Cameron County Highpoint Trip Report

unnamed (2,380+ ft)

Date: June 12, 2008
Author: Fred Lobdell

Follow Mike Schwartz's directions precisely for this one. I failed to do so on my first visit a few days earlier and parked at the wrong trailhead and walked up the wrong road. If coming from the south, it is best to continue north into McKean County, then turn around and measure precisely 0.7 mile south of the county line to the trailhead. This is the second trailhead on the west side of the highway; the first one is 0.5 mile south of the county line.

I found the gate open but a sign prohibited motorized travel, so I parked out of the way of the open gate and set out on foot. It was well that I did. There was an active logging operation going on and where one needs to park for the final ascent there is little room to get off the road. A logging truck did go by on this road as I was hiking.

I also talked with a foreman who had no problem with my hiking the roads. Another sign at the trailhead said that the land was privately owned but open to hunting through an agreement with the PA Game Commission. I was willing to assume that it was also open to hiking.

Mike's directions for this walk are excellent. There are other roads in the area, not shown on the map, but if you follow the roads described by Mike, they will take you to the right place. I found Mike's "old logging road" and was able to follow it to the top and, although it was encumbered with fallen trees and blackberry bushes in places, it was still much better than a straight bushwhack.

I thought the highest ground was a short distance into the woods on the east side of the logging road.