Amicalola Falls, Mountain Crossings and the North Georgia Mountains - January 2010

Tempted with the opportunity for a "cheap" vacation in the North Georgia Mountains, Lisa the dog (aka Mallory) and I headed to Helen, GA. We rented a cabin right outside of town and utilized it as a "base camp" to explore the area in what turned out to be a winter wonderland after the first day we were there.



After leaving Columbia, we drove straight to Amicalola Falls State Park near Dawsonville, GA. For those of you who don't know, Amicalola Falls State Park facilitates the approach trail to Springer Mountain, aka the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. After exploring the state park and experiencing the ambiance of "White Blaze Fever", we loaded up and headed to Helen, GA.

It wasn't long after arriving in Helen, GA that the true winter weather moved in. The locals said that the storm was the worst ice storm that they have had in over 20 years! However, the cold beer and the toasty hot tub helped combat the frigid temperatures.

After getting up the following day, we headed over the mountain towards Mountain Crossings at Walasi-yi (aka Neels Gap) at the base of Blood Mountain near Blairsville, GA. Yeah - they use A LOT of names to describe the same place. (To see a picture of Mountain Crossings withouth the ice and haze, see the Coosa Backcountry Post below.) However, this is one of the most popular spots on the Appalachian Trail and is the only place on the trail that goes under a roof.

A quick history lesson: Mountain Crossings was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and completed in 1937. The building is a beautiful piece of history and its presence preserves the original intent of what the vision of the Appalachian Trail was.

When Lisa, the dog and I arrived at Mountain Crossings, the place was a ghost town - especially since the Jeep was one of the only automobiles on the road! However, as always, she was open - but not necessarily for business - and had a warm and inviting fire roaring when we arrived. Ice covered EVERYTHING. The parking lot, the signs, the trees and even the shoes that hung from the trees!Although there would be no hiking on this day, we certainly enjoyed how amazing Mountain Crossings looked all covered in ice.

We made it back to Helen, GA after being turned around a couple of times due to road closures and, as you can see, Ms. Mallory was glad to be back in the cabin.


Until next time!

Max Patch Bald, December 2010

Talk about COLD! One of the most beautiful places in the Southern Appalachian's - especially in December; however, the temperature didn't get above freezing the entire trip! This was an overnight trip from the parking lot at the base of Max Patch along the Applachian Trail to the Roaring Fork Shelter (about 2.5 miles one way).

Day one included great shots from atop Max Patch looking back towards the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The hike to the Roaring Fork Shelter (a very nice shelter btw - with a privy, camp sites and water nearby.)
However, the overnight stay at the shelter was so cold that we had no choice but to pitch our tents inside of the shelter and sleep with our water. The temps got down to the single digits and tested the limits of my 20 degree down sleeping bag!



We survied the night and the hike back out proved more difficult than the hike in. Weather blew in snow and ice as well as a very heavy fog. The fog was so dense on top of Max Patch on the way out that we lost the trail a couple of times and the incredible photos afforded just a day before were long gone!
All in all, this was a fantastic hike that I will never forget. Regardless of when you go, Max Patch Bald is truly a magical place and whether the vistas are amazing or prohibited by dense fog, you'll surely enjoy your trip there. Happy hiking!

The Foothills Trail (Oconee State Park to Sloan Bridge)

One of the longest organized trials in SC, the Foothills Trail is a continuous 76 mile trail that runs along the Blue Ridge Escarpment. A well blazed trail that crosses back and forth between North and South Carolina, that runs along the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River, that goes through two State Parks (Oconee and Table Rock), that crosses over South Carolina's highest Peak (Sassafrass Mountain) and affords access to several of South Carolina's most popular waterfalls.





On 11/27 to 11/28, Jamie Rhodes and I navigated our way from Oconee State Park to Sloan Bridge at Highway 107, approximately 23.5 miles. This was a relatively easy run with not a lot of extreme elevation gain, but doing that amount of mileage in a relatively short period of time took its toll on us. Also, there was the 24 hour bug I came down with as well which made for a long day on Saturday!

I have to say that some of the vistas of the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River were unbelievable! This trek also provides views of Whiteside Mountain, a short spur trail to King's Creek Falls, as well as looks streching across the South Carolina Piedmont.

An ambitious two day trek, but completely possible. I highly recommend going at the Foothills Trail form West to East as opposed to the opposite way because the elevation seems to work in your favor. Until the next hike...

Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain

Two of be most amazing peaks are just a short hike just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker 420! Black Balsam Knob (6,241 feet) and Tennent Mountain (6,040 feet) are two peaks that afford 360 views into some of the Southern Appalachian's most beautiful terrain. Views span across Graveyard Fields, Looking Glass Rock, Mount Pisgah, Cold Mountain and Shining Rock. Both peaks are located just a few minutes hike from the trailhead that doubles as the Art Loeb Trail and North Carolina's Mountain to Sea Trail.



To find this trailhead, go just past mile marker 420 on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Black Balsam Road and just a little over a half a mile up the semi-paved road is where the Art Loeb Trail and the Mountain to Sea Trail crosses the road. Stay on the Art Loeb Trail / MTST and it crosses both peaks. Black Balsam Knob is a little over a half mile from the trailhead and Tennents Mountain is less than a mile from Black Balsam Knob. These are two peaks that you cannot pass up if you're ever in this area.

Shining Rock

First off, a warning to the beginner hiker, the Shining Rock Wilderness Area is a true wilderness area. There are no blazes - only the occassional Tarma. Either a map, which you should never hike without, and/or a book with a good trail discription is absolutely madatory if you have never hiked this area. Also, don't expect to see the view of Shining Rock in the picture above along the Shining Rock Creek Trail or the Old Butt Knob Trail. This picture of Shining Rock was taken from Tennants Mountain along the Art Loeb Trail. Again, another hike - another blog entry.

Now that a disclaimer has been given and the picture situation has been cleared up I can get on with the hike. On 11/7/09, me and two friends, Jay and Ashleigh, decided to do the 9.5 mile loop to Shining Rock in the Shining Rock Wilderness Area. The drive to the trailhead was an easy one, but that's where the easiness of the trip ended. We parked at the Big East Fork Parking Area off of Highway 276. The plan was to take the Old Butt Knob Trail over to Shining Rock and take Shining Rock Creek Trail back to the car. Well, as they say, the first casualty in battle is always the plan.



As we headed along the Shining Rock Creek Trail, the unblazed Old Butt Knob Trail shrouded itself in a mountain laurel patch and we walked right by it. Therefore, we continued along the Shining Rock Creek Trail, leaving and rejoining Shining Rock Creek several times. This was a fairly gradual ascent headed towards Shining Rock. The trail was sometimes lost in the leaves and hard to determine where the trail actually went. Nonetheless we always seemed to find way back on to the trail. As we began our steepest ascent nearing the Art Loeb Trail, the trail was only designated by the strategically placed Cairn. Finally, the Shining Rock Creek Trail came to an end as it dead ended into the Art Loeb Trail.



We followed the Art Loeb Trail directly to the top of Shining Rock. Along the Art Loeb Trail are several designated camping areas, which apparently are popular camp sites as they were all full. From where the Shining Rock Creek Trail dead ends into the Art Loeb Trail is but a couple hundred yards to the summit of Shining Rock (5,940 feet). The views from atop the summit are limited because there is not a 360 view; however, the views are rewarding looking towards Tennants Mountain, Black Balsam and Mount Pisgah. After summiting this peak we used a books description along with input from other hikers and we finally stumbled upon the allusive Old Butt Knob Trail.



The Old Butt Knob Trail was a fairly easy trail to begin with as it crossed Dog Loser Knob and Old Butt Knob. There were a couple of places to pull off for vistas looking across the Shining Rock Wilderness Area; however, after crossing Old Butt Knob it was completely down hill. The combination of a slick dry leaves and a steep decent combined to make this an almost miserable downhill trek. We all encountered our own stumbles and falls, some more than others, but all found it equally miserable. We finally rejoined the Shining Rock Creek Trail, where we should have picked up the Old Butt Knob Trail to begin with, and hiked back out to the Big East Fork Parking Area.

I can't say that this is one of my favorite hikes as it was not blazed, it had a pretty tough ending, and the reward in the end wasn't what I thought that it would be. However, at least I can say that I hiked it now.

Until the next hike!

Coosa Backcountry Trail, Vogel State Park, Georgia

The weekend of October 17 - 18, me and two friends, Jay and Blake, tackled the Coosa Backcountry Trail in Vogel State Park, which is right outside of Blairsville, GA. I thought it interesting to include the exact date of the hike because it snowed and sleeted on us during the thrid weekend in October. Per a State Park Official, it was the earliest that it had snowed in Northern Georgia in 25 years! Thankfully we were prepared for the cold weather.



