Jones Bridge Trail (Fulton County, Georgia)

Wanting to get in more miles this weekend, I decided to join the Meetup group for a hike at the Jones Bridge Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, only 12 or so miles from my home. I've hiked this section before, but it has been a few years. The hike was scheduled to start at noon on this warm late December day, but I wanted to get in at least a couple more miles than the I suspected the group would complete and so, I arrived early. 

Heading east, I completed a little loop that dead ends at the posted and fenced grounds of several magnificent houses along the river. No matter, there are plenty of other trails here. Quickly, I head back towards the parking area with the intent of following the river down to the boat ramp and then back before others arrive, but as I pass through the parking area, I'm greeted by a friend, whom I haven't seen in a while. We get to chatting and before I know it, many others have arrived and begin parking and joining the conversation. Well, at least I got in an extra mile.

Once the large group (about 35 strong) has assembled, we do our quick round of introductions and answer the leader's survey question. Today, he wants to know our favorite Christmas movie. While Home Alone and Die Hard are popular answers, I go with Gremlins - we're an odd bunch perhaps. 

With no further ado, we enter the woods along these well groomed trails. We repeat the loop I had just completed and then head west along the river. A lot of the folks here today are friends and we get into several enjoyable conversations as we maintain a solid pace along the pine-needle-carpeted paths. The views of the river are nice and we even see a large heron take flight as we walk past.

Heading inland just a bit from the river, we climb a "switchbacked" hillside and gain a little elevation, before looping around and returning the way we came. This area looks much like the other units of the park, but it's still nice to get out and stretch my legs once again. Returning to the parking area, I've completed about 6.6 miles, while the group got about a mile less than that. There is talk of stopping at a nearby tavern for a late lunch and my gurgling stomach votes to join the group.

Stone Mountain - Cherokee Trail (DeKalb County, Georgia)

Stone Mountain Park is a tourist attraction just east of downtown Atlanta and built around the giant monadnock of the same name. I've hiked here many times, but when I recently saw that the annual park passes were being sold at a substantial discount, I decided to get one for the upcoming year. With the pass in hand and a desire to get some trail miles in, I decided to head over to the park this morning and hike the Cherokee Trail, which circumnavigates the mountain.

As I entered the park, I showed my electronic pass to the attendant on my phone and was handed a sticker pass to affix to my windshield. I'll take care of that later; for now, I just want to get my feet moving. I quickly locate a parking spot and head towards the Walk-up trail beginning. I'm kind of amazed by how many people are hear today, but perhaps I shouldn't be. It's the weekend after Christmas and the weather is very warm, even bordering on hot for this time of year. I think we're expecting a high of around 76° today - great hiking weather. 

Instead of continuing up the steep Walk-up Trail, I take a quick left and begin the Cherokee Trail. This one does not climb the mountain, but offers some great views and is mostly flat. I'm focused more on distance training rather than elevation right now. The brown pine needles cover the ground, but the trail is still easy to pick out even as it passes over sections of granite slabs. With the mountain to my right, I can see the steep incline from this angle. The only safe way to climb it is the previously mentioned Walk-up Trail, as most other approaches are far too steep.

Soon, I pass by the open section where concerts and other events are held in the summer. This clear section is also home to the confederate general carving on the side of the mountain, which includes representations of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson. With the dew running off of the mountain top, it's actually slightly difficult to make out the images, but after staring for a minute, they become more clear. There has been a movement in the past few years to remove this carving as it represents a shameful past. I'm kind of torn on the matter. I certainly don't want to celebration the Confederacy or what it stood for, but I also recognize it as a piece of American history. For now, I will just admire the carving and move on.

The trail continues on around the big rock and soon, I am a greeted by the train whistle of the passing tourist train that takes visitors around the mountain. It appears to be mostly empty today. The next item of note is the old Grist Mill, which sits the edge of small creek and harness the water's movement to spin a giant wheel as the water dumps into Stone Mountain Lake. This is a popular spot and there are a number people on the nearby benches and picnic tables. I also get a little turned around here and loose the trail for a minute, rejoining it soon after walking the paved road a very short distance.

From there and for most of the remainder of the trail, I will be cutting the gap between the mountain and the lake, which offers some nice views and allows the trail to head into the woods once more. I'm pushing my pace a little bit today, as I really am training for distance and some large upcoming hikes later in the spring.

