Arkaquah Trail to Locust Log Ridge and Brasstown Bald

Join us as we hike on the Arkaquah Trail from Trackrock Gap past Buzzard Roost Ridge and Cove's Gap to Low Gap and Locust Log Ridge, past Blue Bluff and Chimneytop Mountain and on to Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia. If the weather is good we will take a break for lunch or a snack on the observation tower, where there also are restrooms.

The Arkaquah trail is one of the most difficult trails in Georgia. It begins with a long, steep climb, climbing about 1,000 feet in the first mile and a half. After about two miles The next three miles gain about the same amount until we reach the parking lot at the base of Brasstown Bald. After a brief break, we will begin the last, very steep, climb.

We will hike 12 miles with about 4,400 feet of climbing, justifying the D6 rating. This hike has been done for years as a D5, but multiple recordings from a recent hike on this route agreed the total was well above 4,000 feet of elevation gain.

Much of the trail is above 4,000 feet high, and we will have some of the best views in Georgia, weather permitting. While there are very long and steep climbs, there are fabulous views from the less steep parts of the trail. At one point we should be able to see the tower on Brasstown Bald, and at another point we will have to squeeze between two boulders (this part is named "Fatman's squeeze"). After a well-deserved rest we will return to the beginning of the hike. Our average pace will be around 2.3 mph.

This hike is a strenuous hike that is not for beginners. You must have recent D5 AOC hikes or provide the trip leaders with comparable evidence that you can meet the challenge of this hike. If you do not, you will be moved to the waitlist. If you have comparable experience outside of AOC, you may provide a link to the trip leaders (for example, you have recently completed a marathon), and the trip leader will consider it.

Becaust there are no bathrooms or water at the trailhead, and because the parking lot at the trailhead is very small, we will meet at the Ingles in Cleveland. It is also a convenient place to pick up lunch. Anyone who finds it more convenient to meet us there should indicate "Meet at event" when registering, but please try to avoid meeting at the trailhead due to the limited parking. People who meet us in Cleveland should only be asked to pay half the carpool fee (this is left to the driver's discretion).

When leaving the Ingles in Clayton, in Google Maps or Apple Maps you can find the trailhead by searching for Trackrock Gap, or by searching for the GPS coordinates: 34.88237° N, 83.87754° W.

I am posting this when most trails are closed due to snow and ice and another storm is moving in. There is a significant possibility that weather will require that the hike be cancelled. But I selected this hike because the roads are good to the trailhead and there is typically little water on the trail. But I may cancel it if I can't determine that the roads are safe.