North Georgia Mountains - Waterfalls, Vistas, & Wineries

[giradman]

P.S. on Deliverance Post

Forgot to mention some anecdotes from the film - quoted below from the previous Wiki link about the stunt scenes - the one that I put in bold still makes me laugh! Dave

The film is famous for cutting costs by not insuring the production and having the actors do their own stunts (most notably, Jon Voight climbed the cliff himself). In one scene, the stunt coordinator decided that a scene showing a canoe with a dummy of Burt Reynolds in it looked phony; he said it looked "like a canoe with a dummy in it." Reynolds begged to have the scene re-shot with himself in the canoe rather than the dummy. After shooting the scene, Reynolds, coughing up river water and nursing a broken coccyx, asked how the scene looked. The director responded, "like a canoe with a dummy in it."

Regarding the courage of the four main actors in the movie doing their own stunts without insurance protection, Dickey was quoted as saying all of them "had more guts than a burglar". In a nod to their stunt-performing audacity, early in the movie Lewis says, "Insurance? I've never been insured in my life. I don't believe in insurance. There's no risk."

 

[suenc]

Susan & I just returned from a 5-night stay in the mountains of northern Georgia (GA) just below the North Carolina state border (maps below show our 4+ hour drive) - we stayed at the Brasstown Valley Resort which is near Young Harris, GA - spanning the NC/GA border is a dammed mountain lake called Chatuge Lake w/ finger-like extensions into the valleys between the mountains - very typical of these water bodies. Although we've been to the North Carolina, Virginia, & West Virginia mountains numerous times, this was our first visit into the mountains of Georgia, which is about a two hour drive north from Atlanta, the state capital & largest city.

The Brasstown Resort is a beautiful place (see pics below - surrounded by mountains w/ a top rated golf course and spa - Susan went one morning, and I to the exercise room!). Much of the the furniture style is of the rustic type (see quote below - Source), i.e. natural wood materials (sticks, branches, etc.) - very typical for many of these mountain lodges and resorts. The grounds are well landscaped w/ shrubs, flowers, etc. (next two pics below my own). The lobby is timber-framed and rises to 3-4 floor levels w/ a huge stoned fireplace extending to the top - large antler chandeliers grace the area - I sat there each night w/ a draft local beer looking up - probably a half dozen people could fit into the hearth of that fireplace.

Further posts will cover the many attractions in the area (many of which we are too old to do!) - please contribute if you've been or live in the area and ask questions (now, as a first visitor, I'm not an expert!) - Dave



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A charming inn, both rustic and luxurious. A keeper.

 

[suenc]

Appalachian Mountains

Just a brief post for those who may not have a knowledge of the Appalachian Mountains running along the east coast of the North American continent from Canada into the state of Alabama - below an introductory quote (Source) that nicely discusses the features and attractions of these mountains.

The map below shows the extent of these ancient mountains - note their most southerly position in the states of Georgia (GA) & Alabama - the location of the Brasstown Resort is roughly at the position of the arrow point, so Susan and I were @ the tail end of this chain. Now, some would claim that these are not really mountains - BUT, considering their age (250-450 million years) and the amount of erosion over the eons, they were as majestic in their youth as the Rockies out west whether in Canada or America - their lower and rounded appearance topped w/ green trees is a beauty onto its own - think of islands of broccoli popping up all over the land!

Relative to the above, these mountains are not as high as those out west or in other parts of the world - the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River is Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina (about a 2 hour drive from our home) - height is 6,684 ft above sea level (I've shown pics of this mountain in my NC mountain travelogue - take a look). We took a trip to the 'highest' mountain in Georgia (about 2,000 ft less than Mitchell) and will post later. Below are just some images of mine from previous trips to the North Carolina mountains - enjoy. Dave


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We were surrounded by beautiful forests, mountains and lakes everywhere we went.

