Cohutta in spring

So I went over the weekend of April 16-18 2010 with my old scout troop on their Philmont shakedown hike. The original plan was a loop trail around the southern end of the Cohutta wilderness. Starting out on the Emory creek trail and then over little bald and down the Conasauga river trail and back a service road to the Emory creek. Unfortunately some fitness issues prevented the group from making the full itinerary. We did make it up little bald and camped there then hiked back the Emory creek trail in the morning. I spent all day Saturday with the group and had an easy stroll up the ridge. So an open glade with about thirty pink lady slippers about to bloom and some other general botany pleasures. I stayed in an old hammock I had that gave me problems on Friday night when all the end laces broke on both ends. I was fortunately able to use para cord and repair it for the trip. I slept under a Golight 7'x5' tarp and was fairly happy with its performance. Saturday night was on top of ridge with strong winds beating my camp all night. The tarp held shape and did make any of the typical rustling noises that tent make in high winds. Sunday morning I left out from the group and made the return hike solo, partly because I could use the freedom and partly because I needed water and the group was going to hang around and cook breakfast. Over all a great weekend. Emory Creek Trail has a set of falls that are wonderful to sit by and relax a meal over. The Cohutta is the wettest parcel of land I have hiked. If its not crossing the same stream 30 times then its trails routed through small ponds. Still an good place to take summer hikes.