Proposed Section Hike: Mile Marker 108 to Fontana Dam

[nogray]

This is our second year of section hiking. There is a group of 4 of us that did Springer to Unicoi last year. Great experience and we learned a lot and are looking to tackle Somewhere around mile marker 108 to Fontana Dam. A couple of questions:



Trying to get the troops even more excited. Are there any highlights of this section?
What do you think about this section overall?
We're trying to figure where we'd catch the trail at the start. We picked 108 because it's where US64 crosses, but ideally we'd like to shorten it a bit. We left our vehicles on a REALLY ROUGH forest access road, and I worried the whole time about how safe the vehicle would be. Ideally, we want closer to a 40ish mile section, but US64 seems to be a nice place to catch the trail and leave a vehicle.
Is there parking where US64 crosses the trail near Winding Stair Gap. Would a vehicle left there be relatively safe if nothing of value is left in the car?


Any other info you can share would be welcome. We're a motivated group, but we're newbies. I'm a very experienced outdoorsman, but until last year, didn't have a lot of experience with long hauls. We learned a lot this year and are eager to put those skills to the test, but also open to any insider info we can get.

::nogray

[soumodeler]

1- Yes, lots of highlights: Wayah, Wesser, Cheoah, NOC, etc.
2 - Great section, some hard parts, but overall a good one.
3/4 - I have heard of major issues with parking at US64, specifically vandalism and theft. Not sure if that has happened lately or not, but it was a major issue a year or two ago.

Be aware that there is some fire damage in that section, like the top of Wayah Bald, which burned the roof of the tower.

[soumodeler]

Further thought: I would leave a vehicle at Fontana and shuttle to the starting point. You could shorten the mileage that way pretty easily. Get dropped off at Wayah Road, Wayah Bald itself, or anywhere else in that area.

[nogray]

Thanks for the info soumodeler! Is it relatively easy to arrange for shuttle from Fontana to, say, Wayah Bald? Should I just contact a shuttle service in the area? How much notice do they typically want or need?

::nogray

[soumodeler]

I have had good luck with Ron Brown: 706-669-0919 or 706-636-2825. However, you may find a cheaper shuttle based out of NC. Ron is in GA but he does go that far north. Expect the ride to cost you over $100, but split 4 ways is reasonable as you can get.

If you have your dates set in stone, I would arrange it now, that way nobody else schedules that slot and you end up scrambling for a ride.

I would recommend a copy of one of the trail guides. It lists all of the major town services, and combined with the AT shuttle list found here and on the ATC website, you will have all the info you need.

[JC13]

Maybe not as scenic but if you wanted a 40 mile section, Dicks Creek Gap to 109.5 Winding Stair Gap/Franklin is pretty much that.

[bigcranky]

Parking at the dam is very safe, and it's pretty easy to arrange a shuttle to WSG. That ~60 mile stretch is probably the most challenging in the South, but also very scenic. I'd plan for 6 days given the shuttle travel time and the steepness, and also plan to spend the night at NOC in a bunk room on day 3. Shower, laundry, small resupply (not much in the outfitter store), a meal or two in the restaurant -- makes for a nice break.

[soumodeler]

Maybe not as scenic but if you wanted a 40 mile section, Dicks Creek Gap to 109.5 Winding Stair Gap/Franklin is pretty much that.

That area received the worst of the fire damage late last year. I would hold off on that section if you could. Let the area regrow a little first.

[JC13]

That area received the worst of the fire damage late last year. I would hold off on that section if you could. Let the area regrow a little first.Exactly why we are skipping ahead to Fontana, plan to come back and finish DCG - Fontana in 2018. Just figured since he mentioned 40 miles, that is what that is. Smells like a campfire and rather sooty from the Youtuber reports this year.

[nogray]

Thanks for all the feedback. Bigcranky, we had done Springer to Unicoi last year, and while we accomplished it, and in our time goals, we found it to be nontrivial. :)

We're tweaking gear, approach, daily miles, we've all lost weight, and trained better, but we were thinking this section would be noticeably easier, just from looking at elevation changes (although admittedly we've only done a cursory analysis at this point). From what you're saying, we should NOT expect that, is that right? Sounds like you're saying it's going to be as tough or tougher.

::nogray

[soumodeler]

That section is rough for sure, and there are a couple of really hard sections (Jacob's Ladder, second half of the climb out of NOC) but it is not significantly harder.

NC in general has easier grades that follow the ridgelines more than GA. GA just goes up and down off of them.

Most hikers can do Winding Stair Gap to the NOC in 2.5 days, nero into the NOC and stay there and resupply (may want to mail something there). Stay near Wayah and Wesser and an easy half day into NOC.

Another 2.5 or 3 to Fontana. This section is harder than the first to me. The first part of the climb out is rather enjoyable (for a climb) but the second half is tough. Camp near Sassafras and then at Cable Gap. Something like 5 miles the next day to Fontana Village road crossing or 7 to the dam.

[bigcranky]

While I agree that NC had better grades on the trails, I'm not sure about it not being harder -- this section has some long climbs. The nice grade helps, for sure, but it's still long :)

I think soumodeler nails the timing, though, for most hikers.

And yeah, Springer to Unicoi is not easy.