Somewhere I read that you can drive to the old farmhouse. What?? No way you can drive to that. It's like two old dirt tire tracks with grass in the middle that hasn't been cut in ten years. It looks like the owners of the house don't live there. I put a $7 donation in their mailbox. I couldn't open the gate, so I just jumped it. Also nowhere did it say that you cross the fence later on in the hike, though you just step over it. I was all paranoid about the rattlesnakes, especially with that high grass, but didn't come across any. It was windy on the top. Hot as well.
Holsti97 - Jun 11, 2007 12:38 am Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2007
White Butte
Reached the farm at 9:00 PM. Looks like nobody lives in the house anymore. Dashed to the top right before dark. Hiked with my wife and sons Ryan and Brett. Hike took about 1 hour roundtrip. Forgot my headlamp in the car, but had no trouble finding our way back in the dark. Did not see any rattlesnakes as mentioned in the Highpoint guidebooks. We viewed many pronghorns, rabbits, deer, a skunk, pheasants, and a coyote. Left donation and thank you note in the mailbox. HP #23.
The edge - Mar 14, 2007 3:17 pm Date Climbed: Jun 26, 2002
HP #15
Nice path to the top;
The white sand dunes were simply gorgeous...
We brought gaiters and ice axes for the rattle snakes...
We could hear them in the distance...
JohnMcPike - Dec 6, 2006 4:44 am Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2003
Forgot film
Got half way up the butte when my film in camera was used up and realized I left film back in the truck. So this is the only state highpoint without a picture of us on the summit.
Perfect weather for a short hike.
surgent - Oct 19, 2006 8:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2002
Met Ms Van Daele
Three days after a 4-day Granite Peak (MT) climb, I was here to visit the ND apex. Met the late Ms. Van Daele and paid my $20. Hike was no trouble but on the way down I slipped and covered myself in that milky, silty, chalky mud. Clothes were shot and I spent 20 minutes at a bathroom on the interstate trying to wash the crud off my skin. Like cement.
mad maximus - Jun 16, 2006 5:02 am Date Climbed: Jan 5, 2006
Deep snow
A couple feet of snow dumped on the dakotas just before we climbed. The road leading to the trailhead had 2 feet. We ended up snowshoeing from the car to the trailhead then to the base of the monster! ;)
It was just above zero and sunny. Nice day to hike through waist deep snow.
Tracy - May 1, 2006 12:27 am Date Climbed: Apr 29, 2006
nice 45-minute hike - not so nice mud - spent 4 hours getting unstuck
I picked a good day to hike this one, but a bad day to drive all the way to the end of the two-track trail. The day of the hike was sunny/partly cloudy with a good breeze, but it had rained alot the previous night or day and after the hike my four wheel drive Chevy Trailblazer (a rental) got stuck while I was turning around at the trailhead. If it is wet, avoid driving through the puddles!
Tie-Dye Mike - Apr 8, 2006 10:08 pm Date Climbed: May 27, 2005
Thanks to this site
I printed the exact front page, and had no problem achieving the HP. Had incredible wind, 50+ mph! But, a beautiful climb in May, and was my first HP.
noggin - Mar 7, 2006 1:18 am Date Climbed: Oct 9, 2005
Getting lost in a field
This day was so foggy that I couldn't see the butte from where I parked. I got lost walking towards (what I thought was) the butte. Once I was on top I couldn't see farther tahn 30 yds to know if I had actually reached the top. I didn't realize how much you rely of being able to look up and see the top to guide you in many situations. There are so many "ruts" on top that simply following the trail didn't work for me.
Route Climbed: from the old farmstead Date Climbed: Sept. 4, 2005
Well, I followed the excellent directions from this very website and easily found the top of the high point of N.D. But I did get lost trying to find my way out and accidently drove down several farm roads that dead ended or went on forever through wheat fields. Finally I met another driver on a road who couldn't find the "trail head". I was able to show him the way and in so doing I found the way out.
It was a lovely wind-swept top of the state. Thanks to the owners for allowing acess.
Very windy but nice views with bold green grasses blowing in the wind. Heard what sounded like rattlesnakes but never saw one (thank goodness). Very isolated peak.
This one was nice once I got to the top. Otherwise, it caused me some anxiety. First, I couldn't find it. Then the $20 (which, in retrospect, was worth it). Then the wind. Then my car got stuck in the white mud. Finally, I fear snakes. Especially poisonous ones! Still, the view was good, the isolation was interesting, and the sense of accomplishment is ever-present when highpointing.
Zandt - Sep 5, 2007 12:23 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2007
Hot day, decent little hikeReally hot, sunny day...good short hike, though. Lost my footing on the way down and nearly face-planted in the chalky dust. No snakes.
