Distance

0.9 mi to summit

5.0 mi total

Elevation

2,740 ft start

2,864 ft max

Vertical

254 ft gain

Time

48 min to summit

3 hr 34 min total

Gina and I hiked the ridge line trail from the Atlanta overlook (too hazy today to see the skyscrapers) across Winding Stair Gap Road FS-77 to Peak 2860 ft. Gina returned to the car and drove to pick me up at the end of my point-to-point hike. I continued down the trail to Peak 2760 ft, catching glimpses through the bare trees of Springer Mountain to the west and the two grassy bald mountains to the south, Peak 2020 ft and Peak 2066 ft. When the main trail went down off the ridge line, I followed a side trail that continued along the ridge line toward Little Sal Mountain until it started down the west side of Little Sal Mountain, then I left the side trail for a light bushwhack to the peak of Little Sal Mountain, picking up and losing an unmaintained trail along the way. Winter does not help when bushwhacking through close evergreen pine trees like the southeast ridge of Little Sal Mountain, and with many blowdowns it proved to be a difficult bushwhack. I almost pulled out my machete but pushed through instead. After a few briars on the southwest side of the ridge line, I finally reached the No-Tell Trail 223P and followed it to Forest Service Road 28-1 where Gina was waiting with the car.

Route name

Peak 2760 ft 5.0 mi route

point-to-point/traverse
Obstacles

no info yet

Key gear

trekking poles

Other peaks climbed on this trip