Grassy Mountain 30k

Race - Apr 5, 2020

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Fishing · Geological Significance · Historical Significance · Lake · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Both distances will summit Grassy Mountain (ele 3600 ft), experience pristine singletrack, and circumnavigate Lake Conasauga, Georgia's highest alpine lake.

Although you can't go up to the tippy top of the tower itself, the views off the Grassy Mountain tower are spectacular! You'll be able to see Fort Mountain State Park across the valley to the south, the US 411 corridor including Chatsworth and other communities, and the beautiful mountains of the Cohutta Wilderness to the north. Bring your camera!!

Lake Conasauga is Georgia's highest lake and sourced by Mill Creek. The water is the clearest you'll find anywhere, and it's simply a delight to run around (and swim across).

The 30k additionally drops to the Milma Creek Trail via Emery Creek, one of my favorites in the area. The Upper Emery Creek Trail has fewer creek crossing than the more popular lower section. With its fern forests, seasonal wildflowers and old growth forest, it's singletrack perfection that you don't want to miss.

The Milma Creek trail junction is nice and wide and graveled but then turns into non-technical rolling "doublish track". You'll have views across the valley of Fort Mountain (on your left) the entire time you're on this section.

At the end of Milma, you'll start the Windy Gap climb. It's technical and absolutely beautiful! Although challenging, I really love the geology of the Upper Windy Gap Trail, and the seasonal wildflowers are lovely!

After grabbing a bit of aid at the top of Windy Gap (Mile 13.5), the 30k will pick up the 10k course to the finish.