Sat, Nov 28 2009, Sun, Nov 29 2009 - Beginners Backpacking- Mount Yonah (+Raven Cliffs Falls) (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Tony C Participants: Beverly P, Tara S, Tony C, Roe, Bobbi Lehoullier, Bob, Lan, Matthew Borland, Robert T, Jo, Lucy Clinton

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This little overnight trip turned out to be even more fun than expected....chalk that up to a great group (and some nice weather too).   We started out with the Raven Cliffs Falls dayhike...it was a great warmup and just as pretty as usual.  Some of us climbed up to the top of the cliffs while the others relaxed below with the sweet waterfall views.

We then stopped for a lunch break in Helen...it was mobbed there on Thanksgiving weekend but we managed to get some fast food and be on our way to Mt Yonah.   Before starting up the trail, we all weighed our packs with the handy scale that Lan brought...the lightest was Bobbi at about 27lbs and the heaviest was Bob with about 47....she was smart to have her hubby do some of the heavy lifting on this trip.

We took our time heading up the trail...just enjoyed the views and did not rush.  We made it to the top about a half hour before sunset and set up camp.  Then a couple of us went to the western overlook to enjoy the sunset...the rest just relaxed in camp and could see it well through the trees...got to love those winter views (see pics).

As darkness fell, we made a roaring campfire and enjoyed the views of the lights of Cleveland, GA and below through the trees.  Several of us hiked to some of the different overlooks on the top of the mtn...you didn't even need a headlamp because the waxing gibbous moon was almost directly overhead and very bright.   We hiked out the north side of the mtn and could see the lights of Helen as well as all the mtns on the horizon.

We stayed up pretty late sitting around the campfire and talking.  Sunday morning we were greeted with a nice sunrise and partly cloudy skies.  We took our time eating breakfast and headed down, enjoying the views to the west with the sun now in the east...it was a short hike down to the cars to end this very satisfying trip.