Well, the calendar just turned to December and that means two things. First, it is the meteorological start of winter and the second is it signals the end of the Fall Outdoor Series and the start of WinterOutdoors 2016-17. This edition of the Fall Outdoor Series was one of ups and downs and not all of that was on the trail. September was one of the better ones with close to 34 miles on the trail, which included my first trip to the Wonders of Grandfather Mountain. October, which had the most miles at 50.25, was dominated by hikes in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. From Sugarlands to Charlies Bunion there were some excellent hikes in the Smokies, but one was extra special I didn't know it but it was the hike to the Chimney Tops. That brings us to November which was dominated by wildfires, including the Chimney Tops 2 Fire which devastated the mountain, Park, and Gatlinburg. The picture above is a tribute to the beauty of the Chimney Tops. Between the smoke from the wildfires and a sinus infection I only got out three times (for 12.5 miles), but two of these (Chimney Rock and Camp Creek Bald) more than made up the difference. Well, with that let us get to the stats for the 2016 Fall Hiking Series.
Mountain Peaks: 29
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| Highest: Clingmans Dome - 6,643 ft. (09-25-16) |
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| Shortest: Russell Knob - 1,812 ft. (10-28-16) |
Fire Lookouts, Towers & Water Towers: 3
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| Highest & Tallest: Clingmans Dome - 6,643 ft. & 45 ft. (09-25-16) |
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| Shortest & Lowest: High Knob - 4, 223 ft. & 18 ft. (09-24-16) |
Cliffs & Outcrops: 58
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| Highest: Mt. Buckley - 6,537 ft. (09-25-16) |
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| Lowest: River Overlook (Gatlinburg Tr.) - 1,404 ft. (09-03 & 10-22) |
Overlooks: 53
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| Highest: Clingmans Dome Parking Area - 6,318 ft. (09-25-16) |
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| Lowest: Andrew Johnson Overlook - 1,605 ft. (11-05-16) |
Waterfalls: 9
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| Tallest: Glassmine Falls - 800 ft. (10-14-16) |
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| Shortest: Dry Creek Falls - 12 ft. (10-31-16) |
Bodies of Water: 20
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| Largest & Lowest Lake: Lake Lanier - 59 Sq. Miles & 1,063 ft. (11-18-16) |
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| Smallest & Highest Lake: High Knob Lake - 4 Acres & 3,550 ft. (09-24-16) |
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| Highest River: French Broad River - 2,100 ft. (10-14 & 11-22) |
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| Lowest: Chattahoochee River - 854 ft. (11-18-16) |
Trailheads: 31
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| Highest: Forney Ridge Trail: 6,311 ft. (09-25-16) |
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| Lowest Old Sugarlands Trail - 1,464 ft. (10-22-16) |
Gaps: 23
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| Highest Hiking: Collins Gap - 5,886 ft. (09-25-16) |
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| Lowest Hiking: Chestnut Log Gap - 4,150 ft. (09-21-16) |
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| Highest Driving: Indian Gap - 5,317 ft. (09-25 & 10-26) |
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| Lowest Driving: Moccasin Gap - 1,266 ft. (6 Times) |
Shelters: 3
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| Highest: Ice Water Spring Shelter - 5,939 ft. (10-19-16) |
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| Lowest: Jerry's Cabin - 4,166 ft. (09-21-16) |
Gift Shops & Visitor Centers: 14
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| Highest: Grandfather Mtn. Top Shop - 5,270 ft. (09-07-16) |
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| Lowest: NOC Gatlinburg - 1,348 ft. (09-03 & 10-22) |
Wilderness Areas: 0
Recreation & Picnic Areas: 2
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| Highest: High Knob RA - 3,550 ft. (09-24-16) |
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| Lowest: Round Knob RA - 3152 ft. (09-21-16) |
Major Trails: 8
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| Appalachian Trail (AT): 6 |
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| Mountains-to-Sea Trail: 2 |
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| GSMNP: 9 |
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