Quay County Highpoint Trip Report

Date: March 24, 2006
Author: Edward Earl

From NM-156, I turned north on CR BK, which is labeled as such in DeLorme and signed as such in the field. At the beginning of CR BK is a closed and latched but not locked ranch gate. Over several miles the road wiggles around and gradually changes heading from N to W. After this point there are several ranch gates on the right side, at 5.9, 6.5, and 7.4 miles from NM-156. These mileages are not the same as other trip reports and it was difficult to tell which was which because of the staggered mileages. All gates were closed and latched but not locked, though all had an unused chain and padlock with which the owner could probably lock the gate if he wanted to. All of the gates had only a single rusty bar over the top; none was adorned with a fancy semicircular design as described in Adam Helman's report.

At the 8.5 mile mark is a ranch gate across the main road, closed and latched but not locked, exactly the same as the other gates I had seen. This is the Quay/Guadalupe county line. I parked here to one side of the gate and continued on foot 1/2 mile N to the HP contour. After swirling around the area, I am convinced that the HP is in the SE lobe of the 5,560 foot contour.

Near the HP I encountered a power line which may be the same one mentioned in Adam Helman's report, but it runs exactly perpendicular to the section fence that follows the county line and hence it is exactly E-W. I looked around for a power line that runs ENE to SSW as described in Adam's report, but I could find none.