Preacher's Rock 2-3-18

In keeping with the spirit of the 52 hike challenge, we decided to go hiking this weekend despite the weather being cold/overcast/possibly rainy (or snowy- it is Georgia). I figured since we went on a hike on New Year's Day, we started off on the right foot to do 52 hikes (at least). We are not officially committing to the 52 hike challenge because let's face it, I don't keep commitments. I started the 4000+ challenge in 2015 and have only done a handful. I'll probably never complete the 4000+ and I know this. Furthermore, while it's great to be outside, I also work out A LOT. I do indoor exercise at least 5 times a week and sometimes my body needs a break. So whatever form of fitness or hiking fits for you, do that.

Anyways, back to the hike! This week's hike needed to meet several criteria due to time constraints, possible weather issues, and other factors. It needed to not be terribly far away, not a terribly long hike, "hard but not too hard" (James' request), and something in the mountains. So we chose to hike the small stretch of the Appalachian Trail from Woody Gap to Preacher's Rock. It's less than an hour from our house, it has easy parking/access from the highway, it's short, and in my opinion, it's not hard. Afterwards, James actually said he wanted something a little more strenuous. It also has the added bonus of being right outside Dahlonega, so you can grab lunch or dinner once you're done!

We got to the trail head around 10:15 am and it was a lovely 26 degrees outside. The weather forecast called for "partly sunny" skies but the mountain mist seemed to have set in. Fortunately it wasn't windy. I rarely hike if the temperature is below 35 degrees but it actually didn't feel that bad. I think I wore just the right amount of layers to feel comfortable. Hats and gloves make a huge different! We left the dogs at home for this one, because I knew Nova would freeze to death, but saw lots of other folks with dogs on the trail.

The area near the trail head is pretty nifty with some large rock formations that almost look like a small quarry. I think it would be a neat place to camp. We saw lots of icicles of various shapes and sizes in this area. After poking around here for a little, we moved onto the trail. The rock formations and boulders continue along the trail with some rocks serving as stair like features (really suffering from rock formation withdrawal after being in California). Parts of the trail can be ankle twisting, so watch your step.  

Sooner rather than later, you come upon Preacher's Rock, which is a large, rounded rock face with a lovely view of the valley below. It seriously is large enough to accommodate a small congregation. After sitting on the rocks for a while James was like "is that it"? So we continued down the trail to Big Cedar Mountain, which is just a little ways further, and then headed back to the parking area. The total round trip mileage is about 3.4 miles but honestly, it doesn't seem that much. Most other websites rate this hike "moderate" or "more difficult" but I think it's on the easier side. When the weather is warmer, I'd like to do an overnight trip to Blood Mountain from Woody Gap, which is 9 miles each way.

Overall, I wouldn't say this was the most earth shattering hike ever but again, I am currently suffering withdrawals from 70 degree sunny weather and other worldly scenery. What's important is, we got out and enjoyed what is essentially our backyard. After the hike, we ate lunch at Gustavo's in Dahlonega because they make an awesome pizza without cheese on it and they never question why you are ordering a pizza like that. We've been eating there since they were literally a hole in the wall with no liquor license and one table to sit at. Happy to see their success!

Sawnee Mountain and a side trip 11-22-15

I apologize for the lack of posting this week. I have been on vacation (unheard of- I have not taken a real vacation in about 10 years) in Florida. I started this post before Thanksgiving and never finished it. More on Florida later :)

We decided to take a lighter hike on 11/22/15 because we planned to meet family in Dahlonega for a wine tasting and didn't want to show up tired, sweaty or both. Instead of heading deep into the North Georgia mountains, we just went next door to Forsyth County and visited a county park- the Sawnee Mountain preserve.

Sawnee Mountain is not an extremely tall mountain but it has amazing panoramic views of the mountains to the north. It also has an interesting back story relating to Chief Sawnee and native American traditions involving the mountain. At 4 miles roundtrip, with few steep inclines, it’s a pretty manageable walk for adults or kids. There is also a nature center and some outdoor facilities like a ropes course. The only downside is NO DOGS ALLOWED. This is posted in several places so we decided not to test it and left the dogs at home.

The trails is pretty mundane, but there is an entrance to a creepy old mine along the way which is pretty interesting. As you get closer to the top, there are more and more rocks, including the “Indian Seats” which are seat like depressions in the rock were reportedly used for meditation and ceremonies by the Cherokee.

As far as parks and recreation very close to the metro area go, Sawnee Mountain is a pretty neat place. It's in west central Cumming and easily accessible from GA-400. It's an easy ~2 hour or so hike and it would be fun to have a picnic at the top among the rocks. 

So after our hike, we went to Wolf Mountain vineyards in Dahlonega. We have been there many times over the past several years and we love it. I am not a wine critic but everything they produce tastes lovely. It's about $10-15 dollars for a tasting, which includes 6 or 7 different wines with healthy servings sizes. There is also food available to order.

The view was spectacular, as we were there in the late afternoon as the sun was starting to set. I had never actually been there in the fall before and enjoyed seeing the vineyards turning golden. One of the things I enjoy most about living in Georgia, is the seasons and seeing how different scenery changes throughout the year. But on a different note, expect a post about Florida and it's year round sunshine soon!

      

Blood Mountain 10-31-15

In the spirit of Halloween, we decided to hike Blood Mountain. It was a chilly, cloudy, blustery day and felt just like Halloween should feel. Although Blood Mountain is one of the taller mountains in Georgia, it is one of the closest major mountains to where we live. It's located near Dahlonega, which is a great place to visit in and of itself, and we have been there on several other occasions. However, yesterday we were on a timeline (had to get home to watch the FL/GA game- although we totally could have missed that!) so we focused just on hiking.

We started at the ever popular Byron Reece Trailhead off Hwy 19 in Blairsville. We arrived around 10 am and started out. I hiked Blood Mountain about 7 years ago but it was during the summer and everything looked totally different this time of year. 

I love the stream that runs along the beginning of the trail and the changes in foliage as the elevation rises. There were still some red and yellow leaves showing through but most of the leaves had fallen. The trail was a little slick due to some light rain and the leaves covering the ground. The trail is very rocky and root filled, so exercise caution if the ground is wet. I actually fell on the way down on a spot that didn't even look that slippery.

One of the things I like most about the Blood Mountain trail is the "pattern" of the trail. It starts off pretty slow and level, giving you time to warm up. The hardest parts are in the middle, briefly, and then the climb to the summit is pretty relaxed. So for me, it doesn't feel strenuous at all. It is a very enjoyable hike.

Since we had the dogs with us, we didn't spend too much time at the summit. It's hard to wrangle two 

dogs without someone falling off a cliff. It was also very windy and cold at the top and our sweet Nova was a bit chilly (we forgot to bring her sweater). I would say it was probably 15 degrees colder at the summit than in the parking area. We poked around the "hut" and took some pictures before heading back down. Both Nova and Tennille had a great time climbing around the rocks and exploring. Their dachshund noses are in heaven out in the woods. 

All in all, we had a great midday hike and now we can say we officially hiked our first 4000+ peak. We finished around 1:30 pm and made it back home to watch the game, although we should have just stayed in the mountains! The Blue Ridge was looking particularly blue and misty because of the clouds and it was so peaceful.

I'd definitely like to come back again soon and hike further along the Appalachian Trail, camp overnight or visit some of the other recreation areas nearby. Happy November!