Tag Archives: Lake Martin

Sign up now for Fall 2017 trips

It’s getting close to one of the best times of year in Alabama – Fall. The weather finally cools down enough so that we can comfortably enjoy the outdoors. With that in mind, we are pleased to announce three trips for this Fall. Variety is key here as we have a simple camping trip planned for families, a day hike planned for men and women and our traditional men’s overnight backpacking trip. Make plans to get out and enjoy great fellowship and fun in a gorgeous piece of God’s creation right here in Alabama.

Here are our planned trips. Complete info and sign up available on the Upcoming Trips page.

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Complete info and sign up available on the Upcoming Trips page.

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. 

Fellowship, fresh air and fun at Smith Mountain

The group from the day hike to the Smith Mountain area of Lake Martin on March 1, 2014

The group from the day hike to the Smith Mountain area of Lake Martin on March 1, 2014

We had a great start to our 2014 spring season with a day-hike trip to Smith Mountain fire tower area of Lake Martin on Saturday, March 1. The weather was just about perfect, and we had a great time of fellowship, fresh air, exercise and unplugging from our day-to-day lives to focus on God while enjoying His creation.The theme of the day was perspective. We shared and discussed several examples from the Bible of how God has a much greater perspective than our own. The whole experience served as a reminder to remember and trust in God’s perspective on our lives especially when we are faced with a challenge or struggling to see how he is working in our present circumstances.

Here is what one participant had to say after the trip that sums it up the best:

“We enjoy getting to know other fellow believers in Christ along with hiking through the beauty at Lake Martin. It is awesome to take time and enjoy the outside beauty created by our Lord. Like you said during one of your devotional stops during the hike, it is necessary for us to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to reflect.”

Check out some more trip photos from hiker John Boyd.

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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Online registration now available for spring trips

Online registration for our spring trips is now available on the Frazer UMC web site. Join us as we reconnect to our creator by spending a little time in His creation.  Check out the Upcoming Trips page for more details about each adventure.

Smith Mountain Spring 2014 block photo

As we plan for spring, a look back at an outstanding fall

Fall was a great season for Reboot and an outstanding cap to our first year as a ministry. We had the privilege of leading two overnight backpacking/Bible study trips to Cheaha and a day hike trip to the Deadening Trail at Lake Martin. With crisp autumn air and beautiful foliage, fall is the perfect season to explore and enjoy God’s creation, and our trips didn’t disappoint.

Cheaha backpacking
Taking a rest during our September Cheaha backpacking trip.

Taking a rest during our September Cheaha backpacking trip.

Gorgeous sunny weather greeted our first overnighter Sept. 28-29. The Pinhoti Trail was a little busier than normal which really wasn’t too much of a surprise because of the wonderful weather. Our usual campsite along McDill Point was taken but we found a wonderful large campsite on top of a short hill opposite from the turnoff to McDill Point.  After setting up camp and enjoying a dinner of Conecuh sausage and rice, we had a great discussion focused on Luke 12:22-24 and how God is our provider and as long as we are seeking after Him, he will provide everything we need. We capped off the night listening to the end of the Alabama/Ole Miss football game on a small backpacking radio (This is Alabama were college football is king, after all). The next day we hiked the Pinhoti to the intersection with the Chinnabee Silent Trail and took Chinabee down the mountain and ended the hike at Cheaha Falls.

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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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Online registration for fall trips now available

IMG_3995Online registration is now up and running on the Frazer UMC website for our fall adventures. Space is limited, so register today to ensure your spot. You don’t want to miss this chance to disconnect from the hustle and bustle and reconnect with God in the outdoors.

Check out the Upcoming Trips page for more details and about each adventure and a link to register for one on the Frazer UMC website.

Sept. 28-29: Men’s overnight backpacking/Bible study adventure to Cheaha Wilderness

Oct. 12: Men’s and women’s day hike to the Deadening Trail on Lake Martin

Nov. 1- 2: Men’s overnight backpacking/Bible study adventure to Cheaha Wilderness

Fall 2013 trip dates

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We are very excited to announce the dates for our Fall 2013 Reboot Wilderness Adventures.  Sign-up information will be available in the next few weeks. Check out the Upcoming Trips page for more details about each adventure.

Sept. 28-29: Men’s overnight backpacking/Bible study adventure to Cheaha Wilderness

Oct. 12: Men’s and women’s day hike to the Deadening Trail on Lake Martin

Nov. 1- 2: Men’s overnight backpacking/Bible study adventure to Cheaha Wilderness