 

[suenc]

Blue Ridge, Georgia & the Scenic Railway

On our first full day, we drove to Blue Ridge, GA - about 45 minutes from the Brasstown Resort (first map below - red pin) to take a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway - for those who love riding trains, more are becoming available in many of the mountain areas that we visit - some have been rather boring while others more scenic and varied - this one was in the latter category; below are a few of my own images of the Railroad Depot in Blue Ridge (a quaint touristy mountain town now) and one of two diesel locomotives - multiple options for a seat are available from 'open' cars to their premier air-conditioned cars w/ amenities (limited to adults and 18 year olds or above, i.e. no screaming kids - guess which option we picked - ).

The overall trip was 4 hours - an hour along the Toccoa River (which is renamed the Ocoee River at the GA-Tennessee border where the twin towns of McCaysville, GA & Copperhill, TN are located), then 2 hours in the twin towns for lunch and shopping, and finally an hour back to Blue Ridge; below, a view of the train on its way to the 'twin towns' - our car was in the back going and then up front coming back driven by the other locomotive.

In the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the white water events were held on the Ocoee River at the Ocoee Whitewater Center (map below) - introductory quote also (from the link). Numerous water activities are available on the rivers (kayaking, canoeing, tubing, etc.) and on the lakes - I was planning on renting a motor boat but the weather was unusually hot, i.e. in the low 90s (F) most days. But if you are into these water activities and mountain hiking, then these mountains are certainly a destination if you're in the area. Dave

P.S. the river levels are controlled by several dams - we started out at 11 AM and the Toccoa River was low, but on the way back the gates were released at the dams and the water had risen w/ many more boaters and tubers on the river.


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A fun day. We reserved the Premier adults-only car: air-conditioned, comfy seats, hostesses narrating as well as serving us drinks and snacks. When the ticket person asked if anyone in the family was in the military, I replied that Dave was once in the Army, so they gave us the military discount. We felt like VIP's--but aren't we always?

 

[giradman]

Northern Georgia Waterfalls - Part 1

The southwestern North Carolina and northern Georgia mountains have dozens of waterfalls - in North Carolina, Highlands is the place to stay in seeking out the waterfalls there. In northern Georgia, the waterfalls may be easily accessed or require driving on non-paved roads and then hiking a good distance, so read the descriptions carefully about getting to these various falls. This post will concentrate on just one of the few falls that we visited and the next post show some of the others that can be explored.

Anna Ruby Falls is unique in that there are twin falls w/ one having an upper and lower level; description below from a Wiki article (Source) - parking in a paved lot w/ a short half mile walk to the falls on a paved path which is all uphill to get there. On arrival, there are two observation decks - below are pics of the falls and views along the pathway - most are mine w/ several of Susan, looking up from the lower observation deck and sitting next to Smokey. Dave

Anna Ruby Falls is located near Unicoi State Park in White County near Helen, Georgia. The waterfall is accessible via a half mile (800 m) trail from a public use area with a small admittance charge. The Anna Ruby Falls Trail is designated a National Recreation Trail in Georgia.[1]

Anna Ruby Falls is actually twin waterfalls created where two separate streams- Curtis Creek and York Creek- join at the base of the falls to form Smith Creek, which flows into Unicoi Lake. Both Curtis and York creeks begin on Tray Mountain, Georgia's sixth-highest peak: Curtis Creek drops 153 feet (47 m) and York Creek drops 50 feet (15 m). The falls are named after Anna Ruby Nichols.

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[giradman]

Northern Georgia Waterfalls - Part 2

Of course, there are many other beautiful falls to see in the mountains of Georgia - again, read the directions closely about getting to these places - may involve unpaved roads and long and/or strenuous walks - this LINK provides descriptions of many of these additional falls - the pics below are mainly from that website. Dave

P.S. I added the names to each image to more quickly correlate w/ the link above.
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[scifan57]

Wonderful atrticle and photos. Some of the waterfalls may be small but they're in beautiful settings, worth the effort to visit. One good thing about that uphill path to Anna Ruby Falls, the walk back to the car is all downhill.

