The AOC-Mazing Adventure: 5 Highest Peaks, 5 States, 1 Day!

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The AOC-Mazing Adventure: 5 Highest Peaks, 5 States, 1 Day!

The Basics:

Event Type:

Adventure

Event Location:

SC, NC, TN, GA and AL

Adventure: The AOC-Mazing Adventure: 5 Highest Peaks, 5 States, 1 Day!

Date(s) & Time:

Sun, Jul 10 2011 6:00 am >> Sun, Jul 10 2011 9:00 pm

Registration Opens:

Wed, May 11 2011 10:00 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Fri, Jul 8 2011 10:00 pm

Event Duration:

One sunrise-to-sunset day!

Difficulty Rating:

D4: Moderate to Difficult

Distance:

5 Miles

Pace:

Fast

Trip Leader(s):

Charlie Cottingham
Scott
Laura

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Member Cost:

None

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

21 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Itinerary:

OVERVIEW: In 1992 I (Charlie) recruited a group of 23 friends who in one July day, between sunrise and sunset, summited the four highest mountains in four different states, thereby achieving as far as we know, a "world record" of sorts. Now the AOC will try to "one-up" that feat by summiting the FIVE highest peaks in FIVE different states in a single dawn-to-dusk day. I'm convinced that it CAN be done, and done safely!
  The trick is to plan our carpooling logistics well, to get an early start near the first peak on summit day, and to take advantage of the fact that each peak has an easily accessible parking lot that is quite close to its summit. Also since the five peaks are reasonably close to one another we can safely complete the four driving legs between them in the one day plus the 5 summit hikes without needing to break any speed limits.
  The fact that we'll have plenty of summer daylight will also help ensure our success! Sunrise on July 10 will be at about 6:35 AM EDT over the first peak and sunset not until 8:55 PM EDT over the 5th peak, 14 hours & 20 minutes later.

GROUP COOPERATION & SAFETY: This will be a cooperative adventure with the common goal of helping one another safely summit all five peaks in the one day. Everyone in our AOC group will be expected to obey traffic laws while driving from each mountain to the next and to consider everyone's safety the number one priority. In case of a vehicle problem or other emergency we intend to recruit a "sweep car" for summit day and we'll encourage all of our carpool groups to stay in frequent touch via cell phone.

SEQUENCE & DESCRIPTION of the PEAKS: The five highest peaks, and the order in which we intend to reach their summits on Sun July 10, are:
1) Sassafras Mountain, highest peak in SC at 3564 feet, on the NC state line near the community of Rocky Bottom, SC. We intend to be atop Sassafras at sunrise
6:35 AM on July 10.
2) Mount Mitchell, highest peak in NC at 6684 feet, in NC near Asheville—also it's the highest US peak east of the Mississippi.
3) Clingman's Dome, highest peak in TN at 6643 feet, on the NC state line in the middle of Great Smoky Mtns Nat'l Park.
4) Brasstown Bald, highest peak in GA at 4784 feet, near Hiawassee, GA.
5) Cheaha Mountain, highest peak in AL at 2413 feet, only 100 miles W of Atlanta and just a few miles south of I-20. We intend to be atop Cheaha by sunset, 8:55 PM EDT on July 10.

OPTIONAL SATURDAY FUN, WARMUP HIKE & LODGING in SC PRIOR TO "SUMMIT DAY:"  We highly recommend that as many as possible of our assigned carpooling parties plan to drive up to SC's "Blue Ridge" mountains on Saturday and spend that night in the "Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center," less than 5 miles from the summit of Sassafras Mountain. The lodging expense will be only $35-per-person double-occupancy or $17.50 quad-occupancy and our AOC group will have exclusive use of the entire Ellenburg Lodge building. The Lodge has a nice common area and kitchen that we all can enjoy, and each of its ten rooms has two double beds and a private bathroom. The Retreat Center requests that if possible we mail our $10-per-room deposit checks by July 2 with our balances (check or cash) payable upon check-in on July 9 -- payable and mailable to "Rocky Bottom Retreat & Conf. Center,"123 Hancock Road, Sunset, SC 29685.
During the day on Saturday we'll offer one or two optional moderately difficult warm-up group hikes on the lovely "Foothills Trail" adjoining Sassafras Mountain (to be discussed at our July 5 final meeting). If you like you can hike to ruggedly beautiful summit of Pinnacle Mtn, just 3 miles SE of Sassafras Mtn in lovely Table Rock State Park.
  Sunday July 10 will be our "target day" for summiting all five highest peaks, and to begin that day we'll need to get up before the crack of dawn to tackle Sassafras Mountain, the first of the five peaks.

