Thu, Jun 21 2018 - Upper and Lower Scaly Mountain - mostly Bartram Trail (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Ann, Ralph Howard Participants: Ann, Ralph Howard, Vera N, Diane Windham

We changed the order and completed our Summer Solstice hike in reverse, up Scaly down to Tessentee Campground and then reversed to the Osage Overlook.  Some of us knew that this was Hike Naked Day, and indeed, we met up with some participants in various stages of nakedness.  Just amazing.  At the Osage Overlook we grabbed a quick lunch, reassessed the weather and determined we could complete the bottom half of the hike.  We took the Bartram Trail to the West Fork, then the Hurrah Ridge, returning to the Bartram and then taking the Puc Puggy trail to the Overlook.  Puc Puggy came about when William Bartram met Ahaya the Cowkeep, chief of the Alachua band of the Seminole tribe. When Bartram explained to the Cowkeeper that he was interested in studying the local plants and animals, the chief was amused and began calling him Puc Puggy (the flower hunter).  Completing the second half of the trail took this event to 11 miles and an elevation close to 3000 feet.  The lower half is best done counter clockwise with the return bringing you along moss covered gurgling creek water - something to focus on as you ASCEND. It was a sweating, fulfilling, visually stimulating day!