Of Douglas County's two listed 1620' high points, one is on a slope coming down from Otter Tail County, but, as shown on the topo map, the 1620' contour line is completely closed in Otter Tail County, making the elevation at the county line less than 1620 feet. The other is a distinct hill whose summit is entirely within Douglas County, and has its own 1620' contour. Like Bob Packard, I visited both these areas, and agree with him that the western point is less likely to be the higher. For me, it was November 26, 2004, just after a snowfall, and just after completing Grant County.
From Evansville, I went north on Douglas County Road 5 for 1.95 miles. As C.R. 5 curved to the east, I turned left onto C.R. 33, and went north on C.R. 33 for 2.5 miles, where its name changed to C.R. 24. I stayed on C.R. 24 for 2.47 miles, then, realizing that I had missed my left turn, I turned around, retracing my route for 0.22 miles and then turned right onto an unnumbered gravel road (it should have been 2.25 miles from the start of C.R. 24). I went north on that road for 3.6 miles, then turned right onto Otter Tail C.R. 38 (paved). I stayed on C.R. 38 for 3.68 miles, then turned right onto Lady of the Hills Road. I followed that road for 1.75 miles to a gravel driveway. I drove on that for 0.4 miles and parked in the yard.
Packard's route was from I-94, via Minnesota S.H. 78, to O.T. C.R. 38, to Lady of the Hills, to a spot south of the county line, then cross-country.
I parked in the yard near the house, with a sign marked "Dickey Farm". At this point, I was 0.74 miles straight line distance from the high point.
I first knocked at the house, then was directed to the barn, where the owner was milking his cattle. I explained that I was searching for the Douglas County High Point, and that it was not on a hilltop, but at a slope coming down from Otter Tail County. It's an unusual concept, and one I was not doing a good job explaining. He agreed to let me go, and offered me the use of his 4WD truck. I declined, planning insted to walk the distance. He offered again, and I accepted. I was able to drive on field and woods roads that I would not have taken my own 2WD truck on. I parked at an improvised basketball court 0.4 miles from the top.
From the court, it was a fairly steep decline to a plowed field, then across a wooded area barbed-wire fence, then through open field, to the county line where the woods start and the HP lies.
I arrived at the summit in 14 minutes after leaving the owner's truck. It is a ridge line, with a probable maximum elevation of 1619'. The picture on the left shows it quite accurately as being on the ridge top just inside the woods line at the bump shown in the right picture.
I returned the same way to my own truck, and gave the owner $2 for the gas.
I took the same route Packard did: I got back onto C.R. 38, then turned right onto S.H. 29 at Parkers Prairie. I drove south on S.H. 29 for 1.94 miles, then right (west) on 108th Street (gravel) for 0.94 miles, then left (south) on Parkers Road for 0.59 miles to the locked gate at house #10185.
I parked off the road just past the gate. From here, it was 0.52 miles to the top.
I hopped over the fence, and walked on the driveway (not shown on the topo map), past the house (which had a cooking grill on it, and other signs of recent activity, but apparently unoccupied), then on a grass vehicle trail, then through thin woods, then through an open area, then through fairly thick woods, over a small hill (10 minutes from the truck), over a barbed-wire fence, just past which there was a woods road that went in the direction of the HP, so I followed that for a few minutes, but when it went around the south side of the hill, I bushwhacked through the thick woods, past a high hunter's tower, and up the semi-slippery slope to the top.
I arrived at the summit in 18 minutes. It was a steep and definite hill, an obvious HP, somewhat rocky. There was no bench mark that I could see, though the topo map does show one.
I got disoriented in the woods and my GPS was acting erratically. I backtracked several times trying to find familiar ground, crossing over the barbed-wire fence several times until I decided to just trust my instincts, and I did find my way back to the trail, arriving back at my truck 25 minutes after leaving the summit, and 43 minutes after leaving my truck.
I got back to Parkers Prairie, then west on C.R. 38 to Urbank, which was the starting point for my next county, Otter Tail.
| Family Member | Count |
|---|---|
| Mark | 75 |
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http://www.topozone.com
Minnesota Atlas & Gazeteer by Delorme, 3rd Edition, 2001.
| File Name: | |
| Written by: | Mark Ness |
| Last Revised by: | Mark Ness |
| on: |