Covenant College 12.3.2024

Eight hearty Scenic City hikers braved the first sub freezing temperatures of the season to explore the Covenant College trails atop Lookout Mountain.  We were charmed by beautiful little ice sculptures which had formed around the base of a number of plants.  

These ice sculptures are usually called Frost Flowers or Ice Flowers.  They form when water flows down a plant stem into the not yet frozen ground.  The water freezes and pushes up through the unfrozen ground.

Earl

If you would like to see one more picture, click here.  

My girlfriend told me I had to quit impersonating Flamingos, so I had to put my foot down.  

Daddy's Creek 11.30.2024

 I don't have a trip report for this hike but it looked clear and cold.  

If you would like to see a few really nice photos taken during this hike, click here or on the photo above.

Shredded Cheese ------The key to Grate-ness

Ozone Falls 11.23.2024

 Small group; big adventure! Four hikers tackled the Ozone Falls to Black Mountain segment of the Cumberland Trail. This is a beautiful trek but a tough one!

We started atop Ozone Falls to see the falls up close & to view the gorge from above. Next, we carefully worked our way down to the bottom of the falls. Surprisingly, even in drought conditions, the waterfall had a respectable amount of water flowing. Of course, this waterfall is absolutely stunning at full flow! After spending some time at the falls, we began our long journey up to the top of Black Mountain. The 7.5-mile trek provides a little bit of everything: rocky areas where you need to closely watch your footing, easy wooded sections where you can just enjoy the fall leaves crunching under your feet, dozens of zigzagging switchbacks, & sections so steep that you wish you had switchbacks. The trail is like riding a roller coaster. We went up & down so many hills & mountains that we lost count. When we finally arrived at the top of Black Mountain, we had gained almost 2,000 feet of elevation!

Our reward was the wonderland of sites at the top of Black Mountain. Not to be missed is the incredible overlook that overlooks Grassy Cove & a good bit of the Cumberland Plateau. On a clear day, Mt. LeConte can be seen in the distance 72 miles away! Boulders & bluffs also line parts of the mountaintop. Our group had fun taking a group selfie & individual pictures in the ‘Stone Door’ area where a narrow staircase has been built in between two gigantic boulders. We got in an additional 1.5-miles on the Crest Loop Trail making our grand total for the day 9-miles. The day started out cloudy & frigidly cold but the sun came out later & provided some much-needed warmth. It was a beautiful day on the trail with a great group!

Hikers included: Jennifer Davis (hike leader), Tom McElhone, Betsy Darken, and Kim Bowers.  

If you would like to see a few pictures taken during this hike, click here.  

The inventor of autocorrect ded.  The funnel will be hed tomato.

Fort Mountain S.P. 11.20.2024

 Fall was showing off, & it was a feast for our eyes! Everywhere we looked, we saw leaves of red, orange, yellow, and every shade in between. It was like walking through a fall wonderland!!

We weren’t expecting fall to be on full display this late in the season, but that’s exactly what we experienced at Fort Mountain SP! We also threw convention out the window by hiking on a Wednesday instead of a Tuesday. It was a super rainy day on Tuesday, so we figured one day later was sure better than no hike at all!

5 hikers started our day on the Cool Springs & Mill Creek Falls Loop Trail. The trail began on the well-known Gahuti section then turned onto another trail that led us beside Mill Creek as it flows down the mountain. It rained the day before, so water was falling everywhere! We stopped for lunch at the beautiful Mill Creek Falls. After lunch, we finished the hike with a long, challenging climb back up the mountain that taxed even seasoned hikers. When completed, the loop trail was 5.5 miles with right at 1,400 ft. of elevation gain.

Our day didn’t end there. Being an ambitious group of hikers, we decided to hike another mile to see some historical sites & an incredible overlook. The first notable site is an ancient rock wall believed to have been built between 400-500 AD! No one knows for sure who built it. Theories range from the Native Americans, a legendary Welsh explorer, and more mysteriously, the “moon-eyed people” from Cherokee mythology. Next, we made our way to the CCC fire tower constructed in the 1930’s. The group had fun searching for the heart-shaped stone that was built into the structure. Finally, we headed out to the overlook that offers views of the small town of Chatsworth, Georgia & beyond in the center with views of the mountains on both sides. One word… spectacular!

Hikers included: Jennifer Davis (hike leader), Tammy Hendrick, Tom McElhone, Betsy Darken, and Carl Westman. 

If you would like to see some really beautiful pictures taken during this hike, click here or on the photo shown above.  

My relationship with whiskey is on the rocks!

Fenton Forest 11.12.2024

 This Tuesday morning, 9 hikers met on Bauxite Ridge in Ooltewah, TN.  This trail system is maintained & part of the Southern Adventist University on the far east side of the campus. It was a great morning for a hike with mostly sunny skies and cool temperatures (as we arrived) in the mid 50’s.  After making the climb from the parking area to the main trailhead, the group started with a 1.9-mile trek on the Sabbath trail, enjoying various Bible scripture plaques (including the ten commandments) and a nice casual walk through the woods.  An open pasture was also enjoyed with several cows out in the distance.  This lollipop trail took us back to the main trailhead.  After a short rest, the team proceeded over to Forest Lane trail via the Oak Hole Lane trail (green trail). This loop trail was less than a mile but was slightly more challenging (rocky and some inclines) but nothing crazy.  I might mention that this part of the hike is in the woods behind McKee Foods (Little Debbie) plant. Everyone enjoyed the aroma of chocolate as we roamed the path.  This took us back to the green trail.  After another short break, the team proceeded even further down to the Big Forest Trail. This trail has some awesome views of the back side (east side) of Bauxite Ridge.  Nothing challenging other than making sure to follow the path with all the leaves.  There was some trail work being done at the south end of the trail which did make it easier to see the path – powdered dirt.   This took us to a short trek on Lookout Hill Trail and back to the main trailhead.  At this point, everyone looked tired and ready to call it a day.  Some pointed out that this was supposed to be an easy hike (for beginners).  I guess, in my mind, it was! 😊 All in all, everyone seemed to enjoy exploring this new trail. The total hike was about 5.3 miles with 400+’ elevation gain. Hikers included TTA Scenic City members: Tim Booth (hike leader), Bonnie Norton, Connie Lusk, Dave Graham, Will Latham, Susan Kroll, Sarah Sandefur (& puppy – Dewey Lee), Walter Harrison, and Chris Bresson.

If you would like to see a few pictures taken during this hike, click here or on the photo above.  

Alaskan eye doctors are optical Aleutians.