Wilkes County Highpoint Trip Report

Thomkins Knob (roughly 4,080 ft)

Date: August 6, 2006
Author: Don Desrosiers

There seem to be various heights for this one. The datasheet for BM Thomkins shows 5000 feet, which makes no sense based on the topo. The datasheet for BM Thomkins 2 indicates both 4,078 and 4,079 feet; although the BM is clearly shown well inside a 4,080 foot contour.

Came at this one from the south along the Blue Ridge Parkway, trailed by Roy Wallen and Jerry Cobleigh (we were going separate ways after this one). You will need to pay attention in the vicinity since things on the ground do not fully agree with the topo. The Lewis Fork Overlook (topo) is now called the Elk Mountain Overlook. Further, at some point in this area, one of the BRP miles is only 7/10 long. I was clocking mile markers at 0.9 when they suddenly began appearing at 0.6.

Finally found the rough vicinity of mile marker 273.2. Someone else had been there that day or the day before, witnessed by the tire tracks in the grass, so we felt confident of our location. We headed up through the fairly open woods, and easily found the BM and nearby cairn, to which we contributed several rocks. Went back to the cars the same way.

This one extends my home glob from PA down into GA.