TLP - Jul 23, 2007 5:30 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2007
Not as it seemsSomewhere I read that you can drive to the old farmhouse. What?? No way you can drive to that. It's like two old dirt tire tracks with grass in the middle that hasn't been cut in ten years. It looks like the owners of the house don't live there. I put a $7 donation in their mailbox. I couldn't open the gate, so I just jumped it. Also nowhere did it say that you cross the fence later on in the hike, though you just step over it. I was all paranoid about the rattlesnakes, especially with that high grass, but didn't come across any. It was windy on the top. Hot as well.
Holsti97 - Jun 11, 2007 12:38 am Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2007
White ButteReached the farm at 9:00 PM. Looks like nobody lives in the house anymore. Dashed to the top right before dark. Hiked with my wife and sons Ryan and Brett. Hike took about 1 hour roundtrip. Forgot my headlamp in the car, but had no trouble finding our way back in the dark. Did not see any rattlesnakes as mentioned in the Highpoint guidebooks. We viewed many pronghorns, rabbits, deer, a skunk, pheasants, and a coyote. Left donation and thank you note in the mailbox. HP #23.
The edge - Mar 14, 2007 3:17 pm Date Climbed: Jun 26, 2002
HP #15Nice path to the top;
The white sand dunes were simply gorgeous...
We brought gaiters and ice axes for the rattle snakes...
We could hear them in the distance...
JohnMcPike - Dec 6, 2006 4:44 am Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2003
Forgot filmGot half way up the butte when my film in camera was used up and realized I left film back in the truck. So this is the only state highpoint without a picture of us on the summit.
Perfect weather for a short hike.
surgent - Oct 19, 2006 8:10 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2002
Met Ms Van DaeleThree days after a 4-day Granite Peak (MT) climb, I was here to visit the ND apex. Met the late Ms. Van Daele and paid my $20. Hike was no trouble but on the way down I slipped and covered myself in that milky, silty, chalky mud. Clothes were shot and I spent 20 minutes at a bathroom on the interstate trying to wash the crud off my skin. Like cement.
mad maximus - Jun 16, 2006 5:02 am Date Climbed: Jan 5, 2006
Deep snowA couple feet of snow dumped on the dakotas just before we climbed. The road leading to the trailhead had 2 feet. We ended up snowshoeing from the car to the trailhead then to the base of the monster! ;)
It was just above zero and sunny. Nice day to hike through waist deep snow.
Tracy - May 1, 2006 12:27 am Date Climbed: Apr 29, 2006
nice 45-minute hike - not so nice mud - spent 4 hours getting unstuckI picked a good day to hike this one, but a bad day to drive all the way to the end of the two-track trail. The day of the hike was sunny/partly cloudy with a good breeze, but it had rained alot the previous night or day and after the hike my four wheel drive Chevy Trailblazer (a rental) got stuck while I was turning around at the trailhead. If it is wet, avoid driving through the puddles!
Tie-Dye Mike - Apr 8, 2006 10:08 pm Date Climbed: May 27, 2005
Thanks to this siteI printed the exact front page, and had no problem achieving the HP. Had incredible wind, 50+ mph! But, a beautiful climb in May, and was my first HP.
noggin - Mar 7, 2006 1:18 am Date Climbed: Oct 9, 2005
Getting lost in a fieldThis day was so foggy that I couldn't see the butte from where I parked. I got lost walking towards (what I thought was) the butte. Once I was on top I couldn't see farther tahn 30 yds to know if I had actually reached the top. I didn't realize how much you rely of being able to look up and see the top to guide you in many situations. There are so many "ruts" on top that simply following the trail didn't work for me.
woodstrider - Sep 8, 2005 7:36 pm
Route Climbed: from the old farmstead Date Climbed: Sept. 4, 2005Well, I followed the excellent directions from this very website and easily found the top of the high point of N.D. But I did get lost trying to find my way out and accidently drove down several farm roads that dead ended or went on forever through wheat fields. Finally I met another driver on a road who couldn't find the "trail head". I was able to show him the way and in so doing I found the way out.
It was a lovely wind-swept top of the state. Thanks to the owners for allowing acess.
starship_jen - Aug 4, 2005 11:36 pm
Date Climbed: June 2, 2005Very windy but nice views with bold green grasses blowing in the wind. Heard what sounded like rattlesnakes but never saw one (thank goodness). Very isolated peak.
Ilafan - Apr 3, 2005 5:18 pm
Date Climbed: July 2000This one was nice once I got to the top. Otherwise, it caused me some anxiety. First, I couldn't find it. Then the $20 (which, in retrospect, was worth it). Then the wind. Then my car got stuck in the white mud. Finally, I fear snakes. Especially poisonous ones! Still, the view was good, the isolation was interesting, and the sense of accomplishment is ever-present when highpointing.
Steve Gruhn - Jan 30, 2005 5:36 pm
Date Climbed: June 25, 2001Shiort hike, but I had to pay $20 for the privilege. That was steep (the price, not the hike), but I paid it.
txmountaineer - Sep 30, 2003 5:13 pm
Route Climbed: North Slopes Date Climbed: February 27, 2003A great hike in relatively warm temps for this part of the country. See my trip report by visiting this site.
Daniel