The final section of the trail leads up the side of the granite behemoth itself. It does not seek the top, but does travel across the uneven surface across the granite to return to the starting point. White blazes both on trees on on the granite surface itself mark the way. Between the slant of the surface and a few wet sections, I'm forced to be very cautious here. A slip, while not fatal, would still me rolling down the side of the mountain for a couple of dozen yards - a fate I would rather avoid.

Reaching the junction with the Walk-up Trail, I begin heading down and against the flow of traffic, which includes many, many people making their way to the summit. I'll do that another day. Back at the starting point, I see that I got in just about 5.3 miles today and in really good time. I hate that the natural state of the mountain has been deformed, but even in it's molested state, this is a nice place to get in a few miles and with an annual pass, I suspect I will be here a few more times this year.

Soco Falls (Jackson County, North Carolina)

Heading to my in-laws in North Marshall to join my wife and mother for Christmas dinner, I decided to make a short pitstop and enjoy some lunch along the drive up. Soco Falls is near Cherokee, NC and has a large parking area dedicated to it. From the number of people here, it seems to be quite popular. After making my way down to the start of the short trail, I realized that it was very muddy and went back to my car to change into some spare hiking shoes I carry along with me for just such occasions.

Now better equipped, I made my way down the half-mile or so trail along a steep and muddy incline towards the waterfall. Sturdy rails and even some nicely poured steps have been added to help make the path easier to navigate, but it's still a bit trick with the slick muddy sections. Before long though, I reached the overlook and stared a short distance into the waterfall. In fact, this is a double waterfall with Soco Creek dropping from the larger 120-ish feet fall and a small unnamed creek dropping some forty feet at a near right angle to the larger falls. It's a pretty stunning site to see and I'm glad I took the time to visit. That said though, I have lunch to eat and more miles to go to get to my family for the holiday.

Appalachian Trail - Winding Stair Gap to Siler Bald (Macon County, North Carolina)

For the last couple of years, I've been slowly knocking off sections of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, and I'm almost finished. That doesn't mean I can't hike sections in other states though. And so, when the Atlanta Outdoor Club posted the North Carolina section from Winding Stair Gap to Siler Bald, I thought it would give me a chance to dip my toes into that state's part of the pool. 

In advance of the hike, I chatted with the organized and we agreed to meet at the trailhead. Though it's drive of a couple of hours I arrived a few minutes before the rest of the group. Unlike many of the Georgia sections I've hiked recently, this trailhead is along a major paved road, which is a nice change. Within a few minutes the rest of the group, eight of us in total, arrived and after a quick round of introductions, we headed across the highway and north along the AT.

Almost immediately, we were greeted by a small waterfall along Moore Creek. I was able to snap a couple of decent pictures as we crossed over the creek on along a single rail bridge, common to this area. From here, the trail gently ascended as it zigged and zagged in a generally northwestern direction. The trail here is much like that which I've hiked in Georgia - well maintained with a few roots and rocks, but nothing difficult.

The group maintained a strong pace and we chatted about various topics as we made our way through the woods. At just about the four-mile mark, we left the AT and headed up a muddy, overused spur trail through yellow grasses towards the summit of Silar Bald. I attempted to walk in the muddy central track so as to not widen the trail, as my Leave No Trace training would have me do. However, due to the softness of the ground and perhaps some recent precipitation, this track was very slippery and I found myself almost falling a couple of times. Reluctantly, I began walking on the grass on either side of the deep scar of a trail.

After roughly a quarter-mile, we reached the summit and were treated to some spectacular views. The combination of warmish temperatures and clear blue skies made the summit an ideal place for our lunch break. As I walked around, I found a stone tablet marking the elevation at 5,216 feet and used the flat surface to plant my rump while I enjoyed a peanut butter sandwich I had prepared this morning. It was very pleasant on top and we snapped a couple of group photos, before packing up and heading back the way we came.

The return trip was uneventful and we enjoyed more conversation and tales of other adventures, while the trail descended gently back towards our cars. When we got back, my GPS track indicated we had hiked right at 9.0 miles. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday and with our good pace, I'm back early enough to even get get home before dark.

