Cohutta Wilderness - Conasauga River - December 17, 2005 - Member Trip Report
| Hike Name: | Cohutta Wilderness - Conasauga River |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | Georgia |
| Trip Rating: |  |
| Trip Date: | December 17, 2005 |
| Duration: | 1 day |
| Trail Conditions: | Fair |
| Trail Traffic: | None |
| Trip Weather: | Cloudy |
| Trip Winds: | Moderate |
| Trip Precipitation: | Showers |
| Trip Temperature: | High: 41-50, Low: 31-40 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Trip Report: | The Ox and Pratt had already reached the trailhead when I left the house at 10:15am this morning. The forecast was looking pretty grim with snow, sleet, or freezing rain expected and The Operator bailed since he wasn't feeling very well. The Rooster was not feeling particularly motivated either, but The Weather Channel forecasted that the storm would miss the northwestern corner of the state. So the Rooster and I left town within an hour after I went to Roswell to get the dog. The drive to the trailhead was uneventful until we ran across a pack of wild boar just before the the parking area for the Hickory Creek Trail. There were at least four adults and 4-6 piglets - an amazing site as they ran across Forest Road 630 and disappeared into the woods. I have never seen this elusive beast on the trail and was surprised that some of the piglets had a white/black color unlike their parents who were entirely dark black with long tusks. The Rooster and I were not quick enough to get photos of the boar, but left the trailhead in high spirits (although I had to backtrack to retrieve my tobacco which I left in the truck). This had the Rooster hiking some solo miles to the river where we met up again and began the difficult creek crossing that is required to reach our targeted campsite. Unfortunately, a 2004 storm left a lot of debris which erased the unfrequently used path, and the Rooster and I wasted 45 minutes trying to find the site. Eventually, we got Pratt and the Ox on the radio and discovered that we were right on top of them the whole time (but could not see them through the thick rhododendron and low-level brush.) By 4:30pm, we had backtracked to our packs (which were left behind during the search) and reached the Conasauga River campsite. The forecast called for storms this evening, so I rigged a new Kelty tarp in anticipation and the Rooster and I went about setting up camp. Pratt and the Ox collected a nice pile of firewood and got it rolling while we put up our tents. Luckily a warm front rolled through this evening, and it never dropped into the 20's as was predicted. The rain/sleet never hit us either, and we ended up having a good time around the campfire until around midnight (with the dogs sacked out nearby). |
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