 

[suenc]

We enjoyed the locale much better than expected and will likely return in the near future - Lake Chatuge is beautiful and spans the NC & GA border as seen in my first post - I really wanted to take Susan on the water and we went down to the Boundary Waters Marina and looked at the 2 boats below - decided that the larger one was a safer choice for us oldsters, but the temperatures hit the 90s (F) each day - as stated before there are plenty river and lake activities depending on your age and boldness, e.g. Susan was not interested at all in the duo jet ski -

There are about a half dozen marinas offering rentals on the Georgia side of the lake, so for those interested plenty of choices (also click on the marina link to see other 'larger' boat choices, if interested). Dave
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If it had been cooler we could have taken more advantage of the lakes and trails. And yes, no jet ski; I was partial to the bigger, wider pontoon boat.

 

[suenc]

Northern Georgia Waterfalls - Part 2

Of course, there are many other beautiful falls to see in the mountains of Georgia - again, read the directions closely about getting to these places - may involve unpaved roads and long and/or strenuous walks - this LINK provides descriptions of many of these additional falls - the pics below are mainly from that website. Dave

P.S. I added the names to each image to more quickly correlate w/ the link above.
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The walk back to the car is all downhill, which is not necessarily ideal for a clumsy senior citizen (me). We tried to find a couple of waterfalls that, according to the brochure, had "easy" trails, but one was on a rutted, treacherous dirt road, so we turned back. The other was the same. Again, gorgeous surroundings, would go back, hopefully in cooler weather.

 

[suenc]

Deliverance - 1972 Film

The film Deliverance was released in 1972 w/ the actors in the quote below from the web - this is just a 'bonus' post - Beatty & Cox made their acting debuts; the film is based on a 1970 novel by James Dickey - plot below - basically, four Atlanta businessmen going for a trip to the north Georgia mountains as a 'guy's get away' which goes awfully wrong! Portions of the movie were shot primarily in Rabun County in northeastern Georgia. The canoe scenes were filmed in the Talulah Gorge southeast of Clayton and on the Chattooga River, which divides the northeastern corner of Georgia from the northwestern corner of South Carolina - so we traveled the area - fun!

The soundtrack is still famous, especially for the Dueling Banjos (see quote & video below) scene - the performance won a Grammy Award - the film was also nominated for many awards (pic below along w/ several others) - but just for the record, Susan & I did not run into the 'mountain men' seen in this production - in fact, the people were extremely friendly and helpful - if you have not seen this film, read the link above - still disturbing and may be offensive for some - Dave




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I was pregnant when this came out. I thought I would immediately go into labor.

 

[giradman]

Brasstown Bald - Georgia's Highest Mountain

The southern Appalachian Mountains fade out in northern Georgia and northeastern Alabama but are still dramatic in appearance and offer the usual mountain driving experience. The highest mountain in Georgia is called the Brasstown Bald (4,784 ft - about 2000 ft less than Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina, the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River) located near our resort (see aerial map - red pins mark the mountain & road sign a brief description). The parking area is about a half mile below the peak but is a difficult uphill path - there is a shuttle available which we used. Additional pics below show the relationship of the parking area (one view w/ an arrow on our car).

The Visitor's Center offers spectacular views of four states and a much better appreciation of the north Georgia mountains; the fall colors are beautiful. A small exhibit area in the center discusses and portrays various aspects of the mountain, geology, human history, and other topics. The taller structure is the Ranger observation tower (off limits to visitors) where distant fires can be easily pinpointed; in the parking area, a small but interesting gift shop is located and worth a stop. Dave

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[scifan57]

Wonderful views. The climb to the observation tower is certainly worth it considering the spectacular views from the top.

 

[giradman]

Wonderful views. The climb to the observation tower is certainly worth it considering the spectacular views from the top.

Hi Scifan.. - that 1/2 mile hike is really strenuous and is for experienced hikers or those much younger - most people were taking the shuttle from the parking area to the top, a $2 fee - see one of my previous pics below on which I've marked the shuttle pick up point (same level as parking lot) and the location of the small gift shop.

