January 19, 2010
| Today’s hike started at Lake Winfield Scott, near Suches, GA. We hiked up the Slaughter Creek Trail 2.7 miles and connected with the Appalachian Trail and hiked .7 miles up to the summit of Blood Mountain. Then we returned to the trail junction at the Slaughter Creek Trail and hiked down the A.T. 2.3 miles to the Jarrard Gap Trail and 1.2 miles back down to the lake. Total hiking distance – 7.6 miles.
HIKERS – John Bellamy, June Bellamy, Chuck Crisp, Jackie Crisp, Pam Euliss, Dave Hinson, Bill Hunt, Dick Metzgar, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Joe Raguckas, Vic Robson, Dan Ross, Pom Sinnock, and Carole Wintle. TRAIL INFO. A beautiful loop starting at Lake Winfield Scott and including the Slaughter Creek Trail, The Appalachian Trail and The Jarrard Gap Trail. The Appalachian Trail had several significant trees down across the trail between Bird Gap and Jarrard Gap. These appear to be very recent blowdowns. Directions: From Cleveland, GA, travel North on Highway 129 for 21.3 miles and turn left just past Vogel State Park onto Highway 180. Continue on Highway 180 (Wolf Pen Gap Rd) for 6.7 miles and turn left at Lake Winfield Scott Rd and travel .5 miles to the parking lot. ($5 per car parking fee) Another great day for a hike! Fair and cool with temperatures ranging from 38 to 53 degrees F. FLOWERS IN BLOOM: Purple Violet BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Cardinal, Dark-eyed Junco, Raven, Carolina Wren, American Crow Other Fauna: Grey Squirrel |
 Our starting point today – Lake Winfield Scott |
 We hiked up to Blood Mt on the Slaughter Creek Trail and back on the Jarrard Gap Trail. |
 Headed up the Slaughter Creek Trail |
 Lots of nice mountain views all the way along the trail. |
 We enter the Blood Mountain Wilderness. |
 Another great day for a hike! |
 The hike is mostly uphill all the way to the summit of Blood Mt. |
 Now on the Appalachian Trail we head up the rock steps above Slaughter Gap. |
 On the summit, we are treated to great mountain views! |
 The Blood Mountain Shelter – built in the 1930’s by the C.C.C.! |
 Another view from the summit. |
 Standing on the massive boulders above the shelter. |
 Lots of boulders on Blood Mt. This one seems to have a face…. |
 The OFHC gang for today’s hike (l-r front). Dave Hinson, Jackie Crisp, Chuck Crisp, Pam Euliss and Donna Presley. (l-r back) Dick Metzgar, Carole Wintle, June Bellamy,John Bellmay, Bill Hunt, Joe Raguckas, Dan Ross, Vic Robson, Pom Sinnock and Tony Presley. |