The Cohutta Wilderness area lives up to its name

What is a wilderness and what can and cannot happen in a wilderness? The following is the definition from The Wilderness Act as written in 1964:

A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain. An area of wilderness is further defined to mean in this Act an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions and which (1) generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man’s work substantially unnoticeable; (2) has outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation; (3) has at least five thousand acres of land or is of sufficient size as to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition; and (4) may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.

The Cohutta Wilderness meets the definition very well and is one of the most heavily visited wilderness areas in the Southern Appalachians. In Georgia, it is second in size only to the Okefenokee Wilderness. With 60,000 visitors a year, the Cohutta Wilderness was almost being “loved to death.” In 2006, several restrictions were set in place to help preserve the wildness of the area.

All wilderness areas have rules and one of the primary ones is that no vehicles, machines, wagons or bicycles may be used in the wilderness. This includes boat motors, chainsaws, aircraft and even having a plane or helicopter drop supplies to someone. General rules for all wilderness areas include: All dogs must be on leash at all times; leave no trace or as minimal as possible; no permanent structures; no cutting of trees or tree limbs; and try to always stay on designated trails.

There are size limits in regards to groups. Hikers are only allowed to have 12 individuals in their party and horseback travel is restricted to only eight head of stock. The 12 person limit also applies to camping as well. No more than 12 campers to a party; that prevents a group from splitting up into two groups of 12 to hike only to come together and camp as one.

The only camping that is still restricted is in the Beech Bottom area. There is absolutely no camping in the Beech Bottom area at any time, regardless of the time of year. The rest of the Wilderness is open to camping year round.

The Cohutta Wilderness is a great place to visit whether you fish, hunt, hike, camp or just want to commune with nature. Before you go to the area should plan extensively and prepare for the trip. Having a map of the Wilderness is extremely important and I would

advise getting one before planning the trip. Maps of the Wilderness area and rules and regulations are available at the U.S. Forest Service office at 3941 Highway 76 in Chatsworth.

Many of the trails into the wilderness area are relatively easy walking in, as most start at a high elevation and descend down to the rivers — but hiking out after an all day trip can be exhausting even on the shortest trails. Always have a compass, a first aid kit, bottled water or a water filter, and even on a day trip carry nutritious and calorie rich snacks. Have a few more snacks than you expect to consume. A rising river caused by a sudden rainstorm could trap you for most of a day or even more. A “space blanket” is lightweight, packs easily, is usually less than $5 and can become a raincoat, an emergency shelter or a way of warming after a slip into a stream.

Before you go, you should leave information and the location of your wilderness trip with friends or family. Let them know when you plan to get home and call them on your return. This is extremely important, especially if you hike in alone. CohuttaWildernessHiking.com is a good website detailing the trails, difficulty, length and locations as well as giving access routes to the trailheads from nearby towns. This is not a USFS website so just use the site as a reference and check your USFS map to be sure.

TU MEETING

The next meeting of the Coosa Valley Chapter will be Thursday, March 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the ECO Center at Ridge Ferry Park in Rome. Our speaker will be Sam Capone, DNR fisheries technician. He will talk on the roles and responsibilities of the Wildlife Resources Division Fisheries Section. The public is invited.