
Subject:
[cohp] Digest Number 5131
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Date:
8/25/2015 1:33 AM
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County High Pointing in all 50 states
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Digest #5131
1
Minnesota Trip Reports by "fplobdell" deadbugman

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Minnesota Trip Reports
Mon Aug 24, 2015 1:27 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"fplobdell" deadbugman


In a recent e-mail to the cohp gang, Andy Martin posted a link to a Web site where LiDAR data may be obtained.  Apparently the entire state of Minnesota has been mapped using a 2-foot contour interval.  I have incorporated these data into the following reports, although in most cases no changes were noted.  I did not review entire counties, just the high point areas previously noted.
 
 
Lincoln County, Minnesota  (7 unnamed areas, 1990+ ft.)  (July 22, 2015)  (John Hasch, Fred Lobdell, Mike Schwartz, Roy Wallen)
 
Bob Packard's report did not tell us how to get to this area, but we managed with the aid of the DeLorme atlas.  From the intersection of US 75 and US 14 on the north side of Lake Benton, drive west on US 14 for about 6.8 miles.  Turn right (north) on county 1 and drive for about 3.8 miles to a driveway on the right that leads into the homestead yard that is area 1.  This is just south of the intersection with county 13.  For each of the 7 areas, the LiDAR elevation is given in parentheses after the area number.
 
Area 1 (1990+ ft.)  Nobody was home here, but there was a dog in residence.  We walked around in the yard and called it good.
 
Area 2 (1992+ ft.)  This area is the nearby intersection of county 1 and county 13.  The spot elevation of 1992 is confirmed by the LiDAR data.
 
Area 3 (1990+ ft.)  From the above intersection, we turned left (west) to where a dirt road going north, then northwest, provides easy access to areas 3, 4, & 5 and their windmills.  It was obvious that area 4 was the highest of the three areas.
 
Area 4 (1996+ ft.)  The area surrounded by the 1996-ft contour is fairly large, easily the largest such area in the county.  From this area it was apparent that areas 3 and 5 could be ignored, but we went on to area 5 anyway.
 
Area 5 (1990+ ft.)  Here we found a dismounted windmill vane lying on the ground.  It was a good deal bigger close up than it appeared to be when it was on top of the windmill.
 
Area 6 (1996+ ft.)  We returned to the county road on the south side of the windmills and went west for about three-quarters of a mile, then turned right (north) and drove about 0.8 miles to a road crest.  The LiDAR data show a narrow 1996-ft. contour along the road at this point, and two (possibly three) small areas to the southeast.  As we did not have the LiDAR data with us and were not aware that it existed, we did not explore the area southeast of the road crest.  We were unable to find the bench mark.
 
Area 7 (1990+ ft.)  This small area northwest of area 6 was not at all evident on the ground, and like Bob Packard before us, we ignored it.
 
 
Murray County, Minnesota  (Buffalo Ridge, 1920 ft.)  (July 22, 2015)  John Hasch, Fred Lobdell, Mike Schwartz)
 
We followed Ken Oeser's excellent directions.  There is now only one fence to be negotiated.  It was helpful to have two people hold down the top strand of barbed wire while the third person stepped over.  Taller people with longer legs will be able to manage by themselves.  No trace of the wooden buffalo remains.  LiDAR data showed an elevation of 1928+ ft. for this HP.
 
 
Nobles County, Minnesota (unnamed, 1810+ ft.)  (July 22, 2015)  (John Hasch, Fred Lobdell, Mike Schwartz)
 
We followed Mike's directions to the high ground.  The road was highest, but was probably built up.  We walked the edge of the corn field on the south side of the road.  The LiDAR data confirm the 1810 ft. elevation at the road, but there is also an additional small 1810 ft. area a short distance southwest of the intersection shown on the topographic map.  It is possible that this area could be the remains of the farm building shown on the topographic map.
 
 
Pipestone County, Minnesota  (2 unnamed areas, 1990+ ft.)  (July 22, 2015)  (John Hasch, Fred Lobdell, Mike Schwartz)
 
>From US 75 at the Pipestone/Lincoln county line, we drove east about 5 miles. Here we turned right (south) and drove a short distance to an FAA facility on the east side of the road.  This is area 1.
 
Area 1:  The ground looked highest inside the fenced FAA tower, and this is confirmed by LiDAR data which show an elevation of 1996+ ft.  There is a second high area in the bean field to the south-southeast, shown as 1994+ ft.  If the FAA facility is occupied at the time of your visit you may be able to talk your way into being able to enter the fenced area and walk around the tower.  But in any event, it is highly likely that the ground inside the fence was disturbed during the construction of the tower and building.  It is also likely that the dirt was sloped up toward the base of the tower for drainage purposes.
 