Boundary Waters (Douglas County, Georgia)

After getting a short hike in at the nearby Sweetwater Creek State Park, I head to Boundary Waters, a recreational area in Douglas County. I had read about this place about a year ago and I've been curious to check out the trail system, but when I saw one of the Meetup organizers post a hike here, it seemed the perfect opportunity. As soon as I got out of my car in the large parking area, a couple of people that had been waiting asked if I was here for the hike, which I confirmed. It's cold today and the wind is blowing pretty hard. I take a couple of minutes to put a windbreaker on over my fleece and as I do, several other hikers including the leader pull into the lot. 

We do our traditional round of introductions and are soon in the woods on the wide trails of this park. Everything is well maintained here and we seem to be walking through a disc golf course. There are even a group of guys playing, though the wind must be playing havoc with their shots.

Soon, we reach the Chattahoochee River and begin walking along it for a short distance. Much like it's tributary, Sweetwater Creek located just a few miles north of here, the water is pretty low. The trail then turns into the woods and just as it does, I notice a lone holly tree standing alongside it. It's dark green leaves and bright red berries are the perfect thing to see with only ten or so days remaining until Christmas. We stop for a moment to admire before heading deeper into the woods. 

The system of trails here seems to be well maintained wherever we go. One of the hikers has been here before and is acting as our unofficial guide. He takes up a few hills and down the other side. Feeling particularly energetic today, I run up a few of them just for the additional cardio. It feels good in this brisk air and it gives me a chance to chat with different folks in the group.

Before long, we're headed back towards the parking area. The last bit takes us along a paved bike path, but it's of no real concern. We got in about 7.1 miles on these trails today. Overall, it's a pretty nice park. Nothing exciting or really noteworthy, but nothing bad either. I don't know that I would hike here again, but if there was a good reason to, I certainly might.

Sweetwater Creek - Red Trail (Douglas County, Georgia)

I'm head to a new area southwest of Atlanta to join the Meetup group's exploration of some new trails. On the way though, I decided to stop by Sweetwater Creek State Park and get in a couple of extra miles. This is one of my favorite parks, especially in the fall and winter when the lack of tree leaves allows clear views of the wide Sweetwater Creek. Parking my car, I quickly passed by the visitor's center and made my way to the red trail. It's pretty cold out today, but that just means there shouldn't be too many people out here hiking. 

Quickly, the trail passes through the woods and begins running parallel to the creek. The water is not particularly high today and a number of rocks and ridges rise up from the shallow brown water. I cross over a small foot bridge and onto the island between the creek itself and the channel cut over century ago to divert water into the Manchester Mill. This area offers some great views of the creek, but before too long, I hit a dead end and I'm forced with the decision to try to make clear the ten foot channel with a mighty jump or turn back the way I came. Given that the water is probably just above freezing and the air temperature near that as well, I decide the prudent move would be to head back. 

After crossing back over the bridge, I walk past the ruins of the multi-story Manchester Mill complex, which sits right alongside the creek. I decide to take a series of staircases that lead down the far side of the mill and again to the creek below. The stairs are very sturdy, but comically over-engineered. It's not like this is a dangerous cliff or anything. It's just a slightly steep hillside. Ah well, it does all me some good pictures of the creek.

Finally, I look at the time and realize I need to be heading back to my car to meet the group. I was only able to hike about 1.6 miles here today, but I'll get several more at the next destination. Until next time, Sweetwater.

Whittier Mill (Fulton County, Georgia)

With a pretty substantial chance for rain going into the weekend, I wasn't sure that I would be able to get in many trail miles, but luckily the showers had passed over by the time of the Meetup's Sunday hike. Today, we're exploring some new trails starting at Whittier Mill Park west of Atlanta. The group is smaller today, only consisting of about ten hikers. We do our introductions and then quickly hit the trails.

Coming out of the parking area, we immediately pass by the remains of an old carpentry shop that served the Mill facility. Not much remains of the overall site, but this structure was stabilized and now servers as a group area for visitors to the park, complete with picnic tables inside the building's brick husk. Soon the trail heads up hill and we begin walking along the supports of an elevated railroad track. While we'll definitely get some time in the woods, it seems there is going to be a lot more industrial area along today's path than normal.

