To the summits of Rabun Galp Bald and Brasstown Bald

Saturday October 20, 2012. My dad and I leave the lakehouse and depart for Sky Valley, Georgia. Sky Valley was once known as Georgia's only ski resort, not sure if the ski lift operates any longer, but it still is beautiful, and quite a name. Just above Sky Valley we parked at the trailhead that leads up to Rabun Bald. It was a very quiet day, so quiet I could hear my own heart beating in my ears. Rabun Bald is the second highest peak in the State of Georgia, only Brasstown Bald is higher. Elevation is approximately 4,700 feet. This is a harder hike than Brasstown Bald because the road goes closer to the summit of Brasstown Bald, in fact they even offer shuttle service for those who do not wish to make the 0.6 mile hike. 

Our hike up Rabun Bald was roughly 1.5 miles and certainly caused us to break a sweat, but it was well worth it. The view from the top is absolutely stunning. One can see into at least 3 different states, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, maybe even Tennessee. One can understand why these mountains are called the Smokies once they get high up there. At the summit I met some friendly and interesting people. There was a couple from Alabama with deep southern accents and outgoing personalities, I also met another outdoorsman businessman up there, a man named Bob Gabrielson, who gave me one of his cards. The hike back down was tedious, but not quite as hard as going up. The canopy at this time of year is spectacular fall colors. In places along the trail the Rhododendron made vegetative tunnels not too dissimilar from the ones at Six Flags Over Georgia.

Saturday October 21, 2012. I was anxious to get back to Atlanta, it being a Sunday and me wanting to get some work done that afternoon, but first I decided to go to the only peak in Georgia higher than Rabun Gap Bald, the great Brasstown Bald. 

Elevation is 4,784 feet above sea level, probably at least 4,800 feet with the man made building and observatory on the top. I did not know how clear the view was going to be before I got to the top, but I turned out satisfied, very satisfied, I could feel the smile on my face and thoughts were just racing through my mind faster than Italian sportscars. It was my first time up there since my senior year in high school when I went to look at Young Harris College in November 1999. I remember hearing on the news in 1996, one of my favorite years and a historic year for the Atlanta, Georgia region, about how cold it go at the summit of Brasstown Bald during the winter of 1996 Cold Waves. If I recall correctly it was -25 at the summit of Brasstown Bald one of those days, and since they say that the clearest days are the coldest days, I wish I could have been up there that day, all bundled up, to enjoy the view. 

Anyway I went off on a tangent a little there. The view today was clear enough to see both Stone Mountain, and the Atlanta Skyscrapers off in the distance. Such a view made my day. According to the Google Earth ruler, the summit of Brasstown Bald is 84 miles from downtown Atlanta as the crow flies, and 76 miles from Stone Mountain.