Great Smoky Mountain Section Hike

[Russ979]

I have been playing around with the idea of section hiking the AT from just south of Fontana Dam to Davenport and was wondering if anyone had any input.

I estimate about 90 miles, lets say 10 miles a day which gives me 9 days and 8 nights. This would mean 8 days of food which I think I can fit in my pack so I don't have to try to get in and out of Gatlinburg. I didn't see any other place to resupply so I figure I have to start out carrying everything.
I plan on contacting the hotel at the southern end to arrange for a room and to leave my car there for a week without it getting towed. The biggest problem I have is getting from one end to the other, since its not a loop. I can walk north or south (doesn't make any difference to me) but I haven't been able to arrange transport around the Smoky's.

If anyone has any input I'd be glad to listen.

[MuddyWaters]

I have been playing around with the idea of section hiking the AT from just south of Fontana Dam to Davenport and was wondering if anyone had any input.

I estimate about 90 miles, lets say 10 miles a day which gives me 9 days and 8 nights. This would mean 8 days of food which I think I can fit in my pack so I don't have to try to get in and out of Gatlinburg. I didn't see any other place to resupply so I figure I have to start out carrying everything.
I plan on contacting the hotel at the southern end to arrange for a room and to leave my car there for a week without it getting towed. The biggest problem I have is getting from one end to the other, since its not a loop. I can walk north or south (doesn't make any difference to me) but I haven't been able to arrange transport around the Smoky's.

If anyone has any input I'd be glad to listen.


Park vehicle at either standing bear, or big creek ranger station, and get a shuttle back to starting point.
GSMNP is 74 miles on the AT, so you must be plan on starting in some odd place. The only other place that makes sense to me besides fontana to start is NOC, thats 101 miles to Davenport gap.

NOC to Davenport would be a good hike. Resupply at fontana and you only need food for the park. Resupply at gatlinburg and you only need half the food for the park.

numerous people shuttle around GSMNP. Standing bear makes a lot of sense if park car there.

Another way to do it , is to park car at Fontana. Get shuttled to NOC, this is close and relatively cheap . Leave resupply for park in car at fontana. When get there (2-3 days) go into village and eat nice food, resupply and your ready for park. When get to standing bear, get shuttle back to car at fontana. I have no problem not hiking to car if end up in a place with lodging that does shuttles, or a town. You might be postponed, but you arent stuck on side of road somewhere.

[illabelle]

I can't help with the transportation issues.
But I do want to make you aware of the newish requirements to pay a $4/night fee and reserve space in each shelter. If this is news to you, you might want to read up:

https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/index.cfm

[Russ979]

I did not know about that. Not a big problem but does this mean I MUST sleep in a shelter? I can't just put up my tent in the shelter area?

[Russ979]

Park vehicle at either standing bear, or big creek ranger station, and get a shuttle back to starting point.
GSMNP is 74 miles on the AT, so you must be plan on starting in some odd place. The only other place that makes sense to me besides fontana to start is NOC, thats 101 miles to Davenport gap.

NOC to Davenport would be a good hike. Resupply at fontana and you only need food for the park. Resupply at gatlinburg and you only need half the food for the park.

numerous people shuttle around GSMNP. Standing bear makes a lot of sense if park car there.

Another way to do it , is to park car at Fontana. Get shuttled to NOC, this is close and relatively cheap . Leave resupply for park in car at fontana. When get there (2-3 days) go into village and eat nice food, resupply and your ready for park. When get to standing bear, get shuttle back to car at fontana. I have no problem not hiking to car if end up in a place with lodging that does shuttles, or a town. You might be postponed, but you arent stuck on side of road somewhere.

I ended the last section hike at Robinsville NC so my plan was to pick up the trail from there, just a couple miles south of Fontana. I hadn't thought of shuttles but I will definitely look into that.

I'll probably resupply at Fontana but I wanted to avoid going into Gatlinburg if at all possible. Been there once and it was enough.

[HooKooDooKu]

... I do want to make you aware of the newish requirements to pay a $4/night fee and reserve space in each shelter...
Because you will not start AND end your hike at least 50 miles beyond the GSMNP boundary, you will not qualify for AT Thru Hiker status.
You will need to make reservations via the General Backpackers (https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/index.cfm?BCPermitTypeID=1) web page.

