Pierce County Highpoint Trip Report

three areas (1,910+ and 1900+ feet)

Date: September 20, 2007
Author: Bill Schuler

This county has two points in the northeast corner and one point in the southwest, so it involves a bit of driving.
I did the northeast ones first. Zero odometer at the intersection of US-20 and US-81 about three miles west of Randolph NE.

0.0   US-20 at US-81 - Go north on US-81.
4.1   Park alongside the road. Area #1 is at a pole just to the right
        of the highway at the edge of a cornfield. Continue driving north.
4.9   870 Road - Turn right (east) - This is a dirt road
        just north of the Cedar County sign.
5.2   Park at a break in the fence on the right.
5.3   Hike 0.1 mile southeast to the obvious high point next to some hay rolls.

This is Area #2. I roamed farther South to make sure I had crossed the Cedar/Pierce county line.

Now for the southwest point. This is located at the intersection of 850 Road and 536 Avenue.
Back at the car, starting from odometer = 5.3 miles, turn around and return to US-81.

5.6   US-81 - Turn left (south).

10.4   US-20 - Turn right (west).
29.4   NE-13 in Plainview - Turn left (southeast).
29.9   536 Avenue (unmarked) on the right - Turn right (south).
39.3   854 Road (Pierce Road) - Turn left (east).
40.3   537 Avenue - Turn right (south) on dirt.
43.2   851 Road - An alternate climb begins here.

ALTERNATE:

0.0   Turn right (west).
1.0   536 Avenue - Pause, park.

The high point is 1.2 miles south of here along a rough track. Didn't check it out.

43.2   Continue south on 537 Avenue.
44.2   850 Road - Turn right(west) at a silver silo
          (most of them are silver in this area). The road gets a bit rough.
44.9   Park - Tracks divide, none of them are good.
          One goes left alongside a cornfield, one goes right to a
          farmhouse and one goes straight ahead, too rough to drive.

With permission, hike 0.3 mile up this latter track to the highest point for Area #3. Roam around a bit to make sure.

NOTE: The reason that I included the alternate route above is because I wasn't really welcomed at the 850 Road house. A teenager had given me permission but his father started to refuse stating insurance problems. After some smoozing (all the way from CA, etc...), he finally let me run up to the top but stated that other hikers would not be welcome. He refused to give me his name or phone number. I didn't argue with him. The dirt roads are a bit sandy in spots in this area but a lot better than mud.