True Summit of Monument Peak

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Nate

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For the unnamed peak at mile marker 450 along the US-Canadian border (this is north of Rangeley and just southwest of Boundary Peak), where is it's highest point? Is it more on the border swath or in the small clearing behind where the monument is?
 
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Nate, it's a few feet off the swath, there used to be a register there. There is a small 'clearing' where the register was located.
 
Thanks for the info. That certainly explains why there's a clearing just behind the 450 monument. It's too bad the canister isn't there any more, but hopefully one of the next 3k peakbaggers to pass through there will put one up.

Also, for peaks along the border in Maine and New Hampshire, are the summits usually on the swath or just off of it, or it is usually much more of a distance than it is for Boundary and Monument Peaks?
 
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Boundary and Monument are two separate peaks. Monument is at marker 450, Boundary is between 445 and 446. Generally speaking, the swath registers are right at the high point, and most times that is not right on the swath. For example one of the MA Gore peaks in ME is about .2 mi off the swath, but if you look at the map you would think it would be right on it. The same for Salmon in NH. Feel free to pm me before you go to those peaks.
 
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Nate said:
Also, for peaks along the border in Maine and New Hampshire, are the summits usually on the swath or just off of it, or it is usually much more of a distance than it is for Boundary and Monument Peaks?
Some of the peaks are on/near the swath, some just off it, and some quite far away. And people often disagree which of several flattish points is higher, just like non-boundary peaks. And where the register is doesn't prove anything, several trailless peaks have multiple registers.
 
My question was partly inspired by the (perhaps mis-informed) belief that the reason the border is so jagged through that neck of the woods is because it follows the boundary between the watersheds that flow into Maine/New Hampshire and those that flow into Quebec. Then again, perhaps I'm simply thinking of the border between Quebec and Labrador. But, in the fantasy world where I would be right, that would mean that the border passes directly over the highest point of every mountain it crosses (assuming they cut the swath correctly).
 
There is one 3k peak on the boundary swath, in the Beaudry Road area, that the summit high point clearly seems to be on the Canadian side, it's about 5-10 feet higher than where the register is. BTW, I agree that the boundary follows the watershed division.
 
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Nate said:
My question was partly inspired by the (perhaps mis-informed) belief that the reason the border is so jagged through that neck of the woods is because it follows the boundary between the watersheds that flow into Maine/New Hampshire and those that flow into Quebec. Then again, perhaps I'm simply thinking of the border between Quebec and Labrador. But, in the fantasy world where I would be right, that would mean that the border passes directly over the highest point of every mountain it crosses (assuming they cut the swath correctly).
It's not true that the boundary would pass through the top of every peak. It's easy to imagine a peak off on one side or the other which drains entirely into one drainage basin, with a little saddle over to the ridge. The peak at Boundary monument 443 (it's in Canada) is such a peak. If peak 443 were actually on the border and not in Canada, it would be on the 100 highest!

And speaking of Labrador, remember Mount Caubvick, the highest mountain on that border is entirely in Labrador. The point on the border is a few feet lower (called Mont D'Iberville in PQ). Look it up.

But on a more practical level, the border is where they surveyed it, by agreement and treaty. So if the surveyors (there were surveyors from both US and Canada in the party, I think in 1843) missed buy a few yards, too bad. The border, by defdinition - is where they put it.
 
RoySwkr said:
Some of the peaks are on/near the swath, some just off it, and some quite far away. And people often disagree which of several flattish points is higher, just like non-boundary peaks. And where the register is doesn't prove anything, several trailless peaks have multiple registers.

Speaking of boundary peaks, about how far is Mount D'Urban from where Route 3 hits the border? Is following the swath from there the typical route? Plus, considering the most northern point in New Hampshire is in the area, does any sort of monument or cairn mark the spot (like there is in Maine)?
 
You follow East Inlet Road from Rte 3, to Boundary Pond Road, take that to the end, follow a faint path west to the swath, take a right on the swath and follow it over a couple of bumps to the summit, there is a sign and register right on the swath.
 
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Dennis, thanks for the directions. However, are they for the summit of Mount D'Urban, or for the northernmost point in New Hampshire? Plus, how driveable are East Inlet and Boundary Pond Roads?
 
Nate, those directions are for D'Urban. East Inlet and Boundary Roads are usually easily drivable with a high clearance vehicle.
 
Are these roads in about the same condition as those leading to Magalloway, or are they too rough to drive a sedan on? Also, is Boundry Pond Road signed, or is it an obvious turn?

Also, while we're on the topic of items of interest in the Pittsburg area, does anyone happen to know if there is a monument that marks the northeast corner of Vermont?
 
Nate, when I was last there about 4 years ago, East Inlet Road deteriorated the further north you drove on it, I have a high clearance 4 wheel drive vehicle and had no problems, but I would be wary of a sedan on the upper part of that road. The road to Boundary Pond is a very obvious left off of East Inlet Road. The only markers I know of on the swath are the US/Canadian border ones.
 
Nate said:
Plus, how driveable are East Inlet and Boundary Pond Roads?
Asking how driveable a logging road is is like asking "will I need snowshoes on Mt.X next year?" - road conditions vary and you need to ask just before you go if someone has been up recently. Back in the '70s I drove there in a low-slung Rambler Rebel with no trouble and made the first peakbagger ascent of the next peak S of "Mountain Pond" - it had been left off the 3000-footer list because the 15' quad made it look like the summit was in Canada although I think the reverse is true.
http://docs.unh.edu/ME/moos31sw.jpg

does anyone happen to know if there is a monument that marks the northeast corner of Vermont?
The USGS map shows a monument near the corner, but as the actual boundary is the normal high water mark which is scoured by water and ice every year I'm not sure how a monument could remain there. Just walk E from where the monument is into the water and you stepped on the corner somewhere.
 
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