While the fee is $4/night, the max is $20... but a single permit only allows for a max of 7 nights.
So if your itinerary exceeds 7 nights, you will need to obtain two back-to-back permits (allowed - up to a max of 30 days in a row).

Here's a great Elevation Profile (http://tnlandforms.us/at/gsmnpat.html) that might aid you in planning your itinerary.

[Russ979]

Because you will not start AND end your hike at least 50 miles beyond the GSMNP boundary, you will not qualify for AT Thru Hiker status.
You will need to make reservations via the General Backpackers (https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/index.cfm?BCPermitTypeID=1) web page.

While the fee is $4/night, the max is $20... but a single permit only allows for a max of 7 nights.
So if your itinerary exceeds 7 nights, you will need to obtain two back-to-back permits (allowed - up to a max of 30 days in a row).

Here's a great Elevation Profile (http://tnlandforms.us/at/gsmnpat.html) that might aid you in planning your itinerary.

I'm only at 8 nights because I will be starting south of Fontana Dam.

And thanks for the elevation map, I have an old book but I don't think its accurate. Also, damn... the first couple miles might end me

[illabelle]

If I were attempting this, I'd probably leave a car at Fontana and walk south from Davenport. When we did the Park, we started at Newfound Gap and went downhill both ways. I've never walked up from Fontana, but I have walked up from Davenport, and it wasn't all that bad. Those elevation profiles look much scarier than reality.

[HooKooDooKu]

does this mean I MUST sleep in a shelter? I can't just put up my tent in the shelter area?
The Compendium of Rules and Regulations for GSMNP states...

The use of tents at shelters is prohibited except by personsqualifying as thru-hikers...
...followed by the details of when this exception may be utilized.

So in your case, you'll be required to sleep in the shelter.

[MuddyWaters]

. Those elevation profiles look much scarier than reality.

Always the case.

Unless you are toting a 60 lb pack, then they might be right-on.

People let elevation profiles scare them.

If theres a well travelled trail, theres nothing to be worried about regardless of what the profile looks like. for average people.

Maybe worry if in really poor shape.

[illabelle]

Always the case.

Unless you are toting a 60 lb pack, then they might be right-on.

People let elevation profiles scare them.

If theres a well travelled trail, theres nothing to be worried about regardless of what the profile looks like. for average people.

End of next week we're supposed to be climbing Katahdin. I don't care how well traveled it is, that profile terrifies me!

[Tennessee Viking]

You are required to stay at shelters. Illegal camping on the trail and camping at shelters with available space will result in fines.

Just remember as a non-long distance section hiker you are required to have shelter reservations and backcountry permits. Permits are good for 7 nights.

AT Thru-hiker permits start 50miles before and after the Smokies. Permits good for 8 nights.

[HooKooDooKu]

AT Thru-hiker permits start 50miles before and after the Smokies. Permits good for 8 nights.
While not pertinent to this discussion, an AT Thru-hiker permit is valid for 8 DAYS starting the day they enter the park (which equates to 7 nights).

If you pay attention to the details, you will notice that an "AT Thru-hiker" permit is the same as a maxed out "General Hiker" permit.

A General Hiker permit costs $4/night. But the cost maxes out at $20. So if you get a permit for 6 nights, you will only pay $20, not $24.
However, you can not obtain a General Hiker permit for more than 7 nights. If you plan a trip that is more than 7 nights, you have to get multiple permits (up to a max of 30 sequential days). So an 8 night trip will cost $24 ($20 for the 1st permit of 7 nights, + $4 for the 2nd permit of 1 night).

[Emerson Bigills]

If you go through GSMNP northbound, don't be fooled by the elevation map. Most folks say the second day is tougher than the first. Once you get to Double Springs it isn't too bad. Other than the 3 miles or so coming out of Newfound Gap, the north half is pretty reasonable. Just ridgeline hiking. Lots of folks complain about having to stay in the shelters, but I found it part of the experience.

[MuddyWaters]

Without a doubt.
Rockytop to Derricks knob (If I remember correctly) is the hardest part of the park. Well not hard, tiring. Series of steep rocky up and downs, Doensnt look it on the map.
I recall being pretty beat when got to Silers after ~18 miles .

