Hub Bearing going bad?

sounds like a bearing. if you raise the vehicle in the air, grab the top of the tire and bottom, then push back and forth, if there movement then that bearing has play and should be replaced. Another technique is to raise vehicle in air and place shifter in drive and listen for which side has noise

This is likely the hub bearing, which is not uncommon, especially with the miles you have on your XC. Determining which one can be the most difficult part. Generally if the noise gets louder when you are turning right, the left bearing is bad and vice versa. Tires can cause some similar noises, but the noise will change when driving on different road surfaces. Hope this helps, and let me know what you find with that oil consumption issue. Bret

Sounds exactly like drivers side wheel bearing. Just replaced mine. Do it now before the heat from the bad bearing fuses itself to your spline...