Entering the woods, today's leader points out a couple of oddities in the distance, which we follow the trail over to examine more closely. The first and more eye catching is a replica (I hope) human skeleton perched atop the frame of a Schwinn bicycle. The frame is mounted to some steel plates to keep it up right and the skeleton seems to be enjoying himself on his stationary ride. Nearby, a number of other bike frames have been lined up and partially buried. It's an odd sight, but certainly interesting.

Heading further into the woods, we meet up with the Chattahoochee River and the trail begins following it, though there area a large number of connecting trails throughout this area. This seems to be in the flood plane judging by the vegetation, mud, and debris. This is not really a pretty part of the river, as it is passing by a number of industrial plants. We see one on our side of the river and two or three on the opposite shore. I comment that it seems we are in the bowels of Atlanta.

The trail continues north until we eventually reach a railroad yard. We attempt to find a way around the area, but having no luck in that endeavor, choose to walk through. While we search for continuations of the trails north of the yard, we really find nothing and decide to head back, though taking one of the many alternate paths we had found. At one point, we end up in a neighborhood dog park. I'm sure the people exercising their pooches there are wondering about a group of ten people emerging from the woods, but they greet us with a friendly hello regardless.

After some more adventure crossing a few questionable foot bridges, we eventually end up back a the park where we left our cars. We discuss grabbing a bite to eat at a nearby barbeque place, which turns out to be pretty fantastic. The hike today was only about 5.6 miles and it was quite different than our normal adventures, passing through some less beautiful areas of the city. While it was interesting, I don't think this one will be added to the group's standard rotation.

Alpine Helen Weihnachten 5k (White County, Georgia)

Hosted by the Alpine Helen Volksmarch Club, the first annual Weihnachten (Christmas in German) 5k seemed like a fun event for the Meetup group for which I lead hikes. Unlike the traditional '5k', this is not a run, but an evening meander through the Bavarian-themed city of Helen to enjoy the holiday spirit in the form of Christmas light displays all around the main strip of town. After posting the event, I originally had five people sign-up, but by the time of the event, it was just myself and one other hiker.

After registering at the Loreley Resort's Clubhouse on the outskirts of town, we began our short walk through the streets, complete with map in hand. The path first took us across a short footbridge crossing the Chattahoochee River, which passes through town, but is much closer to its headwaters and therefore, much smaller. From there, we walked the streets past the Oktoberfest Beer Hall and into a park area with several brilliant light displays, all Christmas themed. It wasn't quite dark yet and so, the lights were not as impressive as they likely will be on the return trip in an hour or so.

Continuing through the streets of Helen, we're both taken by the number of people shuffling about in the touristy town. Some of whom are participating in the 5k, but the majority of whom are probably just here on their own. There is a festive mood in the air and the weather is just about perfect - cool, but cold. 

We do struggle a little bit with the map as it is not exactly to scale, but it's not like we can get lost here in the streets of this little mountain town. Quickly, we find our way back to the intended route and begin look for the turn around near the western end of town. We cross the street and begin making our way back down the other side of Main Street. Along the way, we encounter the a line for the Christmas Train and then the Train itself, which is more of an amusement ferrying people up and down the main street to enjoy the same sights and Christmas spirit we are enjoying on foot.

Before returning to the resort for the raffle, we decide to stop for some dinner. Originally, we had both wanted to eat at one of the several German-themed restaurants, but as most had a long line, we settled on a Thai place. This turned out to be a great choice, as the food was fantastic. After our meal, we completed the walk and returned to the clubhouse just as the raffle was beginning. Neither of us ended up winning anything, but it was still a nice event and I look forward to possibly doing it again in the future.

Silver Comet - Rockmart to Brushy Mountain Tunnel (Polk County, Georgia)

The Silver Comet Trail was created as a rails-to-trails project in 1998. It spans from Smyrna, GA, on the western outskirts of Atlanta, to the Alabama border, distance of 61.5 miles. Combined with the Chief Ladiga Trail, which it connects to at the border, it creates a continues 94-mile paved multi-use trail. Since hearing about the trail shortly after my move to Atlanta about 6-years ago, I've wanted to bike the entire distance. For one reason or another though, I've not found the opportunity and with a big hiking trip coming up in the late spring, I thought I would explore a portion of the trail on foot today. I also enjoy walking some of these less remote paved trails as they give me a chance to listen to podcasts or an audio book. On today's playlist, Jack London's 'White Fang'.

