Toughest Climbs Between Smokys & Shanandoah?

[johnnybgood]

I still prefer climbing to going downhill on any of the above mentioned mainly because the knees take such a pounding , especially with a loaded pack .
Totally agree with the last few miles at the end of the day when you're physically spent.

[Astro]

The climb up Roan is pretty tame with the new switchbacks. The NOBO climb up Pond Flats has new switchbacks too.

I don't recall any climbs that stand out on their own. Any climb late in the day, when you are running low on energy, or just plain hot will be challenging. Conditions make the climbs.

+1 on the new switchbacks up Roan. After looking at the profile, I was pleasantly surprised by them. Near the top they run out (at least they did last summer) and then you are going straight up over rocks and roots, and you appreciate them even more. CM, also makes a great point on the other factors (time of day, energy level, temperature, humidity) and the impact it has on your perspective. I always try ot plan a Snickers or Power Bar break before doing a long climb.

[Astro]

The only climb that actually stands out in my mind between Davenport Gap and Pearisburg, is the climb up from Watuga Lake Dam to Vandeventer shelter other than that, that section is pretty tame, and i agree with everyone else your Attitude is 50% of the physicality of the trail.

What I will probably always remember is the climb back up to Vandeventer shelter from the water source after a long day of all the other climbs. It was "on the way" NOBO so I did it with my pack on at the end of the day. Not a fond memory.

[Astro]

3 Ridges was a slog. But a NOBO thru tends to forget about those after doing the north.

CM, looks like your experience lines up with the "when you get to NH & ME, you have done 80% of the miles with 20% of the effort, with the last 20% of the miles requiring 80% of the effort" (NOBO that is).

[Kerosene]

I modified to US-60. Thanks Tuckahoe.

[mr.rainmaker]

+1 on the new switchbacks up Roan. After looking at the profile, I was pleasantly surprised by them. Near the top they run out (at least they did last summer) and then you are going straight up over rocks and roots, and you appreciate them even more. CM, also makes a great point on the other factors (time of day, energy level, temperature, humidity) and the impact it has on your perspective. I always try ot plan a Snickers or Power Bar break before doing a long climb.

+2 About 2 weeks ago we went up Roan on the new switchbacks the trail crew was actually out cutting out some of the new trail still, very nice grade. I did not get a chance to hike the old trail but did see where it started up and it looked brutal compared to the new trail. One of the guys on the trail crew told me that they had added about 2 miles to the climb.

[RED-DOG]

I Prefered the old AT route up Roan MT i tried the new route I don't like switch backs i prefer the trail go straight up and over.

[ChinMusic]

The old AT route up Roan was VERY heavily eroded. I remember worrying about my dog's safety with the tangle of roots. I didn't want him to break a leg.

The new route should be much more resistant to erosion and last for many, many years.

[Kingbee]

I also did The Priest SOBO on a section hike over 25 years ago. For the OP, the climb up 3 Ridges from the Tye River after he descends The Priest is a long one.

Don't be tricked into thinking the Mau-Har trail is a "shortcut". That's a tough climb there.

[RockDoc]

The Priest got my full attention, but I was going Southbound.

[Pedaling Fool]

The Priest got my full attention, but I was going Southbound.

The Priest is kind of like Blood Mountain; totally different mountain in the SOBO direction.

[hikernutcasey]

The old AT route up Roan was VERY heavily eroded. I remember worrying about my dog's safety with the tangle of roots. I didn't want him to break a leg.

The new route should be much more resistant to erosion and last for many, many years.

I just sectioned through Roan this past weekend and talked with some local folks who said the final switchbacks at the top were completed near the end of May. The relo is now complete. I can tell you that they did a super job with this. The climb didn't seem that bad at all compared to what it could have been looking at the old trail. Like Chin said, it was super eroded and straight up the hill.

[Tennessee Viking]

The only thing that makes climbs difficult (at any elevation) is heat, humidity and rocks.

A lot of the trail in the South is now being diverted to switchbacks. It may take longer, buts its easier on the legs and knees.

Haven't made the climb out of Hot Springs, but its looks more long than steep.
Big Bald isn't too bad as long as you go NOBO. Going SOBO is a pain because you are making the climb up Little Bald almost immediately.
The climb up Jones Branch Hollow to Indian Grave is about the steepest thing now.
I climbed Roan from Hughes Gap before the current relos were put in. Once you got to Ash Gap, it really wasn't that hard.
The climb up Hump Mtn and Bishop Hollow is only bad during the heat.
Pond Mtn is only bad for its rocks.
The new Watauga Lake to Iron Mtn ridgeline is really easy now.

[MuddyWaters]

The AT is what you make it. Its just a trail in the woods. Pack weight, condition, time of day, etc. Two different people, will have two different opinions about any climb depending. One will think its hard, one will think no big deal.

[rafe]

My diary entry for the Roan climb....

Got thoroughly depressed this morning, at the thought of having to climb Roan Mtn. The depression sort of peaked when I arrived at Clyde Smith shelter. [..] But the break (a LONG one) helped a lot, as has this view. At the shelter, I heated water & had tea, and a small hot meal. Then heated some more H2O and gave myself a warm sponge bath. Left a rather heavy entry in the register, along with a verse from “Fish and Whistle,” by John Prine. That long break made the climb to this spot easier. Looking out over these hills has lifted my spirits considerably.
Perhaps I should take some pride & give myself a pat on the back for having come this far – from a place far, far beyond even this vast horizon before me. Oh well, all things must pass. Hate to leave this gorgeous spot, but it would be nice to make another mile or two today. Gotta go...

Here's a pic from where I wrote that diary entry, and a pic of my not-so-stealth camp that evening, right smack on the trail. In the morning I discovered that I'd camped about 15 minutes shy of the summit.

It's all in yer head.

[joshuasdad]

I watched some NOBOs really suffer on that steep climb just north of Damascus on a hot day. Full packs affer a zero or two may make that the toughest NOBO climb in that section.

[Sara]

Dragon's Tooth was the worst because I hated the scramble-y descent.


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[jimmyjam]

Don't be tricked into thinking the Mau-Har trail is a "shortcut". That's a tough climb there.

You are so right. I did it one hot summer day while it rained on and off and the gnats and skeeters attacked me the whole way. The trail is pretty much a rock scramble over rocks. Like climbing dragons tooth sobo 4 or 5 times .

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[waasj]

Shuckstack out of Fontana was a grind for me. Three ridges NOBO was as well. Didn't have too much trouble coming out of RT 60 at Buena Vista or with Snowbird. All depends on time of day, weather, atitude etc... All of it is doable, often the challenge is more internal as opposed to external.

[waasj]

The AT is what you make it. Its just a trail in the woods. Pack weight, condition, time of day, etc. Two different people, will have two different opinions about any climb depending. One will think its hard, one will think no big deal.

So true, but often two hikers will have three or more opinions on just about anything!!!