Appalachian Trail-Dick's Creek Gap to Whiteoak Stomp between Clayton, GA & Hiawassee, GA

A pleasant day with clear skies and surprisingly warm temperatures by mid-day. This was a more strenuous hike for many of us with mostly continuous climbing for the first 2.3 miles. The trail was in very good condition with less roots and rocks as found on many parts of the AT. We passed and gave out trail magic to 20 +/- AT thru-hikers today from all parts of the US. No foreign hikers. The view of the valley to the southeast including the Lake Burton area was worth the hike.