The drive to the trailhead I wanted to start at took me about an hour-and-a-half, but it was a nice drive in Sunday morning traffic. Rockmart is a small town west of Atlanta that offers a nice parking area right in the middle of the small downtown district for those enjoying the trail. There is even a small snack shop and restrooms available. The beautiful Euharlee Creek runs right beside the paved trail and offers a gorgeous little area to start my hike, which is actually more of a walk.

As I begin walking, I start my audio book and just start pumping out the miles. The first part of the trail traverses through the outskirts of town and continues to follow the creek, which offers some nice views. The water has carved some shallow canyons through the area and a number of park benches offer a rest bit to those using the trail. The trail is extremely flat and I'm able to maintain a pace of between 3 and 3.5 mph, even while stopping for the occasional picture. 

The weather couldn't be better today. Even though we're only a few days from Thanksgiving, afternoon temperatures will be in the low 70's and the big blue sky is clear with only the occasional puffy white cloud. I can imagine this could be a very sweaty endeavor in the heat of the Georgia summer, but today, I will barely work up a sweat.

Making my way out of town, the flat trail and formerly railbed has been cut through the undulating hills of the area, which reminds me of the snow tunnels driving up Mount Rose Highway in the late winter near Lake Tahoe, near which I lived for many years. Here though, the snow is replaced with rock, which has either been mechanically or explosively removed to allow the flat trail to pass through. Numerous bikers zip past me as I continue to walk, and I only encounter a handful of walkers/hikers during that same time span.

Reaching my turn at the Brushy Mountain Tunnel, I stop to eat a peanut butter sandwich. The tall long railroad tunnel offers me an opportunity to turn off my audio book and enjoy the reverberation as I belt out some 80's and 90's ballads. It's all in good fun, but it sounds great here. After just short break, I start heading back the way I came. Several more bikers pass by me along the way. Everyone is friendly and greets me with either a wave or a nod. 

Finally getting back into town, I walk a bit west of where I started in order to get a picture of the bridge crossing Euharlee Creek, which has a nice Silver Comet Sign attached to it. Seems like a good photo to have of today's adventure. Total distance covered was 13.9 miles, which on the flat paved surface took me less than 4.5 hours to complete. This is not nearly as adventurous as some of my hikes, but it was still nice to get outside and get some good miles in.

Appalachian Trail - Hightower Gap to Long Creek Falls (Union County, Georgia)

 

Continuing my quest to hike all sections of the Appalachian Trail's (AT) route through Georgia, I organized a Meetup Event to do the short section between Hightower Gap and Long Creek Falls. Several of the friends that I regularly hike with have expressed interest and five people signed up to join me for the hike. I ended up carpooling with two of them to get tot he trailhead, which is a nice change as I normally drive to all of my hikes. The route is a little rough as we have to traverse several miles of Forest Service roads, but with expert skill my friend easily navigated the way in her Audi SUV. We had actually attempted this section a few weeks ago, but when we got to the trailhead, it started pouring down rain and I wasn't confident of my car making out of the area on those rough, muddy roads. Luckily, the weather today seems to be ideal.

After our traditional round of introductions, the five of us hit the trail heading west, which is actually southbound on the AT. The first short section climbs pretty steadily until we reach a point along the side of Hawk Mountain where it levels out and from there, we pretty much follow the contour of the mountain. I'm feeling great and push the pace pretty hard, but when I see others falling behind, I stop and wait for them to catch up.

Soon, we reach an area near Hickory Flats Cemetery that has been cleared out. I'm not sure of the purpose this was done for, but it now just sits as a large grassy field in the middle of the forest. A short distance beyond this oddity, we hit the junction with the Benton MacKaye Trail and the spur to Long Creek Falls, which is our planned rest stop. 

When we walk into the area near the falls, I'm a little surprised to see such a crowd here. There are probably twenty people here enjoying the scenery. They are all very nice and respectful, and a group of backpackers even offers to move their gear from the rock when I begin pointing out petroglyphs below. I've mentioned this in previous write-ups, but I'm fairly certain that this are more conventional petroglyphs, given their style and subject matter. Though the discoloration of the rock and presence of moss in the scratched lines indicates they are likely a few decades old, at least. 

