Hardin County Highpoint Trip Report
six unnamed areas (1,220+ ft)
Date: March 22, 2005
Author: Mark Ness
Hardin County's six high point areas are located in Section 5 of Etna Township,
and in Sections 22, 23 and 27 of Alden Township.
From the junction of C.R. T16 and C.R. C65 in Austinville,
I drove 5.5 miles west, then south to S.H. 57 (still shown on Delorme as U.S. 20,
and on some of the highway signs, but U.S. 20 is now a freeway and was rerouted
about 6 miles south of this point at the township border that corrects
for the earth's curvature--two miles north of Wellsburg),
I drove west on S.H. 57 for 4 miles, and turned left onto T Av.
I drove south on T Av for 0.6 mile and parked on the roadside,
0.18 mile from the top of area 1.
area 1
I crossed a barbed wire fence and arrived at area 1 in 5 minutes.
It is a two-bump summit, an unremarkable field hill. 10 minutes hiking time.
From here, I turned around, got back on S.H. 57 and continued west for 5 miles,
then went straight west on U.S. 65 for 2.9 miles, and turned right on C.R. S41,
on my way to complete Franklin County, before coming back to finish Hardin.
Then, after finishing Franklin, I got to Alden, and drove west on C.R. D20
(marked as S.H. 941 in Delorme), for 2.5 miles, overshooting my turn by 0.45 mile.
I turned around, then turned right onto D Ave.
I drove south on D for 0.41 mile and parked in driveway 13435,
which was near areas 2,3 and 4.
area 2
As I parked, the owner was coming out to get the mail.
I spoke with him and told him my intentions. He pointed to his well,
and told me that a couple of years ago, a highpointer from Georgia came
for the same purpose and decided that the well was the highest point of this group
of three areas. We talked briefly, and he gave me permission to walk to the other two areas also.
area 3
Area 3 is in the field across the road from area 2.
It is a noticeable hill, but probably lower than area 2.
area 4
I walked south to area 4, a small area without significant rise.
Total hiking time for these three areas was 14 minutes.
I continued driving south on D Ave for 0.64 mile, and turned right tonto 140th St (gravel).
I drove west on 140th St for 0.45 mile and turned left onto CC Ave.
I drove south on CC for 0.6 mile and parked on the roadside 357 feet from the top of area 5.
area 5
I arrived at the top of area 5 in 2 minutes. It is near a tower (not shown on topo).
area 6
From there, it was just one minute to the top of area 6, a 6 minute hiking experience for this pair.