McMinn County High Point Trip Report
Date: June 14, 1999
Author: Andy Martin
Originally I'd planned to hike the 1,400' gain on the west side of Starr Mountain.
However, my trusty DeLorme showed an access road coming in high on the east side,
and I changed the plan. A longish drive on dirt roads takes you to the intersection
of FR 297 and FR 44 (AKA Bullet Road). FR 297 is supposed to continue west here
to the ridge top, but is gated right near the junction.
I hiked up to the ridge top, and then paced off 6650 feet to the SW along the ridge top.
Accurate navigation was needed because my topo map copies did not extend east of 84.5 west,
and the day was overcast with poor visibility off the tree covered ridge.
The trail was easily followed, but many small branches lay across it,
and I winged some of these away as I went. Finally I reached what I took to be the
twin summits of Starr Mountain, and paced off a distance of 500' between them.
330' NW of the southern summit is a red painted property boundary marker (?).