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troutfisher!
11-07-2017, 09:05
I have a goal to hike the highest point on the AT in each state. So I have 14 trips to plan, some day-hikes, some overnights. I found a listing for Vermont that showed Near Killington Peak as the high spot. I then stumbled onto a comment that the high point in Vermont on the AT is Stratton Mountain.

So my question is "Where can I find a list of the highest spots by state for the AT?"

Planning and researching is part of the fun. This is my first WhiteBlaze post!

-- Big Red

colorado_rob
11-07-2017, 09:18
Cool subject!

AWOL would have all this AT highpoint info, by the way.

But, beyond AWOL, in the case of GA and NJ, I would consider one little side trip each, Brasstown Bald is the highest point in Georgia, and is a short side trip from the AT. Same deal in NJ, "highpoint" is NJ's state highpoint, and is maybe a mile off the trail.

The Connecticut state highpoint is a bit off the AT, but the highest Mountain in CT is on the trail, "Bear Mountain". (the CT highpoint is a ridge on a mountain that actually peaks in Massachusettes, Mt. Frissel)

Woops, forgot about VA, that state highpoint for VA is 0.3 off the AT, Mt. Rodgers. Don't miss that one. I assume the AT highpoint in VA is at that trail junction, or maybe just a bit beyond, but definitely in Grayson SP.

You automatically go over the state HP in TN (clingman's dome), NH (Washington), MA (Greylock) and of course Maine (Katahdin).

Gambit McCrae
11-07-2017, 09:27
A quick look at the profile maps of the trail show these as the highest points on the trail per state, however some are less impressive then others as the highest points of several states look like trail junctures/ road crossings.

GA-Blood Mountain 4461'
NC-Standing Indian 5498'
TN/NC border- Clingmans Dome 6655'
VA-MT Rogers 5490'
WV-Blackburn ATC Spur? 1650'
MD-Annapolis rock/ black rock cliffs 1821'
PA-Middle Ridge Road 2075'
NJ- "Highpoint" 1679'
NY- Prospect Mountain 1433'
CT - Bear mountain/ RD? 2323'
MA - Mt Greylock 3491'
VE - Stratton Mt 3936'
NH - Mt Washington
ME - Katahdin 5268'

peakbagger
11-07-2017, 09:58
Please do factor in time of year for the Maine and NH summits, definitely summer time to early fall hikes and only in good weather as they high points have extensive above treeline sections. Mt Katahdin is in Baxter State Park in Maine that has a lot of regulations. Its arguably the toughest climb even though Mt Washington in NH and Clingmans are higher elevation. Mt Washington also has an auto road to the summit as well as cog railroad with a summit building while Mt Katahdin is strictly a long hike up really rocky trails. You really should make reservations in advance in the park to camp the night before. The camping options are primitive, pit toilets, no running water or power. If you want more amenities you need to stay outside the park and I strongly urge you to get a Day Use Parking Reservation (DUPR) in advance for your trip to assure you can climb the mountain when you get there as they limit the amount of cars that can park at the three trail heads.

By the way Stratton is also undeveloped so it requires a hike. Greylock has an autoroad to the summit and summit building.

Snowleopard
11-07-2017, 10:21
CT - Bear mountain/ RD? 1920'
MA Mt Greylock
The elevation for Bear Mt (CT) is incorrect; it is 2323'. Is the stone monument/cairn still on top? It used to be at least 20'.
MA -- Mt. Greylock 3,491′ It's pretty easy if you drive up (road to the top). I think Clingman's Dome also has a road.

colorado_rob
11-07-2017, 10:30
Here's a "peakbagger.com" link to a cool map showing all the state highpoints, scroll down to see it. Zoom in on the eastern USA. Basically, the little HP dots kind-of follow the AT, of course.

