Distance

1.2 mi to summit

6.1 mi total

Elevation

1,655 ft start

2,040 ft max

Vertical

503 ft gain

Time

2 hr 34 min to summit

3 hr 56 min total

Peak 2020 ft was an easy but steep hike up a public dirt road. The real adventure was the other three peaks. Gina dropped us off at the intersection of Fern Valley Road and Mountain Crest Road, and we hiked up the latter. Going over Peak 2020 ft and heading toward Peak 1952 ft, we turned back at the No Trespassing signs. As we were leaving the dirt road, we stopped at Wildlife Management Area (WMA) boundary signs and used our phones to order licenses to proceed. We had planned to follow the ridge line around to Peak 1981 ft, but No Trespassing signs forced us to bushwhack around the property corner up and down steep side slopes. After reaching Peak 1981 ft, it appeared the rest of the Grogan Mountain hike would be blocked by private property, and I was not ready to go back the same way, so we took the easy road down, thinking we might find another way back to the stating point or out to the road where Gina could pick us up. When we reached the intersection, we saw the road signs indicating we had come down Myrtle Beech and were turning onto Upper Block Branch. Perhaps a Class 1 route to Peak 1981 ft might be achieved from the west on Upper Block Branch, but we turned east and found the road overgrown for more bushwhacking. Along the way I photographed the largest wings on a winged elm I believe I have ever seen and a nice winter view of the ridge we had been on earlier. After the overgrown road bushwhack, we had several creek crossings without getting wet feet. One had a large corrugated culvert pipe cast aside where a bridge may have been, then the road condition improved. Not finding a way back to our starting point, we planned to continue on Upper Block Branch to Joe Chester Road, but decided to save some mileage and bushwhack to GA 52 when we got close. We crossed more creeks with dry socks and saw several small tree stumps with beaver tooth marks. Gina picked us up on GA 52. P.S. While walking on deep, crunchy leaves, Lon said it sounded like cornflake wrestling! 🤣

Route name

Peak 1981 ft 6.1 mi route

point-to-point/traverse
Obstacles

road/access issues, routefinding, stream crossing, bushwhacking, blowdowns

Key gear

trekking poles, chaps

Other peaks climbed on this trip