Ascent of Clare Benchmark on 2011-07-09| Others in Party: | supported by Rose | | Date: | Saturday, July 9, 2011 | | Ascent Type: | Successful Summit Attained | | Motorized Transport to Trailhead: | Car | | Peak: | Clare Benchmark | | Location: | USA-New York | | Elevation: | 2430 ft / 740 m |
Ascent Trip ReportA dirt road hike wb from Chipmunk Run Road ...... 2.5 miles, 1h30 hours RT including all the time required to check out the summit area.
After reading all the available TRs I decided to go with the Fallesen/Packard recommendation confirmed by Fred Lobdell's actual climb (see his TR). It turned out to be a lot-more-straight forward/easier climb than Fred's experience, a lot has changed in 7 years. The only down side with my trip were the "Posted" signs, that made me anxious/rush throughout the climb .... is someone going to put me in jail !!!
From the intersection of CR30 and Chipmunk Run Road in South Vandalia (west of Allegany) we traveled south on Chipmunk Run Road for 3.48 miles to a gated dirt road on the left .... this was my TH, the summit is at about 70 degrees compass from here.
The dirt road took me to the ridge north of the summit at a "Hiking Compass Line" of approx 55 degrees, once on the ridge I turned right (south) to the summit ... it was that easy.
I left the TH on the good dirt road ( the gate was open today) generally following my "Hiking Compass Line", at approx .4 miles I stayed left at the less traveled road, it becomes a 4x4 dirt road as it climbs all the way to the ridge at about 1.1 mile from the TH (less than 30 minutes). You arrive at a T-junction with a better dirt road coming up from the left.
I turned right for the summit and in less than 100 yards I came face-to-face with a tall-rock-face-overhang, the track stays right then bends left and climbs another 125 yards to the flat height-of-land on the summit .... a steel pipe is partly buried across the trail, a number of different colored flag tapes.
I turned left (north) on a herd path that took me 20 yards to the BM imbedded in concrete, "US Coast and Geodetic Survey Triangulation Station, Clare, 1935", my GPS read 42.05035, 78.53996. .... about 1.25 miles, 35 minutes from the TH.
The BM is not the high ground, I walked north on a herd path to check out the rock-face-overhang then walked all around the summit area looking for high ground .... numerous spot contend for the prize, I chose the spot as being at the rock outcrop northwest of the BM at 20 yards.
It took me 27 minutes to descend, pleased to have met up with no one on the trail, except for the guy on an ATV that came to chat while I was getting cleaned up at the TH .... me thinking he was there to reprimand me. We turned out to be kindred spirits as we chatted/agreed about the ugly/polluting Wind Turbines that are apparently being planned for the Chipmunk Valley.
"THE MEASURE OF A PERSON IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NOTHING WORKS AND YOU GOT THE GUTS TO GO ON."
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| Summary Total Data | | Elevation Gain: | 980 ft / 299 m | | Distance: | 2.5 mi / 4 km | | Route: | dirt road eb from chipmunk run road | | Trailhead: | chipmunk run road 1450 ft / 441 m | | Route Conditions: | Road Hike, Unmaintained Trail, Bushwhack | | Weather: | Hot, Calm, Clear | | Ascent Statistics | | Time Up: | 35 Minutes | | Descent Statistics | | Time Down: | 27 Minutes |
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