Georgia Natural Wonder #70 – Hightower Bald. 549

[Top Row Dawg]

Georgia Natural Wonder #70 – Hightower Bald

Hightower Bald, with an elevation of 4,568 feet is the fourth-highest peak in the US state of Georgia. It is located in Towns County, Georgia at the North Carolina state line and is within the boundaries of the Southern Nantahala Wilderness of the Chattahoochee National Forest.



Hightower Bald is located on an east-west trending ridge inside the Southern Nantahala Wilderness of the Chattahoochee National Forest in Towns County, Georgia.


In the middle here.

The mountain is located about 8 miles east of Hiawassee and 4 miles west of Tate City. Nearby geographical features include Rich Knob, Shooting Creek Bald, Loggy Branch Cove and Bly Gap. There are cliffs on the south face of the mountain.



On June 1, 1818, James Camak, who was then teaching mathematics at the University of Georgia in Athens, joined with James Gaines, a mathematician hired by Tennessee, to survey the line between the two states. On Hightower Bald's northern slopes are two border features: Montgomery's Corner and the 30 Mile Post. Between these two points, the North Carolina-Georgia border runs in a north-south direction for about 2,000 feet instead of a its usual east-west direction.


Hard to find much information about Camak, no images but he is buried in Oconee Hills cemetery in Athens. The Camak House is in Athens.

These border features were the results of two surveying expeditions conducted in the early 19th century. When Tennessee became a state in 1796, Congress designated Georgia's northern boundaries as the 35th parallel north. In 1818, UGA mathematician James Camak incorrectly calculated the 35th parallel north as being located south of Nickajack Lake.”


Looking South to Georgia, left to right, Courthouse Bald, Sharp Top, Rich Knob and Hightower Bald all lined up on the North Carolina - Georgia border.

Camak and his survey team then proceeded to mark Georgia's northern border 110 miles east, stopping about 700 feet north of Hightower Bald's summit.



In 1819, Camak conducted another survey of Georgia's northern border, this time starting from Ellicott's Rock and surveying westward. After marking for 30 miles, Camak's group reached Hightower Bald's northern slopes. When they got there, they noticed that they were 661 yards north of the previous year's mark. Instead of redoing the survey, Camak decided to connect the eastward and westward lines. The southern mark was named Montgomery's Corner, after a surveyor who accompanied Camak in his two surveying trips.



This mistake played a part in a water rights dispute between Georgia and Tennessee; Georgia was unable to withdraw water from the Tennessee River despite the river passing through the 35th parallel.

Flora and fauna

The summit of Hightower Bald contains a dwarfed red oak forest, with beaked hazel and hawthorn trees in the understory.



Hightower Bald's cliffs is home to Blue Ridge St. John's wort, rock spikemoss and wild hydrangea.


St. John’s Wort


Hightower Bald's cliff and rock formations.



Sugar Maple, yellowwood, tulip tree and birches grow at Loggy Branch Cove, located on the mountain's northern side in North Carolina.


Also wild boars. Boars or Bears, I would be freaking out.

The forest on Hightower Bald's northern slope is described as a broadleaf deciduous cove forest. Red-backed voles are also found on the mountain.


Red Back Voles are not as worrisome as Boars and Bears

Hiking

No trails pass over Hightower Bald's summit. However, the mountain can be reached by hiking off-trail west from the Appalachian Trail at Rich Knob or Bly Gap.


Dogs are good early indicators of Boars or Bears. Good to have them along for safety purposes.

Overview

This is a bushwhack, starting from a spot on the Appalachian Trail just south of the GA/NC state line. It isn't trivial, however, as the terrain is steep and the area is pretty remote for the Southern Appalachians.


There is no water on the mountain.

Getting There

Drive to Blue Ridge Gap (4wd only) via Upper Hightower Road or Charlie's Creek Road. There's a small parking area where the road crosses the Appalachian Trail.


If you get to the State Line marker you went too far.

Head north on the AT. Hike almost to the NC state line, then turn left and start the bushwhack. Google Earth can help you find the correct ridge, and will provide the departure point and waypoint lat/long coordinates for your GPS.



Route

It's a bushwhack. There are stretches where a vestigial game trail can be followed, but for most of the way it's hike wherever you want. The ridge gets narrow in the middle section, then widens out again at the top.



I employ the "Hansel and Gretel" technique when bushwhacking. Tie bright surveyor's ribbons on tree branches at 10 meter intervals as you ascend. Descending is easy: follow the surveyor's ribbons, gathering them as you go down. (Leave No Trace.)



Red Tape

None. US Forest Service all the way so you do not need day pass or permit. (Chuckle, chuckle; this is not a recommendation to use 'red tape' for the Hansel and Gretel technique.)



When to Climb

Best to do this in winter or early spring. There's a many-acre blackberry patch about a half-mile from the top, and the blackberry canes can be crushed underfoot when they're dead. Lord help you if you try crossing this during summer when the canes are "alive" and flexible.


Approximate spot of Montgomery Corner.

Winter also means no leaves on the trees. Not really any spectacular views, but I prefer the open vistas to hiking under a green canopy.


At the summit.

Camping

None. Well, no tent sites that I would consider.



OK this at least doesn’t take as much time as earlier Wonders. I suppose I should be doing tangents on the history of the nearest city. I will make this hike one day just to better document the cliffs.


As viewed from Tennessee Rock

Tomorrow’s wonder doesn’t even have a freaking name.

Tame post today, let's get better with our hikers GNW gal selection.