Folks, today we scaled Stone Mountain to the summit and then saw Stone Mountain Falls. It was QUITE an adventure lasting 4 hours of hiking. Up the mountain, down the mountain, across some flat'ish land and then back up the mountain to see the falls. Okay, wait, let me tell you these grueling details. We got to Stone Mountain Park at 12:30pm, geared up with water bottles, snacks, tp just in case, and moleskin on our heels after yesterday's very verticle climb on the Mountains-To-Sea trail. We analyzed the trail map and I had taken note previously that it was a strenuous hike. It is, afterall, what I wanted. Moderate difficulty to hard trails for this trip.
We headed out and we walked for about 1.5 miles when we reached what at first I thought was the top, though at the same time I knew it could not be the top because it was not hard to get to, I was not winded, and the trail went on behind us....going slowly up. The first picture below is me on what I called the "false summit." We continued on, and I whined slightly to Will about how I thought we were going to the tippy top of Stone Mountain. We cleared the relaxed hill, and saw what we were REALLY GOING to climb up. I didn't take any pictures of this long part, but it was absolutely incredible and VERY tough. We made it down the foothill to the base of the mountain and began on the multitude of switchbacks. My legs were getting tired, my breathing short and heavy, and my boots were rubbing still against my heels and sides of feet. Will always strays much further ahead when we hike. I blame his longer stride and general better endurance. So, he got to take lots of breaks at each point of a switchback. He would shout down at me, "Just think of it as training!" And, you know what, I (I mean "we") finally made it to the top! I was wearing shorts and a tshirt and my hair is short as heck and yet, I was sweating like a piggy. But it was a super accomplishment.
After making it to the summit, Will and I enjoyed the sandwiches we packed, some yummy fresh dried mango slices, and plenty of water. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't the most peaceful rock perch and picnic I've ever been present for. Once we had our fill of these serene moments (though I feel I could have spent hours on that slab of rock), we began our descent down the mountain. It was comprised of stairs, metal rope railings, staggered dirt steps, and endless switchbacks - all to combat the sheer steepness.
At the bottom, we walked for quite some time on mostly flat trail before the sound and smell of rushing water saturated our olfactory and auditory senses. There! The waterfall surged, partially hidden by weaving branches and abounding rhododendron leaves. My eyes widened is near despair to see flights and flights of stairs to reach each waterfall landing. Halfway up, I joked nearly cryingly that this nightmare segment surely would become Escher's Staircase and that it would simply never end. When I thought my legs were tired on the incline to the summit, I was severely wrong. These stairs, Lord save me, these stairs! My movement slowed to that of a snail. Even as I slogged on, and mentally prep talked myself (which eventually did not help), I only thought to photograph the mid level of stairs and further stairs to the top. As my reader, you might have cried if I'd shared the previous sets of stairs, so I'm glad I can spare you of that torment. I learned later that there were over 300 steps from the base of the waterfall to the top. THREE-HUNDRED PLUS STEPS! My chiropractor will be receiving a call for an appointment upon my return for my knee. Now, at the top, the most rewarding and heavenly finish line, I asked Will how on earth he was able to climb at such a steady non-snail pace, and without breaking a straight face, he said, "I imagine I have robot legs, and I think about what pace I would keep." What. Haha, I wheezed so much at this unexpected and richly nerdy comment. My husband truly is one of a kind. From here, with my rubber legs and his robot legs, it was an additional ~1.2 miles back to the parking lot which did include some pasture land as well. A welcome sunlight-gracing space.
Our whole trail time having altitude calculated recorded us having climbed 84 flights of stairs. Wow.