I realize, again, you're talking the AT highpoints in all the states, but just thought you might be interested in all of those state highpoints as well, since you'll be so near to them, or on them anyway on the AT highpoints

http://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=12004

Each high point on the interactive map has a clickable link to its own web page, tons of info and pics.

tdoczi
11-07-2017, 10:38
You automatically go over the state HP in TN (clingman's dome),

actually, and to my surprise as well when i realized this, i dont beleive that is technically 100% accurate.

assuming the observation tower sits atop the highest point on the mountain (perhaps this assumption is wrong, and also quite possible the highest point is a large-ish area all essentially at the same elevation) then the trail passes within sight of but not over the peak of the mountain.

its an interesting question. if we want to go super geeky about it. especially on the tops of mountains such as clingman's with a broad, flat area on top, how do we know which spot is the absolute, positively highest?

in the case of someplace like mt washington i assume they put the marker in the right place.

but are these markers always in the exact right spot or is it just in a convenient close enough sort of spot? what of places not so clearly marked?

this is probably beyond what the OP is asking, and even beyond what i intended with my contribution.

the simple point is this- to get to what most people would consider the summit of clingman's dome you have to leave the AT. though not by very much.

troutfisher!
11-07-2017, 10:50
Yes, I don't want to over-analyze the details of the exact high spot and whether it is exactly on the trail. I each hike would be a hike, not a drive to the top. A quarter-mile spur trail included to reach a "view" is worth it.

My question now is specifics...
West Virginia - Blackburn ATC Spur or Peters Mountain?
Maryland - Annapolis Rock or Near High Rock? or Black Rock Cliffs?
Pennsylvania - Middle Ridge Road... is this the same as Methodist Hill?
Vermont - Stratton Mountain 3936' or near near Killington Peak 3870' - 4010'?

colorado_rob
11-07-2017, 11:08
actually, and to my surprise as well when i realized this, i dont beleive that is technically 100% accurate.

assuming the observation tower sits atop the highest point on the mountain (perhaps this assumption is wrong, and also quite possible the highest point is a large-ish area all essentially at the same elevation) then the trail passes within sight of but not over the peak of the mountain.

its an interesting question. if we want to go super geeky about it. especially on the tops of mountains such as clingman's with a broad, flat area on top, how do we know which spot is the absolute, positively highest?

in the case of someplace like mt washington i assume they put the marker in the right place.

but are these markers always in the exact right spot or is it just in a convenient close enough sort of spot? what of places not so clearly marked?

this is probably beyond what the OP is asking, and even beyond what i intended with my contribution.

the simple point is this- to get to what most people would consider the summit of clingman's dome you have to leave the AT. though not by very much.Yeah, that's a whole 'nother interesting topic! For example, no one has yet to absolutely positively find the true highpoint in Florida. There is a monument at the "official" point at a roadside park on "britton hill", but the actual HP is off in the woods nearby, and it is really hard to define, because of course the ground is nearly dead flat... All kinds of analysis goes on there, using lasers, whatever.

Regarding man-made structures, like the Clingmans dome ramp, most "high pointers" recognize the highest "natural" point, but what the heck, we also "climb" the towers/ramps/whatever when we can. Most state's actual high points have markers, some don't though. Many are dead-nuts accurate, some are a bit off.

Cool stuff, there is a whole culture of "high pointers" out there, and I'm a card-carrying member (I've been to all 50 state HP's, just finished this last July in Kansas....)

Alleghanian Orogeny
11-07-2017, 12:11
Gladstone, MI! I used to do diamond exploration up that way back in the early 1980s! Spent a lot of time all around the Michigamme Reservoir.

You might find good references in the county highpointers website www.cohp.org. Seeing the listing provided above from profile maps with NC's AT highpoint showing to be at Standing Indian didn't look right to me. I am generally aware that the former Cloudland Hotel on Roan High Knob was built astride the NC/TN border, in Mitchell Co, and the Roan High Knob shelter is in Mitchell Co at around 6,250'. That made me look at Clingman's Dome, as Clingman's Dome is on the NC/TN border also. As best I can see from an older USGS topo map, the AT passes by just to the north of the summit of Clingman's Dome on the TN side and reaches a high point between the 6,600' and the 6,640' contour as it curves back into NC slightly east of the summit.

So, if the AT today follows the line shown on an older USGS topo, the area around the summit of Clingman's Dome is the TN and the NC highpoint along the AT.

