Giving back to Trails near Amicalola Falls in conjunction with Dahlonega TrailFest - Sat, Sep 8 2018

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.



Giving back to Trails near Amicalola Falls in conjunction with Dahlonega TrailFest


The Basics:
Event Type:Volunteer
Event Location: Jake and Bull Mountain rec area, 10 mi W of Dahlonega, GA (~1-hr drive from Atlanta)   Volunteer: Giving back to Trails near Amicalola Falls in conjunction with Dahlonega TrailFest  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Sat, Sep 8 2018  8:45 am >> Sat, Sep 8 2018 12:00 pm
Registration Opens: Mon, Aug 20 2018 8:00 am
Registration Cut Off: Fri, Sep 7 2018 1:00 pm
Event Duration:3 Hours 15 Minutes
Difficulty Rating:D3: Moderate
Distance:2 Miles
Pace:Leisurely
Trip Leader(s):
Charlie Cottingham
Email Trip Leader(s)
You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.
Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:15
Minimum Group Size:0
Number Registered So Far: 4 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:

We want to thank our friends at REI who plan and manage their volunteer stewardship programs for inviting the AOC to partner with them in this worthy ~3-hour trail maintenance project.  Our "AOC subgroup" will be working with their expert personnel and other volunteers to improve existing trails in the lovely Jake and Bull Mountain recreation area near Dahlonega.  (It's in the Chattahoochee Nat'l Forest, just east of Amicalola Falls State Park.)  No previous experience is required!  Instruction, tools, safety gear, etc. will be provided by our friendly hosts. 

IMPORTANT!  All volunteers for this event (whether or not you're an Atlanta Outdoor Club member) should formally Pre-register via the REI Website by clicking this link and completing their online signup form:  REI Registration for Jake & Bull Mtn Volunteer Project

Although this event is not directly sponsored by the Atlanta Outdoor Club we request that you ALSO record your participation as an AOC member-volunteer by clicking, etc. at the base of this article.
 
As of Aug 22nd there were 17 REI volunteer spots for this Project still available. Here is REI's online info about it from their above-linked Volunteer Registration webpage:
  "Join REI, Northeast Georgia SORBA, the Chattahoochee Trail Horse Association, and the US Forest Service for trail work at Jake and Bull Mountain during the Dahlonega Trail Fest! This is a fun work day and a great way to volunteer and give back to the outdoor trails we love. No experience is necessary. Everyone is invited including groups and families. We will be providing lunch, drinks, a free T-shirt, and a great day of volunteering! All tools will be provided. Please wear long pants closed-toe shoes. Bring work gloves and a hard hat or bike helmet if you have one. After the service project, head down to the square at the Dahlonega Trail Fest for food, drinks, and outdoor activities. Every volunteer over the age of 21 will also receive a free drink ticket for the Trail Fest beer tent!"

At about noontime after the trail work is done, volunteers are invited to caravan with our REI hosts to their "Trailfest Outreach" headquarters in nearby Dahlonega at the big annual festival on the town square.  Click here for our main AOC "Event Article" about our 4th annual participation in Trailfest: https://www.atlantaoutdoorclub.com/event/details.asp?eventid=15878
  AOC volunteers who are into hiking are encouraged to gather at Trailfest with other members (1:00 PM at the Dahlonega Visitor Center on the town square) and caravan/carpool to nearby Woody Gap, just north of town, for an easy 2-hour "Trail Magic" hike on the Appalachian Trail - see more about this in our other AOC Trailfest event article.
 

Jake & Bull Mountain Trail System -Info from the Internet:
The Jake Mountain and Bull Mountain Trails interconnect to form a complex system of scenic trails within a four square mile area in the Chattahoochee National Forest's Blue Ridge Ranger District, about a ten-minute drive westward from downtown Dahlonega. This is a mountainous and heavily wooded part of Lumpkin County.  The trail system consists of single-track dirt trails, gravel roads and renovated logging roads that are accessed by two trailhead.  There is fairly spacious dirt parking available at each trailhead - also primitive Camping is allowed in the area on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Elevations range from 1,700 to 2,500 feet. The single-track trails are shared by mountain bicycles, horses, and occasional hikers.  Although some of the area is subject to motor vehicle traffic but no motorized vehicles are allowed on the single-track trails.
Cautions: This area is open to various hunting seasons throughout the year, so consider wearing bright neon colors esp. at those times.  Also be esp. careful when using any roadways that may be shared with motor vehicles.

Use of Primitive Campsites: On a first-come basis with no reservation needed.
Open Season: Year-round 
Water: No Drinking water 
Restroom: None

 


Required Items to Bring:

-  Our REI hosts will email more Details about what to Wear and Bring, + final Directions, etc. to all volunteers who register properly via their website, as discussed above.

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

- Change of clean dry Clothes & Shoes to keep in your car and change into if necessary for Trailfest excursion, return drive home, etc.
- Lightweight Rain Gear in case there's a shower.
- Extra Water or cooler of Refreshments, etc. to keep in your vehicle if needed.


How to Get There:
Event Directions:

Specific Directions and other event details will be emailed to each registrant by our REI hosts, provided that you pre-register for the event via their above website link.

GPS and Maps.Google.com users can locate the Jake Mountain Parking Lot (presumably the meetup spot for the event) by entering the following concise Lat/Lon coordinates as your Destination Address: 34.5652, -84.1286
Be sure to include the comma, minus sign & decimal points.
The general driving route from Atlanta is to take GA-400 North about 45 miles to Dahlonega, then GA-52 West about 10 miles. Turn right onto Nimblewill Church Rd and it's about 1.7 miles to the parking lot on your right.


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

Cost Includes:

Free Event, with Lunch & Refreshments provided in Dahlonega by REI hosts after trail work is completed.


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