Let me mention one other great bargain for 'seniors', i.e. the National Parks & Recreational Lands Pass which is available to USA citizens or permanent residents for a modest lifetime fee ($10) - age qualification is 62 y/o - we've been using our passes for the last 6+ years - as an example, there were fees to enter both Anna Ruby Falls & Brasstown Bald (both on the pass list) - we saved about $20 total for both places - below an appearance of the 'Senior Pass' (there are other types) and a brief description (Source) - SO, if you qualify and visit these various parks and other national sites, then a MUST purchase. Dave
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[giradman]

Helen, Georgia - Bavarian Styled Mountain Town

Helen, GA is a touristy Bavarian-styled town in the north Georgia mountains on the Chattahoochee River (see map showing location relative to our resort - just a drive through Hiawassee and then HW 17, a winding mountain road) - brief description from the web (click on the name of the town). Below are pics from the web of the replica architecture of a German alpine town - the main attraction for us was the food - there are many restaurants w/ German food - we ate lunch at the Old Bavaria Inn and the eats were fairly authentic - Susan had a great sausage w/ sauerkraut & potato salad; we split a delicious 'apple strudel' which was made in Munich, Germany; otherwise, shops & gift stores of the usual expectations (one of our bartenders at the resort called it a 'tourist trap' - but worth a visit for the food and surroundings).

Much can be enjoyed in the Helen area - Anna Ruby Falls is nearby, as is the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area where mountain hikes, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and tubing (2 pics below - last my own) can be enjoyed - also Brasstown Bald is just a half hour drive or so w/ one point of entry off HW 17 -> HW 180. The river originates in northern Georgia not too far north from Helen and forms part of the GA-Alabama border, then enters Florida to drain into another river which empties into the Gulf of Mexico (see second map). Dave

Formerly a logging town that was in decline, the city resurrected itself by becoming a replica of a Bavarian alpine town, in the Appalachians instead of the Alps. This design is mandated through zoning first adopted in 1969, so that the classic south-German style is present on every building, even on the small number of national franchisees present (such as Huddle House and Wendy's).

Because of this, tourism is the main industry in Helen, catering mostly to weekend visitors from the Atlanta area and also motorcyclists who enjoy riding the beautiful roads of Helen and its surrounding areas during all seasons. Helen is extremely crowded in late October, when autumn leaves typically peak. It also hosts its own Oktoberfest during September, October and November. There are many events and festivals throughout the year. One of the most well-known is Southern Worthersee, which is a stateside Volkswagen and Audi event that pays tribute to the Worthersee Tour in Austria with attendance of approximately 20,000 people. Also the annual hot-air balloon race held the first weekend in June.

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[giradman]

Georgia (USA) Wines

Wines have been made in the state of Georgia over several centuries but the state opted for prohibition in 1907, and until the early 1980s (after additional state legislation was passed) did the wine industry develop at the rapid pace. There are now about 46 wineries (according to the map below - not sure of its date, so likely more presently). Most of these wineries are north of Atlanta in the Georgia mountains where the widest types of wines are made - those south of Atlanta and near the coast (Savannah) likely concentrate more on native grapes, particularly the Muscadine.

In the mountains, an assortment of grapes are used to make wine including European vinifera, French-American hybrids, and native American grapes - many are blends of these varieties. We visited just four the the wineries listed on the map which included:

Crane Creek Vineyards (first two pics after the map) - bought a couple of wines - one called Zusa (a Riesling, Traminette, & Gruner Veltliner blend - my favorite of the two) & Seyval Blanc (French-American hybrid).

Habersham Winery (next two pics, and a pioneering winery from the early 80s) - actually bought 6 bottles - 3 for Susan (she likes the native American grapes and fruit wines, blended or not; plus a little sweetness) - I picked three but my favorite was their Merlot.

Sautee Winery (single pic from the tasting house porch - just a beautiful view) - bought 2 bottles w/ my favorite being the Sautee White (a Chardonnay & Viognier blend).

Stonewall Creek Vineyards (next two images) - bought 3 wines w/ my favorites being the Petit Manseng & Cabernet Franc - the Petit Manseng was new to me and just delicious - the wine is white and the grape is from southwestern France (thus, a vitis vinifera varietal) - great acidity & floral flavors, which reminded me of a Torrontés from Argentina which is thought to have originated on the Iberian peninsula, so one on either side of the Pyrenees Mountains.

The last two pics are several other Georgia wineries that we did not visit, but likely on a future trip, we will explore more of these wineries - just another facet of the many things to do in the north GA mountains - Dave
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