Lookout Mountain, TN

After the baseball game last night, on the way home we went and "climbed" in the car to the top of Lookout Mountain, TN. The special treat was the photo shoot the park service was doing. It was hazy, but we had the park to ourself.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157601553969415/

Rich Knob, GA

GA 4000' peak #15 today. I hiked northbound on the AT to the GA / NC border. Then bushwhacked through the thickest vegetation I have EVER seen. My legs were torn up at the end of this one.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157600946949978/

Eagle Mountain, GA

GA 4000' peak #14 today. a 7 mile hike turned into a 10 mile hike by having bad guide information. a GPS is in my near future. It was a 70 degree day.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157594585325859/

Shawnee Mountain, GA

We "climbed" 24 miles from Lawrenceville home base to 99% to the top of Shawnee Mountain, but the very tip is Closed by the Forsythe County Gov. Trespassers will be prosecuted made us decide not to go further, but we went to the highest legal highpoint on the mountain, registering it as a success.

Kelly Knob, GA

Today we picked up the AT at Dick's Creek Gap. We hiked over Powell Mountain, and to the top of Kelly Knob. Then we hiked back to the car. It was a very windy day, but all in all a very nice day to get away from Atlanta.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157594569349961/

Kennesaw Mountain, GA

SO today we were going to drive te 45 miles to Kennesaw Mountain, drive to the top, take some pictures and go home. The road to the top was closed so we decided on a leisurley hike of 5.5 miles. We climbed Kennesaw Mountain, Little Kennesaw Mountain, and Pigeon Hill. and then back to the car.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157594528727039/

Chimneytop Mountain, GA

Today we climbed Chimneytop Mountian 4383'. The Hike started in the Brasstown Bald parking lot. About 1.2 miles later we were at the top! We took a part of the Arkaquah Trail.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157594503511846/

Piermont Mountain, NH

Cold and clear, we finished of 2006 with a hike up Piermont Mountain. At 2717' this peak is not to be under-estimated.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157594450579806/

Slaghter Mountain and Coosa Bald

Given that it was December 16th and 70 degrees outside we took advantage. The plan was as follows:

Slaughter Creek to
Duncan Ridge to
Bushwack to Slaughter Mountain
Back to Duncan Ridge
To Coosa Bald

What actually happened because of poor maps etc.

Slaughter Creek to
AT Northbound to
Duncan Ridge
Bushwack to Slaughter Mountain
Back to car
Drive to Coosa Bald\Duncan Ridge Trail at Wildcat Gap
To Coosa Bald.

A nice day, but we spent more time reading maps and trying to make sense of trails and maps.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157594423691094/

Springer Mountain, GA

This was a 8.2 mile round trip hike from 3 forks to the southern terminus of the AT (southbound). I was solo on this one and did not speak a word to another human for 5 hours. Ah. mental health restored...

3 forks to Springer Summit- 4.1 miles- 1 hour 20 minutes

Springer Summit to 3 forks- 4.1 miles- 1 hour 13 minutes

Photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157594420618902/

The Lost Sea

Today we went to the Lost Sea in TN. This is the largest known underground lake in North America. Cooler than the lake itself was walking around underground for a mile.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157594392908848/

Rocky Mountain, GA 4017'

The day after Thanksgiving brought a need to get out and work some of the Turkey off. So we (Mary Ruth, Helen, Rob, and I) went back to where we were a few weeks earlier, this Time on the other side of Unicoi Gap. We headed north on the AT for just over a mile to the top of Rocky Mountain. We had 70 degrees on top and a great view, so we decided an early afternoon nap on top was in order. Texas in 5 days.

Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hambrick/sets/72157594391025549/

Blue Mountain and Spaniards Knob

This weekend We climbed 2 more GA 4000'

Blue Mountain and Spaniards Knob. We parked at Unicoi Gap and headed South-Bound on the AT. 2 miles in the topped Blue Mountain on a clear, windy, fall day in Georgia. We did get a clear view of Brasstown Bald from here. Then down into a smaller Gap, and 1 mile later the AT went right, but we didn't.

Spaniards Knob is straight ahead. Not a bad hike except for the thorns. What is it about Georgia peaks without trails to the top, and thorns? Now at the top with our Legs cut up, we headed down and back the way we came. Back to the Car.

I will buy a machete this week.

Photos Here: 4000' Pair

Cowpen Mountain, Fannin County, GA

The ever elusive Cowpen Mountain. 4,149'

We took the East Cowpen Trail at the three forks parking area, and hiked 1.3 miles to where it leveled off at 4,100'. Not having a detailed map, we happened upon a Boy Scout Troop, and decided to walk the ridgeline back to find the summit.

We headed up the ridgeline and walked through numerous blackberry bushes, (very thorny) .5 mile, the trail was to our left side. As we were giving up, we found a peachtree, and under the peach tree was the summit sign and cairn. We had made it! For those of you wanting easy directions to the top do the following:

1. Park in the 3 Forks Parking Lot.

2. Hike 10 minutes to the split off to the Rough Ridge Trail. Keep straight.

3. Hike 10 more minutes to a gentle slope in the trail that bends right. Before the bend there is a creek bed on the left. We stacked a cairn at the creek bed. Turn left uphill.

4. Hike straight up the mountain for 8-10 minutes. Light bushwhacking is required.

5. Look for the Peachtree, the sign and the cairn. Mission Accomplished.

6. To get back down reverse the directions.

7. Let cool and serve. Serves 4-6.

Photos Here: Cowpen Mountain

Bald Mountain, Murray County, GA

Today we had two more 4000' on tap in the North Georgia Mountains.

First up, Bald Mountain 4005' the 29th highest in Georgia.

We drove to Elijay, GA and had lunch at one of the endless quaint cafes' in town. The name was Crumbs and Corks. These folks also had a shop that sold wine and sold cute little gifts. One framed saying stated.

"Cats are children in fur coats." <---HOW TRUE!

Anyway, after a mean egg salad sandwich we departed for the trailhead.

At the "Tearbritches Trail" trailhead we hiked a whopping 4/10 mile to the summit, and let me assure you this mountain was not "bald" It was very dense forest. 15 minutes later we were on the way to Cowpen Mountain. I don't name them I just climb them.

Photos Here: Bald Mountain

Tray Mountain, Habersham and White Counties, GA

After Rabun Bald, we went over to hike the 1.3 miles each way to the top of Tray Mountain. At a whopping 4430' this mountain is the Highpoint of White County. This mountain offers nice views of the North Georgia Mountains, and you can even see the summit tower on top of Brasstown Bald from Tray. An eighth of a mile past the summit of Tray Mountain is a "bump". By all accounts this "bump" is the highpoint of Habersham County.

Photos Here: Tray Mountain

Rabun Bald, Rabun County, GA

Saturday we planned a enventful day of hiking. First up. Rabun Bald, Georgia's 2nd highest mountain. We hiked the 2.9 miles in 1.5 hours, and down in 1 hr and 15 minutes. This was a very steep trail, but we climbed at a good clip. On top it was windy and cooler, but it was hazy.

Photos Here: Rabun Bald Photos

Gwinnett County Highpoint Trip Report

1280'
The highest point is in the northern area at the house at 2811 North Bogan Road in a community called Notting Hill. I didn't find the 1,286-foot BM. I was going to take a picture, but these two older women were getting antsy about us driving by repeatedly. Nothing exciting,

Stone Mountain, Dekalb County, GA

Today we hiked the 2.8 mile round trip to the top of Stone Mountain. Stone Mountain is the county highpoint of Dekalb County. It is a very exposed piece of granite. In addition, it is also home to a rather large tourist trap on the other side of the mountain. You can see Stone Mountain from most every area of Metro Atlanta.

I would be remiss to not mention Gum Cayon, which we passed through on the way down. This "canyon" was created by a natural phenomenon called teenagers.

Photos Here: Stone Mountain Photos

Stumphouse Tunnel, SC

Today went to Stumphouse Tunnel near Walhalla SC. This tunnel was started to go through Stumphouse Mountain around the time of the Civil War, but the tunnel was never completed. The tunnel goes about a half mile into the mountain. The pictures do not do the tunnel justice. It was very dark in there...

Photos Here: Stumphouse Tunnel

Blood Mountain, Lumpkin County, GA

Today we started another goal besides State Highpointing. To climb 10 of the GA 4000' peaks this year. First up, Blood Mountain, GA. At 4458' it is Georgia's 6th highest mountain, in addition it is the highest point on the GA section of the AT.

We are not sure officially why Blood Mountain is named as such, however we have our theories. Their were two car accidents in the parking lot. We were in the parking lot 5 minutes on the way in and 5 minutes on the way out. So accidents bookended our hike. Both accidents involved people backing into other people's cars.

Anyway, onto the hike. We hiked .8 miles on the Byron Reese trail. That trail dead ended into the AT. 1.5 miles on the AT and we were standing on the summit. The total hike was 4.6 miles.

1 down 9 to go.


Pictures here. Blood Mountain

Blueberry Mountain, NH

We snowshoed 4.25 miles to the top of Blueberry Mountain, NH. The snowshoe party was Rob, Helen, Mary Ruth, and myself. Although, these are not highpoints, these hikes are very valuable in training for overall preperation for future hikes, and yes highpointing. Blueberry Mountain is in the White Mountains.

Photos here: Blueberry Mountain