Area 2:  We returned to the county line road and turned west, parking near the road crest.  The high area is located in the bean field on the south side of the road and is obvious.  It is not possible to sight from one area to the other, as the line of sight is blocked by the trees around the homestead opposite the FAA facility.  However, the LiDAR data show this area to be at an elevation of 1986+ ft., 10 feet or so lower than area 1.  I would be willing to credit anyone who just visited area 1 with this cohp.
 
 
Yellow Medicine County  (3 unnamed areas, 1740+ ft.)  (July 22, 2015)  (John Hasch, Fred Lobdell, Mike Schwartz, Roy Wallen)
 
>From US 75 at the Lincoln/Yellow Medicine county line, drive north 2  miles and turn left (west) on county 36.  Drive about 8.5 miles to the state line and turn right (north).  Drive one mile and turn right (east) for about a half mile to a road crest.  This is area 1.
 
Area 1:  As David Olson noted in his trip report, the area south of the road was higher.  This is also now part of a Minnesota wildlife management area, meaning that it is publicly accessible.  We walked out into the field here.  LiDAR shows the high ground to be 1742+ ft.
 
Area 2:  From area 1, return to the state line and drive two miles south.  Turn left (east) and drive a short distance to a dirt driveway on the right (south).  We turned into the driveway and parked, as this area is also part of the state wildlife management area and a sign prohibited vehicle traffic any further.  We walked around the high ground which was east of the driveway.  LiDAR showed a 1744-foot contour on top of this rise.
 
Area 3:  From area 2 we returned to the state line and drove south a mile to a dirt drive on the left, which is exactly as shown on the topographic map.  We drove into the yard and parked, then walked north along the east side of the long narrow high ground.  We scrambled up the slope and walked along the wooded ridge.  There was a man on a tractor working the field west of the ridge, so this is probably still private property.  LiDAR shows two 1742-foot contours on top of the ridge.
 
As can be seen from the above information, area 2 appears to be the highest by about two feet.  Whether this is enough of a difference to justify visiting only area 2 I leave up to the conscience of the individual highpointer.
 
 
______________________________
non-cohp
 
Pipestone National Monument  (unnamed, 1720+ ft.)  (July 22, 2015)  (John  Hasch, Fred Lobdell, Mike Schwartz)
 
>From the intersection of US 75 with MN 30 and MN 23 on the southeast side of the village of Pipestone, go north on US 75 one mile.  Turn left (west) onto 9th Street, following the sign for the NM, and go a half mile to its intersection with Hiawatha Ave.  If you continue straight here the road will take you to the visitor's center where you can see the exhibits and pick up a park brochure.  As long as you're there, the center is well worth visiting.  After taking in the exhibits we returned to the intersection of 9th Street and Hiawatha Ave, and drove north on Hiawatha for about three quarters of a mile.  At this point there will be some buildings to your left front.  The topographic map shows a vocational school here.  The satellite view shows an additional building south of the older buildings, and a sizable parking lot south of the new building.  The parking lot was unoccupied on this July day, and this is where we parked.
 
The topographic map shows a 1720-foot contour taking in some ground along the fence on the northeast side of the NM grounds.  We walked across the grassy area to the fence and started bushwhacking south next to the fence.  The railroad shown on the topo no longer exists; the rails and ties have been removed.  The old railroad ROW can still be followed, however, as it passes between two rows of trees east of and parallel to the fence.  The topo shows two lobes in the 1720-foot contour and we thought the highest ground along the fence corresponded pretty well with those lobes.
 
Unfortunately, the contours shown on the topographic map are not confirmed by the LiDAR data.  These data show a 1718-foot contour that is largest near where the NM boundary makes a sharp bend and goes east almost to Hiawatha Ave.  There are also two or three irregular 1718-ft. contours inside the fence.  The only 1720-ft. contour in the immediate area is one that closely parallels Hiawatha Ave. on both sides.  When the street was built the grade was probably raised a bit for drainage reasons.  However, where the NM boundary is next to the street and north of the ditch shown on the map, a thin strip of the NM lies inside the 1720-ft. contour.  This, then, if the LiDAR data are to be trusted, is the NM HP.
 
A word of warning: one of the county HP group thought the high ground was inside the fence in what was knee-high grass when we visited, and another county HPer liked the top of Winnewissa Falls.  Be advised.
 
 
Fred Lobdell
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