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REGISTRATION & PAYMENT REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page. This is a paid event with payment managed by the trip leader(s) and NOT the AOC. Please read the event description carefully for payment details and instructions.



Hike to the Summit of Panola Mountain: A Rare Metro Atlanta Treat!




The Basics:
Event Type:Adventure
Event Location: About 20 miles SE of Downtown Atlanta
Date(s) & Time:Sat, Mar 12 2011  9:15 am >> N/A
Registration Opens: Fri, Feb 25 2011 9:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Fri, Mar 11 2011 9:00 pm
Event Duration:About 5 hours including extra short hike options
Difficulty Rating:D3: Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Charlie Cottingham
Prachi
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Member Cost:$7.00/Person (See Detailed Cost Info Below)

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:25
Minimum Group Size:4
Number Registered So Far: 24 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:
OVERVIEW: PANOLA MOUNTAIN STATE PARK is a "well kept secret" just southeast of Atlanta. The State Park is an easy drive from anywhere in the metro area, just 10 minutes from the east-side I-20/I-285 Interchange—see detailed directions below.  Some of our members may recall that Panola has been the venue for occasional AOC "Tree Climbing" events which is one of the Park's specialties.
  Geologically Panola Mountain is a smaller "sister" of Stone Mountain. Both are granite "monadnocks" formed about 300 million years ago by molten magma that spewed up into preexisting rock and earth. After they cooled and hardened, these magma "bubbles" slowly became exposed as the softer surrounding layers eroded away, leaving the colossal rock domes that we see today.  Over the eons, a wide variety of plants began to grow on the weathered granite surfaces and their surrounding terrain, creating habitats for rare flora and fauna that are unique to such rare rocky ecosystems.
  Since the mountain portion of the park is entirely within a specially protected conservation area, hiking to its summit is permitted only through special reservations with the State Park.  For this March 12 summit hike we've arranged for an expert Park ranger-naturalist to accompany our AOC group.  The Park charges a reasonable fee for such a "custom guided hike:" just $7 per person, payable individually at the Nature Center.  The fees they collect go toward improvements in the Park's trails and other facilities.
  After this 2-hour summit hike and learning experience we'll gather near our cars for a "bring-your-own" picnic-style lunch—then we'll offer two optional short hikes from the Nature Center-see details below.

SPECIAL RANGER-ACCOMPANIED HIKE PLAN:   Our special AOC reserved group will gather initially at 9:15 AM in the Park Nature Center where we'll greet one another, pay our $7 special hike fee (individually) to the Park Staff, and meet the Park Ranger-Naturalist who will accompany us on the hike.  We'll stop often at scenic spots along the way to observe and discuss rare plants, birds, other fauna and flora, and the mountain's amazing geology.  The ranger-led hike should be over by a bit after 12:00 Noon.
  MAR 11 UPDATE: Additional expert Park volunteers are expected to be on hand to escort our group. As a result of this we are pleased to be able to increase our maximum AOC group size to more than 20 and to confirm everyone who remained on our wait list. 

JOIN US for PICNIC LUNCH!  Please pack a small picnic lunch and a non-alcoholic beverage or two, perhaps in a small cooler that you can leave in your car.  At about 12:30 PM after the summit hike we'll plan to enjoy lunch together at picnic tables near the cars.  Our custom is to share items that we have plenty of, so feel free to pass around your trail mix, fruit, or other goodies if you have extra.  Potable water and restroom facilities are available at the adjoining Nature Center. 

POST-LUNCH OPTIONAL SHORT HIKES:  All who have the time are encouraged to join Charlie and Prachi after lunch for hikes on the Rock Outcrop trail and Watershed trail (beginning and ending at the Nature Center and about a 1-mile loop each). We expect to be back at the cars from these hikes by about 2:30 PM.  MAR 9 NOTE:  For those of you who are into the exciting sport of Geocaching, the Park has several caches that you may wish to locate on your own Saturday afternoon after our AOC group activities.  Go to Geocaching.com for the specific Panola Mtn State Park cache locations. 

