Exact photo location?

[CheeseGrits]

Hello, I am doing a custom map project for a thru-hiker and am trying to get the exact location of a photo to properly caption it.
Since the photo is so distinctive, I am hoping that another hiker has a photo at the same location that is Geo-Tagged with Latitude and Longitude coordinates.
From that, I can derive the exact AT mile point. We know that the photo was taken in the vicinity of Whistling Gap, NC, somewhere around mile 330.9, but that might be plus or minus 5 miles.
So, does anyone have EXACT coordinates (from a geo-tagged photo) for this distinctive rock? I have attached two photos.
Thanks!

[HooKooDooKu]

I've never been there myself, so I don't know where this is.
But looking at Google Earth...

I find a place called Whistling Gap at 36.018443°, -82.437636° along the AT.

A little more than 1/2 mile NOBO from there, I see a small rock outcropping near the top of a mountain at 36.022991°, -82.428678°

[CheeseGrits]

Thanks for the reply, HooKooDooKu;

I looked on Google Earth where you see the outcrop, and also see it. But, something about the shape seems off - your outcrop seems more jagged, but still could be the spot. And, I have a suspicion that the rock I am looking for is AT south of Whistling Gap, although I am not sure.

But, good call on finding that outcrop. I am still hoping that someone will have a geotagged photo - surely there must be hundreds of photos taken at that spot.

Thanks again,
CheeseGrits



I've never been there myself, so I don't know where this is. But looking at Google Earth... I find a place called Whistling Gap at 36.018443°, -82.437636° along the AT. A little more than 1/2 mile NOBO from there, I see a small rock outcropping near the top of a mountain at 36.022991°, -82.428678°

[SteelCut]

I've never been there myself, so I don't know where this is.
But looking at Google Earth...

I find a place called Whistling Gap at 36.018443°, -82.437636° along the AT.

A little more than 1/2 mile NOBO from there, I see a small rock outcropping near the top of a mountain at 36.022991°, -82.428678°

The rock outcropping you see NOBO from Whistling Gap is High Rocks and is much bigger than a simple boulder.

The rock in question is trail south of Whistling Gap between Little Bald and Whistling Gap. It is about mile 330.0 based on the mileage in 2018 AWOL guide.

[CheeseGrits]

SteelCut:
Thanks for the reply! Your description seems to match more with what I am thinking as well. I have searched Google Earth for the rock around your location, but without success so far. It might be impossible to see with tree cover, even in some of the "history" photos in Google Earth taken in the fall and winter. I am still on a quest for a Geotagged photo, though. By the way, your 2018 AT mile 330.0 would correspond to 2019 AT mile 330.4, if that helps recent-year hikers any.
Thanks again, and if any hikers have geotagged Lat/Lon, I would still very much appreciate that.
CheeseGrits



The rock outcropping you see NOBO from Whistling Gap is High Rocks and is much bigger than a simple boulder.
The rock in question is trail south of Whistling Gap between Little Bald and Whistling Gap. It is about mile 330.0 based on the mileage in 2018 AWOL guide.

[gpburdelljr]

Here is a blog about hiking from the Hogback Ridge Shelter to Whistling Gap. A picture of the rock in question appears in the blog, unfortunately the metadata on the photo doesn’t contain coordinates.

https://goldencornerhikes.wordpress.com/

[HooKooDooKu]

I tried searching Google Earth a little south of the gap. I'm not sure what I see, but I seem to see something that doesn't look like a tree (but could be an odd shadow from trees):
36.007166°, -82.462322°

[Captain Blue]

I took a photo of that rock in 2017. The lat/lon metadata from my Olympus TG-4 camera says: 36.00083, -82.48111

[HooKooDooKu]

I took a photo of that rock in 2017. The lat/lon metadata from my Olympus TG-4 camera says: 36.00083, -82.48111
Those exact coordinates are a little off the trail down a hill.
But I might see a little something at 35.999697°,-82.480260° (can't say for sure).

[CheeseGrits]

I took a photo of that rock in 2017. The lat/lon metadata from my Olympus TG-4 camera says: 36.00083, -82.48111
Thank you for that data. That would put the 2019 AT mileage at around 327.3.

SteelCut says it is between Big Bald and Whistling Gap, which would mean between 326.2 and 330.9, so that seems to fit, although SteelCut seems to place it closer to mile 330.

If we could get one more camera GPS to verify and corroborate, perhaps we can put this to bed. We have definitely narrowed it down.

Thanks to all who have replied.
CheeseGrits

[Slo-go'en]

Don't you think that's close enough? It's not like anyone will be searching for the rock solely by the GPS co-ordinates.

BTW, I thought that rock looked familiar and I found I did take a picture of it, but it got scrambled with a bunch of other pictures and out of sequence so I had no idea where it was other then some place down south.

[gpburdelljr]

I took a photo of that rock in 2017. The lat/lon metadata from my Olympus TG-4 camera says: 36.00083, -82.48111

Those coordinates are very close to the Bald Mountain Shelter (36.00016,-82.47808). Is it possible the Rock is not on the trail itself, but close to the shelter?

[Slo-go'en]

Those coordinates are very close to the Bald Mountain Shelter (36.00016,-82.47808). Is it possible the Rock is not on the trail itself, but close to the shelter?

Since the rock has AT painted on it and I remember walking right past it, it's on the trail. You can't miss it.