Georgia trail advice: seeking moderate ~10 mile loop trail recommendations? [Archive]

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BrianASM

11-23-2010, 14:14

Hi ... new to the forum having been directed here by the good people at the Walasi-Yi Center. I am looking for a ~10 mi loop hike to do with 5-7 Boy Scouts (ages 12-15) + a couple of dad (reasonably good shape). We just did an overnight at Big Frog Mountain, with 1/2 taking Licklog to the top and the other starting at Low Gap and taking Big Frog trail to Grassy Gap to Wolf Ridge to the top.

Now we are looking for a smilar challenge for the Scouts that missed the hike due to a stomach bug that has been going around the school.

I had originally thought that the Coosa Backcountry Trail might be a winner but am concerned about the mixed reviews of difficulty (some say the counterclockwise direction is "moderate", others say "strenuous") and am concerned about water availability when camping at the Coosa Bald?

Any other trail suggestions? We would be hiking during the week between Christmas and New Years next month. (Yes, these Scouts will hike in the cold, in the rain, in the snow ... whatever. It is really a matter of keeping the parents on the trail that is the main concern!)

Any suggestions as to trails, camp sites, insight on water available, trail reviews/articles, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

solobip

11-23-2010, 14:25

When I saw your thread, I thought Coosa Back Country Trail. It is about 12 miles, Counterclockwise is preferrred. There is water at several locations but the best source for current info in the Ranger at check in, he will gladly mark your SPL's map, which the Ranger provides. It is hilly, either way, and several sign say how difficult, (always over rated IMO) It is not a long road trip to Vogel. I have maps and details it you need email. Go for it.

solobip

11-23-2010, 14:28

Another favorite of our old scouts was the Standing Indian loop from either Deep Gap or the Wilderness Information Center near the old Rainbow now Standing Indian Campground. From the Info Center take Kimmsey Creek trail to the summut, camp, water few yards down blue blazed, home done Long Branch, Trail to Info Center.

Phreak

11-23-2010, 14:29

Coosa Trail is not strenuous by any stretch. Nice trail - I'd recommend it for your group. You could stash water at numerous road crossings along this trail.

jesse

11-23-2010, 15:21

Coosa Trail is not strenuous by any stretch. Nice trail - I'd recommend it for your group. You could stash water at numerous road crossings along this trail.

I'd say Slaughter Mountain was counter clockwise. Good stuff.

BrianASM

11-27-2010, 20:09

Thanks for the insight; based upon the above I've suggested that we do the Coosa backcountry loop counterclockwise. Really looking forward to it as watching these Scouts work their way through woods over a difficult hike is one of y favorite things to do. The older ones enjoy the challenge and the younger ones get the sense of accomplishment one can only get from a strenuous hike.

Will let you knowhow it goes!

Sierra Echo

11-27-2010, 20:11

Egads

11-27-2010, 20:35

The BMT / AT loop at Springer is 8 mi and is much easier than the Coosa

BrianASM

11-28-2010, 19:55

The BMT / AT loop at Springer is 8 mi and is much easier than the Coosa

Always up for additional trail advice as we camp out 10 of the 12 months ... and the boys won't do car camping.

Is the Springer Mountain Double Loop trail the one you are speaking of: http://bit.ly/hbW60I ?

Copper Tail

12-07-2010, 19:58

You've probably already decided on your trip this time, but for a future hiking trip, I would recommend coming up to NW Georgia at Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Reserve. There are several trail possibilities. One is the Pocket Loop Trail. It's only 8.5 miles. There is a reliable spring on the trail. You could make this a longer trip by taking the mining trail from the parking area and heading north to blue bird gap and then taking the west brow trail to the junction of pocket loop...i think that route bumps it up to about 12-13 miles.

There is a nice camp area at the beginning/end of the pocket loop which is next to a creek and waterfall.

