mikebellhelo

Date: 09/10/2024 Name: Appalachian Trail – Tellico Gap to Wesser Bald & Beyond Distance: 5.6 Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult Total Climbing Elevation: 1,319 Type: Out & Back Notes: Yes, it is a long drive, but there really are some beautiful 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains and valleys from the Wesser Bald Fire Tower. The […]

Date: 09/03/2024 Name: Lake Russell Loop Trail Distance: 6.0 Difficulty: Easy Total Climbing Elevation: 499 Type: Loop Notes: It seemed like fall with beginning cloudy skies, a light breeze and temperatures between 67F and 73F. The trail was in very good condition with no obstructions. At the beginning of the hike, Heather lead us on

Date: 08/27/2024 Name: Clifftop Vista & Ranger Falls Loop Trails Distance: 5.7 Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Total Climbing Elevation: 1,345 Type: Loops X 2 Notes: With continued cooler weather in the mountains with 63°F to 76°F temperatures, we enjoyed some new and old trails in the Cliffside Recreation area northwest of Highlands, NC. Parking on

Date: 08/20/2024 Name: Jack's Knob Trail from Jack's Gap to Chattahoochee Headwaters Distance: 4.9 Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult Total Climbing Elevation: 1,453 Type: Out & BAck Notes: Another "great day for a hike" with mild, 64°F to 72°F temperatures. This was a moderate to strenuous difficult hike from the several short, but steep climbs on

Date: 08/13/2024 Name: Mountain to Sea Trail (MST)-Grassy Ridge Mine Overlook to Balsam Gap Distance: 8.5 Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Total Climbing Elevation: 318 Type: One-Way Notes: Another mild day in the mountains with temperatures between 66F and 72F and a high canopy to provide shade. This is a very nice well-maintained trail that parallels

Date: 08/06/2024 Name: Yellow Patch-AT Loop Trail + Pickens Nose Distance: 7.74 Difficulty: Moderate Total Climbing Elevation: 1,214 Type: Loop Notes: REVIEW:The Yellow Patch section of this trail could be very nice, but unfortunately has suffered from lack of maintenance with serious overgrowth and numerous blowdowns. The trail is blazed, but the blazing is absent

Date: 07/30/2024 Name: Bartram Trail – Bob's Gap to Warwoman Dell Distance: 6.6 Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Total Climbing Elevation: 1,457 Type: One-Way Notes: Today's shuttle hike was easy to moderately difficult on a well- maintained trail that was surprisingly easy on the feet with few rocks and roots. While not a lot of views

Date: 07/23/2024 Name: Chinquapin Mtn & Glen Falls Trails Distance: 5.9 Difficulty: Moderate Total Climbing Elevation: 1,329 Type: Out & Back Notes: Despite the overnight rains, both trails were in very good condition showing ongoing maintenance. Thus, we encountered very few muddy sections or blowdowns. The Chinquapin Mtn. Trail is moderately difficult, but the climb

Date: 07/16/2024 Name: Siler Bald Loop Distance: 5.0 Difficulty: Moderate Total Climbing Elevation: 1,266 Type: Loop Notes: We encountered better than expected hiking weather with mild, 71°F to 75°F temperatures, lower humidity and an occasional breeze, making for a pleasant hike. The overall hike is moderately strenuous due to the continual climb over the first

Date: 07/09/2024 Name: Chattooga River/ Foothills Trail South from Burrell's Ford Campground Distance: 6.7 Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Total Climbing Elevation: 768 Type: Out & Back Notes: The weather was the biggest challenge today with the very high humidity and no wind making the mild 67 °F to 82 °F temperatures seem much higher. Thank