Webster County High Point Trip Report

Date: May 24, 2003
Author: Bob Packard

Followed a hint in Mike Schwartz's report about starting at same place as for Nicholas County. E-mail correspondence with Mike also gave me confidence. Walked generally southeast on Pocahontas Trail to the 2 western areas, watching my GPS very carefully. Stepped on every bump I could find at the western-most area. On the eastern of these two, found the boulder with Mike's stepping stone cairn which I didn't use as I could easily get up just to its left. This hike was 3 hours, 7 miles, 600 feet of gain.

While at the eastern of these two areas I realized that I was only 1.5 miles away from the last of the Webster areas and thought for a minute or two of bushwhacking over to it across the Dogway Fork Valley, but soon gave up THAT idea and drove over to do that last area the way Mike did. I walked the Kennison Trail far enough to get to the "missing" hairpin turn. It's there all right, but almost 2 contours (80 feet) below where the map shows it. So, referring to my GPS, I climbed southwest up to the hp area, walked around in the brush, turned east to cross the Pocahontas-Webster line and the minor saddle and regain the trail to head back. Saw the lone ribbon. This hike was 4.75 hours, 11 miles, 1300 feet of gain.