Other AT segments in NC having elevations above Standing Indian include one in Haywood Co near Mt Guyot in Haywood Co. at around 6,240' and near Grassy Ridge Bald in Avery Co (just NOBO of Carver's Gap), where it reaches a shade over 5,900'

AO

Sarcasm the elf
11-07-2017, 12:50
The elevation for Bear Mt (CT) is incorrect; it is 2323'. Is the stone monument/cairn still on top? It used to be at least 20'.
MA -- Mt. Greylock 3,491′ It's pretty easy if you drive up (road to the top). I think Clingman's Dome also has a road.

It's been a couple of years since I summited Bear mtn in CT, the pyramid was still there but quite worse for the wear. It partially toppled years ago and I seem to recall reading somewhere that this was due to lightning strikes.

https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=40907&catid=member&imageuser=26465

Snowleopard
11-07-2017, 13:44
It's been a couple of years since I summited Bear mtn in CT, the pyramid was still there but quite worse for the wear. It partially toppled years ago and I seem to recall reading somewhere that this was due to lightning strikes.https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=40907&catid=member&imageuser=26465
Thanks Sarcasm. I haven't been up there in years.

jfarrell04
11-07-2017, 13:51
40871This is from the top of Bear Mtn in Connecticut in September 2012

BuckeyeBill
11-07-2017, 13:58
Isn't Mt. Everette higher than Bear Mountain or did they reroute the trail around it? Mt. Everette is listed as 2602' and Bear Mountain is at 2323'.:-?

tdoczi
11-07-2017, 15:05
A quick look at the profile maps of the trail show these as the highest points on the trail per state, however some are less impressive then others as the highest points of several states look like trail junctures/ road crossings.

VA-MT Rogers 5490'
NJ- "Highpoint" 1679'
VE - Stratton Mt 3936'

when you say "mt rogers" i'm not sure if you mean the highest point on the AT thats on mt rogers or mt rogers itself.

but if you mean the mt rogers summit itself, which is off the of the AT, then highest summit in VT near to and accessible from the AT is killington.

likewise highpoint's summit is also off the trail.

Sarcasm the elf
11-07-2017, 15:07
Isn't Mt. Everette higher than Bear Mountain or did they reroute the trail around it? Mt. Everette is listed as 2602' and Bear Mountain is at 2323'.:-?

Everett is just over the border in Massachusetts.

tdoczi
11-07-2017, 15:08
Vermont - Stratton Mountain 3936' or near near Killington Peak 3870' - 4010'?
they both have their pluses and minuses.

if by the rules of your own game summits with spur trails off of the AT a short distance "count" then killington is the one for VT

TX Aggie
11-07-2017, 15:42
Yes, I don't want to over-analyze the details of the exact high spot and whether it is exactly on the trail. I each hike would be a hike, not a drive to the top. A quarter-mile spur trail included to reach a "view" is worth it.

My question now is specifics...
West Virginia - Blackburn ATC Spur or Peters Mountain?
Maryland - Annapolis Rock or Near High Rock? or Black Rock Cliffs?
Pennsylvania - Middle Ridge Road... is this the same as Methodist Hill?
Vermont - Stratton Mountain 3936' or near near Killington Peak 3870' - 4010'?

For Maryland, I can say that they are both only 1 mile apart and it’s worth seeing both if you’re there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Old Grouse
11-07-2017, 17:02
This seems a good time to mention the 1995 Hugh Grant movie, "The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill and Came Down A Mountain."

BuckeyeBill
11-07-2017, 17:13
Everett is just over the border in Massachusetts.

Duh, I misread the book. Thanks.

Kaptainkriz
11-07-2017, 19:24
I use that site to track my peaks. There is a list of AT points here: http://www.peakbagger.com/List.aspx?lid=854&cid=12235

Here's a "peakbagger.com" link to a cool map showing all the state highpoints, scroll down to see it. Zoom in on the eastern USA. Basically, the little HP dots kind-of follow the AT, of course.

I realize, again, you're talking the AT highpoints in all the states, but just thought you might be interested in all of those state highpoints as well, since you'll be so near to them, or on them anyway on the AT highpoints

http://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=12004

Each high point on the interactive map has a clickable link to its own web page, tons of info and pics.

Just Tom
11-09-2017, 10:32
Pile of rocks is still there atop Bear Mountain in CT in 2017, I was up there in September.

