Summit Sunsets - Mount Yonah (+ Moonrise)

This another in the Summit Sunset Series where we will enjoy sunsets from some of the finest scenic viewpoints in GA...all on or near mountain peaks.  If you've never had this experience, you don't know what you're missing, so time to find out...

We often do this hike as a D4, but making it D3 this time and just going at a slower pace.   It is only 2 1/2 miles on the way up...gains about 1500 feet. but if you take it slow, it is a solid D3.

The drive to Yonah is only about 65 miles...very reasonable.  We will stop a couple of times as we get close to take some pics and maybe get a group shot in front of Chambers Lake.  Then we will hit the trail and enjoy a nice overlook about 1/3 of the way up.   We'll also check out "The Boulder" and take a side trip to the climbing wall, if the rockface isn't wet.   We will work our way up the side of the mtn, and the views become more and more expansive as we get higher and higher...

We will take a long break at a rock outcropping for anyone who would like a shot at this very photogenic spot (see pic below).  We then head to the summit, a peaceful clearing surrounded by a ring of trees.   We will take our "lunch break" on a South facing overlook with a superb view of neighboring Pink Mtn...another good photo op here.  Then we head to a western overlook to watch the sunset.

We will hopefully get a sweet sunset at 8:08 and enjoy the fading colors and the darkening sky and the stars appearing one by one above us.  At about 9:30, we will head to an overlook on the other side of the mtn (some bushwhacking required but not more than 1/10 mi) to watch the moonrise at 9:51.  This is a few days after the full moon, but the waning gibbous moon will be still be about 88% illuminated.

We'll start hiking down about 10 min after the moonrise, and it shouldn't take us more than about 45 min to get back to the cars and head home.  

Total distance should be about 4.7 miles...about 1700' of ascent.  Remember the slower pace is what makes this a D3...however...the way up to the climbing wall involves somewhat steep terrain...there are some steel cables to grip onto if you need to.  But it's not that difficult and if anyone doesn't feel comfortable, they could just take a break and wait there for a few min until we come back down...but no one usually has any problems.