Oxford County Highpoint Trip Report

Date: May 26, 2012
Author: Adam Helman

note: All coordinates are in the WGS84 datum.

This effort was part of a larger journey collecting New England county highpoints in May 2012.

The trailhead parking lot is at (44.58992° N, 70.94705° W) with GPS-measured elevation 1,527 feet.

The Eyebrow Trail has steep boulder slabs with hand rail in one location. In another spot metal "steps" are bolted into a slab. There is a 100 foot elevation loss prior to reaching the Old Speck trail junction at (44.59178° N, 70.95726° W).

There is a net elevation loss of 150 feet on the Old Speck Trail beyond (on the peak-side) of that junction. Why has nobody noted that in a previous report? This creates a total elevation gain of 2,700 feet + 2 x 150 feet = 3,000 feet - and NOT the 2,700 feet cited here.

Both trails are unusually rocky and wet! This combination results in people shunning the trail proper, using the immediate margins which are safer: soil and spongy moss.

The highest natural ground is a 4 foot tall boulder at (44.57100° N, 70.95352° W) with witness marker, roughly 100 feet northwest of the summit fire lookout tower. I climbed the latter yet enjoyed no distant views due to clouds.