After having a quick snack at the waterfall, we head back to the junction and I ask if anyone wants to continue west to Three Forks, which is only another half-mile or so away. For my purposes, I don't need to do this section, but if anyone else is trying to follow my lead and do all sections, they may need it. One gentleman suggests that he would like to do it and so, we continue the short distance west to the confluence of Stover, Chester, and Long Creeks. 

Heading back the way we came, I pick up the pace a little bit, but still do my best to keep track of my fellow hikers. The return trip is uneventful, but filled with good conversation as always. As we skirt around Hawk Mountain once again, I'm struck by how long and steep the hillside is. While it probably wouldn't be noticeable in the spring or summer with all of the greenery, here in the late fall, it's an impressive incline and I suspect anyone rolling down from the top would find difficulty in stopping themselves for a few hundred yards.

With the hike complete and all of us back at our cars, we make plans to meet at a nearby meadery/brewery for a couple of drinks before heading to our respective homes. Our mileage was just over 8.6 miles today, but they were very easy miles, as this is probably one of the easiest sections of the AT. Still a great way to spend a Saturday though. 

Airmail Arrow via Tom Cooke Trail (Washoe County, Nevada)

One of the first uses of air travel was for the delivery of mail. Since flight technology was just slightly ahead of radio technology, other means had to be used to help pilots navigate. In the 1920's a series of concrete arrows were poured on ridge tops in the western US to direct pilots of these airmail planes to their destinations. The broken remnants of one such arrow remains on a hill overlooking Interstate 80 just west of Reno, NV. I've hiked nearby before and always been curious about the arrow, but never taken the time to find the exact route. As it turns out, it's only about half-a-mile beyond a well known trail known as the Tom Cooke Trail and it's final destination known as Hole in the Wall.

Parking my rental at Mayberry Park along the Truckee River, I head down the paved path and across a somewhat precarious bridge to the dirt trails. The first part climbs steadily until it reaches the ridge that follows the Steamboat Ditch. This ditch was cut to divert water from the river to the higher areas of Washoe Valley when settlers were first moving into the area. Once on the ridge, the trail remains mostly flat for a long distance and offers some spectacular views of the yellow grass covered hillsides of the dry eastern Sierra Nevada foothills.

There are a few hikers and trail runners out this morning. I know this a popular trail and hiked to Hole in the Wall nearly ten years ago. The area just opens up and gives visitors a sense of the vastness of the American West. The trail is easy though and I make good time.

Finally reaching Hole in the Wall, I wade out into the shallow water to see that a new pipe has been installed. Originally, it was literally just a hole in the wall that had been drilled through the mountain to allow water to pass through and continue on via the Steamboat Ditch. It was an interesting tidbit of history, but since my last visit, a large pipe has been added underneath the drilled hole. To my mind, it kind of takes something away from the history of the place, but it is what it is.

From Hole in the Wall, I join a double-track jeep trail and head up the steep incline above the hole. The trail then circles around to the ridge just to the northwest of the site. It's a pretty steep climb and I have to stop for a breather a couple of times, but soon, I reach the flat plateau and walk out to the northern end. There sprawled out before me the airmail arrow has survived the last century with only some mild cracking. Someone has spraypainted the head of the arrow in an with some odd colors and shapes, but it helps it stand out from the yellow grasses surrounding it. The fixture is roughly forty feet long and pointing east towards Reno, which was the presumed destination of the pilots looking for their route.

After taking a few minutes to circle around the arrow seeking the best angle, I start my trek back towards the parking area. The return trip is uneventful, but I do encounter several more people, a couple of which ask me how far it is to Hole in the Wall. I provide my best estimate of their distance to the site.

When I get back to my rental car, I see that I've hiked about 6.4 miles. I take a couple of extra minutes to get some pictures of the river and the gorgeous fall colors of the trees lined along the water. I'm glad I was able to find and visit this site today. It's an interesting piece of history and it was good to get a few more miles in before heading home tomorrow.

