Greeter Falls, Beersheba Springs,TN

This afternoon we decided to make the most of the Fall colours and get outside. We drove to near Beersheba Springs where we went on a few short hikes in the Savage Gulf State Nature Area. We went to the Stone Door and Big Creek Gulf as well as Greeter Falls. All were very easy trails with great views. The leaves on the trees where all sorts of beautiful colours which provided for some great photos at the overlooks. We also got to play around with setting on the camera at several waterfalls along the trails. A fun Autumn afternoon at some new places!

Little Rock City (Stonefort), Chattanooga, TN

This morning "bright" and early we headed out bouldering. It was raining when we woke up and headed out but the forecast gave us hope. We went to Little Rock City which is in Chattanooga up on Mobray Mountain. (We are lucky to have LRC as the land was being developed and the Southeastern Climbers Coalition played a huge role in saving the boulders that remain today from being blasted and destroyed.) After being in the rain for about 45min and hiding under overhangs, the rained stopped and it turned into a rather nice day. I mostly watched and took photos as I am still on the injured list - not for my ankle - it is doing very well! I have Synovitis in my hands! It's frustrating. I've had 4 steroid injections so far and they seem to be getting better but the Synovial shealth is supposed to be pretty slow to heal. It's sooo hard not to "stress" them because I really want to do things all the time! Hopefully I will be back on the rock soon!

Algonquin Park, Ontario

Overlook of Looking Glass Rock, Pisgah National Forest, NC

This was just one of the amazing views that we saw as we drove from Looking Glass Rock (which you can see here far off in the background) to Asheville along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The drive is very scenic with beautiful views, lucious green forests, lots of winding roads and tunnels.

Top of White Side Mountain, Nantahala National Forest, NC

Today we did the Original Route on White Side Mountain. It's a pretty scary route. The mountain is 700 feet tall but the route traverses so much that it is approximately 1000 feet of climbing. The routes are very run-out and many spots/pitches don't take much gear if any. The route is rated 5.11a (or 5.10c A1 if you aid through the bolted cruxes) and is known as the place with the "biggest, longest, wildest, run out routes in the south" and it's often referred to as "the land of hard men who seek difficult and dangerous climbing". Of course my head might have been in a different place had I know all this BEFORE climbing it! I'm just glad I didn't have to lead it all. All I had to do is clean the very few pieces of gear on the route as I followed him up and watch I didn't pendulum to my death on some of the scary traverses!

Ocoee River, Polk County, TN

The Ocoee River was famous for hosting the 1996 Summer Olympic whitewater slalom events. The events were conducted on a one-mile course that is fed by the release of water from Ocoee Dam #3. There are three dams on the river controlled by TVA. Depending on the time of year and the water flow, sections of the river may be almost completely dry. eight months a year the river draws many tourists to it for White Water Rafting. It has numerous guiding companies lining both sides of the highway just waiting to take out bus loads of adventure seekers to have some fun down the rapids!

Fishing Trip - Algonquin Park, ON

I have been to Algonquin many times. I love it. When you are canoeing/portaging though you go deep into the lake systems and have to deal with whatever weather you get! Well I must say, of all the times I have camped/hiked/canoed/fished it almost always rains at some point. Nothing quite like this trip though. I have never been SO wet and SO could. It was a great morning - I caught the most fish I have ever caught in 3 hrs in my life - but was it worth getting soaked right through my rain pants and jacket to the skin so that my clothes underneath stuck to my skin completely? Yea... I guess it was!

Little River Canyon, Alabama

Little River is unique because almost the entire length of it flows on TOP of a mountain! The mountain is called Lookout Mountain. It spans from TN to northeast Alabama which seems crazy! There are all kinds of climbing places including sandstone bluff lines along the canyon, not to mention boulders, swimming holes & pools, waterfalls, and forests! Every time we're out climbing this time of year we have seen kayakers going down the river down below us. This picture shows the other side of the canyon behind me in the distance but unfortunately the river is too far below at the bottom of the canyon to see!