Wheeler County Highpoint Trip Report
five areas including BM Buffalo (2,300+ ft)
Date: August 13, 2004
Author: Bob Schwab
From Ericson, go east on Route 70 about 1.5 miles to a dirt road going north. Follow this road north 1.75
miles to a sharp turn to the right (east). Park here in a pull-off (the ranch off to the east appears to be
abandoned at this time) and hike north about 1 mile across some very tangled and neglected fields.
Follow a north-south fence line past a nice ATV (just abandoned in the grass) to the vicinity of four contours.
The largest contour appears to be the highest one.
When you return to your car, continue east on the dirt road for about 1 mile, then north 5.75 miles,
then west 4.25 miles as Bob Martin suggests in his report. Bob suggests you then go north 4 more miles and
hike west 2 miles to the final contour (BM Buffalo). My experience was different. If you plan to do the
2 mile hike, I'd suggest you go north about 3.25 miles and park along the road shortly after crossing over a
cattle guard. This puts you about 2 miles directly east of the benchmark and from here it's a straightforward
hike west to the last contour.
In my case, I continued north, then east for roughly another 1.5 miles to where the main road swings north again.
Instead of going north, continue west and stop at the ranch on your left to get permission to continue.
If permission is granted, continue west (through the cattle guard with the deer sign on it)
and southwest on the "road" that soon becomes a track after leaving the barnyard. You will pass the house
(and penned deer) on your left as you circle the barnyard and head south on the track. Just beyond the barnyard,
bear to the left and follow the track south, southwest, and then west for over 1.75 miles
to the vicinity of the highpoint. Park when the path turns to the north,
and from here it's less than a ten minute hike north to BM Buffalo.
As Bob Martin reported, this is an unusual BM because it is composed of four marble bricks.
The BM is recorded in the NGS data sheets as being 2,298 feet above sea level.
It appears that RM #4 is actually a
couple of feet higher in elevation and this is where I believe the highest ground is located.