Hawkeye Point

[highpointersclub]

[Ed: Imported from Americas Roof ‘Summit Trip Reports’ forum]

[By: john birrer on December 22 2005 at 1:48 PM]

[Link: http://www.network54.com/Forum/198362/message/1135277335/Hawkeye+Point]

I found my way to Iowa’s high point on Nov 12, 2005. It was one of my many trips to visit all the counties, national park sites, capitals, world heritage sites, presidential sites, high points, and other areas of interest throughout the United States. That morning, I had completed the last county in Missouri, thereby completing all the counties in my 40th state. Iowa’s high point was number 33 for me if you count DC. It was a tad rainy that day as I “killed” a number of counties in Missouri and Iowa and I arrived in Sibley, Iowa just in time to climb the peak before dark. Rand McNally, not being all that he is cracked up to be, left me in the dark as to whether Hawkeye Point is best approached from US Highway 59 or Iowa Highway 60. Asking for directions at a gas station in Sibley, a young man thought it was straight north on Iowa 60. Sure enough, three miles or so north of town on Iowa 60 is a sign pointing the way to the high point. I turned right and proceeded up a dirt road a quarter mile or so. I found everything just as explained to me on this web site, found the marker near the feeding trough, signed in and paid the requisite two bucks for the key ring. Mrs. Sterler was not home so I quickly scrambled down the mountain and headed for Worthington, MN to spend the night. All in all, in the seven days I was on the road, I visited the new Lincoln Library in Springfield, Cahokia mounds near St. Louis, Reagon’s boyhood home in Dixon, Illinois, and several other items on my have-to-do lists including killing 73 counties in Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota. Also on that trip, Iowa became the 41st state where I had travelled to every county.

John Birrer
Duluth, GA

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