Highest peak in each town

The Adirondacks have 47 peaks exceeding 3800 feet elevation above sea level. Hikers who climb up 46 of them become members of an elite club called the “46ers.” One peak, MacNaughton, was added due to recent improved surveying and now, to retain the “46”, this new addition is an option. The Catskills have 35 peaks exceeding 3500 feet and also have an elite hiking club called the “3500 Club.”

I was trying to apply this high peaks concept locally, which is not easy because we do not have any high peaks. Nevertheless, I work with what is available. However, basing the roster of peaks on their elevation would include just a few towns, so I thought it might be more interesting to spread it out over each of our 21 towns. The following paragraph is a ranked list of the highest peak in each town. Their heights were read from topographical maps. These maps have contour lines of either 10 or 20 feet intervals, so the elevations usually end in zeros. However, sometimes a map states elevations in exact numbers. A peak listed as 1940 feet can be up to 1959 feet. The elevations in feet are in parentheses. When the peak has a proper name it follows. An asterisk indicates state land. Most of these peaks are on private property, so landowner permission to visit them is necessary.

Afton (2040 *), Otselic (2000 *), Pharsalia (2000 *), Plymouth (1980 Pigeon Hill), Norwich (1966 Lookout Tower), Columbus (1960), McDonough (1960 Berry Hill *), Sherburne (1960 Skinner Hill *), Smyrna (1960), Guilford (1940), New Berlin (1940 Flagpole Hill), Lincklaen (1920), North Norwich (1880 *), Preston (1840), Oxford (1820), Coventry (1792 Bobell Hill), German (1789 *), Pitcher (1780 Pink Hill *), Bainbridge (1760), Greene (1710), Smithville (1612).

Calling these high spots “peaks” is convenient but does stretch the definition. Most of these “peaks” are so flat that it is difficult to determine where exactly the top is. Basically, when you think you are at the top of a hill, look around. If you spot any place that looks higher, go there. When no other place looks higher, you are probably on the top. However, vegetation hides the ground surfaces so finding the exact top can be difficult. The question rests upon how important it is to be exact. From a hiking perspective, merely walking to what looks like the top would be sufficient to state that “I have been there.”