WEATHER CONTINGENCIES:   MAR 11 Update:  Weather tomorrow is looking great!  No need to wear long johns or excessively warm upper layers.  It's expected to be sunny and warm quickly into the 50s and 60s.  It is unlikely that we will cancel this event due to inclement weather, so please be prepared for possible showers, etc. by carrying light emergency raingear and perhaps a small umbrella if the forecast so indicates. If strong thunderstorms, etc. are expected the State Park staff may opt to cancel in which case we will try to notify everyone on the night before the event (by email and phone) and post "Canceled" in the above online event announcement title.  We are under no financial obligation to the Park if the hike has to be canceled.

FOR MORE INFO on PANOLA MOUNTAIN:  Visit the State Park's official website at the following link and click on "Hiking" under "Activities" for trails details:
http://www.gastateparks.org/PanolaMountain
For an interesting account and photos of a visitor's April 2010 experience on a guided hike to the summit go to this link:
http://urbanbaboon.blogspot.com/2010/04/panola-mountain.html

Required Items to Bring:

• Wear comfortable well-broken-in Hiking Boots or Athletic Shoes with coarse tread and preferably synthetic or wool-blend Socks.

• Wear lightweight Clothing layers appropriate for the weather forecast and perhaps a Cap, 

• We suggest that you carry a Daypack or Fannie Pack with about 1 Quart of Water (in bottles or in the pack's built-in hydration system).  A daypack is convenient for stashing unneeded or extra clothing layers or for keeping emergency raingear, etc.

• Please bring a Picnic Lunch and Snack Items of your choice:  Feel free to leave your  lunch perhaps in a small cooler in your car (since we'll picnic near the cars after the ranger-accompanied hike) —or keep it in your pack if you prefer.

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

• Trekking Poles if you have a pair and like to use them (or a hiking stick),

• Lightweignt Rain Gear and/or Umbrella if showers are forecast,

• Camera,

• Compass if you have one.


How to Get There:
Event Directions:

PANOLA MOUNTAIN STATE PARK is just 9 miles (about 15 minutes) from the I-20/I-285 interchange on Atlanta's east side. SUGGESTION: Re-zero your odometer at each instruction below and pay close attention to the mileages given and driven.

From the I-20/ I-285 Interchange on Atlanta's east side:

1.  Take I-20 East just 1 mile (toward Augusta) and exit to your right at the first opportunity at "Wesley Chapel Road, Exit #68."

2. Turn Right onto Wesley Chapel Road and go just 0.2 mile to the traffic light at Snapfinger Road.

3. Turn Left onto Snapfinger Road and go about 7.0 miles to the "Panola Mountain State Park" entrance on your left. (Snapfinger Rd becomes concurrent with GA-155 en route to the Park.)

4. Turn Left into the State Park and park near the Nature Center. (It's just beyond the far end of parking lot on your right). Each driver who doesn't display a valid GA State Parks Annual Parking Pass for 2011 will need to pay the $5.00 daily parking fee in a self-service envelope and hang the tear-off receipt on your rear-view mirror.

5. We'll gather at 9:15 AM inside the Nature Center.

The Park's phone number is 770-389-7801.  Input the ADDRESS below if you need a destination for your vehicle's GPS system or if you'd like a "Google.com/maps" map or custom directions from your point of departure.
Panola Mountain State Park, 2600 Georgia 155, Stockbridge , GA 30281


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

Member Cost:$7.00/Person
Cost Includes:

Your $7 special hike fee (for our reserved Ranger-led hike to Panola's summit) is payable in cash individually at the Nature Center when we gather there at 9:15 AM.  As mentioned in the Directions above, please also be prepared to pay the cash self-serve $5-per-vehicle parking fee if you don't have a State Parks Annual Pass.  Please take advantage of the optional free short hikes led by Charlie and Prachi after our picnic lunch.

Make a Payment:Although there is a cost for this event, you do not pay through the AOC. Please review the event details carefully for information about how/where to make your payment.

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