On the second-to-last day of my drive home from LA, I awoke early with an ambitious plan: bag Magazine Mountain and Woodall Mountain, and then drive as far toward home as I could.  The first part of the plan went smoothly, but various forces intervened (Memphis rush hour traffic, my surfboard almost breaking loose from the roof rack..), and it took a long time to get to the town of Gravel Siding.  The sun was starting to set as I drove the last few miles toward the highpoint.  Along the way, framed beyond the lights and cheers of a high school baseball game, I could see the blinking tower atop Woodall Mountain.

The route to the mountain was well marked and easy to find.  After passing the baseball field, I took a left and drove a mile or so down a residential street, soon arriving at a right-hand turn with a sign that indicated the way to Woodall’s summit.  Turning onto the gravel road, I passed by a home, then wound through a forested area up an incline that grew somewhat steep in several spots.  The road was easy to manage, and I soon arrived at the summit area.

The summit of Woodall Mountain consisted of a gravel loop framed by several sheds and what appeared to be a number of cell phone towers.  A sign warned that the area was under surveillance.  There was also a USGS survey marker clearly visible in the center of the gravel loop, as well as a slight break in the trees that afforded a pretty, albeit narrow, view of the surrounding countryside.  After the customary photo session, I packed up and headed for home, and, with the help of two Five Hour Energy drinks (one of my best friends on these trips), I salvaged the original plan, making it to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee before stopping for the night.