Tuesday at Vineyard Mt. Trail - - The Mountain Close to Home - Tue, Oct 4 2016

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page.



Tuesday at Vineyard Mt. Trail - - The Mountain Close to Home


The Basics:
Event Type:Hike
Event Location: Riverside Park Day Use Area - Cartersville, GA   Hike:  Tuesday at Vineyard Mt. Trail - - The Mountain Close to Home  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Tue, Oct 4 2016  10:00 am >> Tue, Oct 4 2016 12:45 pm  (Carpool Departure: 9:00 am   *log in for location*)
Registration Opens: Tue, Sep 27 2016 5:30 pm
Registration Cut Off: Tue, Oct 4 2016 9:00 am
Event Duration:2 Hours 45 Minutes
Difficulty Rating:D4: Moderate to Difficult
Distance:6 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Joyce T.
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Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:12
Minimum Group Size:4
Number Registered So Far: 6 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:

** This hike was revised to a D4.  The measured Elevation Gain was approx. 1800 feet **

This is a challenging but rewarding hike. The trails are beautiful with deep woods, water, and a view of the Allatoona Dam.  It's surprising that this trail is so infrequently scheduled, because it's definitely the feel of the mountains with not too much of a drive from town  (45 minutes north of the Busbee Park n' Ride). You should definitely have challenging D3 experience before registering, as there's plenty of ascent on the numerous hills.  We will take the hike at a moderate pace, but even at that, it is NOT a hike for beginners

The hike will be a combination of the yellow, blue, and red trails for a total of about 6 miles. The yellow and blue portions are rated intermediate with the .7 mile of the red trail being advanced. (This .7 miles is the portion of the hike that raises the difficulty to a D4. It's a challenging climb.)  As the name implies, the out and back trail climbs and descends Vineyard Mountain and then hugs the shoreline of Lake Allatoona as far south as the parking area adjacent to Bethany Bridge near Red Top Mountain. 

The carpool will leave promptly at 9:15 am for this hike.  The hike itself will start around 10:00 am, but we can start a bit earlier if the carpool is on time. We should end the hike by around 1:45 pm. If you choose to drive yourself, plan to meet at the trailhead by 9:50.  

Those who have the time are invited to join the group to eat at the fabulous SWHEAT MARKET DELI  on Main Street in Cartersville. Lunch should be over no later than 3:00 pm.  Directions to the restaurant and a link to the menu are provided below.


Required Items to Bring:

Water/electrolyte drinks

Sturdy hiking shoes

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

Hiking poles 

Trail snacks


How to Get There:
Event Directions:

513 Allatoona Dam Rd.,  Cartersville, GA

34.16189;  -84.73753

Take I-75 North for 13.7 miles to Exit 285 Red Top Mtn. Road

Keep LEFT to take the ramp toward Allatoona Dam

Turn LEFT onto Red Top Mt. Rd  - - go .5 mi.

Turn RIGHT onto Red Top Mt. Road Connector - - go .2 mi

Turn RIGHT onto US-41/Joe Frank Harris Pkwy. - - go 1.1 mi

Turn RIGHT onto Allatoona Dam Rd/GA-294 - - go 1.7 mi

If you reach the end of Allatoona Dam Rd., you've gone about .1 miles too far

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):40Mile(s)
Carpool Departure Time: 9:00 am
Carpool Location:   Log in for location
Carpool Directions:   Log in for directions
Carpool Cost: Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $16.00 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:

Bathroom facilities are available close to the trailhead. Stop at the bathroom house before continuing up the road to the trailhead (on the right).

After the hike, those who are interested can join me at SWheat Market/Deli in Cartersville for lunch.  Be sure to determine whether your carpool driver plans to stop for lunch if you're meeting the group at Busbee. Be prepared to drive yourself if everyone else is planning to stay for lunch.

5 East Main St., Cartersville, GA 30120

Menu:  http://swheatmarket.com/menu/index.html


* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.


Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.