Georgia Loop trail

[Doc Tom]

I'll be doing the Georgia Loop trail at the end of this month. I plan on taking a week to do it. ? I have read that water resupply can be an issue and am carrying extra bladders. Anyone have any general advice for this trip at this time of year? Anyone done this route recently? Is a bear canister requisite?
mt

[Phreak]

I'll be doing the Georgia Loop trail at the end of this month. I plan on taking a week to do it. ? I have read that water resupply can be an issue and am carrying extra bladders. Anyone have any general advice for this trip at this time of year? Anyone done this route recently? Is a bear canister requisite?
mt

Which loop trail are you doing? BMT/DRT/AT loop? A bear canister isn't required but is an option given the amount of bear activity in N GA this year.

[Doc Tom]

Sorry, yes the BMT/DRT/AT trail. Plan on starting and finishing at woody gap and going CCW. I am used to having to care a bear canister from backpacking in the PCT, glad to hear it isn't a must here.
mt

[Phreak]

Water is pretty scarce most of the year on the DRT. You could always cache some water at some road crossings for the DRT section - I've done this in the past. Water on the AT section is not an issue.

[Toli]

I'll be doing the Georgia Loop trail at the end of this month. I plan on taking a week to do it. ? I have read that water resupply can be an issue and am carrying extra bladders. Anyone have any general advice for this trip at this time of year? Anyone done this route recently? Is a bear canister requisite?
mt

I just did it the first week of March... Started at Neels Gap and went SOBO. Wolfpen and Mulky Gap have pretty reliable water sources, but they are not on the trail, you have to go get it. Between Sarvis Gap and Licklog, its there but you have to do some serious bushwacking down the mountain to even find it. If you get water at Hawk Mountain Shelter, you should be able to make it to Toccoa River, then that should get you to Mulky/Wolfpen then Neel Gap should get you back to Woody... BTW, the bryers(sp) were already bad in some sections and that was in March...

[azb]

Maybe we'll see you, a buddy and I are going clockwise from Springer.

Due to the interesting spring weather we've had, I'm expecting a lot of downed trees across the trail.

Az

[Doc Tom]

We'll keep an eye out for ya azb.
mt

[Shannan]

Did anyone finish this Loop? I am planning to do it also. How many days? I saw you were taking a week to do it. 7 days or 5? I am looking at the middle/end of July to go do this loop myself.
Shannan

[Shannan]

along with these questions,
What trail map is the best for this loop? Do I need to reserve any campsites or just camp where I feel?

[Toli]

Did anyone finish this Loop? I am planning to do it also. How many days? I saw you were taking a week to do it. 7 days or 5? I am looking at the middle/end of July to go do this loop myself.
Shannan

It took me 4 full days to complete it... This is the map I took... There are some tricky sections where I was glad I had a map and Compass... Its DEFF not blazed like the AT... I camped where ever... Theres not that many sites... Although theres a pretty cool one atop Coosa... Sgt. Rocks BMT guide has a section for the DRT in it too...
http://picasaweb.google.com/Johnsonc...nRigeTrailMaps

[Shannan]

Nice. good info. I will have my GPS also. Did you just print these maps or order them somehow?

[Toli]

Nice. good info. I will have my GPS also. Did you just print these maps or order them somehow?

You can just print them... I had to order Sgt. Rocks BMT book off his website... Worth EVERY penny... And he signed it for me ...

[Shannan]

So overall this was a good trip with lots of scenery? I have read that it is very good an chalenging. I will order SGT Rocks book too. Just printed them and will laminate tomorrow at work.
Thanks for the help.

[Toli]

So overall this was a good trip with lots of scenery? I have read that it is very good an chalenging. I will order SGT Rocks book too. Just printed them and will laminate tomorrow at work.
Thanks for the help.

Its DEFF tough... I had an awesome time...Don't know why it took me so long to hike it... Its literally within walking distance of my house... Get some waterproof printer paper from REI for your maps...

[Shannan]

Well next question. I want to start somewhere I can park my car and not worry about it for 5 days. I don't want to walk too far to the trail like Springer's 7 mile approach trail head. Where is a good place. I don't even mind parking at your place if your within a mile or 2. That would ease my mind the whole trip. Also this will be the first hike in bear country. I can hang a stuff sack away from the camp site and be ok right?

[Toli]

Well next question. I want to start somewhere I can park my car and not worry about it for 5 days. I don't want to walk too far to the trail like Springer's 7 mile approach trail head. Where is a good place. I don't even mind parking at your place if your within a mile or 2. That would ease my mind the whole trip. Also this will be the first hike in bear country. I can hang a stuff sack away from the camp site and be ok right?

I can help you out...Send me a PM...

[Shannan]

Got the book today. Very good information there. The REI paper is good too. I am looking to maybe do this anywhere between the 16th - 25th I can probably get the days off. I did have someone to go with me but they backed out. Is there anyone that is interested in completing this in 3-4 days that wants to go with me. I can go by myself but would feel better with someone else. Toli? Are you busy that week?

[FatMan]

Well next question. I want to start somewhere I can park my car and not worry about it for 5 days. I don't want to walk too far to the trail like Springer's 7 mile approach trail head. Where is a good place. I don't even mind parking at your place if your within a mile or 2. That would ease my mind the whole trip. Also this will be the first hike in bear country. I can hang a stuff sack away from the camp site and be ok right?

I know toli can help you out with this but let me offer as well. You can park at my house and from back door to trail is a couple hundred yards on easy foot path. Grassy Gap (between Gooch and Woody) makes for a good start/end for the DRT/AT loop. PM me for details.

[Shannan]

FatMan, thanks for the invite. I wil have 2 to choose from now. Thanks,,\

I haven't had any luck getting someone to go with me. I have a week that I spend with my girls every year already planned for Aug 6-12 fishing in Ft. Myers. It is a yearly trip we enjoy. But after that I would have to go to work for atlest a week before I could get another one off.
I will say that I can do this trip anywhere between Aug 23 and the end of September. Hopefully I will find someone to go with me or I'll just do it solo.

[Shannan]

Ok it is official. I have the 26 to the 30th off of September. I will leave probably Friday night and stay at my Gmas house in Moultry and then go the rest of the way Sat morning. I don't mind car pooling I have a old Trooper SUV and have room on top if we run out of room in the back. I will keep everyone updated.
I will be talking to you guys about keeping the truck at your place, and thanks in advance. I will also want to figure out if WE want to go clockwise or or counter on this trail. I have heard that clockwise(northbound I think) would be best. Any comments would be good.