Rosetta Stone (Inyo County, California)

Most of the time I lived in Reno, I was always interested in Native American rock art and spent a lot of time in the surrounding region hunting the desert for petroglyphs, pictographs, and geoglyphs created by these ancient peoples. Some of the more well known sites and panels are shared in pictures, but few people talk about their actual locations. Among these is one often called the Rosetta Stone somewhere in the volcanic tablelands north of Bishop, CA. I've searched for this one a few times over the years and had success in finding a couple of it's other well known companions in the general area, including Sky Rock and 13 Moons. This particular one tough has eluded me for roughly 15 years. Recently, I discovered a write-up on the internet, which describes in some detail the exact location of the Rosetta Stone boulder and since I'm in Reno for business, what's a three-and-a-half hour drive each way to finally find this masterpiece.

As strange as it seems, the Rosetta Stone isn't hard to get to at all. It's just difficult to know the exact location (which I will not share here). As there has been a lot of theft and vandalism of these historical treasures over the years, the best way to protect them is to keep their locations in obscurity and I will follow suit on this philosophy. 

After parking my car, I make the short walk down a dusty road until I see the small cave mentioned by the poster mentioned above. I climb up through some rocks and bushes to check it out. I'm very conscious of overhanging rocks that may be home to rattlesnakes. The cave which is probably only big enough to provide shelter to a single adult was obviously used for shelter many times over the millennia, as the ceiling is covered in soot. 

Only about ten yards from the cave a tangle of tall bushes stand guard around the Rosetta Stone. I poke my head in and weave my way through the thick wall of branches to the center where I get my first view. Again, I stamp my feet and make exaggerated coughing sounds to alert any resting critters of my presence. Once inside the natural fortification, I stare at the masterfully adorned boulder that lay directly in front of me. The flat top surface covered with desert patina has a perimeter scratched into it. Within the perimeter line, which acts as a border for the artwork, numerous figures have been drawn with care. These include turkey tracks, a spiral and and a series of concentric circles with a lines drown through them like the sites of a targeting tool. I have no idea what it all means and certainly, it is not truly like the 'Rosetta Stone' in the sense that it will not unlock a lost language to us, but it is magnificent nonetheless. Further, it's the culmination of many years of research and hiking in search of this artwork. I feel a sense of completion having finally located the last of the three famous panels in this area. Experts have suggested the petroglyphs here were carved around 8,000 years ago. It is my sincerest hope that they last another 8,000 years or more.

Prison Hill (Ormsby County, Nevada)

I arranged my schedule during this week in Reno to allow me some time to seek adventure and to spend time with friends. With that said, today I'm going to be exploring a couple of places I've had on my radar for a while. Some years ago, I ran a grueling trail 5k on a small mountain overlooking Carson City, NV from the east called Prison Hill. It's named as such because of the various incarnations of prisons that have been constructed over the decades on the below the northeastern corner of the mountain. These include the Nevada State Prison (now a historic site) and the Warm Springs Correctional Center. It's an unfortunate way for a mountain to get a name, but we give things monikers that relate something about them and I guess this fits.

The trailhead was a little hard to find as Google Maps took me to someone's driveway before I had a difference of opinion with the software and found my own way, which was only a short drive on a dirt road away. The facilities here are like new, as I don't think the declaration of this place as a recreational area happened all that long ago. I'm fairly certain, it wasn't defined as such when I moved to Atlanta just over six years ago. Regardless, I park the car and start heading up the desert trails.

The trail system is fairly complex here and I'm forced to look at my map a few times to ensure I stay on the course I had planned. It's not that I could get lost on this mountain, as it is surrounded by Carson City proper to the west and farms and ranches to the east. However, I have a set amount of time I want to spend here before heading to my next destination and I want to stick to my plan to ensure I have plenty of time. After following a shallow grade for a while, the incline starts to increase and I begin to climb to the ridge. This whole mountain complex is pretty rugged, though the trails do a fine job of keeping to the easier paths.

With the ridge reached, I head north to start the North Loop trail, but soon diverge to climb to the summit of the northern peak, where a pile of white rocks mark the spot. Looking at the map, I had seen a side trail that heads back down from the summit to the North Loop Trail and after spending a couple of minutes at the top for pictures, I take it. 

From here, I continue around the northern 'peninsula' of the mountain, which offers a view of the prison, but to get a decent angle, requires me to bushwhack just a little bit. It's really rocky up here and and it must have taken quite a bit of work to clear out the paths the trails now sit in. Making my way around the backside, the trial follows the contour of the mountain while offering views of the ranches below. In the distance, I hear some cows doing their best to imitate the rooster's welcome to the rising sun.

