Mount Yonah Explorer + Pink Mtn and sunset

Ok I have been to Mt Yonah a few times now, but there are still some areas I'd like to explore, and also some good off trail routes that I haven't had the opportunity to share with a group.  So that is the idea behind this event and should be a lot of fun.

To start off in the spirit of things, we will just head due west from the trailhead with a little light bushwhacking until we intersect the main trail.  I haven't tried this before, but should only be about 2/10th of mile, if that.

From there we will stick to the main trail on the way up, with a little "photoshoot" break at the rock outcrop (see pic below).  Yonah's little sister, Pink Mtn, is right there in the background.

We will check out the south overlook, visit the actual summit (a peaceful grassy clearing), and then perhaps to the seldom visited eastern overlooks.  You get a whole different view and can even see Rabun Bald in the distance.  This part requires about a tenth of a mile of off trail hiking.

At this point, we will then head back down the mtn about halfway to take the trail out to the summit of Pink Mtn.   The national forest boundary actually ends just before a road that goes to the top, but we can walk the last little bit up to the top and back.

From there it is back up Yonah again, but this time we will take the steeper southern approach...off trail and challenging...but not crazy.  I've done this once before and there is no rock climbing involved but a five foot area that we will have to sort of scramble over.  If this is wet, we probably can't do it, but will be fine if dry and not too tricky.

After working our way higher and tagging the summit again, we will head down to the base of the main face...this is where most all of the rock climbing takes place.   There are a couple of little rocky areas on the way there that we can explore as well but we can play that part by ear.   If there are some rock climbers on the main face, we can take a break and watch them for awhile if we have time.
 
From here we will loop up and around and back to the top again on a different route..again off trail, but I've done it a couple of times before, and once with an AOC group.

Then we will enjoy the sunset, which is at 6:26 PM on this day.   We will be back at the rock outcropping and can take some more pics in the golden light if it works out.   We will head down not long afterwards so bring a headlamp or flashlight as it will get dark before we reach the bottom.

Total distance will be about 8 miles and total ascent/elevation gain about 3000+ feet 

will be provided at carpool and via email for those meeting at event.