Actually, here is a picture from 2015 that has Gambit in it along with some of our scouts!

40884

Snowleopard
11-09-2017, 11:37
Pile of rocks is still there atop Bear Mountain in CT in 2017, I was up there in September.

Actually, here is a picture from 2015 that has Gambit in it along with some of our scouts!

40884
It looks like it was a LOT higher in the early 1960s.

troutfisher!
11-11-2017, 23:18
Here is what I have put together for high points by state on the AT using maps and internet info. I have completed GA and MD. PA hike planned for December!

ME - Katahdin 5268'
NH - Mt Washington 6288'
VE - Killington Peak 4235'
MA - Mt Greylock 3481', 3491'
CT - Bear Mountain 2316', 2320', 2323'
NY- Prospect Rock 1433'
NJ- Highpoint 1803'
PA-Methodist Hill 2100'
MD - High Rock 1893'
WV - Peters Mountain 3956'
VA - MT Rogers 5729'
TN - Iron Mountain 4248'
TN/NC border- Clingmans Dome 6643'
NC-Standing Indian 5499'
GA-Blood Mountain 4461'

Sarcasm the elf
11-11-2017, 23:21
It looks like it was a LOT higher in the early 1960s.
I've been told that was true of the 1960's in general. :D

tdoczi
11-12-2017, 10:45
Here is what I have put together for high points by state on the AT using maps and internet info. I have completed GA and MD. PA hike planned for December!

ME - Katahdin 5268'
NH - Mt Washington 6288'
VE - Killington Peak 4235'
MA - Mt Greylock 3481', 3491'
CT - Bear Mountain 2316', 2320', 2323'
NY- Prospect Rock 1433'
NJ- Highpoint 1803'
PA-Methodist Hill 2100'
MD - High Rock 1893'
WV - Peters Mountain 3956'
VA - MT Rogers 5729'
TN - Iron Mountain 4248'
TN/NC border- Clingmans Dome 6643'
NC-Standing Indian 5499'
GA-Blood Mountain 4461'

whenever someone attempts a list like this, there are always a few that end up on the list that potentially make the whole endeavor seem kind of sort of maybe not as cool as it sounded.

when you say "highest point on the trail in every state" it conjures images of big sweeping vistas and so forth. at least it does to me.

but on this list, we have 2 summits that are viewless unless you climb observation towers (highpoint, clingmans), at least 2 or 3 places that are non descript random places in the woods (NY, PA). and others from which there is a minimal view (standing indian) we also have several things that are close to but not on the AT, which may or may not have been what was originally in mind. and a few places that are giant parking lots that happen to be on top big mountains.

with that in mind, and mostly just for fun, what of a list of "the best views on the trail in each state"

view not necessarily meaning the top of a mountain, but for sake of argument on the trail being taken literally. i feel like maybe this is closer to a best of each state than going by highest summits yields.

i wont attempt to list ones for states i havent completed, but for the ones i have i suggest the following changes to the above list-

ME- havent been to katahdin or the 100MW, but i'm comfortable assuming katahdin is the right call.
NH- mt lafayette (take the auto road up washington if you want to see it)
VT- (why do we keep calling it VE, btw?)- peru peak, or baker peak. or just hike that section of the ridge line. tempted to say stratton pond.
MA- mt race. (again, drive up greylock if you want to see it. its even free, or practically, iirc)
CT- i have nothing against bear mountain and it probably is the best spot. but its also right next to mt race so having them both on the list is maybe not ideal, so.... rand's view? st john's ledges?
NY- striking bear mountain because of the road and counting only things right on the trail makes this rough. but i'd go with bellvale mtn or black mtn. or maybe nuclear lake.
NJ- sunfish pond. if it has to be a mountain view there are several places along the ridge that mostly arent named anything specific with awesome views as well. one of them being near the "hillel plaque." these are all south of culver's gap. if you want to see high point, just drive there and climb the tower
PA- the pinnacle. by a wiiiide margin. its not even close. this is maybe the best example of the flaw of the "highest points" theory. i'm pretty sure there is literally nothing to see but trees at methodist hill. the pinnacle, on the other hand, might be the best view for a hundred miles in either direction. 200 to the south. 300? maybe lehigh gap might be it for some, but i have a tough time calling an environmental wasteland beautiful. choosing methodist hill as THE one place to go to in PA... naaah.
MD- tough one. i wanted to say weverton cliffs but that might be slightly off the trail. there may very well be nothing cool to see literally on the trail in MD, sorry. maybe along the towpath theres a nice view of the river?
WV- again tough. crescent rock is right near the sign for the border and is probably the only thing to see.
VA- i havent done the whole thing, but why not divide it in half? or even thirds? in the north third i'd go with hogback mtn

