Sun, May 25 2014 - In Search Of . . . Cohutta’s Sugar Cove Giant! (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Grant Brown Participants: Grant Brown, Mark, Laura V, Linda F, Stefan, Bill, Marion, Mark P, Kathy Malone, Victor, Dan Hildebrand, Todd M

It was a great day of exploration in one of Georgia's crown jewels, the Cohutta Wilderness Area.  I would like to thank Mark Reffett for his work in obtaining the exact coordinates for our search from the Georgia Forest Watch organization.  This enabled us to locate what we think was the Surgar Cove Giant.  Well, not so giant by California standards, but we love our Sugar Maple Champion.  According to the Georgia Forestry Commisstion, around the year 2000, Biologist Jess Riddle discovered and measured the tree and it was declared the largest of its kind in our state.  Please see the photo link below for a picture of the tree.  It was truly the largest tree we saw in the cove.  I would also like to thank the Conasauga Ranger District for their blessing in allowing our group to explore this not so fequented area of the wilderness.  The flora was awsome!  We got to see full blooming Mountain Laurel, Blaise Azaela, Trillium, and the mushroom variety "chicken of the woods."  Please see photo link for images of these.

      We had a group of wonderfully strong hikers.  It was a rough ten miles without a regular trail under our feet half the time.  Good job guys! 

Happy Trails,

Grant 

Photos:  https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A3GWZuqDGy04tD