First Trail Miles of '09

It's nice getting out and getting some hiking miles in. It's really nice when you can do that the first month of the year!

Over the last weekend, I met up with the scout troop, which is working on their backpacking merit badge, and enjoyed a nice 10 miler with them. We decided to re-hike the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail around Lake Martin; last year's effort fell short.

It was definitely chilly. The temps started out in the low 30's with a light breeze. Almost everyone was bundled up and layered, which proved to be a problem. The sun broke through the clouds, then everyone realized they were wearing just a few too many clothes. But that's ok - it's a learning experience.

Due to the cold, there were quite a few rock faces that were covered in ice, which made the hike that much better!

Pardon the picture quality, but we all had to gather under some of the larger icicles.

A really neat site was walking under the rock cliffs with icicles hanging overhead. We went ahead and knocked the larger ones down (so they wouldn't fall on us) but still enjoyed the views as we passed.
Overhead:

Ground level:

The highlight was walking parallel to the famous Acapulco Rock on the lake and seeing just what it looks like in the winter.

All in all, it turned out to be a great trip. Six boys, four adults, and ten more miles marked off their requirement.

Next up is the 20miler requirement...