Martin County Highpoint Trip Report

Date: January 14, 2007
Author: Shannon Dillmore

While re-examining the topo map, I noticed that area 9 lies within a fully closed 90-foot contour in Martin County. This would make it 95 feet and would make Martin County much easier. It also looks like there is another tiny 95 foot contour just south of area 9. I decided to check it out on this trip.

From Scotland Neck, I took NC 125 south for about 12 miles. About 0.8 mile past the Halifax/Martin border, I turned left onto County Line Road. As shown on the topo, the paved portion of the road ends and turns into a 4WD road. At this point, it is posted by the Hobgood Hunting Club as "No hunting." Nothing about foot traffic. The road was very swampy, so I continued on foot for about 3 minutes to a rudimentary tree stand - basically a ladder and a chair - and turned left as indicated on the topo. It's easy to miss. Upon turning left, I was on the edge of a cornfield and soon came to an 8-10 foot deep ditch filled with water. I crossed the thigh-deep water and kept going. It certainly seems that this contour is reasonably accurate. In fact, close inspection of the map suggests that there is also a tiny contour on the other side of contour 9. This area is covered in thick grass and certainly seems higher than anything else. The plowed part of these contours seemed to have been eroded by wind a bit but a rise is still discernible.

I'd suggest that area 9 (and the very small area across the 4WD road) is 95 feet and eliminates the need to visit the many other 90-footers in Martin county. There is also no evidence of this area being artificial. I still can't claim the county, however, as areas 1 and 2 are 28 meter contours and could conceivably be as high as 98 feet. I couldn't visit these due to having a 2WD and the poor condition of the dirt roads.