Pinhoti Challenge Hike 4/17

[jaybird]

4/17. Pinhoti Challenge dayhike.  This month, we’ll be hiking a section of trail located in Section 10 of the Alabama Pinhoti between the Pine Glen campground and the Coleman Lake trailhead.  This is the 15th hike in our Pinhoti Challenge series, and gains a rating of moderate due to the distance.  Along the 7.9 mile trek, we’ll see plenty of wildflowers along the banks of Shoal Creek and Sweetwater Lake’s tributaries.  We’ll also see the Laurel Shelter, as well as the Shoal Creek Baptist church built in 1885 – one of the few remaining hand-hewn log churches left in Alabama.  The trail passes right in between the church building and the cemetery, where graves are rumored to date back to 1811.  Make sure to bring a camera.  Hiking boots a necessity, as well as plenty of water and a picnic lunch.  There will be an optional dinner afterwards.  E-mail for meeting place and time.  Jay Hudson, jay_hudson@bellsouth.net

[luke724]

I found a dead coyote in the creek about two weeks ago, heading north from Pine Glenn. You may not want to drink or wash in the creek.

Here is a pic. It appears that it was fresh, no smell yet.  http://www.flickr.com/pho...4/sets/72157623544223114/

[Pathfinder]

Well, Luke, it looks like the Roadrunner won again.

[luke724]

beep beep

[erjack]

I'm new here (obviously) can someone give me a run down of the Pinhoti Challenge Hikes?  What's the challenge?  What's the goal?

I've been trying (over the past few years) to section hike the entire Pinhoti, they keep expanding it faster than I can get away to hike it though.

[jaybird]

Here's a rundown on the lowdown for the Pinhoti Challenge:

Cahaba Group: The Pinhoti Challenge!

Are you up to Alabama’s best hiking challenge? Over the next 2 years, the Cahaba Group will be leading a series of day hikes covering the entire Pinhoti Trail of east Alabama. With one hike per month, we’ll take 26 months to complete the trail which currently runs from Flagg Mountain in Coosa County, near Weogufka, to the Alabama/Georgia border northeast of Piedmont – some 170+ miles! Make up days will be included for those who miss a day or two. For those who complete the challenge there will be parades, keys to the city of Anniston, memorials erected..... not really. How about a Pinhoti patch for your pack, certificate of completion, maybe a picture in the paper, and the personal satisfaction that you have done something not a lot of people have done. Don’t think you can make the whole trail; come out and hike with us when you can. You might surprise yourself! The hiking will be great. You’ll see Flagg Mountain, Rebecca Mountain, Horn Mountain, Scott Lake, Mt. Cheaha, Pine Glen, Sweetwater Lake, Coleman Lake, Choccolocco Lake, Duggar Mountain, Oakey Mountain, Augusta Mine Ridge, Indian Mountain, and Flagpole Mountain. You’ll see wildflowers and flowering shrubs in the spring. You will see the trees show their colors in the fall. You will hike in quiet woods in the middle of winter. You will huff, puff, fight bugs, and sweat in the summer. And, you will make some pretty good friends along the way.

Section #        Description                               Hike #   Elevation               Mileage   Features                  Season   Hike Date

Section 12     FS500 at Dugger/Oakey to Hwy94   1   800'-1700'   8.5   Oakey, shelter   Winter   Dec-08
Section 7        CCC Road to County Road 24   2   750'-900'                   7.2   Rockwork                   Winter   Dec-08
Section 10     FS500 to CR55                                   3   900'-1000'   8.4   Canyon, shelter   Winter   Jan-09
Section 11     CR55 to FS500 at Dugger/Oakey   4   846'-2140'   8.8   Dugger                   Winter   Feb-09
Section 9         FS500 at RR to FS531 at Lowr Shoal   5   936'-1260'   6.6   Views, quiet   Spring   Mar-09
Section 9         FS531 at Lower Shoal to Pine Glen   6   936-1260'   7.0   Rolling, shelter   Spring   Apr-09
Section 7        Cheaha Trailhead to CCC Road   7   1000'-1940'   5.2   Views, shelter   Spring      May-09
Section 3        FS603A trailhead to Bull Gap (Road)   8                     11.4   Roadwalk                   Summer   Jun-09
Section 12     Hwy94 to US278                                   9   800'-1700'   7.7   Views                   Fall   Oct-09
Section 7        County Road 24 to US 431                  10   750'-900'                   5.2   Waterfall                   Fall   Nov-09
Section 4         Bull Gap to Horn Mtn Fire Tower        11   1180'-1912'   9.9   Views, tower   Winter   Dec-09
Section 13    Salem Church to Jackson Chapel, GA 12                      7.8   Views, shelter   Winter   Jan-10
Section 6        Adam's Gap to Cheaha Trailhead       13   1380'-2344'   11.3   Views                   Winter   Feb-10
Section 4         Horn Mtn Fire Tower to Porter's Gap  14   710'-1912   8.1   Views, lake   Spring   Mar-10
Section 10    Pine Glen to FS500 at Coleman Lake  15   900'-1300'   7.9   Water, shelter   Spring   Apr-10
Section 5        Porter's Gap to Clairmont Gap   16   828'-1480'   8.9   Views, rocky   Spring   May-10
Section 13     US278 to Salem Church Road   17                      5.5   Shelter, iron pit   Summer   Jun-10
Section 8        US 431 to FS500 at RR                   18   900'-1200'   9.5   Quiet                   Fall   Oct-10
Section 5        Clairmont Gap to Adam's Gap   19   1380'-1750'   6.6   Rocky                   Fall   Nov-10
Section 1        Flagg to Hwy 21 (Roadwalk)   20                     13.0   CCC Tower   Winter   Dec-10
Section 2        Hwy 21 to FS603A trailhead (Raod)   21                       9.8   Roadwalk                   Winter   Dec-10

[erjack]

That's an awesome challenge.  Wish I had found this sooner.  I have section hicked many parts of the Pinhoti over the years.

I plan to overnight FS500 to Oakey Ridge next weekend.

[jedbear]

Thank you Jay,
The recent resolution that came out of the state legislation for the Appalachian Trail Initiative brought out
many opinions both pro and con about the movement to relocate the AT's Southern terminus in Alabama.
A prevaling thought was to leave the  trails in Alabama alone and that more attention should  be given to
the promotion of our trails. The Pinhoti Challenge is one great  way of promoting this cherished trail. I am
privileged to see or hear plans and ideas for the future of the trails in our state. Alabama is moving toward
becoming the trail destination of the East. We have something that many state are losing at an enormous
rate, undeveloped backcountry! And our leadership is slowly starting to realize this can place Alabama at
top of the ecotourism list. After timber, tourism is Alabama's second largest industry; didn't know that did
you! We have some of the most diverse hiking opportunities of anywhere I have been. If each of us would
adopt one mile of trail, lead a group on a hike, join one of our dedicated trail organizations, or find a unique
way of giving back to the trails that we cherish, that future would be just a little bit closer.

                    jed

[kc251]

Thanks Jay,

I am new here too. I am going to make it on April 17th which will be my first hike in this area. Jay, thanks for the information. Do you have all the future hiking dates for the next several months? I am in south Alabama and would like to attend as many hikes as possible but I need to plan ahead especially with my work schedule. Could you provide some tentative hiking dates.

Thanks

[jaybird]

The 3rd Saturday of every month, except for July, August, September.  Just too hot, ticky, briary, and buggy.