In fact, I recall sitting on the side of the trail and resting, and I could see the shelter only 100 ft or so ahead and a little above me. But couldnt make it without resting.

[Whack-a-mole]

Muddy waters is right. Southbound around Rocky Top is pretty challenging, but I think it's because you see so many "false tops". The top is right there, I can see it, but it ends up not being the top. After about five of those I was just mentally tired. The other side of the coin, is the views are beautiful and I really enjoyed them.

[MtDoraDave]

The 11.4 miles of (mostly) up hill from Fontana Dam to Mollies Ridge Shelter is a challenge on fresh legs and a fully loaded pack - especially if you park at Big Creek late at night, wait for a shuttle ride the next morning, and get a late start. Be sure you have a good, bright head light so you can identify the critters you may encounter while night hiking... I did exactly this last fall, except I didn't have a bright enough head light. The consensus is that they were hogs, btw. I couldn't tell because my head light was only bright enough to see their eyes reflecting white ... they didn't run when I yelled at them... eventually they moved on, but I was adrenalized for a while, calling out loudly the rest of the way so as not to surprise any other critters.

[Rain Man]

End of next week we're supposed to be climbing Katahdin. I don't care how well traveled it is, that profile terrifies me!

Been there, done that. The bark is worse than the bite. Or, as a very wise WBer once said ...


Those elevation profiles look much scarier than reality.

~wink~

[Rain Man]

I have been playing around with the idea of section hiking the AT from just south of Fontana Dam to Davenport and was wondering if anyone had any input.

I plan on contacting the hotel at the southern end to arrange for a room and to leave my car there for a week without it getting towed. The biggest problem I have is getting from one end to the other, since its not a loop.

If anyone has any input I'd be glad to listen.

I did the Smokies the first week of April, '05. Left vehicle at Standing Bear Farm just north of I-40 and got shuttled south to The Hike Inn where we stayed a night before hitting the trail at Fontana Dam (also a place you can leave a vehicle). Did not find the climb to Mollies Ridge Shelter all that bad. Spent 5 nights in the park and did a 20-mile last day including worthwhile side trip to Mt. Cammermer Lookout. Had a family member resupply us at Newfound Gap.

I might have an online photo album of the trip, if you'd like to see it, let me know.

I enjoyed the whole Park, but really the northern half. Hiked it alone and had both good views at times and really nice evergreen forest in mist and fog at times.

If you intend to stay at The Hike Inn, you might like to pay attention to this thread--
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/120389-The-Hike-Inn

Jeff Hoch, the owner (along with his wife, Nancy, I believe), just passed on this week. So sad to say. I hope she continues the place.

[Dan Roper]

I found the climb into the Smokies from Fontana to be considerably more moderate than expected. The Smokies aren't bad, though time of day, degree of tiredness, temperature, and humidity will influence your perceptions. A climb out of Fontana on a crisp October morning while well rested will be entirely different than if done on a sultry afternoon in July when you had started from Cable Gap Shelter.

Nearly every trail profile is misleading. Compare the one linked to in this thread to the National Geographic maps included with the ATC guidebooks. They don't look like the same places. The differences are due to scale. On the map, the climbs (vertical scale) is in feet while the distances (horizontal scale) are in miles. In order to get all 72 park miles on one page, the miles are compressed, greatly exagerating the vertical (climbs).

The National Geographic map portrays Brier Knob as a single little climb. In actuality, its three stout climbs (at least, as experienced at the end of an August afternoon that began at Mollies Ridge Shelter).

But the Smokies are so spectacularly pretty that the hiking is worth it - even the tough miles at the end of the day.

[Russ979]

I did the Smokies the first week of April, '05. Left vehicle at Standing Bear Farm just north of I-40 and got shuttled south to The Hike Inn where we stayed a night before hitting the trail at Fontana Dam (also a place you can leave a vehicle). Did not find the climb to Mollies Ridge Shelter all that bad. Spent 5 nights in the park and did a 20-mile last day including worthwhile side trip to Mt. Cammermer Lookout. Had a family member resupply us at Newfound Gap.

I might have an online photo album of the trip, if you'd like to see it, let me know.

I enjoyed the whole Park, but really the northern half. Hiked it alone and had both good views at times and really nice evergreen forest in mist and fog at times.