south of that i dont have complete information

TJ aka Teej
11-12-2017, 11:40
Most ATers never get to Katahdin's highest point. It's not the sign. The survey disk is over at the 12 foot tall cairn.

troutfisher!
11-12-2017, 11:49
Great ideas tdoczi... you make many good points. I got going on the "high points" idea as an alternative to a friend's suggestion to summit Mt. Rainer. Which is just too much for me to undertake. Fourteen or fifteen day hikes and overnights is more my style. I look forward to the variety you mention (towers, random woods, big mountain tops, etc). The goal would not to just "be" at the high points (drive up, get out, look around), but to "hike to" the high spots to get a feel for the AT. I don't plan to hike the entire trail, so this seems like an enjoyable goal. Best views are also in the plan as are short side trails to reach high points. There are a zillion ways to get enjoyment from the trail.

tdoczi
11-12-2017, 12:58
Great ideas tdoczi... you make many good points. I got going on the "high points" idea as an alternative to a friend's suggestion to summit Mt. Rainer. Which is just too much for me to undertake. Fourteen or fifteen day hikes and overnights is more my style. I look forward to the variety you mention (towers, random woods, big mountain tops, etc). The goal would not to just "be" at the high points (drive up, get out, look around), but to "hike to" the high spots to get a feel for the AT. I don't plan to hike the entire trail, so this seems like an enjoyable goal. Best views are also in the plan as are short side trails to reach high points. There are a zillion ways to get enjoyment from the trail.
some of the hikes to get to the highest points you are going to find to not be good hikes either.

again, the PA high point jumps out as the most obvious. i just dont know how much feel for anything one gets for much of anything by walking a few miles (or further? where would one even begin or stop such a hike?) through pretty standard, typical woods, doing a mostly flat hike with little change in elevation, to get to a specific point that i dont think is even marked.

the thing most of note about the above notion is i dont think very many people have ever travelled to PA from far away to hike to the "top" of prospect hill.

also, if this an AT centric list, i would think you want to hike on the AT. so if you take, for instance, mt washington, to climb it directly is not a hike on the AT at all.

tdoczi
11-12-2017, 13:00
the thing most of note about the above notion is i dont think very many people have ever travelled to PA from far away to hike to the "top" of prospect hill.



meant methodist hill, i sort of created a fictional amalgam of NY and PA there i guess

troutfisher!
11-12-2017, 13:57
Everybody goes to Disney. Everyone goes to Vegas. Not me. I go to Methodist Hill.

Yes, some states "high point" may not be worth it. But who can say? Some hikes are just a walk in the woods. But each of these would be an AT hike to the high spot, or there-abouts, or a short spur off the trail. (80 miles to The Pinnacle is too far, but it is on my other to-do list now).

Part of the fun is checking the map and figuring out how to make this happen. Here is the PA trip plan.

Pennsylvania AT hike plan SB
from Big Flats AT Parking Lot - Shippensburg Road
1.3 to Birch Run Shelter
2.3 to Milesburn Cabin
4.9 to Quarry Gap Shelter
2.4 to Caledonia State Park
10.9

Kaptainkriz
11-12-2017, 19:57
I try to get photos of the survey disks when I get near the top of a major peak. It would make me sad to go all that way and not find the top.

Most ATers never get to Katahdin's highest point. It's not the sign. The survey disk is over at the 12 foot tall cairn.

peakbagger
11-12-2017, 20:16
FYI, survey disks do not necessarily have to be at the actual high point of a mountain. Sometimes they are located at a point with a better view of the terrain that the survey is concerned with

troutfisher!
11-12-2017, 20:19
I try to get photos of the survey disks when I get near the top of a major peak. It would make me sad to go all that way and not find the top.