The trail is a 12.9 mile loop that leaves Vogel State Park and enters the Chattahoochee National Forest and returns back to Vogel. This was a pretty good trek but I'm sure it could be done in a day if you got an early enough start. The trail is well blazed and hardly had any traffic on it. There are several improved camping areas along the trail for an overnight stay. Don't look for vistas though, that is, until the leaves have completely fallen off. There are, however, a couple of pretty good views crossing Duncan Ridge looking towards Blood Mountain. A word of advice about the trail: most information regarding the trail dictates a clockwise route; however, I found it a whole lot easier if the trail was done in a counter-clockwise direction. Another option along the trail is a spur trail that summits the Appalachian Trail's famed Blood Mountain, but that will be another trip.



Finally, if you make this trip, be sure to check out Mountain Crossing at Walasi-Yi (Pronounced Wa-La-See-Yee). This is a full service outfitter that housed in an original Civilian Concervation Corps building that construction began in 1934 and completed in 1937, ironically the same year the Appalachian Trail was completed. Also, the Appalachian Trail actually runs right through the building!

Until the next hike!

Peaks of the Southeast

Earlier this year I set a personal goal to summit the tallest peak in each of these states: South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. After topping Brasstown Bald in Georgia in October, I have completed my goal. So, check out the descriptions and pictures of each and hopefully it will help you if you ever chose to visit any of these places.



The tallest peak in South Carolina is Sassafras Mountain at 3,560 feet. It sits right on the North Carolina border above Table Rock off of Highway 178. It’s a little difficult to find as the road labeled “Rocky Bottom Road” on the maps has no sign designating it as such. The best way to get there is to go to the Rocky Bottom Community and head east on the only state road heading out of the valley. Eventually this road will turn in to Sassafras Mountain Road. From there, just follow the winding road to the top. However, don’t get your hopes up of seeing amazing views from this peak, especially when leaves are still on the trees, because South Carolina’s tallest peak has been relegated to nothing more than a home to radio and cell phone towers. There’s a parking lot at the base of the peak and then about 100 yards to the top. Also, the Foothills Trail crosses the summit of Sassafras and there are several primitive spots where you can camp.



The tallest peak in North Carolina is the famed Mount Mitchell at 6,684 feet. This peak also holds the title of the tallest peak east of the Mississippi. It is located in Mount Mitchell State Park near Black Mountain, NC right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker 355. There are options to get to the top of the peak. Option one is to park at the ranger station about 2.5 miles after entering the park and hike the Commissary Trail to Alice Camp Trail that ends to the summit or take the Old Mitchell Trail that also ends at the summit. Both trails are about 2 miles each with about 600 to 800 feet of elevation change. Option two is to drive to the base of the summit and take a 100 yard walk to the summit. Either way, the views are VERY rewarding. On a clear day the 360 degree views from the platform at the peak affords you visibility as far away as Tennessee. However, be prepared because the weather here can change on a moment’s notice and the wind is always an issue. During the summer months, the park runs a snack shack, a gift shop and an informative display. There’s also great camping in Deep Gap (about a 4 mile hike north on the Deep Gap Trail that takes you over four 6,500 ft. plus peaks!) as well as camping right within the park boundaries.



The tallest peak in Tennessee is Clingmans Dome at 6,643 feet. This peak holds the title of the third tallest peak east of the Mississippi; third only to Mount Mitchell and Mount Craig, both in North Carolina. Clingmans Dome is located in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park near Newfound Gap on Highway 441, aka the Blue Ridge Parkway. FYI, the road to the summit is closed in the winter months but the peak is still accessible via the Appalachian Trail as it crosses the summit of the peak – the highest point on the 2,175 mile journey of the A.T. However, if you choose not to take the long way to the summit, there is a shorter way: take Clingmans Dome Road to the parking area at the base of the peak and hike up the steep half mile asphalt trail to the observation deck at the summit. Be prepared with additional clothes as the temperature at the top can be 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the surrounding lower elevations. The views here are supposed to be amazing, but I wouldn’t know. The times I have ever been to Clingmans Dome a thick fog has teased me as to what actually lies just beyond the ridge.



The tallest peak in Georgia is Brasstown Bald at 4,784 feet. Brasstown Bald is located south of Blairsville, GA off of Highway 19. This is the only peak that charges a fee for admittance. There is a $3 fee to park at the base of the peak and there is another $3 fee to ride to the peak in a van if you decide to not take the half mile trail that rises over 500 feet to reach the summit. The van ride suited me as I had just got off of another 14 mile trail in nearby Vogel State Park. At the summit of Brasstown Bald there is an observation tower that gives you 360 degree unobstructed views. I must say, this is one beautiful place. Inside the tower plaza is a small museum that gives you the history of the area and the property itself. On a clear day the price of admittance is well worth it.

Hope you enjoy these peaks for yourself!

Until the next hike,

~ Ryan