MORE ON THE EVENT PLAN:  There's nothing "herculean" or inherently dangerous about our plan for that Sunday (as proven by my 22 friends and myself in our successful 4-summits-in-one-day trip in 1992).
  The total hiking involved will be no more than about 5 miles to ascend and descend the 5 peaks since there are parking lots so close to the top of each, but our four "tween-the-peaks" driving legs that day add up to about 500 highway miles, so we'll have to stay on the move if we are to succeed.
   We'll have "leisurely" driving legs on each end of the trip (about 140 miles from Atlanta to the Table Rock State Park, SC vicinity and about 120 miles from Cheaha State Park, AL back to Atlanta) so the total distance driven all weekend will be about 780 miles—about the same as the Club's roundtrip mileage for the recent May 6-8 Anastasia Beach, FL trip.
  At our two pre-trip planning meetings (and via email) we are organizing compatible 4- to 5-person carpooling teams to take turns driving and navigating and of course to share the gas. Assuming that 4 hikers can share 20-mpg+ vehicles, the fuel expense for the ~780 miles will come to about $35 per person assuming that gas remains at about $3.60 per gallon in early July.
  There'll have to be no "dilly-dallying" to get it all in between sunrise and sunset as planned on Sun July 10 without speeding, so that's why we consider a little "friendly competition" between carpool groups to be healthy for the joint success of the "mission."   We prefer not to require that all of the carpool groups hike together at the three interim peaks since that would likely entail waiting around for cars that may be lagging for various reasons during the day. As mentioned above we'll recruit a "sweep car" to assist in case of some emergency—also to stay in touch with each carpool group via cell phone.
  In any case that Sunday we'll all plan to take a nice sunrise group photo together at the Sassafras trailhead in SC (~6:35 AM EDT), a few minutes later atop that first peak, and again at a joint "success celebration" at the old stone tower atop Cheaha Mtn, AL at or sunset (~8:55 PM EDT). By the way, it's only about a 200-foot hike with just a few feet of vertical to "summit" Cheaha since a parking lot is right there by the old stone tower. We're working on the possible option of some of our group camping at Cheaha State Park Sunday night in lieu of driving back to Atlanta after our strenuous summit day.

NOTE NEW DETAILS POSTED in this ARTICLE!   As they have become available since this article was posted, more details, option descriptions, and directions have been added to this website article. Please re-read it occasionally for new details.

JULY 5 FINAL PRE-TRIP PLANNING MEETING:   This important meeting and "happy hour" will be held on Tue July 5 from 6:00 PM until 7:30 PM in the quiet lobby of the Century Center Marriott Hotel. All participants are encouraged to attend if possible. The hotel is on the southbound I-85 Access Road between the Shallowford Road exit and Clairmont Road exit (about 1 mile NE of the REI Atlanta store).

—Charlie, Scott & Laura

p.s. Thanks to our friend and mentor, AOC Director of Events Tony C, for his wonderful collage of photos above! All are Tony's personal shots with the exception of #1, #8 and #9. From upper left to lower right by rows they are:

1 - Sassafras Mountain, SC - from Google Earth

2 - Mt. Mitchell, NC summit marker

3 - View from near Mt. Mitchell—probably from Mt. Craig

4 - Clingmans Dome, TN observation platform

5 - View from Clingmans Dome looking toward Mt. LeConte

6 - Brasstown Bald, GA observation tower

7 - View from Brasstown Bald

8 - Cheaha Mountain, AL summit marker

9 - View from Cheaha Mountain

Required Items to Bring:

1. Comfortable lightweight Athletic Shoes or Hiking Boots -- also perhaps comfortable Sandals to change into during the longer driving legs.

2. Comfortable lightweight Clothing Layers appropriate for the midsummer weather. Bring light Raingear if showers are forecast.

3. Lunch, Dinner, Snack and Beverage items to consume in our vehicles on Summit Day while en route between the 5 peaks. We suggest that the driver of each vehicle carry a medium-size Cooler so that these items can be accessed easily from within the vehicle so food & drink stops will not be necessary along the summit day route.

4. Detailed Directions as provided by Trip Leaders, if your team's vehicle has an onboard GPS Navigation System we suggest that you use it as an adjunct.

5. Cell Phone and Numbers for contacting designated "sweep car(s)" in case some emergency develops.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
1. Camera with spare battery & memory card.

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

DIRECTIONS from suggested "TEAM MEETING POINT" at I-85 INDIAN TRAIL PARK/ RIDE to our SUMMIT DAY meeting point at ROCKY BOTTOM RETREAT & CONFERENCE CENTER in ROCKY BOTTOM, SC.
(The trailhead for our first of the 5 peaks, SASSAFRAS MTN TRAILHEAD is just 4 MILES past this CONF. CTR, and as discussed above we have excellent optional lodging arranged here for Sat night July 9.)

From: Lat/Lon 33.9302,-84.1760 To: Lat/Lon 35.0495,-82.7972 Suggested Departure: 9AM Saturday July 9.

-Abour 2.5 hours (~140 miles) via I-85 North, SC-11, US-178, and Sassafras Mtn Rd.

1. Take I-85 N about 79 miles and get off at SC Exit #1, immediately past the Lake Hartwell bridge at the state line. (The SC Welcome Center at this exit is a good stop for a restroom break, free SC highway map, etc.).

2. Turn Left just beyond the SC Welcome Center onto SC-11 North (a.k.a. "Cherokee Foothills Scenic Hwy") and go about 48 miles to the US-178 junction.

3. Turn Left onto US-178 and go about 7.2 miles to the little town of Rocky Bottom, SC.

4. Turn Right onto Sassafras Mtn Rd (a.k.a. "Van Clayton Memorial Hwy") and go just 0.3 mile.

5. Turn Right at the sign for "Rocky Bottom Retreat & Conference Center (at 123 Hancock Rd).

6. Our critical "Summit Day" meeting and departure point for all teams will be here at the Retreat Center's "Ellenburg Lodge" at 6:00 AM on Sun July 10. (Bear leftward up the hill after first entering the Retreat property). For all who can arrive during the day on Saturday the Ellenburg Lodge parking lot is also a convenient group departure point for scenic Foothills Trail hikes on Saturday (~3-hr & 5-hr options available to be discussed at July 5 meeting).

Notes:

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

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