Ellis County Highpoint Trip Report
four areas (three man-made or at least man-altered)
Date: November 24, 2007
Authors: Dave and Beckie Covill, John Mitchler
Bill Schuler posted a Trip Report previously but conditions appear to have
changed since 2001 with alterations to US 60 here.
From the county line boundary of Lipscomb TX and Ellis OK, proceed about 1.0
mile east on US 60 to obvious higher ground. Here, US 60 makes a broad curve
and the elevated portion of US 60 (over train tracks) is visible to the east.
Pull off on the left (north) side of US 60 at a white fence with large open gate
and stop here for the most likely natural contour candidate area.
The highway has been widened and elevated. The only contour area that appears
to be natural is about 0.3 mile west of the railroad overpass. This is along US
60 just west of the "9" in the center of the section on the topo and seems to be
considerably different from how one would expect to find it from just viewing
the topo. In the center of this contour is a deep depression, over a hundred
feet in diameter, which appears to be a "borrow" pit, the material from which
they used to beef up the highway embankments towards the overpass. One can pull
off US 60 here on the north side of the road and drive through a wide gate gap
in a white metal fence and get out and have a look-see. You are probably
standing atop the highest natural ground. Roam a bit. It is simple short grass
land. The "old tar tank" Bill mentions is gone.
For the other "man-made" areas, go west on US 60 to a dirt road that is located
0.6 mile east of the state line and drive due south to a T-intersection.
Turn left (east) and immediately encounter an embankment for the railroad tracks.
The tracks are located within a channel between embankments. You drive uphill a
few feet and quickly encounter the tracks. Look down to the left and you can
see where a vehicle can drive along the north side of the railroad tracks rather
easily. Dave & Beckie did so, continuing east to approximately where the BM at
2,584 feet is denoted on the map. The terrain is high weeds and thick brush
along the embankments on either side of the RR tracks. We looked for the BM but
it was not found. We hand leveled towards the highway overpass area but it
appeared slightly lower, at least where ground level was observed. From atop
the embankments, we hand leveled towards the natural contour with the borrow pit
and it appeared to be higher than the embankments, which are at the very least a
good 4 or more feet higher than natural ground level there.
We would give credit to anyone who visited the borrow pit area, although it’s
fun to check out the RR tracks area. Resist the temptation to leave a penny on
the tracks! Caution: trains pass by on the double set of tracks very
frequently, so use caution in this area!