February 15, 2011
| Today’s hike was in Rabun Co., GA on the Chattooga River Trail starting at Sandy Ford Rd and hiking southward. – 6 miles round trip.
HIKERS: John Bellamy, June Bellamy, Karen Brown, Chuck Crisp, Jackie Crisp, Bill Hunt, David Hinson, Jack Jacobi, Dick Metzgar, Bruce O’Connor, Jeanne O’Connor, Lynne Porter-Whitmire, Rick Porter-Whitmire, Don Preece, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Joe Raguckas, Vic Robson, Lynne Saporito, David Whitaker, Geri Whitaker and Carole Wintle. TRAIL INFO. – This portion of the Chattooga River Trail is very nice with great views of the river for a long stretch more than a mile with nice mountain viewsalong the way. The trail has some hills but we give it only a moderate difficulty rating. Directions: Take Warwoman Road 5.9 miles from Clayton and turn right on Sandy Ford Road. Cross the bridge and stay on Sandy Ford Rd. for a few miles and cross a ford and continue about a mile until the Boulder on the right side of the road engraved with “Chattooga River Trail – 10 mi. Highway 76”. Park here and hike southward toward Highway 76. Another great day for a hike! Fair with temperatures ranging from 36 to 61 degrees F. FLOWERS IN BLOOM: none BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Pine Warbler, Nuthatch, Black & White Warbler, Dark-Eyed Junco. |
 Our trail-head for today on Sandy Ford Rd. |
 Another great day for a hike! |
 The Chattooga River is a Federally designated “Wild and Scenic River”. |
 The beautiful Chattooga River! |
 Lunchtime on the river! |
 A typical view along the river |
 Nice! |
 This nice area even has a rope swing on the edge of the river. |
 Vic checks out the rope and someone dares him to do it! |
 There he goes! *note – Vic is not a teenager anymore…. |
 We found a couple of girdled pine trees along the trail. We did not know for sure what critter did this since pines are not usual beaver targets. Let me know if anyone knows the probable culprit. |
 The OFHC gang for today’s hike (l-r kneeling)Jackie Crisp, Bill Hunt, “Merlin the trail dog”, Chuck Crisp, “Honey the trail dog”, Lynne Porter-Whitmire, David Hinson and “Faith the trail dog”, Lynne Saporito and “Hope the trail dog”. (standing l-r) Tony Presley, Carole Wintle, David Whitaker, Karen Brown, Don Preece, Jack Jacobi, Donna Presley, June Bellamy, Geri Whitaker, John Bellamy, Rick Porter-Whitmire, Jeanne O’Connor, Bruce O’Connor, Dick Metzgar, Vic Robson and Joe Raguckas. |