Fri, Jan 31 2020 - Coopers Furnace and Pine Mountain Summit (Secret Trail Down) (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Holt Ward Participants: Holt Ward, Rocky M, Gerrilyn, Sherrie G, Claudia, Wendy B, Allan, Shirley N, Ryleigh Reinhard, Linda H, Jennifer W, Neil, Joyce T., Sharon C.

Click for Album

Today's hike at Cooper's Furnace and Pine mountain was a nice mix of some interesting hiking and some interesting history. The cold weather did not dissuade our hikers from participating.  We started with a quick trip to the Allatoona Dam overlook before heading out the Laurel Ridge trail.  After taking the connecter trail, we arrived at the base of Pine Mountain and the beginning of our big climb of the day.  We reached the Pine Mountain summit where we took in the views of Lake Allatoona as we took a quick break.  

Then came the very steep descent off the summit of Pine Mountain using a little used trail that follows a ridgeline down towards the Etowah River.  At the bottom of the descent, we arrived at Hurricane Creek which was the site of a mining and mineral crushing operation what operated in the hollow in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  There were many ruins to view before we headed out to Coopers Furnace.  Our last challenge of the day was one last climb back to the Army Corps of Engineers visitors center and the end of our hike.  ~ Holt