Letcher County High Point Trip Report
800 ft east-northeast of benchmark JWP40 on state line (3,720+ ft)
Date: August 17, 2001
Author: Mike Schwartz
Approach: We approached this one from Norton, VA. We continued on the extension of Alt. US 58 past
the interchange with US 23, crossed the bridge over the Guest River, and took the first right after the bridge.
This is Park Avenue, and after about two miles, bear left at a faint sign for CR 620, just before a sign for
Guest River. Bear left at about 12 1/2 miles onto CR 627, which becomes CR 707, and ends at about 15
miles, continuing straight ahead onto CR 671, through the hamlet of Flat Gap and climbing to Flat Gap at
the state line in about one more mile. Pass a moonscape of strip mines en route, and see the long ridge of
Black Mountain, containing the Letcher County high point, as well as the KY state high point many miles
southwest. A short distance into KY, turn left (south) onto KY 3405 (Roberts Branch), which is shown on
the topo as a track road, but is now paved. One half mile up 3405, go left onto Dallas Drive, and take the
almost immediate right fork that leads past a burnt out house, quickly ending at an occupied trailer next to a
derelict garage. The owner of this trailer, Roy Adams, 11 Dallas Drive, Box 1729, graciously allowed us to
park on his property, gave us excellent directions (which we foolishly did not follow to the letter), and
insisted on giving us a care package of cold soda, Vienna sausage, crackers, and cupcakes. This act of
kindness toward total strangers by a gentleman who obviously is on the wrong side of the poverty line was
very touching. This is the kind of experience that makes our crazy hobby so rewarding.
Hike: Past Mr Adams' trailer, the dirt road (which is the road shown on the topo as curling toward the
ridge off what is now KY 3405) peters out immediately into a track road. Hike the road uphill and soon
reach a gas well, just before a huge, active strip mine. See pipeline markers, and the actual pipe on the
surface, heading steeply uphill. Follow the pipeline, possibly detouring at the very beginning to avoid
brambles, and work steeply uphill, getting onto the ridge line. Jog left just past a power line. This is the
main, state line ridge that heads due south toward the high point knob, ENE of JWP 40. A track road
follows the ridge line all the way, with some very steep sections. As the ridge meets another coming in from
the NE, the grade levels, and the track opens onto a wide, very fresh swath cut right along the top of the
ridge line. Follow the swath uphill to the high point knob. Checks of topo and compass verified that this
was the high point knob. Highest ground is in the woods about 50 yards south of the swath. We also
walked the swath over to BM JWP 40, but any markers have been bulldozed under. Figure on about four
hours round trip.
Hike II: Here's the easy way to do the hike. Take KY 3405 until it degrades into a gravel road. It gets
steeper and rougher, and my passenger car was not up to the whole journey. With a high clearance vehicle,
drive another mile or so further uphill until a dead end at an active gas well, currently being drilled.
The drillers ignored us. From the large clear area we parked in, it's about a 30 minute road walk to the gas well.
We did not bushwhack from this point because the mountain was socked in, and we were not sure of where
we were. At the well, you're probably close to 3000' elevation. Bushwhack up to the ridge line, and you
should intersect one of two track roads leading to the same track road we hiked on the state line ridge. If in
doubt, go uphill. On our descent, we hiked down this branch track road, and reached a point from which the
drilling rig was visible, less than 1/8 mile away and some 150' below. Once on the state line ridge, follow
our directions to the summit. From the drill rig, one should reach the summit in well less than an hour.