August 24, 2010
| This week’s hike was on 3 trails in the Albert Mt. / Standing Indian area near Franklin, NC. First, we hiked the Pickens Nose Trail, then the Appalachian Trail to mile-high Albert Mt., followed by the Mooney Falls Trail.
HIKERS: Phil Brownrigg, Dave Hinson, Bill Hunt, Jack Jacobi, Dick Metzgar, Don Preece, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Vic Robson, Dan Ross, Lynne Saporito, David Whitaker, Geri Whitaker and Carole Wintle. TRAIL INFO. – The Pickens Nose Trail is heavily used by rock climbers/rappelers since it has magnificent rock faces. The views there are awesome! Our second hike started at the parking lot below the summit of Albert Mountain, there is a connector trail up to the Appalachian Trail and then we follow the A.T. up to the summit and fire tower. The Mooney Creek Trail is on the forest service road toward Standing Indian Campground. All the trails were in good shape. Total hiking distance today – Approximately 4 mi. with some elevation changes. Directions: Take highway 441 north from Clayton, GA to the community of Otto, NC. Turn left onto Coweeta Lab Road . Drive several miles up this road and you will see the Coweeta Hydrologic Lab on your right. Continue on past the lab and the road becomes a gravel Forest Service road 83. Continue up this road for several miles and you will come to a sign for Pickens Nose. There is a parking area here. For Albert Mountain, continue on past this area a mile or so and there is a fork in the road and a sign pointing to the right to Albert Mountain. Continue on the right fork to the end of the road where there is a parking area. Hike up the connector trail behind the gate to the A.T. and turn right to Albert Mt. For Mooney Falls, drive back down the road from Albert Mountain and turn right onto F.S. road 83 and continue several miles to the Mooney Falls sign on the left. Another great day for a hike! Partly Cloudy and cool with temperatures staying around 68 degrees F. FLOWERS IN BLOOM: White Snakeroot. White Woods Aster, Hog Peanut, Tall Lobelia, Heart-leafed Aster, False Foxglove, Tall Goldenrod, Summersweet, Heal All, Angelica, Pale Jewelweed, Spotted Jewelweed, Whorled White Aster, White Flat-topped Aster, Peruvian Daisy, Purple Raspberry, Flowering Spurge, New York Aster, New England Aster and Wreath Goldenrod . BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Goldfinch, Pileated Woodpecker, Broad Wing Hawk, Raven, Cardinal, Junco, Towhee, Peregrine Falcon. |
 Parking on F.S. Rd. 83 at the Pickens Nose trail-head. |
 Our first vista today was off of the trail to the left! |
 Taking in the views at the summit of Pickens Nose. |
 Breathtaking views |
 Vic on the most famous outcropping at Pickens Nose! |
 Fungi of the week! |
 The old fire tower at mile-high Albert Mt. |
 View from Albert Mt. |
 Another view! |
 On the side of forest service rd. 83 between Albert Mt. and Standing Indian Campground. |
 Beautiful Mooney Falls! |
 The OFHC gang for today’s hike. (l-r) Tony Presley, Dave Hinson, David Whitaker, Dan Ross, Carole Wintle, Geri Whitaker, Phil Brownrigg, Lynne Saporito, Donna Presley, Bill Hunt, Jack Jacobi, Vic Robson, Dick Metzgar and Don Preece. |