Fall Color Photo Hike - Black Rock Mountain State Park - Sun, Oct 23 2011

REGISTRATION 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.



Fall Color Photo Hike - Black Rock Mountain State Park


The Basics:
Event Type:Hike
Event Location: Clayton, GA   Hike: Fall Color Photo Hike - Black Rock Mountain State Park  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Sun, Oct 23 2011  8:00 am >> Sun, Oct 23 2011 6:00 pm  (Carpool Departure: 8:00 am   *log in for location*)
Registration Opens: Thu, Sep 22 2011 9:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Sat, Oct 22 2011 4:00 pm
Event Duration:10 Hours
Difficulty Rating:D4: Moderate to Difficult (Exploratory)
Distance:8 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
John Christopher
Email Trip Leader(s)
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Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:15
Minimum Group Size:4
Number Registered So Far: 10 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Note: This is an "EXPLORATORY" trip. This means that there are parts of this trip, or perhaps the whole trip, that is new to your Trip Leader(s). However, they are confident that this will not be an issue.
This note is here so that you can make an informed decision. When a Trip Leader isn't personally familiar with a trip, there is an increased chance of things not going as planned and you need to be prepared. The Trip Leader may have additional details in the itinerary.

Itinerary:
The fall color season is here again! Join me for a fall color photo hike in the North Georgia Mountains. We'll visit the state park with the highest elevation since the leaves change first at higher elevation. Along with an invigorating hike, we'll take time to photograph a waterfall, creek, scenic overlooks, and a fern forrest.

Check out this link for a sample of the fantastic views.
http://www.getoutdoorsgeorgia.org/parks/index.asp?parkId=3

Photo Hike: This hike will be geared toward the hiker that wants to balance exercise with the chance to enjoy the scenery. We'll take a moderate pace and allow for breaks at scenic spots. Photographers of all levels and abilities are welcome. Please bring your point and shoot camera, SLR, or other favorite camera. Click the following links for information on why leaves change colors in the fall and on general tips for photographing fall colors. For general info on photography, see photo.net.

Blackrock Mountain State Park:
This hike is located located in the Blue Ridge Mountains just north of Clayton, GA, Black Rock Mountain is Georgia's highest State Park, with much of its rugged terrain at 3000' above sea level or higher. On clear days hikers enjoy 80-mile vistas, including three states! Several overlooks offer beautiful views of the Southern Appalachian mountains and the valleys below. In other places the trails encircle lakes and meander along cascading streams with occasional small waterfalls.

Our plan is to take a moderate pace and to hike the James E. Edmonds trial and a couple of short loops around Black Rock Lake and up to Ada-Hi Falls. The total hike distance is 8 miles and will involve some hill climbs. The hike is moderate with some strenuous hill climbs. On the hike, we'll walk beside the meandering Taylor Creek, see a fabulous view of the Little Tennessee Valley, and check out Ada-Hi falls.

NOTE: Since I have not been on the trail before, this will be an exploritory trip. However, this is a well marked state park trail, we'll have good maps from park officials, and there will be other hikers along the way to help if needed. With this in mind, please have a sense of adventure and openness to experience.

Free Downloadable Trail Map! Use the following link for the State Park's beautiful color topo map that clearly shows all of the trails. (Free copies of these nice maps are available now in most of the GA State Park Visitor Centers upon request, so don't forget to stop by and ask for one!)

http://www.gastateparks.org/content/Georgia/parks/trail_maps/BlackRock_map.pdf

If constant rain or severe thunderstorms are forecast, I may decide to postpone the event, in which case I'll try to notify everyone no later than Saturday Morning, Oct 22st.


Required Items to Bring:
• Camera
• Wear comfortable well-broken-in hiking boots or shoes.
• Hydrate in advance and carry least 2 liters of water or sports drink.
• Bring a picnic lunch and/or trail snacks.
• Bring cash for your share of the $5 state park parking fee and carpooling expenses.		Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
Trekking Poles or Hiking Stick,

How to Get There:
Event Directions:Blackrock Mountain State Park:
3085 Black Rock Mountain Parkway
Mountain City , GA 30562
Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):180Mile(s)
Carpool Departure Time: 8:00 am
Carpool Location:   Log in for location
Carpool Directions:   Log in for directions
Carpool Cost: Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $72.00 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.


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