The last few feet of distance or inches of elevation would not be too critical for me. No one really will challenge when you say you "hiked to the top" of Katahdin, would they?

troutfisher!
11-12-2017, 20:50
opps. now I see there is a "Pinnacle" on the AT as well.

Sandy of PA
11-12-2017, 21:04
In Maryland the original Washinton Memorial is a wonderful view just a few feet off the AT. Also a great view from PennMar park.

tdoczi
11-13-2017, 10:52
In Maryland the original Washinton Memorial is a wonderful view just a few feet off the AT. Also a great view from PennMar park.
but one doesnt have to hike to see either of those. i guess in my thinking i always tend to feel that places that can be driven to arent the best places to hike to.

NH is the best example of this i think. if someone asks me for a recommendation of 1 single mountain to hike to the top of in NH i dont say mt washington. i say one of the countless other very impressive ones that someone cant just drive to the top of, and say that if you really want to see mt washington then just drive it.

so sure, stopping to see those views by car is probably a fine idea. it doesnt meet my criteria of a good place to hike to though.

thats not another issue with these lists. why one per state? MD is only 40 miles long, VA is over 500. the best way to "get a feel" for the trail may very well be to not hike in MD at all and hike in 2 or 3 places in VA.

troutfisher!
11-13-2017, 12:05
For me, a list helps to delimit the goal. I just read an article that mentioned an AT hike that was the highest point in that county... I wonder how many counties the AT goes thru?? Then I could add the other "nice to see views" and the "challenging hikes" and, and ... Well, I could just hike the whole thing. At age 61, I'll stick with the plan and add more as time permit.

I hiked in the Porcupine Mountains, Upper Michigan this summer. A premier Midwest hiking destination. There were some nice views and drive-up overlooks. The hiking was a sloggy mess with poorly maintained trails. Next day, we hiked the Trap Hills area of the North Country Trail. It was fantastic! with great views and well maintained trails. They're all just places on the map until you go there.

Kaptainkriz
11-13-2017, 19:56
Yes, that's where it gets fun...reading the data sheets for the survey and offset markers. I like this site to research them: https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/NGSDataExplorer/ :)

FYI, survey disks do not necessarily have to be at the actual high point of a mountain. Sometimes they are located at a point with a better view of the terrain that the survey is concerned with

Starchild
11-13-2017, 21:35
Most ATers never get to Katahdin's highest point. It's not the sign. The survey disk is over at the 12 foot tall cairn.

Then shame on Baxter State Park (again), the sign then incorrectly states it is the Northern Terminus of the AT, which is really the summit of the greatest mountain.

HighlandsHiker
11-14-2017, 00:03
Cool stuff, there is a whole culture of "high pointers" out there, and I'm a card-carrying member (I've been to all 50 state HP's, just finished this last July in Kansas....)

Congrats on getting all the HP's, colorado_rob, that's a terrific achievement. I'm at 33 HP's and know that getting a few of the remaining ones will be tough! Interestingly, I was also in Kansas this year - it was May and a day or two after a good rain and, driving a 2WD pickup, I almost didn't make it out of there - was wildly fishtailing up hills on these clay-covered, slick-as-ice country roads - got back to the pavement and had to kiss the ground! My son said he just knew we'd be in ditch and have to walk out. Who would've thought Mt. Sunflower would've been so exhilarating - we later said with a laugh that our hike up Mt. Elbert was tame in comparison!

ki0eh
11-14-2017, 09:19
It might be interesting to construct a ratio of the A.T. high point in the state to the state high point.

As in PA, 2100/3213 = 0.653

ME, I guess if you argue about the cairn to the sign, it might be 0.99999999999999999999999 or so. :)

troutfisher!
11-14-2017, 10:17
It might be interesting to construct a ratio of the A.T. high point in the state to the state high point.

As in PA, 2100/3213 = 0.653

ME, I guess if you argue about the cairn to the sign, it might be 0.99999999999999999999999 or so. :)

I'm eager to see your results!