Wheeler County High Point Trip Report

elevation 3,000+ ft

Date: November 11, 2000
Author: Scott Surgent

The highpoint area for Hemphill and Wheeler counties is along FM-1268 where it crosses the Roberts- Hemphill county line. A 3,000-foot contour wiggles across a large area in the extreme southwest area of Hemphill county, and just nicks the extreme northwest corner of Wheeler. A spot elevation of 3,005 feet is listed right at the Roberts-Hemphill county line along the highway. The Lora 7.5 Quad indicates that no part of any 3,005-foot contours enters into Hemphill county. I took the listed 3,005 spot elevation as the most probable location for the Hemphill County highpoint. Once I came upon the county line along a stretch of FM-1268 that makes a slight turn in the road, I parked and walked the immediate area; it's very flat, as usual. The land north is also very flat.

For Wheeler County, the situation is much simpler. At this slight turn in the road is a dirt road leading south. This road lies right smack on the Roberts-Hemphill county line, then crosses (somewhere) the 4-corners of Roberts-Hemphill-Wheeler-Gray counties. Now, the road is along the Gray-Wheeler county line. The road rises ever so slightly, then makes a pretty quick descent toward a farm house. I took this area to be Wheeler's best candidate for highpoint. A plowed field to the east encompasses the rest of the 3,000-foot area; no part of it rose enough to warrant inspection. Rather, it all drops pretty fast toward the south and east.