Gregory Bald Azalea Hike - Sat, Jun 2 2012

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Gregory Bald Azalea Hike

The Basics:

Event Type:

Hike

Event Location:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Jun 2 2012 10:10 am >> Fri, May 25 2012 9:00 pm (Carpool Departure: 7:00 pm *log in for location*)

Registration Opens:

Mon, May 28 2012 8:00 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Fri, Jun 1 2012 10:00 am

Event Duration:

14 Hours 30 Minutes

Difficulty Rating:

D6: Advanced (Exploratory)

Distance:

15.7 Miles

Pace:

Moderate

Trip Leader(s):

Mark
Alex R

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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:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

6 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Note: This is an "EXPLORATORY" trip. This means that there are parts of this trip, or perhaps the whole trip, that is new to your Trip Leader(s). However, they are confident that this will not be an issue.
This note is here so that you can make an informed decision. When a Trip Leader isn't personally familiar with a trip, there is an increased chance of things not going as planned and you need to be prepared. The Trip Leader may have additional details in the itinerary.

Itinerary:

Latest Bloom Update as of 5/21/12 from smokiesinformation.org:

Flame Azalea Report for Gregory Bald – A few of the orange and yellow azaleas are blooming. A few more appear as if their blooms will open within the next five days. Most of the buds on the shrubs are very tight. My estimate is that the blooms will either peak the first full week or the second full week of June. With the 90+ degree weather predicted this (Memorial Day) weekend the time for blooms to reach peak could be advanced.

Azalea lovers from all over the world come to Gregory Bald to experience the finest display of flame azaleas anywhere on the planet. Gregory Bald is a 10 acre grassy meadow with azaleas in a rainbow of colors, including fire red, wine red, orange, salmon, yellow, white, pink, and even multi-colored azaleas.

Our loop hike will start at the Twentymile trail head. We will begin with an easy .5 mile on the Twentymile Trail and then begin the steep ascent up the Wolf Ridge Trail. We will hike 6.3 miles on the Wolf Ridge Trail to the Gregory Bald Trail. From there, it is another 1.2 miles to the Bald. After enjoying a long break among the Azaleas on the Bald, we will continue on the Gregory Bald Trail to Long Hungry Ridge Trail. After a steep descent over 4.6 miles on the Hungry Ridge Trail, we will rejoin the Twentymile Trail. From there, it is another 2.6 miles along Twentymile Creek to the side trail for the Twentymile Cascade, where we will stop to enjoy the falls. After that, it is less than a mile to the end of our hike.

This will be a strenous 16 mile hike with over 3,600 feet of elevation gain in the first 7.5 miles. On the way down from Gregory Bald, we will descend about 2,000 feet in the first 3 miles. If you have not completed several recent D5 hikes, the TL will contact you to discuss your fitness for this hike.

Note: This hike may have people registered prior to the opening registration time. This is due to the fact that this second event was added to alleviate the long waiting list on the 6/16 hike and people who were already registered or on the waiting list for that event have been given the opportunity to switch their registration to this event.

Credits - thanks to Laura V for the original idea of posting this hike this year, researching it, keeping tabs on the azalea bloom predictions, and for suggesting this second hike to help accomodate all of the member interest.

Required Items to Bring:

* Sturdy hiking shoes or boots
* Water and/or sports drink - at least 3 liters!! (I highly recommend 4 liters)
* Lunch and Trail Snacks
* Emergency rain gear
* LED flahslight or head lamp; although not planned, it's always a possibility on a hike of this nature that we could finish after dark and you should be prepared.

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

* Camera
* Sunscreen
* Bug Spray
* Bandana or Hat
* Change of clothing for the car ride home

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

The trailhead is at the Twentymile Ranger Station.
GPS Coordinates: 35° 28' 9.9" N, 83° 52' 18.8" W.
Detailed directions will be emailed to all drivers.

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):

300Mile(s)

Carpool Departure Time:

7:00 pm

Carpool Location:

Carpool Directions:

Carpool Cost:

Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $120.00 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:

Some of us may drive up the night before and stay in a nearby campground or other lodging.

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

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

If severe weather is predicted, this event willl be cancelled for safety reasons.