Stone Mountain Sunrise and Partial Lunar Eclipse

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Stone Mountain Sunrise and Partial Lunar Eclipse

The Basics:

Event Type:

Hike

Event Location:

Stone Mountain Walkup (near Confederate Hall)

Hike: Stone Mountain Sunrise and Partial Lunar Eclipse

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Apr 4 2015 6:00 am >> Sat, Apr 4 2015 8:15 am

Registration Opens:

Mon, Mar 23 2015 8:00 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Sat, Apr 4 2015 5:00 am

Event Duration:

2 Hours 15 Minutes

Difficulty Rating:

D2: Easy to Moderate

Distance:

2 Miles

Pace:

Moderate

Trip Leader(s):

Ron S

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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:

11 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Itinerary:

See the sunrise in the east and a partial lunar eclipse in the west at the same time!

We'll meet at 6:00 am near the restrooms by Confederate Hall at the foot of the Stone Mountain walkup trail, and start walking up no later than 6:10 am to give us plenty of time to get to the top well before the main event. The sunrise will be 7:21 am and the moonset will be 7:26 am.

For some of us, this is a long drive for a 2 mile hike, but this is a very unusual lunar eclipse at sunrise. It will not be a total "blood moon" since it is partial from our viewpoint, but should appear large and reddish- orange because of the lighting and low altitude. I chose that promo picture to imagine the moon being eaten by the shadow of the earth and then disappearing into the underworld below the horizon. (All wizards, witches and nature lovers are invited.)

We'll hang around the top for a few minutes and then head back to the cars through the woods as much as possible (for variety).

For extra credit :-) you can read up on all the astronomical details here.

Required Items to Bring:

Good hiking shoes.

Windbreaker (sine it's almost always breezy at the top)

Water

Headlight (the beginning of hike may be pretty dark)

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

Consider bringing a lightweight camp chair/stool.

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

To the main entrance - From I-285 take U.S. Hwy 78 East (Snellville/Athens) exit. Travel about 7 miles and take Exit 8, the Stone Mountain Park Main Entrance. After entering the main entrance, proceed straight ahead. The road will fork at about 1 mile – stay to the right. Continue to follow the road for another mile. Look for the large Confederate Hall parking lot on your left where we park during the hike. We'll gather by the stone restroom building at the base of the Walk-Up Trail

I'm not sure if the West Gate entrance, closer to Stone Mountain Village will be open. If you enter here, turn right through the gate and look right away for the Confederate Hall parking lot on your left.

There is also free parking in Stone Mountain Village but I can't tell you specifics, but it will be about a half mile away so give yourself enough time to get to our starting spot.

The main gate is open early (not sure about the west gate). The daily parking fee is $15 but the annual pass is $40 which you can buy here: http://www.stonem ountainpark.com/tickets- specials/parking.aspx

Notes:

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

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

I will cancel this the night before if is certain to be heavy rain.