Soon, I'm back at the junction and making my way back down the mountain towards the parking lot. I hear a couple of mountain bikers in the distance. The way these trails are laid out, I bet they are spectacular for that sport. It's not really my thing though, as I prefer road biking and keeping trails for my feet. Back at the car, I check my distance and see that I'm at 4.2 miles. Not a bad way to start a morning.

Sunrise from Rattlesnake Mountain (Washoe County, Nevada)

I was out fairly late last night having dinner and then drinks with several of my co-workers. This trip to Reno was a business trip after all. That said though, I got it in my head that I wanted to wake early and climb up to the summit of nearby Rattlesnake Mountain for the sunrise. This small mountain rises about five hundred feet above the valley floor. I've climbed it numerous times before when I lived in Reno, but never for sunrise.

With sunrise at 6:34am this morning and only a 10-15 minute drive from my hotel to the Huffaker Hills Trailhead, I left the hotel right about 6:00am. Though, I know the official time for sunrise, I also know that it will take a few more minutes for the brilliant rays of the sun to climb over the mountain range to the east. This should give me plenty of time to reach the summit on this short, but steep trail.

When I exited my rental car at the trailhead, the air was brisk, but between the brightening east horizon and the full moon overhead, I didn't need to use the headlamp I purchased yesterday just for this purpose. The initial part of the trail is a steady incline, but nothing crazy. Soon though, the very steep part of the climb heads up and around the western side of the mountain. In the past, I've even slipped here due to the steepness and loose gravel. I had no problems today though and soon, I'm at the summit surveying all that I can see. The view of Reno and Sparks from up here has always been outstanding. To the southwest, Mount Rose and Slide Mountain, capped with early season snow rise 10,000+ feet and contain the gorgeous blue water of Lake Tahoe beyond. To the northeast, the high-rises of downtown Reno sprawl out. And to the east and southeast, the neighborhoods of hidden valley and the south Reno subdivisions spread out across the land.

Right around 6:45am, the first blinding rays of our mother star start to peak over the ridge to the north of Road to Nowhere Mountain. What a glorious way to begin the new day. Soon, the rays begin to blanket the valley laid out before me and know that I've got to head into the office soon, I make my way back down the mountain. The hike was only about 1.6 miles, but it was well worth it for the views and fresh air.

Andesite Peak (Nevada County, California)

I had to travel to Reno yesterday for work and since I'm going to be here, I decided to arrange my schedule to allow me to enjoy a few extra days with friends and seeking adventure. This morning, I'll combine the two. Joining my long-time friend, Nick, we head across the border into California with Andesite Peak in our sites. I've hiked many other trails and peaks in and around this mountain, but never summited the peak itself. Today, we'll be attempting to do just that. It's late in the year and there is snow on some of the taller mountains, but hopefully, that won't be a problem.

Parking my rental at the end of the pavement on Castle Peak Road on other side of Interstate 80 from Boreal Ski Resort and then finding a 'facili-tree' to relieve myself before the hike, we prepare to start the hike. I'm taken by the fresh air and smell of pine up here on Donner Pass. I really miss this environment. I like hike in my new home near Atlanta, but it's just not the same. 

We make quick work of the dirt road and soon take a left turn onto the single track to begin heading up to the peak. Passing through the forest, we spot a few piles of black bear scat on the trail, but they appear to be a day or two old. The lazy creatures they are, bears will almost always follow human trails as they are the path of least resistance through the forest. We do pass a couple of patches of shallow snow, but there isn't much here. In the distance, we get a few great views of the nearby Castle Peak and the valleys to the north and south.

Following the switchbacks, we are soon above the tree line. The trail here becomes loose scree and the travel becomes much more precarious. There are a couple of sketchy areas, but eventually, we reach the summit. Andesite Peak rises 8,219 feet above sea level and offers some magnificent views of the Sierra Nevada Range, which surrounds us. The views really are breathtaking and I catch myself thinking about how much I truly miss living near this area. The mountains of Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina just aren't the same.

After spending a few minutes on the summit, we carefully make our way back down the way we came and returning to the car. We hiked about 5.1 miles today and it was a really nice hike. It was also nice to be able to hike with my friend, who I normally only see a couple of times a year. Hopefully, I'll be able to get more trails in during my visit.