If you intend to stay at The Hike Inn, you might like to pay attention to this thread--
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/120389-The-Hike-Inn

Jeff Hoch, the owner (along with his wife, Nancy, I believe), just passed on this week. So sad to say. I hope she continues the place.

I really wanted to start where I left off but it seems like it makes the most sense to do the Smoky's. Saves carrying a tent for the 1 night I would have needed it.

Did you have any trouble arriving at a shelter and there was no room? I think I might feel a little naked without a tent since I prefer tent camping over shelters.

[-Rush-]

I really wanted to start where I left off but it seems like it makes the most sense to do the Smoky's. Saves carrying a tent for the 1 night I would have needed it.

Did you have any trouble arriving at a shelter and there was no room? I think I might feel a little naked without a tent since I prefer tent camping over shelters.

As others have said, it's hit or miss out there regarding occupancy. However, if you don't have an AT Thru Hiker permit you can't tent. Tents are only for those permit holders and only if the shelter is FULL. The rules do not allow tenting with a general backcountry permit at shelters along the AT.

[illabelle]

Been there, done that. The bark is worse than the bite. Or, as a very wise WBer once said ...



~wink~

Hahaha!! :D

[illabelle]

I really wanted to start where I left off but it seems like it makes the most sense to do the Smoky's. Saves carrying a tent for the 1 night I would have needed it.

Did you have any trouble arriving at a shelter and there was no room? I think I might feel a little naked without a tent since I prefer tent camping over shelters.

Despite the "rules", it's still advisable to carry a tent through the Smokies. You could arrive at a shelter in a downpour and there's no more room. Doesn't matter that you have a reservation if nobody volunteers to move out. That's especially true if you arrive late after others have settled in. It's also possible that you'll run into difficulty (injury? fatigue? lost? ) and just can't get to the shelter. It could be you, or it could be that you run across someone else in trouble, and you're able to help because you're prepared.

These are all unlikely. But for your safety you should carry at least a tarp or some other way of staying dry.

[MuddyWaters]

Despite the "rules", it's still advisable to carry a tent through the Smokies. You could arrive at a shelter in a downpour and there's no more room. Doesn't matter that you have a reservation if nobody volunteers to move out. That's especially true if you arrive late after others have settled in. It's also possible that you'll run into difficulty (injury? fatigue? lost? ) and just can't get to the shelter. It could be you, or it could be that you run across someone else in trouble, and you're able to help because you're prepared.

These are all unlikely. But for your safety you should carry at least a tarp or some other way of staying dry.

++

People actually show up and hike and "claim" they didn't know they needed permit

People find their mileage plan was more aggressive than their fitness level could match, and fall behind their reservations.

People pretend to be long distance and don't have reservations

Lots of ways for too many people to end up at a shelter. Some also foolish enough not to carry their own shelter, so don't expect everyone to give it up, especially not if raining.

[FlyPaper]

++

People actually show up and hike and "claim" they didn't know they needed permit

People find their mileage plan was more aggressive than their fitness level could match, and fall behind their reservations.

People pretend to be long distance and don't have reservations

Lots of ways for too many people to end up at a shelter. Some also foolish enough not to carry their own shelter, so don't expect everyone to give it up, especially not if raining.

Also, I imagine it can be kind of awkward if a thru-hiker is sleeping in the shelter and you as a section hiker show up at 9:30pm. Are you supposed to wake them up and kick them out?

[MtDoraDave]

I can't imagine hiking anywhere without a shelter of some sort. Especially if it's a multiple night trip.
Perhaps the boy-scout motto stuck with me: be prepared.

[HooKooDooKu]

I've spent about 20 nights in shelter in GSMNP. So far, I've never encountered a full shelter, but then my days in the shelters have been either summer, fall, or a shelter off the AT.
None the less, I try to arrive at shelters well before dark. I also always carry some sort of "just in case" shelter... either a tarp, or a tent in "fast fly" mode.

[MtDoraDave]

March 20th this year, we had 18 people in a 12 person shelter; a nor'easter was ecpected.
4 days later, we had 19 people in a 12 person shelter; heavy rain storms were expected.
Both were in the park, both were the same shelter :) ...I flip flopped the north half of the park.