Cheaha Weekend Kickoff

Kristine is working this weekend in Anniston, and the kids both have sleepover tonight and tomorrow night – so that makes for the perfect getaway weekend for some training in the mountains of east Alabama. After class today, I headed on a climbing route along the Shades Mountain ridge northeast of Birmingham all the way out to Margaret before heading east over the Bald Rock ridge down to Pell City. AL-174 climbs over the Bald Rock ridge at Elbow Gap and on the smaller peak there is a radio tower access road that climbs up over 1200′ – I’ve seen it before, but never had a chance to do the climb until today. Nice gradual climb on paved double track rewarded with a beautiful view from the cliffs at the top. The first panorama below is the view. You can see the Bald Rock ridge on the left side of the picture, and you can also see the rain clouds moving in. It started to rain on me when I started my descent from the top.

View from the mountain tower summit on the bald rock ridge looking southwest with the rest of the ridge on the left

Panoramic view of Bald Rock Mountain from Margaret ridge

Panoramic view of Bald Rock Mountain from Margaret ridge

View from the mountain tower summit on the bald rock ridge looking southwest with the rest of the ridge on the left

This little guy was wandering around the top of Smyer Circle – very friendly.

View of home, the vulcan, and just barely visible part of downtown Birmingham

One of my favorite roads in all of Birmingham, Vestavia Dr, crests Shades Mountain at its highest point and runs along the edge overlooking the Shades Creek valley

Samford University and the apartments on the Old Hwy 31 climb

Red buds starting to bloom with two sleeping dogs in the yard

Random large sculpture north of Moody

Old Acton Rd turned out to be a cool road that may have been an old logging road at one time

Nice view of the Bald Rock ridge/mountain (highest point in Birmingham area)

At the spot where I climbed over the bald rock ridge on AL-174, there is a turnoff called “mountain tower” road and if you make it past this gate, you are rewarded with a nice long gradual climb to the top

Cliffs at the top of the tower climb

Bald Rock mountain driveway – wish I could get permission to climb this

But I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon

this little sign makes me want to climb it even more

The Mt Cheaha harley davidson shop near our hotel

Fuji steakhouse our table bordered Mount Haukalugi (finding nemo)