Tag Archives: Cherokee Ridge

Why go on a Reboot Wilderness Adventure?

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In a world of full of complexity and busyness, we all crave a little simplicity. What if we had the chance for a day to unplug from the technology, stress and distractions of our daily lives and connect with God and with others while exploring a wild and rugged piece of His Creation?

Reboot hiking and backpacking adventures are low-cost, fun and welcoming to first-timers. They allow us to catch our breath and refocus. We’ve got the basic gear you need including tents, backpacks, sleeping bags and sleeping pads for overnight trips. We only ask a small fee to cover costs.

Reboot is a chance to:

– Live simply and uncluttered for a couple of days. When you camp on the trail, you must carry all your possessions on your back.

– Meet new friends and have fun and fellowship with other men.

– Get great exercise and build your endurance. We usually hike 7-10 miles over two days.

– Earn the privilege of experiencing Alabama’s most breathtaking sights.

– Eat Conecuh Sausage and not feel guilty. You’ll burn the calories on the trail.

– Take a break from Twitter, Facebook and your constantly buzzing phone.

– Experience a real-life adventure while other men are sitting on the couch watching “Man vs. Wild” or playing video games.

– Most importantly, connect with our Creator by exploring His wild, rugged creation. We do this via stopping and sharing along the trail, an evening campfire discussion and a short time of solitude. All discussions are low-pressure. You can participate as much or as little as you’d like.

The group for the Fall 2014 Sipsey trip.

The group for the Fall 2014 Sipsey trip.

Planned Spring 2015 trips

Saturday, March 7: Day hike to Deadening Alpine Trail along the shores of Lake Martin. This 2.5 mile hike is open to men and women and designed as an introduction to the Reboot experience. The trail covers moderate terrain with lots of short up and down sections. We’ll leave Montgomery in the morning and return by mid-afternoon. Click here to reserve your spot. 

Friday, March 20- Saturday, March 21: Men’s overnight backpacking to Sipsey Wilderness. We’ll hike Trail 209 along the Sipsey River with the goal of exploring the famous and sometimes elusive Bee Branch Canyon and Big Tree. We’ll leave Montgomery Friday morning and return early Saturday evening. Click here to reserve your spot. 

Friday, May 1- Saturday, May 2: Men’s overnight backpacking to Sipsey Wilderness.  The destination will be the same as the March hike but we’ll take a completely different route. We’ll start at the Thompson Trailhead and hike Trail 206 along Thompson Creek until it meets up with the west side of Trail 209 along the Sipsey. We’ll take the side trail to explore Bee Branch Canyon and the famous Big Tree. We’ll leave Montgomery Friday morning and return early Saturday evening.  Click here to reserve your spot. 

Gaining a new perspective from the Smith Mountain fire tower at Lake Martin

Climbing a 90-foot-tall fire tower in a cold, stiff January breeze was a tiny bit nerve-racking. But the spectacular view from the top made it well worth the effort and was highlight of our recent visit to Smith Mountain, the highest point along Lake Martin.

At the base of the 90-foot-tall Smith Mountain Fire Tower.

At the base of the 90-foot-tall Smith Mountain Fire Tower.

Reboot partner Chris Bowden and I spent one chilly Saturday morning exploring the trails around Smith Mountain in advance of our March 1 day hike trip.  Chris is the person who got me into backpacking a few years ago and has been an instrumental partner in taking Reboot from a prayer and idea into a reality. After spending a year in Kentucky, Chris and his family recently moved back to the Montgomery area and this was our first chance to hike together since his return.

After driving about an hour and a half from Montgomery, we arrived at the trailhead which is along the shores of Lake Martin west of Dadeville. Back in 2012 the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association, or CRATA, restored the fire tower and opened it to the public. This is the latest project for the group which has done excellent work over the past decade to bring quality hiking trails to Lake Martin.

We started by hiking uphill about a half mile to reach the base of the fire tower and remnants of some old buildings. Here is a little history behind the property from the CRATA website:

“Standing majestically atop Smith Mountain is the historic 90-foot fire lookout tower.  Erected in 1939 as a cooperative agreement between Alabama Power Company, Tallapoosa County Forest Conservation Association and the Alabama Forestry Commission, the tower was a sentinel for locating forest fires for 40 years.

Decommissioned in 1980, the fire lookout tower fell into neglect and disrepair.  The office building was dismantled along with other facilities.  The property (10 acres) reverted back to Alabama Power Company and had been abused by dumping for the last 30 years.”

In late 2010, Alabama Power deeded the land and tower to CRATA which worked to repair and restore it for visitors. They have done a wonderful job.

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Hiking the Deadening Trail at Lake Martin

The high point of the trail offers a great view of Chimney Rock, Acapulco Rock and the lake.

The trail offers great views of Chimney Rock, Acapulco Rock and Lake Martin.

My dad and I recently spent a few hours exploring a scenic trail along  Lake Martin called the Deadening Trail. I’ve hiked the Cherokee Alpine Trail, which is about 2 miles south, but this was my first visit to the 3.6-mile Deadening Trail, which came highly recommended as a somewhat challenging and scenic trail an hour’s drive from Montgomery.

The loop trail begins a few hundred feet from the parking area. The first half of the hike is mostly through forest. About a mile in, there is an option for a shorter 2.5-mile loop. Here you can cut over immediately to the shoreline by taking a left or stay straight to continue the forest hike for a little longer before it loops around to the shoreline. The scenic views begin once the trail loops around to follow shoreline with granite cliffs overlooking Lake Martin directly across from Chimney Rock and Acapulco Rock, popular spots for boaters and cliff-jumpers.

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