"Another gray day, so I wore my gray shirt and gray pants and made it a great day hiking peak and creek for the first time in weeks. With all the rainy days this month I went slowly with careful placement of trekking poles on the steep slope of Peak 1968 ft without slipping. Foragers say that after rain is a good time to look for fungi, and it was varied and plentiful. Last time at Nimblewill Creek, it was raging right after heavy rains, but this close to the springs it drains back down quickly and was low again today. Looking forward to a break from the rain and humidity as forecast for next week." — davidensley • Aug 23, 2025

"Gina and I hiked to Nimblewill Creek. Must remember to bring a small saw next time to cut a small blowdown on the main trail between the side trails. I took the side trails on the way back, but when I reached the steep trail up Peak 1968 ft, I decided against it." — davidensley • Aug 15, 2025

"Peak and creek with Gina doing all but the steep trail up Peak 1968 ft. Pink Lady Slipper and Trilliums have lost all their petals, but can still see where they were. Mountain Laurel mostly past peak but photographed a few late bloomers. Rhododendrons still show no signs of blossoming, but found new growth by the ground." — davidensley • May 22, 2025

"Hiked usual trail to Nimblewill Creek, then bushwhacked along the bank heading downstream and up a watershed to blowdowns, then up to the ridge line to Peak 1968 ft. From there we stayed on trail then bushwhacked back." — davidensley • Jan 25, 2025

"Hiked to top of Peak 1968 ft then to Nimblewill Creek and back. Last time I did this peak and creek hike was six months ago when the Mountain Laurel was blooming. Joro spider webs and small blowdowns were across the paths, which were covered in leaves, but there was still some color in the trees. Creek was down as expected due to less than an inch of rain in over a month. " — davidensley • Nov 12, 2024

"The mountain laurel on Peak 1968 ft is beginning to blossom. All the trillium are past their peak, but the one that was knocked down by a fallen branch last year has bloomed again this year. The lady slipper still looks good." — davidensley • May 3, 2024

"While the rest of the U.S. was focused on the eclipse high above, I was focusing on the small blooms along the floor of the Chattahoochee National Forest on the way to Nimblewill Creek and Peak 1968 ft." — davidensley • Apr 8, 2024

"Daffodils have been blooming and trees budding along the roads for several days, but no signs of the Spring season in the forest, though the spring-fed creek to Nimblewill Creek is flowing well. First time completing the eastern loop to Peak 1968 ft without bushwhacking. Too warm for bushwhacking anyway as this morning’s high 20s warmed quickly to high 50s this afternoon. P.S. I forgot to mention the armadillo rooting by the trail on Peak 1968 ft." — davidensley • Feb 25, 2024

"Solo peak and creek to test my cold weather hiking gear. Started 10 degrees F and finished 15 degrees F. Only my toes and fingers felt cold. I wore my usual hiking boots and socks, added thermal underwear top and bottom to my usual underwear top and bottom, my thickest long pants and long sleeve shirt, chaps, a denim long sleeve shirt, my usual hiking vest, hooded jacket, hooded windbreaker, hooded winter coat, my usual safety vest, scarf, ski mask, safety sunglasses, my usual brimmed cap, petroleum jelly lip balm, hand cream, gloves and mittens. During the hike I removed the sunglasses because they were fogging up, there was no wind in my eyes, and the cap brim was a sufficient sun shield. I also removed the gloves because my fingers were warmer together in the mittens than separate in the gloves under the mittens. Rhododendron leaves were curled for protection against the cold. I found the spring that heads the little tributary feeding Nimblewill Creek; it is near the trail going up Peak 1968 ft in the corner between the old logging roads. Some ice but flowing water was not frozen." — davidensley • Jan 17, 2024

"While resting atop Peak 1968 ft, I received a message asking how I feel. My reply was “Like I am on top of a mountain, because I am right now.” It’s a thrill to ascend the hill, but it’s the peak I always seek." — davidensley • Oct 1, 2023