Henrico County Highpoint Trip Report

Date: May 22, 2008
Author: Fred Lobdell

I found conditions to be pretty much as previously described. Therefore, I will just offer comments on a couple of the areas below.

Area 1: I thought the ground was slightly higher at the Bank of Richmond than it was at the Wachovia bank across the street, though the high contour takes in part of both parking lots. Like Don Desrosiers, I also looked for BM "Hope" but it was hopeless. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) I think what has happened is that the car dealership now occupies the area shown as a street on the topo and the BM was most likely destroyed during construction.

Area 2: I followed Mike Schwartz's "old woods road" (which I think exists only in his imagination) into the woods and shortly found the ridge he describes as having at least 10 feet of relief (or prominence, if you prefer that term). It is quite near the right-of-way fence along I-64 and may date from the construction of same. As Mike noted, the ridge has some old trees on it, hardwoods with 2-foot diameter trunks but the construction of the interstate also goes back many years.

Area 6: To access this area, which may well be the true HP of Henrico County, you may want to park in the school parking lot and walk up along the outside of the fence to the high ground. That way you can avoid driving up Trinity Drive, which is posted as private. I think Don's suggestion of the small field to the right of house #8701 as the highest area is probably correct.

Area 7: The church lawn, adjacent to the road, is at the same elevation as the ground on the east side of the road, so I think it is probably quite close to its original elevation. The water tower is almost completely hidden from view by vegetation.

Area 9: Correction - the house address is 8504, not 8405.