Our Mower County, Minnesota Highpointing Page

4 unnamed hills: 1440+ feet

 

Introduction

3 of Mower County's high points are in a field, the other is an artificial road buildup. I visited all of these areas on November 6, 2004, as the sun was rapidly descending in the western sky.

 

The Approach to the Road Crown (HP #4)

I had just come from a successful completion of Fillmore County, by taking Fillmore County Road 14 to Mower C.R. 8, a paved road. I turned right (north) on 8 for 1 mile, then turned left (west) on 180th St for 3 miles, then right on 710th Ave for 0.4 miles where the road rises above 1440'. Since it's artificial, it doesn't count as a potential county high point.

 

The Approach to High Point Candidates #1-3

I continued on 710th Ave. north for another 1.6 miles, and turned left onto C.R. 3 for 3 miles, then right on 680th Ave. for 1.5 miles, where I parked in a field approach.

 

Parking

I could have driven on the road (around the muddy part) past HP #1, but decided to just park it there.

 

The Trail to Candidate High Points #1-3

The field road dries out just past the muddy part and goes just past HP #1 (which is the hill visible in the distance in the above paragraph). I spent 4 minutes on this trail.

 

High Point #1

The first high point rises prominently above the surrounding terrain and towers over both HP #2 and #3. It is marked by a rock dump, and may be artificial.

 

I climbed up to the top of it in case it is natural, and snapped a picture in the direction of HP #2 and one in the direction of my truck.

Then I walked over to HP#2, which took 4 minutes.

 

High Point #2

 

This is a broad shot of Mower HP #2. It is a larger area than #1, so I walked around it for a while. The corn in this field was recently harvested, and the high point area was clearly visible, but the high point itself did take some walking as did #3, about 15 minutes worth.

 

High Point #3

I walked over to HP #3, which is the largest of them all in area. It took a few minutes to walk around, but, like #2, it was easy to see, and the walk around it was tedious.

 

The Walk Back

I walked back on the field road, arriving at my truck 28 minutes after leaving it.


The Route Out

I continued on 680th Ave. for 3 miles, then turned left on S.H. 16 for 0.5 miles, then got onto I-90 East for 12.1 miles into Olmsted County, which was my last daytime highpoint of the day.

 

Our Progress

Family Member Count
Mark 41

 

Other Ascents and Trip Reports

First Ascent: Roy Wallen (Nov. 23, 1999)
Dick Ellsworth

 

Bibliography

.

http://www.topozone.com

Minnesota Atlas & Gazeteer by Delorme, 3rd Edition, 2001.

 

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Written by: Mark Ness
Last Revised by:  Mark Ness
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