AOC 10th Anniversary Dayhike ! - Thu, Apr 14 2011

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AOC 10th Anniversary Dayhike !


The Basics:
Event Type:Hike
Event Location: Helen, GA
Date(s) & Time:Thu, Apr 14 2011  10:00 am >> N/A  (Carpool Departure: 10:15 am   *log in for location*)
Registration Opens: Mon, Mar 28 2011 9:15 pm
Registration Cut Off: Wed, Apr 13 2011 10:00 pm
Event Duration:per itinerary
Difficulty Rating:D3: Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Tony C
Larry Cooper
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Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:12
Minimum Group Size:4
Number Registered So Far: 9 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:

Ok last October, we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the formation of the AOC with several exciting events.. For this one, we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the very first outdoor event held... on April 14, 2001, a dayhike led by Amy Pickwick, the founder of the AOC..

Here is the writeup for that one:

Our first hike was a success; everyone had a great time and no one got hurt! We started at 10 AM by hiking up the scenic path to Anna Ruby Falls (just North of Helen, GA). Once at the top of the 0.4 mile easy to moderate trail, we stopped at the base of the falls to take pictures, take in the scenery, socialize etc. We then went back down the trail and upon reaching the bottom, climbed in our cars and headed to the Unicoi Lake Trail. This 2.4 mile easy loop gave us both more photo opportunities and a chance to socialize with one another more. Although an easy hike, this loop provides many opportunities for fishing, swimming, hiking and large open areas condusive to sports. When it was all over, we enjoyed lunch alongside the Chattahoochee River at the Troll Tavern in Helen, GA and were done with the activity by early afternoon. - Amy Pickwick

And here are a few pics from that historic occasion:







So exactly 10 years later we are going to recreate the outdoors portion of this first AOC event. We will start with Anna Ruby Falls and take the easy 1/2 mile walk up.  This trail gains about 200 feet in elevation. 

We will then move on to the Unicoi State Park Lake trail and do the 2 1/2 mile hike there.   As you would expect, this trail follows the edges of the lake and is very scenic.

At this point, instead of going to the Troll Tavern, we will head over to nearby Mt Yonah (which wasn't even part of the National Forest with a developed trail back in 2001).  We will end the day with a hike to the summit and view the sunset if conditions are favorable.

The total distance between the three hikes will be about 8 miles with elevation gain close to 1900 feet. These sound like solid D4 stats, but we are going to make this one a D3. because pace is everything...and we will just take our time with a leisurely pace.   It won't feel nearly as strenuous as a D4 would.

Also it is tricky to figure out a good carpool time with there being three hikes in here.  This is on a weekday so it is set it to hopefully miss morning rush hour traffic. If we have some time to burn before Yonah, we can always stop and get something to eat or just hang out at Unicoi Lake a bit longer.   Sunset is at 8:08 PM so don't count on getting back to the carpool until about 10:30 PM.   As long as the weather cooperates, it will all be good. 

But to recap where the AOC has come in ten years, there have been nearly 2500 events held and over 33,000 person-trips.  That's a lot of wonderful memories and smiling faces...lets hope for at least 10 more...



Required Items to Bring:
  • headlamp or flashlight
  • water and enough food to keep your energy level up
  • hiking boots or trail shoes
  • Recommended Items to Bring:
    Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
  • trekking poles
  • camera
  •  


    How to Get There:
    Event Directions:

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

    Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):169Mile(s)
    Carpool Departure Time: 10:15 am
    Carpool Location:   Log in for location
    Carpool Directions:   Log in for directions
    Carpool Cost: Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $67.60 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:
    * We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

    Cost Includes:NA

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