adair Street for 2.5 miles. As the road leaves town, it twists northwest a bit, then continues west as 350th Street. As you approach a crest in the road, watch for an old farm and house (#1052) on your left. Both times I visited here, the house was empty, but the grounds were mowed. Immediately south of the barn is a very tiny spot (area 7) not far from the lawn/field margin. This area hand levels much lower than the massive contour farther south (area 8) out in the field. I was impressed with the elevation gain I sensed as I walked south into the field toward I-80. Hand level checks seemed to indicate that the highest mounds within area 8 were higher than area 6 to the south of I-80. I feel (without any positive proof) that this may really be the highest contour in Adair County, and I'd be most interested to know whether future visitors would agree.