The Corona Effect

Having rarely camped on mountaintops before, it was a delight to discover what spring in the North Georgia mountains means after the rains depart and the skies are bright.

We pushed hard after our first zero day, feeling refreshed and fleet of foot climbing up from Neels Gap and over the mountains to our first panoramas of the hike.

Too fleet of foot, we were, racing sunset nearly 12 miles to Low Gap. I paid for it the next several days, my right knee screaming from overuse. To compensate, we continued with low miles for a couple of days, gingerly stepping across the rocks.

Atop Blue Mountain, we discovered the corona effect. Mountaintop sunrises and sunsets are gorgeous by their very nature, but on Blue Mountain - and later Tray Mountain - the wrap-around view meant a very special show.

At dawn and dusk, the skies lit up all around us in shades of purple and pink, slowly fading out in the evening and in during the morning.

A natural light show, thanks to the lack of leaves on the trees and these perches for hikers created by GATC.