There are a lot of springs on the mountain, but most are seasonal. The one mentioned before on the pocket loop is fairly reliable. I've hiked it in all four seasons and have never failed to get water from it.

mister krabs

12-08-2010, 09:36

Third or fourth the coosa, it's a great trail. If you end up with crappy weather or need to keep it close to home, the cherokee trail at stone mountain is a nice walk, about 8 miles. They've got a nice web brochure that maps out the trail, with all the requirements that the scouts can work on. Good history lessons involved too. You can stay at the youth group camp (not the stone mountain campground) hike the trail, see the laser show and make a nice little weekend out of it. You'll even get a patch out of the thing. It ain't wilderness by any stretch, but it's a nice walk in the woods that they'll get something out of. If you park at confederate hall and lug all your gear all the way around the mountain to the group camp, it's not "car camping."

http://www.cherokeetrail-ga.org/Trail.htm

mister krabs

12-08-2010, 09:39

Here's a doc on the primitive youth camping area at Stone Mountain. It's a good one to keep in your pocket as a "just in case" http://scoutpack616.org/stonemountain/YouthCampingFlyer.doc

BrianASM

01-02-2011, 15:19

We ended up doing the Coosa Backcountry Trail ... in 3-6 inches of snow. It was a fantastic hike for the 5 dads and 4 scouts that traversed the 13 mile loop counter-clockwise. We camped the established site at Calf Stomp and the boys successfull built a 'one-match fire' out of wet wood.

To rate the trail as "moderate" would not be accurate; the trail was strenuous and it pushed the boys (and dads) to their limit - and none were sedentary people. That said, the boys had the chance to show their mettle and earn bragging rights of having completed a difficult trail in difficult conditions.

The snow provided some additional hurdles to deal with: maintaining a haphazardly blazed trail covered with snow (gray blaze on gray bark on a gray day is not easy), snow drifts along the ridge line that went up to the boy's hips, keep feet dry and warm, ducking 'surprise' snow balls when your mind wanders on the trail ...

For those who do this hike in the future:

1) The topo maps given out at Vogel State Park are great. Ask them to describe the blazes along the trail before you leave as there are a number of colors along the trail.
2) Counter-clockwise is really the best option. Clockwise would have you doing some ridiculous climbs over really short periods.
3) Axiomatically, the second day of the hike is every bit as tough - if not tougher - than the first day.
4) The trail averages 15% grade over the course of 13 miles, with some short sections billed as 60%. Think twice about whether you really need to pack that extra something ... it gets heavier by the mile!
5) There are bears out there (we saw fresh tracks near Slaughter Mtn on 12/30/10); use a bear bag/hang your foot and DO NOT keep anything in your tent.
6) Water is not rare along the trail but keep your eye on your water level as it not also not abundant.
7) Safety pins are great additions for any bag as my zipper broke on my new Eureka 15* bag. Saftey pins would have helped keep some of the warm air in the bag - and would have been useful in drying clothes wet from the snow.

Thanks all for some great suggestions for the hike. It was a great time.

Happy New Year.

Photos, if I am lucky to have done this correctly, are here:

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/brianrell/?action=view&current=Coosa-WaffleHouse.jpgstarting out by properly fueling ourselves for the drive up that morning

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/brianrell/?action=view&current=Coosa_Bald_Elev.jpg trail elevation profile

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/brianrell/?action=view&current=Coosa-lunchstopday1.jpg lunch along the way

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/brianrell/?action=view&current=Coosa-spamlunch.jpg boys with their traditional Spam

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/brianrell/?action=view&current=Coosa-campfirebreakfast.jpg Calf Stomp camp site (water source 75 yds away)

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/brianrell/?action=view&current=Coosa-cookingJetboils.jpg Jetboils were the bomb; quick hot water for everyone

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/brianrell/?action=view&current=Coosa-Wolfpenhalfway.jpg Wolfpen Gap on the 2nd day; the trail goes straight UP from there

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/brianrell/?action=view&current=Coosa-campfirebreakfast.jpg what we saw on the trail near Slaughter Mtn

http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc228/brianrell/?action=view&current=Coosa-Vogleparkinglot.jpg we all made it