Wolfpen Gap Elevation 3,140'
Elevation Gain 1,140'
Time to Summit - 55 minutes
There are a few different approaches to reach this summit. On this day, I chose the Coosa Backcountry Trail at Wolfpen Gap on Ga Hwy 180. Traveling north from this point, you head towards the summit of Coosa Bald. Traveling south you make your way up the steep and rocky trail towards Slaughter Mountain. If you are particularly ambitious, from Wolfpen Gap you can summit Coosa Bald, Slaughter and Blood Mountains all in the same day. The trail at this point is actually a combined trail including the Coosa Backcountry Trail and the Duncan Ridge Trail.
From Wolfpen Gap, the trail rises slightly then turns away from what was obviously the old path, as you could see the blue and yellow blazes continuing straight up the slope. Once in a while, the forest service decides that the old trail is becoming too eroded, thus a new pathway to give the old ground a chance to heal itself. To make sure that no one mistook the old trail for the new, piles of brush or dirt are placed to discourage hikers from following the path. However, at this point, the trees on the newer trail had yet to be adorned with their blazes of blue and yellow to tell me I was on the right path.
After 32 minutes of cutting back and forth (the new path utilizes the natural contour more than the old which appeared to travel straight up and over Wildcat Knob), the new trail re-connected with the old trail on the back side of Wildcat Knob, where the blazes came back into view. Just below this point, the trail intersects with a Forest Road before continuing up the hill to the steepest part of the climb. The trail at this point leaves behind the soft earth which is replaced by loose cobbles. A steady climb of about 17 minutes placed me at the intersection of the Coosa Backcountry Trail with the Duncan Ridge Trail. If you take this right turn, you will wind your way back down off of the slope and end up at W. Wolf Creek Road, heading in a direction toward Sunrise Grocery and GA Hwy 129.
My aim is to reach the summit, so I continue straigh ahead on the Duncan Ridge Trail. From this intersection it only took me 6 minutes to reach the summit, where there is a very small area of granite that provides a view to the west. Most noticeable about Coosa, like the other Balds, is that they aren't really bald. I assume that many years ago, when the names were assigned, the timber was stripped off the mountaintops thus giving them their names.
Currently there are many hardwoods atop Coosa which surely contributes to the lack of a vista in the summer. But, I am here without foliage and enjoy the views that can be seen through the trees. From the granite slab, the view is in the direction of Suches, GA, and to the left I can make out Slaughter and Blood Mountains, with the top of the latter obscured by clouds.
The wind picked up as I sat down on the rock to take a break. I notice a mountainous wave of clouds approaching from the west, covering far off peaks one by one. I knew before I began this hike that a storm front was approaching. I just thought that they would arrive later in the day. In a matter of minutes, my hike in partly cloudy conditions becomes a near white out.
After quickly eating a banana, taking a couple of pictures, and situating my day pack, I re-trace my steps back down the mountain. Almost simultaneously, it began to lightly rain. A few yards later, I am shaken by a loud thunderclap. Great. I pick up the pace, figuring my car to be a much safer place than a ridge top. Three or four more thunderclaps and the rain intensifies, as my pace does accordingly. In all of natures wrath, I hear the distinct gobble of a Tom Turkey. I guess even a storm doesn't interfere with the task of impressing a hen.
I finally made it to my car, happy to be sheltered from the bad weather. The night before, a tornado interrupted the mens SEC Basketball Tournament by trying to rip the roof off the Georgia Dome. This day was a continuation of that weather pattern which ended up as the most tornado filled day in North Georgia history! Nevertheless, a great day for a hike.
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