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Best Views Around - Rabun Bald and Whiteside Mtn




The Basics:
Event Type:Hike
Event Location: Sky Valley, Ga   Hike: Best Views Around - Rabun Bald and Whiteside Mtn  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Sat, Feb 6 2016  8:00 am >> Sat, Feb 6 2016 7:00 pm  (Carpool Departure: 8:00 am   *log in for location*)
Registration Opens: Sun, Jan 31 2016 8:48 pm
Registration Cut Off: Fri, Feb 5 2016 12:12 pm
Event Duration:11 Hours
Difficulty Rating:D4: Moderate to Difficult
Distance:6.3 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Mark
Michael Johnson
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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:14
Minimum Group Size:4
Number Registered So Far: 12 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:

Come join us for a hike to two of the most impressive views in the Southeast - Rabun Bald and Whiteside Mountain.

Rabun Bald is Georgia's second highest peak, rising to an impressive 4,696 ft. Atop Rabun Bald is an old stone firetower base, which now has a large wooden observation platform on it. The observation tower provides unobstructed magnificent 360 degree views of the surrounding area - including many of the well known mountains in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. We will be taking the "Lazy-A" approach to the top, which is a 1.5 mile (3 r/t) hike with about 1,200 feet of ascent. After spending about 30 minutes on top to absorb the beauty, we will hike down and then take about a 35 minute drive to Whiteside Mountain.

Whiteside Mountain standing at nearly 5,000 ft (4,930) boasts the highest cliffs, over 700 ft, in Eastern North America. We will hike a loop trail which provides numerous overlooks perched atop the spectacular cliffs. There is a side trail, which usually involves a bit of mild scrambling, that we will take to Devil's Courthouse. The overlook at Devil's Courthouse provides amazing views of the "bowl" which is the headwaters for the famous Wild and Scenic Chattooga River. The hike distance will be about 3.2 miles with approximately 1,000 feet of ascent.

Combined, the hikes will total about 6.3 miles with 2,200 feet of ascent. Anyone signing up for this event should have previous D4 hiking experience or at minimum solid and 'recent' D3 experience. The trip leader reserves the right to remove anyone they don't feel is prepared for this hike.

After returning back to the vehicles, if time permits, we will make a short excursion to Dry Falls, a very short distance west of Highlands. It is known as Dry Falls, because it is possible to walk behind the waterfall and stay dry... well, relatively dry.

We plan to stop for dinner in Clayton on the way home. If you do not wish to stop, please make your plans known at the carpool, so that you can potentially ride with another doing the same, or else you may need to drive your own vehicle.

 


Required Items to Bring:
  • Plenty of water (2 quarts minimium)
  • Lunch and snacks
  • Good hiking boots/shoes
  • Layered clothing appropriate for the expected temps
  • Cash for your carpool driver
  • A good attitude
Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
  • Camera
  • Binoculars
  • Change of clothing for the ride home
  • Deodorant
  • Good, bad, clean, and dirty Jokes

How to Get There:
Event Directions:

http://goo.gl/maps/OtisS

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):235Mile(s)
Carpool Departure Time: 8:00 am
Carpool Location:   Log in for location
Carpool Directions:   Log in for directions
Carpool Cost: Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $94.00 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:

There is a $2 parking fee at Whiteside Mtn. Please share the cost between carpool participants.


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


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