High Point

Challenge complete! Hight Point was the last stop on our list and we lucked into a beautiful and not quite so hot day with just about the whole peak to ourselves. Saw 1 other hiker, 2 small groups of dirt bikers, and a well camouflaged horney toad.

I’ll reiterate a couple items a saw in previous hike logs:

• The first 2 miles are burly. Steep with sandy (read slippery), loose rock once you hit the single-track (the rest of the hike is on fire road)
• Navigation can be tricky. There are a number of forks – be prepared. There’s a great step-by-step description on this site though it’s only for the out – we got slightly lost on the back – but fortunately only at the end.
• There is about a mile plus of the most hideous gnats one can find. I’ll be shopping for a head net soon. For today’s hike I resorted to swinging my pole straps in front of my face for a good 30 minutes straight (and cursing a lot). They start about 1.5 miles from the summit. Otherwise the bugs were reasonable (including on the summit).
• Views, views, views – awesome in every direction, just about every step of the way.