Benchmark atop Rich Mountain
Rich Mountain Lookout Tower
Dec. 2018
Kenny & Dana Koogler
Pictures are here starting with frame 135
I want to finish the remaining lookout towers on my challenge list so I talked Kenny into going with me to knock out another one on a day trip. Rich Mountain tower is approachable from a couple directions, but we picked the Hurricane Gap side to come in since it was slightly shorter and coincided better with other things we hoped to see for the day. It is a short and pretty trip and not too hard. We were blessed to still see some nice Fall colors in early December!
We had lunch in Hot Springs at a nice place I'd never heard of called the Smoky Mountain Diner.
It was really good. We set out afterward to make it to the top of the mountain and the lookout tower.
Though the day was sunny and the temperatures down in the lower elevations were pleasant it was icy and bitter cold up on top of the mountain. We were woefully under prepared for that temperature so we did not tarry. The views were spectacular and the tower site is amazing! The tower itself was torn down in more recent years by Verizon or some communications people who bought rights to put their devices up there. They then had to pay to reconstruct the tower! Consequently it is of new construction and very sturdy. 360 degree views! The surface in the cab was glazed over with ice. It made me feel very uneasy. One false move and you'd bust your ass and possibly end up hurt.
A look up Spring Creek at the lovely Autumn colors from the Old Red Bridge.
Above: Rich Mountain Tower itself and inside the cab. Last is the view of the mountains from the tower site. It is frosty!
Once we got done at the tower site we headed down to try to find the official trail head and parking area for Wolf Creek Falls. I want to hike to it from that end one day in Spring. It is such a beautiful hike and I am sure has good wildflowers. We finally found it. It was a pretty spot for sure.
Above: Views of the Wolf Creek Trail head area and the creek itself.
Above : the ford of Wolf Creek. You KNOW we had to drive the jeep through it.
All it all it was a good day and it felt great to be out with Kenny. It felt great to complete another one of my tower sites.
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