Rich Mountain,
elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Vert ...
, is the highest point in the
Rich Mountain Wilderness of the
Chattahoochee National Forest in
Gilmer County,
Georgia. It is the second-highest peak in Gilmer County; only
Big Bald Mountain is taller, with its summit at .
Description
Rich Mountain is the namesake peak of the Rich Mountains, a circular-shaped range of mountains located in northeastern
Gilmer County.
Rich Mountain is located at the center of this range, with ridges and valleys radiating outward from the mountain.
[Foose, M.P. ]
Geology of the Rich Mountain Roadless Area, Gilmer and Fannin counties, Georgia
' (1985). USGS. Many of these mountains are covered in a deep, black porter's
loam
Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–sil ...
.
[The Georgia Conservancy]
The Rich Mountains
''Longstreet Highroad Guide to the North Georgia Mountains.'' Retrieved 18 March 2017. The vegetation in the area consists of
second-growth
A secondary forest (or second-growth forest) is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a timber harvest or clearing for agriculture, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident. ...
hardwood forests.
[USDA. ''Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest (N.F.), Land and Resource(s) Management Plan (LRMP) - Environmental Impact Statement.'' (1985). pp. C-52.]
The mountain is located about southwest of
Cherry Log and northeast of
Ellijay.
Big Bald Mountain, the highest point in Gilmer County, is located about northeast of Rich Mountain.
U.S. Route 76
U.S. Route 76 (US 76) is an east–west U.S. highway that travels for approximately from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
Route description
, -
, TN
, 8.9
, 14.3
, -
, U.S. Route 76 in Georgia, GA
, 150.7
, 242.5
, ...
runs to the west of the mountain. Rich Mountain's summit is located inside the
Rich Mountain Wilderness, as well as the Rich Mountain
Wildlife Management Area.
[Rich Mountain Wildlife Management Area]
georgiawildlife.com. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
With an elevation of , Rich Mountain is the second tallest mountain in
Gilmer County and the highest point of the Rich Mountain Wilderness.
It is also the 21st tallest mountain in the state of Georgia, if using a 160 feet prominence rule.
[Georgia 4000-foot Peaks]
peakbagger.com. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
The
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...
built a
fire tower on Rich Mountain's summit during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
; only a stone chimney and fireplace remain standing on the summit.
[ Gilmer County High Point Trip Report]
COHP.org. 16 April 2000. Retrieved 18 March 2017.[Georgia. Dept. of Forestry and Geological Development. ''Forestry-geological Review ..., Volumes 1-7'' (1931).]
Hiking
No trails pass over Rich Mountain's summit. However, hikers can climb to the summit by hiking off-trail from Rich Mountain Road, a former
logging road running through the Rich Mountains.
[USDA Forest Service]
DECISION NOTICE AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FOR THE RICH MOUNTAIN PROJECT
2004. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
See also
*
List of mountains in Georgia (U.S. state)
This article lists notable mountains in the U.S. state of Georgia.
Highest mountains
The following sortable table lists the 11 highest mountain peaks of Georgia with at least of topographic prominence. The eleven highest mountains in Georgia ar ...
References
Georgia's Named SummitsGeorgia peaks over 4,000 feet
External links
Topographical map of Rich Mountain
{{coord, 34, 44, 37, N, 84, 20, 35, W, display=title
Mountains of Gilmer County, Georgia
Mountains of Georgia (U.S. state)
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest