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Jay B.
10-09-2009, 20:40
Hello Whiteblaze friends! Just got back from hiking the Presidential Range and Katahdin in early September. Fantastic weather all 6 days of my trip and awsome pictures. My question is this: I have hiked all the AT from Springer to Damascus and now from NH 302 at Crawford Notch to Pinkham Notch as well as the AT trail up Katahdin. Does anyone know where the steepest part of the AT is? I thought it was the south side of Roan Mountain but am now thinking it must be either Katahdin itself, going up Webster Cliffs or coming off Mount Madison toward Pinkham. Are there any places steeper than those I have mentioned? Thanks, Jay B.

Pony
10-09-2009, 21:13
I haven't made it to N.E. yet, but I want to say that Katahdin is much steeper than Roan Mountain, though I could be wrong.

I remember a pretty nasty climb out of Stecoah gap though.

Marta
10-09-2009, 21:26
Beaverbrook Falls on Mt. Moosilauke gets my vote.

Blissful
10-09-2009, 21:28
A few of the stretches in southern ME - like Mahoosuc Arm and Speck Mtn.

Blissful
10-09-2009, 21:30
I remember a pretty nasty climb out of Stecoah gap though.


All right, a Stecoah fan! I've complained about that 30 miles from NOC to Fontana a lot. Really tough part of trail (esp mentally) when you are new at the game. But not the steepest.

Jim Adams
10-09-2009, 21:32
South Kinsman

geek

CrumbSnatcher
10-09-2009, 22:21
katahdin
webster cliff trail
lehigh gap
mahoosuc arm
beaver brook trail
the climb out of georgia into N.C. kicked my ass a few times

Bearpaw
10-09-2009, 22:39
Ive heard they've built switchbacks, but Old Blue Mountain would get my vote from ten years ago.

CrumbSnatcher
10-09-2009, 22:46
Ive heard they've built switchbacks, but Old Blue Mountain would get my vote from ten years ago.
yeah thats a good choice. ten years yesterday for me 10-08-99 wow seems like yesterday.

The Solemates
10-09-2009, 22:51
i'm fairly certain that geek wins the prize...rise over run, I think statistically speaking south kinsman is truely the steepest.

here are some others that came to my mind:

katahdin
albert mtn
lehigh gap
speck mtn

I dont remember stecoah or beaver brook being that bad...

Ramble~On
10-09-2009, 23:31
South Kinsman, Mahoosuc Arm, Old Blue & parts of the climb down from Dragon's Tooth, Moody Mountain comes to mind too! I renamed that one...Mt. Kick My Ass.

The steepest climb on the trail though....my vote goes to the stairs at the Doyle! Especially 15 minutes after last call.

Tinker
10-09-2009, 23:42
South Kinsman, Mahoosuc Arm, Old Blue & parts of the climb down from Dragon's Tooth....and climbing the steps at the Doyle! Moody Mountain comes to mind too! I renamed that one...Mt. Kick My Ass.
Yep. Moody Mt. (or Hall), I forgot which was the tough one. I hiked them about 8 years ago.
I haven't been on the Trail between NJ and Ga. yet, though, except a little bit of Pa.
Mahoosuc arm is a good climb, too, especially right after the notch (and the descent to it).

sharky
10-10-2009, 08:32
Descending Garfield on a rainy morning! Webster Cliff wasn't too steep (I didn't think) it just kept going on forever.

Spokes
10-10-2009, 09:57
I agree with Jim Adams, Kinsman gets my vote.

Skyline
10-10-2009, 10:24
I vote for the middle section of the climb up to Baxter Peak starting at Katahdin Stream Campground via the Hunt Trail / AT.

There are a half-dozen or so that rank near it but IMHO this 1.25 miles or so is the toughest and steepest climb on the entire AT. A lot of hand-over-hand stuff. A few places where you can see the next white blaze but scratch your head and ask, "Now what were they thinking?" The fact that there is often really dicey weather here makes it all the more challenging.

NOBOs could consider it their Final Exam. It's all do-able though, and the prize is well worth the effort.

Kerosene
10-10-2009, 10:50
I haven't done Maine or North Carolina, but South Kinsman gets my vote.

I reached Eliza Brook Shelter at 3 pm on a mid-September day, amazed at how long it took me to get there from Kinsman Notch. My plans had me stopping at Kinsman Pond for the night, but the guidebook made it clear that the next 3 miles were "not to be underestimated". Feeling a little tired (it was only my second day out), I did the smart thing and stayed put. The two miles up South Kinsman is clearly the hardest ascent I've done, and it was at the beginning of my hiking day!

Yahtzee
10-10-2009, 11:16
Stecoah Gap, for sheer surprise. Short but calf-busting. The climb up Webster Cliffs is brutal. Funny, I don't remember any part of Katahdin being steep at all. This is northbound, of course.

Just a Hiker
10-10-2009, 11:38
Ive heard they've built switchbacks, but Old Blue Mountain would get my vote from ten years ago.

Old Blue is one of those Mountains that doesn't get talked about alot, but it's definately a hard one whether you are climbing it or going down it. It's a steep climb going NOBO, and if you're coming down it SOBO, your knees are shot by the time you get down to South Arm Rd.......then you have to cross the road and climb Moody Mt. Definately a tough little stretch of trail that I always dread.

Kerosene
10-10-2009, 15:34
The climb up Webster Cliffs is brutal.That one didn't bother me at all. Hikerhead and I were restarting after a zero. I dropped him off at the trailhead at 6:10 am, then parked the car back up the Notch at the AMC lodge to wait for the shuttle at 8 am. I started the climb at 8:10 under overcast skies on a cool day.

Perhaps it was the pursuit, or perhaps because I was rested and well-fed, but I powered up the Cliffs, catching Hikerhead (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=13120) about two-thirds of the way up at 10:10. It was a magical climb with all the clouds moving about.

I also took two of my favorite PC wallpaper shots on this climb:

Looking east across Crawford Notch to fog in adjacent Bear Notch (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=13116)

Blaze atop Webster Cliffs (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=13119)

Big Dawg
10-10-2009, 15:40
north of Stecoah Gap, & part of the climb up Katahdin get my vote,,,,, so far.

modiyooch
10-10-2009, 19:28
The NOBO climb out of Franconian Notch seemed to go straight up and forever. I think the climbs in NH are absurd including S. Kinsman.

tiptoe
10-10-2009, 19:51
Hi, Jay. Glad to hear your Katahdin hike went well. My son and I stopped at Pinkham Notch and will continue next year most likely.

ridgerunninrat81
10-11-2009, 00:51
Because I was not in as good hiker shape when I climbed Katahdin as I was during the longest part of my hike in 1981, Due to the fact that time flattens out the trail lol I vote for Katahdin.

heyoka87
10-11-2009, 01:06
I agree with Bearpaw I went down SOBO on Old Blue in the dark ( not intentionally , ran out of daylight cause of stupidness ) Took a zero next day and caught brook trout in that stream at the bottom and then got murdered again on Moody. It's funny cause I used to work with this guy who went off the deep end and attacked an in law with a crossbow no less . He was a section hiker on the AT and I asked him before I went out in ME. what to watch out for and he said Old Blue and Moody I was hoping it was his psychosis but no it wasnt- he was indeed lucid when he warned me about those bad boys !

Chaco Taco
10-12-2009, 10:55
Old Blue is one of those Mountains that doesn't get talked about alot, but it's definately a hard one whether you are climbing it or going down it. It's a steep climb going NOBO, and if you're coming down it SOBO, your knees are shot by the time you get down to South Arm Rd.......then you have to cross the road and climb Moody Mt. Definately a tough little stretch of trail that I always dread.

We went up Moody as they were doing maintenance. The trail was severely eroded and rope was tied to help us climb it.

Nothing in the south compares to anything up north. Stecoah just stunk because we didnt have trail legs yet.
Old Blue was a killer. The climb out of Mahoussac Notch was crazy hard, plus I was really friggin tired. Damn i wanna thru hike again

DavidNH
10-12-2009, 13:25
As one who has thru hiked I can say that there are many candidates for this.

Coming out of Secoha gap is for sure a challenge. Plenty of steep stretches in NC. But in my book, the trail doesn't really get serious until New Hampshire and nothing compares to Maine. The climb up Katahdin is as steep as it gets, short of needing ropes! The Mahoosics are a bit less steep but still very challenging. Then there is the carter range where you lower or raise yourself over short vertical stretches. The Mahoosics are also very rugged.


david

John B
10-12-2009, 14:10
I've only section hiked from Amicalola through Catawba, VA, and maybe it's because it came at the end of a 15-mile day or maybe it's because I had been low on water all day or maybe it's because I'm a leftie commie lib, but the NOBO climb up Roan Mt was a near-death experience for me. I thought it would never end. It totally kicked my butt.

If I'm ever lucky enough to make it to New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine, I'll probably hire a sherpa.

coss
10-12-2009, 20:14
Wildcat E up from Pinkham Notch has its moments as well.

Rambler
10-13-2009, 08:35
What you remember as the "steepest" often depends on the time of day you hiked it. Was it your last mile as you ended the day or your first mile in the morning?
There is a section in NC, just north of Nantahhala, it goes straight up for almost a mile with hardly a switchback. In NH just north of the Galehead Hut the trail climbs straight up .8 miles to the summit of South Twin MT.
Here is a proifile view of that ridge as seen from North Twin:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1071575196045831896nqEABH

The AT goes up it without a turn over some large granite.

I Maine how about the "Arm" of Old Spec up from Mahoosuc Notch?

Kerosene
10-13-2009, 10:37
In NH just north of the Galehead Hut the trail climbs straight up .8 miles to the summit of South Twin MT.We tackled that climb the first thing on a cool mid-September morning after a big breakfast at the Hut. I just powered to the top without a stop!

nitewalker
10-13-2009, 10:51
i remember going up wildcat and going down it with some choice words for both directions. it was worse coming all the way from gorahm and ending with that knee busting decent into pinkham.

Kerosene
10-13-2009, 13:49
i remember going up wildcat and going down it with some choice words for both directions. it was worse coming all the way from gorahm and ending with that knee busting decent into pinkham.I get to start my next New England section hike from Pinkham Notch, probably after sitting on a plane and shuttle all day. Should be interesting.

Mags
10-13-2009, 14:06
Northern New England (the Whites, the Mahoosucs, northern LT) still has the most physically challenging grades of any of the trails I've hiked. Egads...

Morning Glory
10-13-2009, 14:27
I've only section hiked about 400 or so miles...most of them south of Damascus, and about 30 miles in the HMW. I hiked Roan SOBO, so I didn't have to deal with the steep climb like NOBOs do. Here are a few of the worse climbs I can remember:
Pond Mountain.....for some reason, that thing just kicked my tail.
Swim Bald.....the climb up out of NOC didn't seem to bad until we reached the "jump up". However, the book said it was only .7 mile from their to the top of Swim Bald. There's no way that could be accurate....it had had to be more than 1.5 miles....and maybe I was just tired, but it just about killed me.
The climb after Stecoah Gap I was dreading...and yeah it was steep...but I think had heard how terrible it was so I was somewhat mentally prepared for it so it didn't seem too bad.
Now, up in Maine, Barren Mountain kicked me. Probably because I was stupid and didn't fill up with water at the bottom, and I got fairly dehydrated. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see the top of any other mountain.

Jack Tarlin
10-13-2009, 16:14
In no particular order, in the North, South Kinsman, Wildcat, and Webster-Jackson. Also, Mahoosuc Arm isn't exactly a lark, especially if it's wet. And of course, Moosilauke in either direction is a bit of work.

In the South, it's the climb out of Stecoah, hands down. I think I've done that one 14 times in 15 years and I swear every time I'll never do it again.

Then, come March.....

DuctTape
10-13-2009, 16:48
Mahoosuc Arm

Cookerhiker
10-13-2009, 20:06
I suppose the answer lies in how you define "part." I agree with Skyline that the middle part of Katahdin - the mile or so, I guess it's less - right up to the Tableland is the steepest. But if the question is which mountain is the steepest overall throughout the whole ascent, then I'd echo some of the other choices - Old Blue and Moody (which I just did again last August), Webster Cliffs, Moosilauke hiking SOBO, the ascent out of Stekoah Gap, S. Kinsman, Lehigh Gap. Hiking SOBO in the Smokies (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=84123), I found Thunderhead and Brier Knob very steep. Also hiking SOBO, St. John's Ledges in CT is short but very steep, rather reminiscent of those steep knobs in NY west of the Hudson.

As we all know, Maine has lots of tough climbs particularly in the SW portion. But foot-for-foot, I found Pleasant Pond Mountain as steep as anywhere else. In fact, I strained a rib cage muscle simply from lifting my leg up one of the many high rocks on my '05 hike (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=115467).

modiyooch
10-13-2009, 20:32
I came down the diamond slope of Sugarloaf to end a day hike. Now, that was steep. I climbed that same slope to get back on the trail the next day.

sarge95
10-13-2009, 21:17
mahoosic arm, moody mtn, saddle back, south madison

Wags
10-13-2009, 22:03
from shelter to water and back at peter's mountain shelter

Tin Man
10-13-2009, 22:19
I get to start my next New England section hike from Pinkham Notch, probably after sitting on a plane and shuttle all day. Should be interesting.

I was looking forward to that section this year after a long car ride myself. Plans changed, so it will wait for next year.

Read several stories about Kinsman's being difficult, but thought they were cake. Northbound over Moosilauke in May two years ago was icy going up and slippery wet with 2-3 feet of snow melt going down in a driving rain. Again, fun stuff. Interestingly enough, we ran into quite a few people day-hiking and overnighting in those conditions.

On a week-long trip last year, the northbound climb out of Crawford Notch ran me a bit ragged for a few moments on one hot August day after just finishing Franconia to Crawford on the way to Pinkham. Again, just part of the fun.

Remember folks, it's just walking. Take your time and it ain't all that bad.

Jim Adams
10-14-2009, 02:13
from shelter to water and back at peter's mountain shelter

Good call! That was quite the hassle just for water.

Something that I did notice was that none of those climbs seemed as bad the second thru as it seemed the first time.

Each year everyone seems to ponder whether to hike the approach trail at Springer or go USFS 42 because the climb on the approach trail is sooooo bad, but after N.H. and Maine, the approach trail ain't s**t! :D

geek

El Toro '94
10-14-2009, 02:56
The climb down into or up out of Carter Notch and the Beaver Brook section were just plain nasty, but for me, climbing down a ladder that had the first and last rungs missing on the north side of Baldpate in a driving rain has to rank as the most difficult for me. South side of Moody and north side of Hall are a close second. Don't remember S. Kinsman being all the bad, thought it was kinda fun-first time I got to use my hands since Albert in NC.
Sweetwater gap in the Stecoahs was the only time I ever puked though.

earlyriser26
10-14-2009, 06:39
My "favorites"
Kathdin, Mahoosuc Arm (made the notch look easy), Albert mt., Pinkham, and Pond mt. (maybe because it was such a PUD). I actually thought Stecoah was not bad at all.

nitewalker
10-14-2009, 07:01
The climb down into or up out of Carter Notch and the Beaver Brook section were just plain nasty, but for me, climbing down a ladder that had the first and last rungs missing on the north side of Baldpate in a driving rain has to rank as the most difficult for me. South side of Moody and north side of Hall are a close second. Don't remember S. Kinsman being all the bad, thought it was kinda fun-first time I got to use my hands since Albert in NC.
Sweetwater gap in the Stecoahs was the only time I ever puked though.

clmb out of carter notch was definitly a workout but well worth it once up on the ridge until the decent off wildcat...:eek:

sloetoe
10-14-2009, 07:27
I think it's plain that the time of day matters here a lot. My kids and I camped at the NOBO "exit" of Mahoosuc Notch and fairly strolled up it -- me complaining on how they'd once again "smoothed" the trail compared to my long-ago throughhike. Moody Mtn we did laugh about -- it kicked our butts, mostly with surprise. Katahdin we fairly *ran* up -- fresh from the car. (We were flooded out and unable to climb the prior year.)

But for "steepest"?

NOBO: South Kinsman -- Geek nailed this.
SOBO: Beaver Brook -- ice or no, this will take it out of you if you're not (mentally) prepared.


But for what makes it "tough"? I think the expectation that you can get to the top of a mountain without much work (or *minimal* work), and then being disappointed, is what turns something from "steep" to "tough". At the beginning of the day, we all are somewhat humbled (and fresh legged). Towards lunchie time, we start thinking that we've earned something. Dang mountain don't care.

sloetoe
10-14-2009, 07:30
OFF TOPIC:
BTW, Geek did a fanTAStic job at the Gathering Sunday night. He rolled along like a stand-up comedian, throwing out little facts and (hiker) one-liners like a pro. The audience (us) were entirely up on the subject matter, of course, and the laughter (which I got a big kick out of) was quick and loud -- made me feel like I was at a hiker presentation actually attended by knowledgeable hikers (something I don't get much of in Indianapolis....) Good times, y'all.

sixhusbands
10-14-2009, 07:48
South Twin from Galehead hut up is vote for the most intense half mile climb. We just finished the Pemi Loop in one day and that short climb was by far the toughest!

nitewalker
10-14-2009, 08:24
South Twin from Galehead hut up is vote for the most intense half mile climb. We just finished the Pemi Loop in one day and that short climb was by far the toughest!

i need to ask. was it the large loop or the half loop using the trail that goes by 13 falls? if the whole loop thats impressive....great hike no mater what way you do that area....the whole loop up the bond cliffs over garfield to franconia ridge , up over flume and down the osseo trail will kick your butt....almost 30 miles

modiyooch
10-14-2009, 08:29
South Twin from Galehead hut up is vote for the most intense half mile climb. We just finished the Pemi Loop in one day and that short climb was by far the toughest!
I didn't have a problem with this one. maybe because it was not endless like the others.
I wasn't able to see the mts before starting out of crawford notch. I arrived in the dark, and started in overcast conditions. It was an amazing sight once the clouds cleared and I am almost thankful that I didn't see what I had to climb prior to starting. I got to see it this summer when I connected the dots.

Hill Hiker
10-14-2009, 22:41
Back in the day, those switchbacks on the top part of the climb out of the gap weren't there. At the point the switchbacks start, in 1994 the old trail could still be made out continuing straight up.

El Toro '94
10-15-2009, 07:03
According to the info in the data book/companion, the NOBO climb out of Carter notch has an elevation change of 1350 feet in .7 miles. That's the steepest part of the AT I could find. South side of Moody was second with an elevation change of 1335 ft. in .9 miles. In case anyone is really interested.

Marta
10-15-2009, 07:09
According to the info in the data book/companion, the NOBO climb out of Carter notch has an elevation change of 1350 feet in .7 miles. That's the steepest part of the AT I could find. South side of Moody was second with an elevation change of 1335 ft. in .9 miles. In case anyone is really interested.

That's interesting. I remember Moody as being an unexpected, unrewarding, irritating climb. I figured it was just because I was tired and cranky.

sixhusbands
10-15-2009, 09:11
My friend and I left the parking lot at Lincoln Woods at 2:30 AM in 22 degree weather carrying a day pack with food, 3 liter water bag, emergency blanket, extra wind clothes for the high peaks and extra batteries.
We hiked the 31.5 mile route clock wise and reached Galehead hut at 11:15 AM. Then the climb up South Twin was the last major up and then on to the Bonds then the long walk down and the 5 mile finsh on the Wilderness trail to the car. We reached the parking lot at 7:45 PM dead tired, having avereged 2 mile an hour over 8 high peaks (over 4000 foot).

For the crazies out there, the record hike time is 7 hours 5 minutes!

Cookerhiker
10-15-2009, 09:58
According to the info in the data book/companion, the NOBO climb out of Carter notch has an elevation change of 1350 feet in .7 miles. That's the steepest part of the AT I could find. South side of Moody was second with an elevation change of 1335 ft. in .9 miles. In case anyone is really interested.

Wow, I don't remember much about the steepness of the hike out of Carter Notch - it was 21 years ago and the early Fall snowfall probably kept my mind off the strenuousness of the ascent. I had stayed at Carter Hut the night before when the snow began. Atop Carter Dome, it was snowing like crazy - all the evergreens were covered. Not having winter gear and concerned about a 2 foot accumulation, I bailed out at one of the side trails further along the ridge.

Mags
10-15-2009, 11:55
Six Husbands..what is the vert gain on this loop?

Sounds like insane fun. :)

(I did something similar a few years back, the "Ringing the Bells" loop (http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.php/Backpacking-and-Hiking-documents/Favorite-Colorado-Hikes.html#maroon-bells-loop) here in CO as a dayhike. It was a mixed ability level group of people I was shepherding alas. It is also why I screen my more aggressive hikes much more vigorously now..but that is another story! :) )

Is the loop this one here?
http://home.comcast.net/~pbakwin/fkt/pemi.html

Nean
10-15-2009, 12:00
About a half dozen places in Maine.:-? Going south they seem to mellow.:p

sixhusbands
10-15-2009, 14:47
The vertical gain is about 9000 ft. There are different schools of thought on which way to go. We chose clockwise because the tougher climbs up Flume,Liberty,Lincoln,Lafayette and Garfield are all in the first half. But the last five miles on the Wilderness trail was in the dark and you were tripping over the railroad ties with dead leggs.
The other way you can run the first five miles and have a short 2 mile walk out on the Wilderness trail at the end. This way would give you several bailout options if you hit bad weather or if you were running late.
Either route you choose is going to be a long days work. Backpacker Magazine rated the Pemi Loop as the #2 hardest one day hike ... I would hate to see # 1 !
You can find the Pemi Loop info on line. Make sure you keep an eye on the weather to do that one day loop in bad weather would really be insane!

Mags
10-15-2009, 15:07
You can find the Pemi Loop info on line. Make sure you keep an eye on the weather to do that one day loop in bad weather would really be insane!


I did the Pemi Loop as a backpack many moons ago. The Bond Cliffs are definitely up there in terms of scenic sights in the Whites. I looked at the map and thought "this looks cool". This was pre-long distance hiking. Part of the reason why I tend to have a corridor approach to long distance hiking is that I (and my hiking buddies) were making up routes long before I knew of designated routes to hike. :)

As for the toughest loop.. the "Ringing the Bells" may be up there: 30 miles/10k vertical. 4 alpines passes and at elevation for the whole day....

But, that is on-trail. See above about looking at a map and making your own routes. ;)

And, of course, there are other things I would not want to attempt..I'll leave those to others. :D

Tin Man
10-15-2009, 15:07
absolute hardest: climbing into my truck to go home after a glorious week of hiking

Many Walks
10-15-2009, 18:02
The folks around CT/MA would know better, but I recall a really steep part that was basically a straight up slab of slippery wet rock, not real high, but definitely steep. There is a blue blaze around it, but we went straight up. I'm thinking it was Sages Ravine, but not sure. I remember just being thankful we were going up and not down.

nitewalker
10-15-2009, 18:47
My friend and I left the parking lot at Lincoln Woods at 2:30 AM in 22 degree weather carrying a day pack with food, 3 liter water bag, emergency blanket, extra wind clothes for the high peaks and extra batteries.
We hiked the 31.5 mile route clock wise and reached Galehead hut at 11:15 AM. Then the climb up South Twin was the last major up and then on to the Bonds then the long walk down and the 5 mile finsh on the Wilderness trail to the car. We reached the parking lot at 7:45 PM dead tired, having avereged 2 mile an hour over 8 high peaks (over 4000 foot).

For the crazies out there, the record hike time is 7 hours 5 minutes!

now thats a day hike:eek:!!! very impresive .. i did the loop in the same direction but stayed one nite at garfied and then hiked out the following day. i thiught that was a kicker. maybe my mistake was the 25lbs in the pack for 3 nites stay. :-?hmmm.. peace

Big Dawg
10-15-2009, 19:42
absolute hardest: climbing into my truck to go home after a glorious week of hiking

ding ding ding ding ding ding..... folks, we have a winner. Rignt on!:D

Tin Man
10-16-2009, 00:06
The folks around CT/MA would know better, but I recall a really steep part that was basically a straight up slab of slippery wet rock, not real high, but definitely steep. There is a blue blaze around it, but we went straight up. I'm thinking it was Sages Ravine, but not sure. I remember just being thankful we were going up and not down.

Not ringing any bells here. After doing the whites, I would say NY, CT, MA and southern VT are fairly flat with very few tedious spots. And the whites are pretty easy, just a tad more tedious. :)

Now if you want steepest, try the upper Madison Gulf Trail blue blaze... that is some serious steep, like Beaver Brook without the built-in supports.

Montana AT05
10-16-2009, 11:11
So many steep parts. I remember standing at the base of some gosh-aweful cliff and looking for the white blazes, only to realize they were directly ABOVE me. <groan>

But if memory serves me, I'd vote for Old Blue or Mt, Moody in Maine. I can't recall the name...but it didn't look like much in the guidebook, yet it had iron rebar in the rocks and you had to pull yourself up hand over hand.

The Whites were no problem, steep yes, but the combination of better views and being in better shape by the time I hit them nullified their impact. I expected hard climbs so that helped. Old Blue hit me out of nowhere on a rainy day when I was pretty tired of the hike in general.

tiptoe
10-16-2009, 11:21
Many Walks, are you thinking of St. John's Ledges? That's steep, but not in the same ballpark as Beaver Brook and South Kinsman. Not even close.

Tin Man
10-16-2009, 12:17
Looking up or down a steep part, I turn to my hiking partner and say, "oh boy, we are having fun now." :)

sheepdog
10-16-2009, 12:40
The steepest part is always at the end of the day and you are just about out of water.

paintplongo
10-19-2009, 12:35
Moody Mountain with the reroute in Maine is the steepest climb of the entire trail. If you haven't hiked with the rerouted blue route, don't argue, it's horrible.

sloetoe
10-20-2009, 12:16
Really the steepest? Not the gnarliest, as per the thread, but I can recall a couple of pieces like this:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=37181&c=528

veggie steve
10-20-2009, 19:02
The Wildcats were the worst both in terms of steepness and magnitude. especially when you get to the top and discover the chair lift!!!!

maddi
10-20-2009, 20:44
The first three miles out of Harper's Ferry going NOBO are a real bitch. Now, I haven't yet made it to Katahdin, but I am thinking it couldn't be that much worse than those three miles....

:banana

MedicineMan
10-20-2009, 23:07
where does the Abol Slide fit into this? I went up the Abol and down the Hunt thinking the Hunt was the official route????

dzierzak
10-21-2009, 10:23
Yeah, the almost 1000 ft up out of Harpers (over 2 miles) is tiring. But, I didn't find it to be that bad and you had the view from Weverton Cliff at the top!

Kerosene
10-21-2009, 10:53
My rule of thumb is that anything below 500'/mile ascent is quite reasonable. I start to puff just a bit on steeper climbs longer than a mile, and beyond 1200'/mile I've been known to mutter under my breath...when I can catch my breath.

LIhikers
10-21-2009, 11:21
The folks around CT/MA would know better, but I recall a really steep part that was basically a straight up slab of slippery wet rock, not real high, but definitely steep. There is a blue blaze around it, but we went straight up. I'm thinking it was Sages Ravine, but not sure. I remember just being thankful we were going up and not down.


I'm going to guess that what you're remembering above is in NY.
Once you come out of The Lemon Squeezer going NOBO there are some steep rocks, that don't go high. And they do have a blue blaze around them.

maddi
10-21-2009, 13:20
I was talking about the part along the canal....

Many Walks
10-21-2009, 14:38
I'm going to guess that what you're remembering above is in NY.
Once you come out of The Lemon Squeezer going NOBO there are some steep rocks, that don't go high. And they do have a blue blaze around them.
That may have been it, just can't remember for sure now. I thought it was Sages Ravine, but maybe not. It wasn't real high or of great length, but it was straight up (steep). There are a lot like that, but this particular one was just extreme hand over hand climbing. Much better going up than down, IMO. Suspect the blue blaze gets a lot of traffic.

Symbol
10-24-2009, 21:44
Hello Whiteblaze friends! Just got back from hiking the Presidential Range and Katahdin in early September. Fantastic weather all 6 days of my trip and awsome pictures. My question is this: I have hiked all the AT from Springer to Damascus and now from NH 302 at Crawford Notch to Pinkham Notch as well as the AT trail up Katahdin. Does anyone know where the steepest part of the AT is? I thought it was the south side of Roan Mountain but am now thinking it must be either Katahdin itself, going up Webster Cliffs or coming off Mount Madison toward Pinkham. Are there any places steeper than those I have mentioned? Thanks, Jay B.


Beaverbrook Falls on Mt. Moosilauke gets my vote.


I thought coming down off Madison (towards Pinkham) was very steep and long. 2.7 to the tent platforms?

I have been up and down Beaverbrook Trail and it is a steep one too.

those are my tow picks from the places on the AT I have hiked. I thought they were both harder than going up Roan. Stecoah Gap is legendary. Looking forward to that in March!!

chinook
01-02-2014, 09:18
Based on GPS track and USGS elevation data, here are some calculations for steepest sections of AT ...
http://web.eecs.utk.edu/~dunigan/at/atelev.html

Kerosene
01-02-2014, 16:05
Stecoah Gap is legendary. Looking forward to that in March!!Stecoah Gap (actually Sweetwater Gap a mile or so in) is certainly steep, but it is relatively short. My newbie daughter didn't have a problem with that climb or Albert Mountain.

Prime Time
01-02-2014, 18:17
Although not on the AT but just off of it, are two of the steepest trails in the Northeast. Huntington Ravine is considered to be the toughest non technical trail in the US. It ascends from the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the Alpine Garden on Mt. Washington. The steepest section ascends 1,400 feet in .75 miles on a sheer granite face. Here is a passage from the White Mountain Guide official trail description: "This is the most difficult regular hiking trail in the White Mountains. Many of the ledges demand proper use of handholds for safe passage...the exposure on several of the steepest ledges is likely to prove extremely unnerving to novices and those who are uncomfortable in steep places. The use of this trail for descent is strongly discouraged"

The Six Husbands Trail connects the Great Gulf to the cone just below the summit of Mt Jefferson and intersects with the AT. The steepest section ascends 1,520 feet in .8 miles. Here's a passage from the Guide: "...soon (the trail) begins to attack the very steep main buttress, the north knee of Mt. Jefferson, passing by one boulder cave and through another. At 1.0 miles it ascends a steep ledge on a pair of wooden ladders, then climbs under an overhanging ledge on a second pair, with a tricky spot near the top that can be quite dangerous if wet..." also there is a sign posted at the beginning of the trail that reads: "Warning, do not attempt this trail unless you are in top physical condition".

Enjoy!

hikerboy57
01-02-2014, 18:28
also in nh,not on the at itself, is the madison gulf trail up the headwall thats just as steep as the other two.

burger
01-02-2014, 23:35
also in nh,not on the at itself, is the madison gulf trail up the headwall thats just as steep as the other two.I thought about taking the Madison Gulf trail down from Madison Spring Hut, but the AMC guide basically said something to the effect that you would die doing this downhill with a full pack. I took the AT instead.

peakbagger
01-03-2014, 07:49
Mad gulf trail is not as bad as the guide describes but given that its adjacent to hut and looks like a nice option for descending, I expect AMC exercised a bit of hyperbole. I still wouldn't recommend it with a pack on or if there is any dampness in the air.

Trance
01-03-2014, 13:24
The hike down into the NOC is a knee slayer.

hikerboy57
01-03-2014, 13:40
Mad gulf trail is not as bad as the guide describes but given that its adjacent to hut and looks like a nice option for descending, I expect AMC exercised a bit of hyperbole. I still wouldn't recommend it with a pack on or if there is any dampness in the air.
never did 6 husbands but ive done m.g and huntington ravine. the amc guide is definitely overly cautious in their descriptions, but i wouldn't want to downclimb either one unless i absolutely had to. i carried a daypack both times on each route, never with a full pack. there are some equally steep routes on the n. side of adams, like the great gully trail, but not as exposed as the east side of the gulf.

the climb down to noc, was steep, but as id just finished hiking through an ice storm, practically ran down. the mountains down south have some long uphills ,but generally skirt the summits. in the north the trails go straight up and over, with a minimum of switchbacks. i found the south much easier with nothing as steep as nh and w.me.

guthook
01-03-2014, 22:05
Based on GPS track and USGS elevation data, here are some calculations for steepest sections of AT ...
http://web.eecs.utk.edu/~dunigan/at/atelev.html

Chinook, I've been thinking of doing this for a while, and your link pushed me over the edge-- with the elevation data from my apps, I wrote a little program to calculate steepest sections of the trail for a given length of trail segment. In case anyone's interested in this, the calculation skips overlapping trail segments (ie, if 1.0 to 2.0 is slightly less steep than 1.5 to 2.5, the former segment is discarded), and measures segments that are exactly 1 trail mile long, grading them by the steepness of that 1 mile. I went through afterward and added info for the full climb, rather than just the 1.0 mile.

Here are the results for top 25 steepest 1 mile segments on the AT*
1 - 1794.1 to 1795.1, 1760': Asquam Ridge Trail to Kinsman Notch (2180' in 1.7m)
2 - 2181.6 to 2182.6, 1640': O Joy Brook to The Gateway (2120' in 1.4m)
3 - 1858.6 to 1859.6, 1640': Mt Madison to Osgood Tentsite (2850' in 2.3m)
4 - 1865.6 to 1866.6, 1500': Pinkham Notch to Wildcat E (2000' in 1.5m)
5 - 1869.9 to 1870.9, 1430': Carter Notch to Carter Dome (1530' in 1.1m)**
6 - 1813.4 to 1814.4, 1420': Liberty Brook to Franconia Ridge Trail (2180' in 1.8m)
7 - 1880.1 to 1881.1, 1360': Just north of Mt Moriah to First Crossing of Rattle River (1600' in 1.3m)
8 - 1930.8 to 1931.8, 1340': Hall Mtn Lean-to to Sawyer Notch (1530' in 1.3m)
9 - 1823.8 to 1824.8, 1330': Galehead Hut to South Twin Mtn (1130' in 0.8m)
10 - 1907.8 to 1908.8, 1330': Mahoosuc Notch to Mahoosuc Arm (1600' in 1.4m)
11 - 1839.6 to 1840.6, 1250': Crawford Notch to Mt Webster (2650' in 3.2m)
12 - 1585.6 to 1586.6, 1230': Mt Prospect to stream at base of Greylock (1450' in 1.4m)
13 - 1985.3 to 1986.3, 1200': Crocker Cirque to South Crocker (1330' in 1.1m)
14 - 1982.9 to 1983.9, 1200': South from Carabassett River (1020' in 0.9m)
15 - 1932.0 to 1933.0, 1200': Sawyer Notch to Moody Mtn (1300' in 1.3m)
16 - 1789.9 to 1790.9, 1180': Last mile to South Peak Moosilauke (total, 2920' in 3.0m)
17 - 1918.5 to 1919.5, 1170': North from East Peak Baldpate (1070' in 0.9m)
18 - 1804.0 to 1805.0, 1170': Eliza Brook to South Kinsman (1310' in 1.4m)
19 - 1964.6 to 1965.6, 1160': Moose & Deer Stream to Saddleback (1480' in 1.9m)
20 - 1818.5 to 1819.5, 1150': Lafayette to Garfield Notch (1460' in 1.5m)
21 - 1701.2 to 1702.2, 1130': North from Thundering Falls Road (1300' in 1.2m)***
22 - 1934.5 to 1935.5, 1090': South Arm Rd to Old Blue (2180' in 2.6m)
23 - 1788.7 to 1789.7, 1080': Bottom of S. Moosilauke (total 2920' in 3.0m)****
24 - 1830.0 to 1831.0, 1070': Zeacliff to Zealand Falls Hut (1070' in 1.0m)
25 - 2000.9 to 2001.9, 1070': Bigelow Avery Peak to Safford Notch (1860' in 2.0m)

Notes:
*: the mile numbers are not an exact match for the Data Book, since I haven't adjusted it from my GPS tracks yet.
**: Wildcat to Carter Notch is 1120 in 0.8m, but the calculation missed because the entire climb is less than 1 mile. Maybe I'll try half-mile segments next time.
***: This is the most surprising to me. Who remembers this climb? Not me!
****: This is from the field near Glencliff Road, so Moosilauke shows up three times on this list, once for the north side, and twice for the south side.

ME: 10
NH: 13
VT: 1
MA: 1

I was kind of surprised by the results, which is why I'm sharing them here. I hope some of you think this is as entertaining as I do :)

wcgornto
01-03-2014, 23:06
Old Blue is one of those Mountains that doesn't get talked about alot, but it's definately a hard one whether you are climbing it or going down it. It's a steep climb going NOBO, and if you're coming down it SOBO, your knees are shot by the time you get down to South Arm Rd.......then you have to cross the road and climb Moody Mt. Definately a tough little stretch of trail that I always dread.

Hiked Old Blue, Moody and Hall on the same day going SOBO. That last climb up hall at the end of the day was tough. The wash outs on Moody didn't help matters any.

Papa D
01-03-2014, 23:27
Maybe Mahoosuc Arm or the north side of Moosilauke.
Smarts Mountain and a lot of stuff in the Whites are
steep and Rocky - north side of Mt. Guyot for example.

Sorry Big Dawg - I know that the section North of Stecoah
is sort of steep and folks huff and puff going up to Brown Fork Gap
but it is not even close to the sustained difficulty and steepness of (for example)
the miles of steep hiking for a Sountbounder up Moosilauke or others I have
mentioned and plenty I have not - heck, St. Johns Ledges in CT is steeper and it
wouldn't make the top 25. That hill where it's steep is only about 1/2 mile, right?
It might be one of the steeper little stretches in the South but
I would say that Albert Mountain is about equal. :)

Chair-man
01-04-2014, 00:06
Chinook, I've been thinking of doing this for a while, and your link pushed me over the edge-- with the elevation data from my apps, I wrote a little program to calculate steepest sections of the trail for a given length of trail segment. In case anyone's interested in this, the calculation skips overlapping trail segments (ie, if 1.0 to 2.0 is slightly less steep than 1.5 to 2.5, the former segment is discarded), and measures segments that are exactly 1 trail mile long, grading them by the steepness of that 1 mile. I went through afterward and added info for the full climb, rather than just the 1.0 mile.

Here are the results for top 25 steepest 1 mile segments on the AT*
1 - 1794.1 to 1795.1, 1760': Asquam Ridge Trail to Kinsman Notch (2180' in 1.7m)
2 - 2181.6 to 2182.6, 1640': O Joy Brook to The Gateway (2120' in 1.4m)
3 - 1858.6 to 1859.6, 1640': Mt Madison to Osgood Tentsite (2850' in 2.3m)
4 - 1865.6 to 1866.6, 1500': Pinkham Notch to Wildcat E (2000' in 1.5m)
5 - 1869.9 to 1870.9, 1430': Carter Notch to Carter Dome (1530' in 1.1m)**
6 - 1813.4 to 1814.4, 1420': Liberty Brook to Franconia Ridge Trail (2180' in 1.8m)
7 - 1880.1 to 1881.1, 1360': Just north of Mt Moriah to First Crossing of Rattle River (1600' in 1.3m)
8 - 1930.8 to 1931.8, 1340': Hall Mtn Lean-to to Sawyer Notch (1530' in 1.3m)
9 - 1823.8 to 1824.8, 1330': Galehead Hut to South Twin Mtn (1130' in 0.8m)
10 - 1907.8 to 1908.8, 1330': Mahoosuc Notch to Mahoosuc Arm (1600' in 1.4m)
11 - 1839.6 to 1840.6, 1250': Crawford Notch to Mt Webster (2650' in 3.2m)
12 - 1585.6 to 1586.6, 1230': Mt Prospect to stream at base of Greylock (1450' in 1.4m)
13 - 1985.3 to 1986.3, 1200': Crocker Cirque to South Crocker (1330' in 1.1m)
14 - 1982.9 to 1983.9, 1200': South from Carabassett River (1020' in 0.9m)
15 - 1932.0 to 1933.0, 1200': Sawyer Notch to Moody Mtn (1300' in 1.3m)
16 - 1789.9 to 1790.9, 1180': Last mile to South Peak Moosilauke (total, 2920' in 3.0m)
17 - 1918.5 to 1919.5, 1170': North from East Peak Baldpate (1070' in 0.9m)
18 - 1804.0 to 1805.0, 1170': Eliza Brook to South Kinsman (1310' in 1.4m)
19 - 1964.6 to 1965.6, 1160': Moose & Deer Stream to Saddleback (1480' in 1.9m)
20 - 1818.5 to 1819.5, 1150': Lafayette to Garfield Notch (1460' in 1.5m)
21 - 1701.2 to 1702.2, 1130': North from Thundering Falls Road (1300' in 1.2m)***
22 - 1934.5 to 1935.5, 1090': South Arm Rd to Old Blue (2180' in 2.6m)
23 - 1788.7 to 1789.7, 1080': Bottom of S. Moosilauke (total 2920' in 3.0m)****
24 - 1830.0 to 1831.0, 1070': Zeacliff to Zealand Falls Hut (1070' in 1.0m)
25 - 2000.9 to 2001.9, 1070': Bigelow Avery Peak to Safford Notch (1860' in 2.0m)

Notes:
*: the mile numbers are not an exact match for the Data Book, since I haven't adjusted it from my GPS tracks yet.
**: Wildcat to Carter Notch is 1120 in 0.8m, but the calculation missed because the entire climb is less than 1 mile. Maybe I'll try half-mile segments next time.
***: This is the most surprising to me. Who remembers this climb? Not me!
****: This is from the field near Glencliff Road, so Moosilauke shows up three times on this list, once for the north side, and twice for the south side.

ME: 10
NH: 13
VT: 1
MA: 1

I was kind of surprised by the results, which is why I'm sharing them here. I hope some of you think this is as entertaining as I do :)

Cool info, I like to see half mile calculation and see where the north side of Blood Mt GA stacks up against some of the others.

Train Wreck
01-04-2014, 01:51
Stecoah Gap, for sheer surprise. Short but calf-busting. The climb up Webster Cliffs is brutal. Funny, I don't remember any part of Katahdin being steep at all. This is northbound, of course.

Webster Cliffs gets my vote

Slo-go'en
01-04-2014, 13:14
Before I did the climb out of NOC, I kept hearing how hard it was. When I finally got there and did it, I thought to myself "You guys haven't hiked in Maine or NH yet have you? This is nothing".

ChinMusic
01-04-2014, 13:43
Before I did the climb out of NOC, I kept hearing how hard it was. When I finally got there and did it, I thought to myself "You guys haven't hiked in Maine or NH yet have you? This is nothing".
Truth. Stuff like Jacob's Ladder may not even have a name up north.

Kingbee
01-04-2014, 14:04
Descending Garfield on a rainy morning! Webster Cliff wasn't too steep (I didn't think) it just kept going on forever.

I second this, although I haven't hiked Maine yet. It was rainy when I went down as well. Scary stuff.

hikerboy57
01-04-2014, 14:11
Before I did the climb out of NOC, I kept hearing how hard it was. When I finally got there and did it, I thought to myself "You guys haven't hiked in Maine or NH yet have you? This is nothing".
i met a guy at the georgia/nc border, said "thank god its done. I heard its the second hardest state after nh and me."
I laughed, told him it was nowhere near anything he'll see in nh and me.

Kerosene
01-04-2014, 14:23
i met a guy at the georgia/nc border, said "thank god its done. I heard its the second hardest state after nh and me."
I laughed, told him it was nowhere near anything he'll see in nh and me.I think GA/NC is viewed as difficult because a large majority of hikers have never hiked elsewhere and are not yet in hiking shape. By the time I sectioned GA I had already covered most of the AT from central VA to VT, plus the LT. GA was a pleasant surprise, and the smooth trail you typically encounter down south makes for much faster walking. Of course, the climb out of Bly Gap up Courthouse Bald was still a b!tch on a warm-ish day in April, even though I had re-fueled and rested after a quick climb up from Dicks Creek Gap that morning.

I've covered everything up to Rangeley, but I still think that my hardest climb was South Kinsman NOBO. I was just glad that I hadn't attempted it late the prior afternoon from Beaver Brook Shelter on my 2nd day out.

guthook
01-04-2014, 19:00
Cool info, I like to see half mile calculation and see where the north side of Blood Mt GA stacks up against some of the others.

Chair-Man, I'll run those calculations sometime soon. It will probably take a while, because I want to make sure it doesn't end up counting certain sections three or four times (like Katahdin or Moosilauke), and I'll spend some more time adjusting data once it goes through. I'm very curious to see where Lehigh Gap and Roan Mountain show up on the list.

ChinMusic
01-04-2014, 19:05
I'm very curious to see where Lehigh Gap and Roan Mountain show up on the list.
Roan Mountain is so gradual now. It will be on page 6.

hikerboy57
01-04-2014, 19:10
the biggest steep i remember in the south was albert mtn, and it was too short to be that much of a challenge. a lot of long hills, but very few real "steeps".

ChinMusic
01-04-2014, 19:13
21 - 1701.2 to 1702.2, 1130': North from Thundering Falls Road (1300' in 1.2m)***

***: This is the most surprising to me. Who remembers this climb? Not me!
I just knew that had to be Quimby. I thought that climb was a real hard one on a hot afternoon. I had trail legs by then and still had to take multiple breaks. I think it was the first climb like that in the north and really got my attention.

guthook
01-04-2014, 22:05
I just knew that had to be Quimby. I thought that climb was a real hard one on a hot afternoon. I had trail legs by then and still had to take multiple breaks. I think it was the first climb like that in the north and really got my attention.

Good catch... And yet somehow that climb still doesn't register in my memory. I know it's there, and I know I did it a few times, but... I guess it just doesn't have the same kind of punch in the gut that some of the others have. Possibly because there's no big view at the top :-)

ChinMusic
01-04-2014, 22:16
Good catch... And yet somehow that climb still doesn't register in my memory. I know it's there, and I know I did it a few times, but... I guess it just doesn't have the same kind of punch in the gut that some of the others have. Possibly because there's no big view at the top :-)

Here was my journal entry re Quimby:


The day had been a piece of cake until I got to the climb up Quimby Mountain. It was time to pay the piper, and oh he was not gonna be cheap. The temps had warmed and it was the hottest part of the day. I was briefly back to having sweat drip off my elbows. The mosquitoes even made a return. Oh joy.

FooFighter'12
01-04-2014, 22:46
I just knew that had to be Quimby. I thought that climb was a real hard one on a hot afternoon. I had trail legs by then and still had to take multiple breaks. I think it was the first climb like that in the north and really got my attention.
I had a similar experience on that one. It completely caught me off guard.

Kerosene
01-05-2014, 11:58
I remember Quimby, although I didn't know the name of the mountain I was climbing. It was the first day of my first backpacking trip in 15 years (Sept. 2000). My journal notes that I did pretty well on the 1,250-foot, mile-long climb; pausing for 5 minutes at a nice rock only once. It was a warm-ish Fall day I recall. I still think that SOBO Kinsman was a great deal harder.

Pedaling Fool
01-05-2014, 12:14
Before I did the climb out of NOC, I kept hearing how hard it was. When I finally got there and did it, I thought to myself "You guys haven't hiked in Maine or NH yet have you? This is nothing".
That was a special day for me in 2006. I got there in the evening, ate a burger felt dogass tired and set up my tent up the river and went to sleep.

The next day I woke up starving, much more than normal, so I went back to the resturant and it was the first day my I felt that Hiker Appetite feeling; I ate a very large breakfast, including pancakes, eggs, bacon...and tons of coffee. And then I just shot up the trail, not one issue with all that stuff in my gut, normally I would have been suffering massive bouts of heartburn.

Before that day I was still struggling with my depressed appetite and although I could feel myself getting stronger by the day, the increases were incremental at best. That day was a massive jump in my energy and appetite.


Here's all the packs outside of that resturant at NOC.

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/9/3/6/04-05-060911.jpg (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showimage.php?i=14206&original=1&catid=member&imageuser=6936)

jdc5294
01-05-2014, 12:31
There's a couple spots on Katahdin that are on par with the steepest you'll see anywhere, there's a spot I believe still in GA or maybe NC that was hand over hand climbing with a fire tower at the top, I'll have to go back to look up the name of the mountain. In terms of steepest grade before you get to basically bouldering, I still believe parts of the Katahdin switchbacks were right up there with anything else on the AT.

Statue
01-05-2014, 12:41
Wildcat, Albert Mountain, Twin Peaks, Garfield, Jacobs Ladder, Stratton, Madison, Webster all kicked my butt.

4eyedbuzzard
01-05-2014, 14:11
Cool info, I like to see half mile calculation and see where the north side of Blood Mt GA stacks up against some of the others.


Chinook, I've been thinking of doing this for a while, and your link pushed me over the edge-- with the elevation data from my apps, I wrote a little program to calculate steepest sections of the trail for a given length of trail segment. In case anyone's interested in this, the calculation skips overlapping trail segments (ie, if 1.0 to 2.0 is slightly less steep than 1.5 to 2.5, the former segment is discarded), and measures segments that are exactly 1 trail mile long, grading them by the steepness of that 1 mile. I went through afterward and added info for the full climb, rather than just the 1.0 mile.

Here are the results for top 25 steepest 1 mile segments on the AT*
1 - 1794.1 to 1795.1, 1760': Asquam Ridge Trail to Kinsman Notch (2180' in 1.7m)
2 - 2181.6 to 2182.6, 1640': O Joy Brook to The Gateway (2120' in 1.4m)
3 - 1858.6 to 1859.6, 1640': Mt Madison to Osgood Tentsite (2850' in 2.3m)
4 - 1865.6 to 1866.6, 1500': Pinkham Notch to Wildcat E (2000' in 1.5m)
5 - 1869.9 to 1870.9, 1430': Carter Notch to Carter Dome (1530' in 1.1m)**
6 - 1813.4 to 1814.4, 1420': Liberty Brook to Franconia Ridge Trail (2180' in 1.8m)
7 - 1880.1 to 1881.1, 1360': Just north of Mt Moriah to First Crossing of Rattle River (1600' in 1.3m)
8 - 1930.8 to 1931.8, 1340': Hall Mtn Lean-to to Sawyer Notch (1530' in 1.3m)
9 - 1823.8 to 1824.8, 1330': Galehead Hut to South Twin Mtn (1130' in 0.8m)
10 - 1907.8 to 1908.8, 1330': Mahoosuc Notch to Mahoosuc Arm (1600' in 1.4m)
11 - 1839.6 to 1840.6, 1250': Crawford Notch to Mt Webster (2650' in 3.2m)
12 - 1585.6 to 1586.6, 1230': Mt Prospect to stream at base of Greylock (1450' in 1.4m)
13 - 1985.3 to 1986.3, 1200': Crocker Cirque to South Crocker (1330' in 1.1m)
14 - 1982.9 to 1983.9, 1200': South from Carabassett River (1020' in 0.9m)
15 - 1932.0 to 1933.0, 1200': Sawyer Notch to Moody Mtn (1300' in 1.3m)
16 - 1789.9 to 1790.9, 1180': Last mile to South Peak Moosilauke (total, 2920' in 3.0m)
17 - 1918.5 to 1919.5, 1170': North from East Peak Baldpate (1070' in 0.9m)
18 - 1804.0 to 1805.0, 1170': Eliza Brook to South Kinsman (1310' in 1.4m)
19 - 1964.6 to 1965.6, 1160': Moose & Deer Stream to Saddleback (1480' in 1.9m)
20 - 1818.5 to 1819.5, 1150': Lafayette to Garfield Notch (1460' in 1.5m)
21 - 1701.2 to 1702.2, 1130': North from Thundering Falls Road (1300' in 1.2m)***
22 - 1934.5 to 1935.5, 1090': South Arm Rd to Old Blue (2180' in 2.6m)
23 - 1788.7 to 1789.7, 1080': Bottom of S. Moosilauke (total 2920' in 3.0m)****
24 - 1830.0 to 1831.0, 1070': Zeacliff to Zealand Falls Hut (1070' in 1.0m)
25 - 2000.9 to 2001.9, 1070': Bigelow Avery Peak to Safford Notch (1860' in 2.0m)

Notes:
*: the mile numbers are not an exact match for the Data Book, since I haven't adjusted it from my GPS tracks yet.
**: Wildcat to Carter Notch is 1120 in 0.8m, but the calculation missed because the entire climb is less than 1 mile. Maybe I'll try half-mile segments next time.
***: This is the most surprising to me. Who remembers this climb? Not me!
****: This is from the field near Glencliff Road, so Moosilauke shows up three times on this list, once for the north side, and twice for the south side.

ME: 10
NH: 13
VT: 1
MA: 1

I was kind of surprised by the results, which is why I'm sharing them here. I hope some of you think this is as entertaining as I do :)

Interesting data, and most surprising is that NOT ONE of the sections occur before New England. I figured most would be up north, but there just had to be something in the southern Appalachians . . .
Memory lane question: I am wondering if any of the climbs in northern GA and/or the Nantahalas would have made the list years ago? I haven't hiked there since the 1970's but man were there some steep climbs straight up and over the ridges. I've been told that a lot of switchbacks were added in some sections and there was trail rerouting/regrading done as well (partly due to erosion I've heard). Then again, it could also partly be the starting out issue - not being in trail shape and those areas are pretty rugged and still kick people's asses just starting out.
One thing's for sure - SOBO's are definitely hardcore hitting all that in the first 400 miles ;)

Stink Bug
01-05-2014, 14:21
The Wildcats - in fact the whole section from Pinkham Notch to Gorham, NH. Actually, add the up and over and that horrible descent from Madison!

guthook
01-05-2014, 15:29
Interesting data, and most surprising is that NOT ONE of the sections occur before New England. I figured most would be up north, but there just had to be something in the southern Appalachians . . .
Memory lane question: I am wondering if any of the climbs in northern GA and/or the Nantahalas would have made the list years ago? I haven't hiked there since the 1970's but man were there some steep climbs straight up and over the ridges. I've been told that a lot of switchbacks were added in some sections and there was trail rerouting/regrading done as well (partly due to erosion I've heard). Then again, it could also partly be the starting out issue - not being in trail shape and those areas are pretty rugged and still kick people's asses just starting out.
One thing's for sure - SOBO's are definitely hardcore hitting all that in the first 400 miles ;)

I've started running the calculations using 0.5 mile instead of 1.0 mile for the distance to check, and it actually has much better representation of the southern part of the trail. It's not finished yet, but here are some things I've found so far--

First of all, I'm going to need to write a more involved algorithm for sorting climbs, since right now it's just taking the steepest half mile section of trail, comparing to the second steepest half mile, and so on. But how do you compare a climb of 1000 feet in 0.8 miles to a climb of 1500 feet in 1.0 miles? Hard to say. Also, Bly Gap and Albert Mountain's steepest sections are pretty short, so even though they're wicked steep, they didn't show up in these calculations.

As for the findings so far, Maine and NH still have all of the top 20, with Pinkham Notch to Wildcat as the steepest half mile (1020 feet in 0.5 miles... not really a surprise there!). The first climb outside of New England to make the list is going into Port Clinton (#27). After that, there are a few representatives from PA, NY, VA, and TN.

I'll post the full results later this evening :)

Slo-go'en
01-05-2014, 16:34
The climb out of Lehigh Gap is pretty steep and the first time you get to a "white mountain" type scramble up a cliff. It is a short climb though, maybe 1/4 mile?

Guthook, if you calculated grade, divide elevation by distance, you would find the steepest climbs.

guthook
01-05-2014, 17:03
Guthook, if you calculated grade, divide elevation by distance, you would find the steepest climbs.

That's what I'm doing-- take a look at the previous set of measurements for an example. The next shot will be with 0.5 mile segments rather than 1.0 mile segments.

The problem is deciding what length of trail segment is worth measuring. For instance, a single stair might have an infinitely high grade if it rises vertically, but it's only six inches high so not significant. More realistically, there will be many trail segments that gain 100' in 0.1 mile. But consider the difference between one of those segments, and another segment that gains steadily 450 feet over 0.5 miles. The 0.1 mile segment is technically steeper, but that 0.1 mile segment might have flat segments on either side of it.

4eyedbuzzard
01-05-2014, 18:45
Yeah at some point you have to limit the number of data points used. Plus shorter climbs are no where near as taxing, at least to me, even if they are multiple ones. There is a definite difference in terms of how long steep climbs tire you out, especially this aging hiker. Given the same amount of trail hiked in a day, I recover much better from say four 500 foot climbs spread out over the course of say a 10 mile day, than from having to do a 2000+ foot climb all in 2 to 3 of those miles. Franconia to Liberty Springs section starts kicking my ass about half way up even though it isn't difficult trail - just steep and constantly up. Wildcat also kicks my butt - steep and tougher trail as well. Add that it freaks me out a bit - I have to remind myself not to look around or down too much.

rustmd
01-05-2014, 18:47
south kinsman, toughest & steepest yet for me. . .seemed to go on and on, steeper and steeper. . .and then the summit--it's flat!

oops, hope i didn't ruin anyone's hike. . .lol.

.com

ChinMusic
01-05-2014, 19:05
Yeah at some point you have to limit the number of data points used. Plus shorter climbs are no where near as taxing, at least to me, even if they are multiple ones. There is a definite difference in terms of how long steep climbs tire you out, especially this aging hiker. Given the same amount of trail hiked in a day, I recover much better from say four 500 foot climbs spread out over the course of say a 10 mile day, than from having to do a 2000+ foot climb all in 2 to 3 of those miles. Franconia to Liberty Springs section starts kicking my ass about half way up even though it isn't difficult trail - just steep and constantly up. Wildcat also kicks my butt - steep and tougher trail as well. Add that it freaks me out a bit - I have to remind myself not to look around or down too much.

It works differently on me. Liberty, Kinsman, Wildcat were all tough but I got in a rhythm. The sections were we go 20up-20down, 30up-30down for miles just wears me out and tears me up.

Second Hand
01-05-2014, 19:09
Which of those Climbs is in MA?? I did the entire state this year and nothing stood as particularly challenging

4eyedbuzzard
01-05-2014, 19:11
Which of those Climbs is in MA?? I did the entire state this year and nothing stood as particularly challenging
12 - 1585.6 to 1586.6, 1230': Mt Prospect to stream at base of Greylock (1450' in 1.4m)

Second Hand
01-05-2014, 19:15
Never mind - I found it
12 - 1585.6 to 1586.6, 1230': Mt Prospect to stream at base of Greylock (1450' in 1.4m)

Crabapple
01-06-2014, 02:29
Thanks for doing the calculations...interesting stuff!

My vote goes to the Wildcat climb, which I did as a day-hike AFTER completing most of Maine!

guthook
01-06-2014, 08:45
Okay, here are the calculations using 0.5 miles as the limit rather than 1.0 miles. One thing that is clear to me after looking at these is that after the top 20 or 30, things start to look pretty similar. I think this is more interesting as a discussion piece (just an addition to what's already been discussed here), but I had a good time running through all of the calculations with my elevation data. It's kind of fun to see the numbers. Here we go:

Section 1 from 1865.5 to 1866.0 with 1017 change -- Pinkham Notch to Wildcat E (2000' in 1.5m)
Section 2 from 1794.3 to 1794.8 with 934 change -- Asquam Ridge Trail to Kinsman Notch (2180' in 1.7m)
Section 3 from 1824.2 to 1824.7 with 896 change -- Galehead to South Twin (1130' in 0.8m)
Section 4 from 1821.2 to 1821.7 with 875 change -- Northbound from Mt Garfield (970' in 0.6m)
Section 5 from 2182.1 to 2182.6 with 860 change -- O Joy Brook to The Gateway (2120' in 1.4m)
Section 6 from 1908.2 to 1908.7 with 850 change -- Mahoosuc Arm (1600' in 1.4m)
Section 7 from 1869.9 to 1870.4 with 846 change -- Carter Notch to Carter Dome (1530' in 1.1m)
Section 8 from 1934.5 to 1935.0 with 812 change -- South Arm Rd to Old Blue (2180' in 2.6m)
Section 9 from 1790.4 to 1790.9 with 801 change -- South Peak Moosilauke (total, 2920' in 3.0m)
Section 10 from 1932.2 to 1932.7 with 799 change -- Sawyer Notch to Moody Mtn (1300' in 1.3m)
Section 11 from 1897.4 to 1897.9 with 792 change -- south side of Mt Success (800' in 0.5m)
Section 12 from 1985.3 to 1985.8 with 792 change -- Crocker Cirque to South Crocker (1330' in 1.1m)
Section 13 from 1918.8 to 1919.3 with 778 change -- North from East Peak Baldpate (1070' in 0.9m)
Section 14 from 1906.1 to 1906.6 with 759 change -- Fulling Mill Mtn to Mahoosuc Notch (900' in 0.9m)
Section 15 from 1930.8 to 1931.3 with 754 change -- Hall Mtn Lean-to to Sawyer Notch (1530' in 1.3m)
Section 16 from 1983.4 to 1983.9 with 749 change -- South from Carabassett River (1020' in 0.9m)
Section 17 from 1875.4 to 1875.9 with 742 change -- North Carter to Imp (1200' in 1.4m)
Section 18 from 1880.2 to 1880.7 with 742 change -- Just north of Mt Moriah to First Crossing of Rattle River (1600' in 1.3m)
Section 19 from 1968.1 to 1968.6 with 734 change -- The Horn to Redington Stream Campsite (900' in 0.6m)
Section 20 from 1916.7 to 1917.2 with 732 change -- Baldpate Lean-to to West Baldpate (960' in 0.8m)
Section 21 from 1813.4 to 1813.9 with 719 change -- Liberty Brook to Franconia Ridge Trail (2180' in 1.8m)
Section 22 from 1585.7 to 1586.2 with 698 change -- Mt Prospect to stream at base of Greylock (1450' in 1.4m)
Section 23 from 1818.4 to 1818.9 with 695 change -- Lafayette to Garfield Notch (1460' in 1.5m)
Section 24 from 1804.5 to 1805.0 with 687 change -- Eliza Brook to South Kinsman (1310' in 1.4m)
Section 25 from 2110.6 to 2111.1 with 682 change -- White Cap to Logan Brook Lean-to (1270' in 1.4m)
Section 26 from 1971.7 to 1972.2 with 678 change -- Poplar Ridge to spring before Orbeton Canyon (1100' in 1.0m)
Section 27 from 1210.8 to 1211.3 with 677 change -- Northbound into Port Clinton (950' in 0.8m)
Section 28 from 1765.2 to 1765.7 with 677 change -- Northbound to Smarts Mountain (800' in 0.8m)
Section 29 from 1964.9 to 1965.4 with 661 change -- Moose & Deer Stream to Saddleback (1480' in 1.9m)
Section 30 from 1830.0 to 1830.5 with 658 change -- Zeacliff to Zealand Falls Hut (1070' in 1.0m)
Section 31 from 1605.5 to 1606.0 with 656 change -- Northbound into Woodford Hollow / VT Rte 9 (760' in 0.7m)
Section 32 from 1252.1 to 1252.6 with 639 change -- North from Lehigh Gap (950' in 0.9m)
Section 33 from 1840.4 to 1840.9 with 637 change -- Crawford Notch to Mt Webster (2650' in 3.2m)
Section 34 from 2106.5 to 2107.0 with 633 change -- Sydney Tappan Campsite to West Peak (760' in 0.7m)
Section 35 from 1913.5 to 1914.0 with 629 change -- The Eyebrow to Grafton Notch (960' in 1.1m)
Section 36 from 2036.9 to 2037.4 with 628 change -- Pleasant Pond Lean-to to Pleasant Pond Mtn (1150' in 0.7m)
Section 37 from 1795.6 to 1796.1 with 622 change -- Kinsman Notch north (850' in 0.9m)
Section 38 from 1507.6 to 1508.1 with 620 change -- Race Brook Falls to Mt Everett (730' in 0.7m)
Section 39 from 2104.9 to 2105.4 with 618 change -- Carl Newhall Lean-to to Gulf Hagas Mtn (740' in 1.0m)
Section 40 from 1945.8 to 1946.3 with 617 change -- Northbound to Bemis Stream (800' in 0.9m)
Section 41 from 1976.4 to 1976.9 with 615 change -- Perham Stream to Lone Mountain (950' in 1.1m)
Section 42 from 1997.6 to 1998.1 with 608 change -- Beaver Bog to View before Horns Pond View (1030' in 1.3m)
Section 43 from 783.3 to 783.8 with 597 change -- Little Rocky Row to Big Rocky Row (600' in 0.5m)
Section 44 from 1701.1 to 1701.6 with 597 change -- Thundering Falls Rd to Quimby Mtn (1300' in 1.2m)
Section 45 from 1838.1 to 1838.6 with 596 change -- Ethan Pond Trail to Crawford Notch (850' in 1.0m)
Section 46 from 1466.9 to 1467.4 with 592 change -- St John's Ledges to River Rd (590' in 0.5m)
Section 47 from 1850.7 to 1851.2 with 587 change -- Lakes of the Clouds to Mt Washington (1260' in 1.5m)
Section 48 from 187.0 to 187.5 with 584 change -- Northbound into Starkey Gap (580' in 0.5m)
Section 49 from 2048.5 to 2049.0 with 584 change -- Moxie Bald North Peak side trail to Bald Mtn Lean-to (1000' in 1.2m)
Section 50 from 2090.0 to 2090.5 with 582 change -- Northbound from Fourth Chairback (580 in 0.5m)
Section 51 from 1969.3 to 1969.8 with 579 change -- Northbound to Saddleback Junior (600' in 0.6m)
Section 52 from 2001.0 to 2001.5 with 578 change -- Avery Peak to Safford Notch (1860' in 2.0m)
Section 53 from 1806.6 to 1807.1 with 575 change -- North Kinsman to stream before Lonesome Lake Hut (1470' in 1.4m)
Section 54 from 1772.9 to 1773.4 with 574 change -- Mt Cube to Brackett Brook (1500' in 1.7m)
Section 55 from 1877.6 to 1878.1 with 574 change -- Between Imp Campsite and Mt Moriah (700' in 0.8m)
Section 56 from 374.7 to 375.2 with 568 change -- Ash Gap to Roan Mtn (870' in 0.9m)
Section 57 from 142.1 to 142.6 with 566 change -- Jump Up to Swim Bald (930' in 1.2m)
Section 58 from 672.3 to 672.8 with 563 change -- Northbound to Sinking Creek Mtn (800' in 0.9m)
Section 59 from 1584.1 to 1584.6 with 562 change -- Mt Williams (Greylock) to Junction with Notch Rd (600' in 0.6m)
Section 60 from 1502.4 to 1502.9 with 561 change -- Bear Mtn to Sage's Ravine (720' in 0.7m)
Section 61 from 429.5 to 430.0 with 555 change -- North from Wilbur Dam Rd (550' in 0.5m)
Section 62 from 152.0 to 152.5 with 552 change -- Sweetwater Gap north (550' in 0.5m)
Section 63 from 1397.3 to 1397.8 with 552 change -- Perkins Memorial Drive to Bear Mtn Rec Area (740' in 1.0m)
Section 64 from 1722.5 to 1723.0 with 552 change -- Stage Road to Suicide Six View (600' in 0.6m)
Section 65 from 1891.1 to 1891.6 with 552 change -- Northbound into Trident Col (550' in 0.5m)
Section 66 from 1534.3 to 1534.8 with 551 change -- Northbound to Shaker Campsite (550' in 0.5m)
Section 67 from 667.3 to 667.8 with 549 change -- Kelley Knob to Laurel Creek Shelter (960' in 1.4m)
Section 68 from 1678.0 to 1678.5 with 549 change -- Northbound from Clarendon Gorge (620' in 0.7m)
Section 69 from 372.8 to 373.3 with 548 change -- Hughes Gap Rd to Ash Gap (1400' in 1.6m)
Section 70 from 1378.5 to 1379.0 with 545 change -- Agony Grind to NY 17 (540' in 0.4m)
Section 71 from 1399.4 to 1399.9 with 544 change -- US 9D to Anthony's Nose side trail (540' in 0.5m)
Section 72 from 2097.7 to 2098.2 with 542 change -- Southbound from Katahdin Ironworks Road (650' in 0.6m)
Section 73 from 627.8 to 628.3 with 540 change -- Angels Rest to Pearisburg (1900' in 2.4m)
Section 74 from 1352.8 to 1353.3 with 540 change -- Northbound to Pinwheels Vista & Wawayanda Vista (780' in 0.9m)
Section 75 from 1762.3 to 1762.8 with 540 change -- Lye-Dorchester Rd to Lambert Ridge (1250' in 1.7m)


ME: 26
NH: 22
VT: 5
MA: 4
VA: 4
NC: 3
TN: 3
NY: 3
CT: 2
PA: 2
NJ: 1

-ME and NH get all of the top 20.
-Mile for mile, NH wins. ME gets second.
-Roan Mountain in two sections gets 56 and 69
-Bly Gap, Blood Mountain, Albert Mountain, and several other notables were missed because the steepest parts of the climbs were less than 0.5 miles long.

This is a big old dump of data. I'll clean it up sometime and make it easier to navigate. For now, my eyes are telling me to stop looking at the computer screen ;)

burger
01-06-2014, 09:41
Thanks Guthook. This confirms for me that the people who build and design trails in New England are sadistic ************s.

hikerboy57
01-06-2014, 09:43
great job,guthook. doesnt surprise me about nh and me, and it doesnt even include all the 20up/20downs your constantly navigating from the carters north.mahoosuc arm sobo in the rain was still my worst.

Kerosene
01-06-2014, 15:41
Wildcat, Albert Mountain, Twin Peaks, Garfield, Jacobs Ladder, Stratton, Madison, Webster all kicked my butt.It is surprising how different climbs impact different people. I actually did exceedingly well on each of these climbs (except Stratton, which didn't exist when I went through in the 70's). The climb of South Kinsman still rates as my hardest climb, despite the nice cool temperature as the first climb of the day. I found it quite a bit harder than going up to Liberty Spring later that afternoon.

Undershaft
01-06-2014, 15:54
The folks around CT/MA would know better, but I recall a really steep part that was basically a straight up slab of slippery wet rock, not real high, but definitely steep. There is a blue blaze around it, but we went straight up. I'm thinking it was Sages Ravine, but not sure. I remember just being thankful we were going up and not down.

I think you are remembering the north side of Bear Mountain in Connecticut. It was just south of Sages Ravine and indeed it is quite steep and rocky. I nearly had a bad fall coming down that rock face. The only thing that saved me was my trekking pole. Bent it pretty good.

Slo-go'en
01-06-2014, 17:52
To calculate grade, you take the vertical distance divided by the horizontal distance and multipy by 100 to get a percent. For example, if you climb 1000 feet in 1000 feet (such as up the side of a building) the grade would be 100% If you climb 0 feet by any distance, the grade is 0 %

By doing that calculation I get the following grades for the first 5 sections on the post #121 list:

25.25 %
24.28 %
26.75%
31.04 %
28.68 %

Going by this method, the Section 4 from 1821.2 to 1821.7 with 875 change -- Northbound from Mt Garfield (970' in 0.6m) is worse then the first ones on the list.

guthook
01-06-2014, 17:54
It is surprising how different climbs impact different people. I actually did exceedingly well on each of these climbs (except Stratton, which didn't exist when I went through in the 70's). The climb of South Kinsman still rates as my hardest climb, despite the nice cool temperature as the first climb of the day. I found it quite a bit harder than going up to Liberty Spring later that afternoon.

Absolutely agree. And there are a lot of factors that go into the climb that aren't reflected by the elevation profile. For instance, going up Mahoosuc Arm, you're on a pretty solid slab of rock, rather than dirt or stairs. And then there are the little ups and downs that don't register (I'm thinking of the NJ/NY border, which looks more or less flat on the profile, but has tons of little ups and downs). Temperature, humidity, energy level... all of those things could combine to make a nearly flat trail harder than Wildcat or Carter Notch... but it's still fun to play with the climbs on paper like this :)

guthook
01-06-2014, 17:57
Going by this method, the Section 4 from 1821.2 to 1821.7 with 875 change -- Northbound from Mt Garfield (970' in 0.6m) is worse then the first ones on the list.

Right. The way they're sorted here is by grade of the steepest half mile section-- the full climb isn't taken into account. Notice that every section first lists exactly one half mile, then the elevation change for that half mile. Like I said before, if you narrow the distance enough, a single stair can be listed as the steepest section of the entire trail.

Chair-man
01-07-2014, 00:18
Okay, here are the calculations using 0.5 miles as the limit rather than 1.0 miles. One thing that is clear to me after looking at these is that after the top 20 or 30, things start to look pretty similar. I think this is more interesting as a discussion piece (just an addition to what's already been discussed here), but I had a good time running through all of the calculations with my elevation data. It's kind of fun to see the numbers. Here we go:

Section 1 from 1865.5 to 1866.0 with 1017 change -- Pinkham Notch to Wildcat E (2000' in 1.5m)
Section 2 from 1794.3 to 1794.8 with 934 change -- Asquam Ridge Trail to Kinsman Notch (2180' in 1.7m)
Section 3 from 1824.2 to 1824.7 with 896 change -- Galehead to South Twin (1130' in 0.8m)
Section 4 from 1821.2 to 1821.7 with 875 change -- Northbound from Mt Garfield (970' in 0.6m)
Section 5 from 2182.1 to 2182.6 with 860 change -- O Joy Brook to The Gateway (2120' in 1.4m)
Section 6 from 1908.2 to 1908.7 with 850 change -- Mahoosuc Arm (1600' in 1.4m)
Section 7 from 1869.9 to 1870.4 with 846 change -- Carter Notch to Carter Dome (1530' in 1.1m)
Section 8 from 1934.5 to 1935.0 with 812 change -- South Arm Rd to Old Blue (2180' in 2.6m)
Section 9 from 1790.4 to 1790.9 with 801 change -- South Peak Moosilauke (total, 2920' in 3.0m)
Section 10 from 1932.2 to 1932.7 with 799 change -- Sawyer Notch to Moody Mtn (1300' in 1.3m)
Section 11 from 1897.4 to 1897.9 with 792 change -- south side of Mt Success (800' in 0.5m)
Section 12 from 1985.3 to 1985.8 with 792 change -- Crocker Cirque to South Crocker (1330' in 1.1m)
Section 13 from 1918.8 to 1919.3 with 778 change -- North from East Peak Baldpate (1070' in 0.9m)
Section 14 from 1906.1 to 1906.6 with 759 change -- Fulling Mill Mtn to Mahoosuc Notch (900' in 0.9m)
Section 15 from 1930.8 to 1931.3 with 754 change -- Hall Mtn Lean-to to Sawyer Notch (1530' in 1.3m)
Section 16 from 1983.4 to 1983.9 with 749 change -- South from Carabassett River (1020' in 0.9m)
Section 17 from 1875.4 to 1875.9 with 742 change -- North Carter to Imp (1200' in 1.4m)
Section 18 from 1880.2 to 1880.7 with 742 change -- Just north of Mt Moriah to First Crossing of Rattle River (1600' in 1.3m)
Section 19 from 1968.1 to 1968.6 with 734 change -- The Horn to Redington Stream Campsite (900' in 0.6m)
Section 20 from 1916.7 to 1917.2 with 732 change -- Baldpate Lean-to to West Baldpate (960' in 0.8m)
Section 21 from 1813.4 to 1813.9 with 719 change -- Liberty Brook to Franconia Ridge Trail (2180' in 1.8m)
Section 22 from 1585.7 to 1586.2 with 698 change -- Mt Prospect to stream at base of Greylock (1450' in 1.4m)
Section 23 from 1818.4 to 1818.9 with 695 change -- Lafayette to Garfield Notch (1460' in 1.5m)
Section 24 from 1804.5 to 1805.0 with 687 change -- Eliza Brook to South Kinsman (1310' in 1.4m)
Section 25 from 2110.6 to 2111.1 with 682 change -- White Cap to Logan Brook Lean-to (1270' in 1.4m)
Section 26 from 1971.7 to 1972.2 with 678 change -- Poplar Ridge to spring before Orbeton Canyon (1100' in 1.0m)
Section 27 from 1210.8 to 1211.3 with 677 change -- Northbound into Port Clinton (950' in 0.8m)
Section 28 from 1765.2 to 1765.7 with 677 change -- Northbound to Smarts Mountain (800' in 0.8m)
Section 29 from 1964.9 to 1965.4 with 661 change -- Moose & Deer Stream to Saddleback (1480' in 1.9m)
Section 30 from 1830.0 to 1830.5 with 658 change -- Zeacliff to Zealand Falls Hut (1070' in 1.0m)
Section 31 from 1605.5 to 1606.0 with 656 change -- Northbound into Woodford Hollow / VT Rte 9 (760' in 0.7m)
Section 32 from 1252.1 to 1252.6 with 639 change -- North from Lehigh Gap (950' in 0.9m)
Section 33 from 1840.4 to 1840.9 with 637 change -- Crawford Notch to Mt Webster (2650' in 3.2m)
Section 34 from 2106.5 to 2107.0 with 633 change -- Sydney Tappan Campsite to West Peak (760' in 0.7m)
Section 35 from 1913.5 to 1914.0 with 629 change -- The Eyebrow to Grafton Notch (960' in 1.1m)
Section 36 from 2036.9 to 2037.4 with 628 change -- Pleasant Pond Lean-to to Pleasant Pond Mtn (1150' in 0.7m)
Section 37 from 1795.6 to 1796.1 with 622 change -- Kinsman Notch north (850' in 0.9m)
Section 38 from 1507.6 to 1508.1 with 620 change -- Race Brook Falls to Mt Everett (730' in 0.7m)
Section 39 from 2104.9 to 2105.4 with 618 change -- Carl Newhall Lean-to to Gulf Hagas Mtn (740' in 1.0m)
Section 40 from 1945.8 to 1946.3 with 617 change -- Northbound to Bemis Stream (800' in 0.9m)
Section 41 from 1976.4 to 1976.9 with 615 change -- Perham Stream to Lone Mountain (950' in 1.1m)
Section 42 from 1997.6 to 1998.1 with 608 change -- Beaver Bog to View before Horns Pond View (1030' in 1.3m)
Section 43 from 783.3 to 783.8 with 597 change -- Little Rocky Row to Big Rocky Row (600' in 0.5m)
Section 44 from 1701.1 to 1701.6 with 597 change -- Thundering Falls Rd to Quimby Mtn (1300' in 1.2m)
Section 45 from 1838.1 to 1838.6 with 596 change -- Ethan Pond Trail to Crawford Notch (850' in 1.0m)
Section 46 from 1466.9 to 1467.4 with 592 change -- St John's Ledges to River Rd (590' in 0.5m)
Section 47 from 1850.7 to 1851.2 with 587 change -- Lakes of the Clouds to Mt Washington (1260' in 1.5m)
Section 48 from 187.0 to 187.5 with 584 change -- Northbound into Starkey Gap (580' in 0.5m)
Section 49 from 2048.5 to 2049.0 with 584 change -- Moxie Bald North Peak side trail to Bald Mtn Lean-to (1000' in 1.2m)
Section 50 from 2090.0 to 2090.5 with 582 change -- Northbound from Fourth Chairback (580 in 0.5m)
Section 51 from 1969.3 to 1969.8 with 579 change -- Northbound to Saddleback Junior (600' in 0.6m)
Section 52 from 2001.0 to 2001.5 with 578 change -- Avery Peak to Safford Notch (1860' in 2.0m)
Section 53 from 1806.6 to 1807.1 with 575 change -- North Kinsman to stream before Lonesome Lake Hut (1470' in 1.4m)
Section 54 from 1772.9 to 1773.4 with 574 change -- Mt Cube to Brackett Brook (1500' in 1.7m)
Section 55 from 1877.6 to 1878.1 with 574 change -- Between Imp Campsite and Mt Moriah (700' in 0.8m)
Section 56 from 374.7 to 375.2 with 568 change -- Ash Gap to Roan Mtn (870' in 0.9m)
Section 57 from 142.1 to 142.6 with 566 change -- Jump Up to Swim Bald (930' in 1.2m)
Section 58 from 672.3 to 672.8 with 563 change -- Northbound to Sinking Creek Mtn (800' in 0.9m)
Section 59 from 1584.1 to 1584.6 with 562 change -- Mt Williams (Greylock) to Junction with Notch Rd (600' in 0.6m)
Section 60 from 1502.4 to 1502.9 with 561 change -- Bear Mtn to Sage's Ravine (720' in 0.7m)
Section 61 from 429.5 to 430.0 with 555 change -- North from Wilbur Dam Rd (550' in 0.5m)
Section 62 from 152.0 to 152.5 with 552 change -- Sweetwater Gap north (550' in 0.5m)
Section 63 from 1397.3 to 1397.8 with 552 change -- Perkins Memorial Drive to Bear Mtn Rec Area (740' in 1.0m)
Section 64 from 1722.5 to 1723.0 with 552 change -- Stage Road to Suicide Six View (600' in 0.6m)
Section 65 from 1891.1 to 1891.6 with 552 change -- Northbound into Trident Col (550' in 0.5m)
Section 66 from 1534.3 to 1534.8 with 551 change -- Northbound to Shaker Campsite (550' in 0.5m)
Section 67 from 667.3 to 667.8 with 549 change -- Kelley Knob to Laurel Creek Shelter (960' in 1.4m)
Section 68 from 1678.0 to 1678.5 with 549 change -- Northbound from Clarendon Gorge (620' in 0.7m)
Section 69 from 372.8 to 373.3 with 548 change -- Hughes Gap Rd to Ash Gap (1400' in 1.6m)
Section 70 from 1378.5 to 1379.0 with 545 change -- Agony Grind to NY 17 (540' in 0.4m)
Section 71 from 1399.4 to 1399.9 with 544 change -- US 9D to Anthony's Nose side trail (540' in 0.5m)
Section 72 from 2097.7 to 2098.2 with 542 change -- Southbound from Katahdin Ironworks Road (650' in 0.6m)
Section 73 from 627.8 to 628.3 with 540 change -- Angels Rest to Pearisburg (1900' in 2.4m)
Section 74 from 1352.8 to 1353.3 with 540 change -- Northbound to Pinwheels Vista & Wawayanda Vista (780' in 0.9m)
Section 75 from 1762.3 to 1762.8 with 540 change -- Lye-Dorchester Rd to Lambert Ridge (1250' in 1.7m)


ME: 26
NH: 22
VT: 5
MA: 4
VA: 4
NC: 3
TN: 3
NY: 3
CT: 2
PA: 2
NJ: 1

-ME and NH get all of the top 20.
-Mile for mile, NH wins. ME gets second.
-Roan Mountain in two sections gets 56 and 69
-Bly Gap, Blood Mountain, Albert Mountain, and several other notables were missed because the steepest parts of the climbs were less than 0.5 miles long.

This is a big old dump of data. I'll clean it up sometime and make it easier to navigate. For now, my eyes are telling me to stop looking at the computer screen ;)

Thanks for taking time to crunch these numbers. Interesting. Take a break.
I bet you're curious as to what the steepest 2 mi section is. I know I am.:D

guthook
01-07-2014, 07:27
Thanks for taking time to crunch these numbers. Interesting. Take a break. I bet you're curious as to what the steepest 2 mi section is. I know I am.:D

Haha. Maybe a little later :-) I'm actually pretty curious about what the steepest 2184 mile section is...

Slo-go'en
01-07-2014, 12:49
Haha. Maybe a little later :-) I'm actually pretty curious about what the steepest 2184 mile section is...

If you can sum the total elevation gain for the AT, you can determine the average grade for the trail which would be an indication of it's overall difficulty. But if you do that, then we're all going to want to know that number for each state and then between each town and so on and so on...

Seatbelt
01-07-2014, 13:17
-ME and NH get all of the top 20.
-Mile for mile, NH wins. ME gets second.
-Roan Mountain in two sections gets 56 and 69
-Bly Gap, Blood Mountain, Albert Mountain, and several other notables were missed because the steepest parts of the climbs were less than 0.5 miles long.

This is a big old dump of data. I'll clean it up sometime and make it easier to navigate. For now, my eyes are telling me to stop looking at the computer screen ;)

Just curious, does this data include the recent reroutes and switchbacks on Roan mountain? They have made it much easier now than it used to be.
I thought that climb past Wilbur Dam road was surprising--now I know why!!

4eyedbuzzard
01-07-2014, 13:43
Haha. Maybe a little later :-) I'm actually pretty curious about what the steepest 2184 mile section is...It's all downhill from ME . . . SOBO is obviously easier ;)

FlyPaper
01-07-2014, 14:14
Just curious, does this data include the recent reroutes and switchbacks on Roan mountain? They have made it much easier now than it used to be.
I thought that climb past Wilbur Dam road was surprising--now I know why!!

North of Wilbur Dam has recently added switch backs. I'm not sure if they were taken into account.

guthook
01-07-2014, 19:21
North of Wilbur Dam has recently added switch backs. I'm not sure if they were taken into account.

Data for Springer to Damascus is all from October 2012, so it might miss those switchbacks. Do you know when they were added?

chinook
01-08-2014, 07:37
Okay, here are the calculations using 0.5 miles as the limit rather than 1.0 miles. One thing that is clear to me after looking at these is that after the top 20 or 30, things start to look pretty similar. I think this is more interesting as a discussion piece (just an addition to what's already been discussed here), but I had a good time running through all of the calculations with my elevation data. It's kind of fun to see the numbers. Here we go:

Section 1 from 1865.5 to 1866.0 with 1017 change -- Pinkham Notch to Wildcat E (2000' in 1.5m)
Section 2 from 1794.3 to 1794.8 with 934 change -- Asquam Ridge Trail to Kinsman Notch (2180' in 1.7m)
...
This is a big old dump of data. I'll clean it up sometime and make it easier to navigate. For now, my eyes are telling me to stop looking at the computer screen ;)

guthook good job.

what is the source of your elevation data?

is your GPS track data (lat,lon) available on-line?

Seatbelt
01-08-2014, 09:07
I'm also surprised to not see the Priest climb on this data sheet....or did I miss it?

sarge95
01-08-2014, 18:46
Wilber Dam Rd to the top of the Ridge was completed with switchbacks several years ago to 10% or less with hardcore. Hughes Gap to Ash Gap was finished with Switchbacks a few years ago with Hardcore and other groups. It is now 10% or less. Ash Gap needs 4 short switchbacks installed and 3 others to be tied in to complete this section also. It is scheduled to be completed during Trail Days this year. When finished Ash Gap to Roan Mtn will be 12% or less. The distance from Hughes Gap to the top of Roan Mtn will more than double when finished to more than 5 miles.

guthook
01-08-2014, 21:03
guthook good job.

what is the source of your elevation data?

is your GPS track data (lat,lon) available on-line?

Hey Chinook,

The source of the data is from hiking the trail with GPS from Springer to Damascus, and Delaware Water Gap to Katahdin between October 2011 and August 2013. The Damascus to DWG section is from the ATC's official GPS track of the trail (2007), with all missing elevations filled in from Google Earth, plus all of the GPS elevation checked against Google to ensure there weren't any major errors.

I don't have my data online, although the ATC track is mostly right, just missing relocations since 2007. Send me an email, though, if you'd like a copy of some of the GPS data. guthookhikes at gmail

Deacon
01-08-2014, 22:22
Gut hook,
I bought you Applacian Trails Guide for iPhone, and was wondering if the data for the app is the same as what you are discussing in this thread?

guthook
01-09-2014, 07:18
Gut hook, I bought you Applacian Trails Guide for iPhone, and was wondering if the data for the app is the same as what you are discussing in this thread?

Yep! The data I used for these climbs comes right from the elevation profiles in my apps. I'm actually in the process of updating mileages to this years ATC mileage, so these mile numbers will soon be a little off, but more or less the same.

xrayextra
01-05-2015, 14:09
Nice post! I'd have bet money Mahoosuc Notch to Mahoosuc Arm would have been in the top three. It was steep but a very fun climb.

peakbagger
01-05-2015, 14:56
I lost road access to part of my AT corridor boundary in Maine at Sawyer Notch. Guess what my choices are to access Sawyer Notch:rolleyes:

Section 10 from 1932.2 to 1932.7 with 799 change -- Sawyer Notch to Moody Mtn (1300' in 1.3m)
Section 15 from 1930.8 to 1931.3 with 754 change -- Hall Mtn Lean-to to Sawyer Notch (1530' in 1.3m)

If someone thinks the trail is steep in that area, the corridor is even worse.

egilbe
01-05-2015, 21:53
I'm glad to see confirmation that hiking in Maine and NH is a lot harder than I'm used to. I'm training for my future AT hike in the toughest part of the entire trail :) I lost 10 pounds over the Summer, just hiking weekends. I want to know how steep that 3 mile section is between Katahdin Stream Falls and the Tablelands is. GF and I climbed that in the rain. We went down the Saddle trail, thinking it would be easier. Nope. Not any easier, but once we started down, we were committed. I can remember coming down Sugarloaf on my butt quite a bit and that climb up Crocker Mountain was pretty tough. I really don't remember the climb up, but the climb back down scared the bejeezus out of me. It was steeper going down!

Kerosene
01-06-2015, 00:19
I'm a firm believer that navigating a steep downhill with a pack is much harder than climbing it.

Another Kevin
01-06-2015, 09:15
I'm a firm believer that navigating a steep downhill with a pack is much harder than climbing it.

Yes, definitely - hard on the knees, hard on the nerves, and something like 80% of mountaineering accidents occur on the trip down. If I'm going to traverse a mountain, I'd much rather go up the steep side.

Unless there's enough snow to bring out my ice axe and glissade down. That's what I did on my last clueless weekend. :)

colorado_rob
01-06-2015, 10:07
Thanks Guthook. This confirms for me that the people who build and design trails in New England are sadistic ************s. Yeah really guthook, awesome data summary. But I personally say it another way: Those New England, and particular NH people are tough folks (AKA: BMF's). I was amazed to see whole families navigating those White Mountain sections with apparently no problems. When we talked to some they were most locals. Wow, we were impressed. Our trails out here in Colorado are "sissy trails" by comparison to the Whites.

Starchild
01-06-2015, 10:59
There was this aluminum ladder in Harriman NY that was pretty steep.

ScottS
01-06-2015, 14:00
I wonder what Roan would rank if the data was from 2011, before the other switchbacks were added.

Bluegrass
01-06-2015, 15:03
One of my most vivid memories from my 2005 SOBO attempt was coming down Old Blue. I was planning on camping on the other side of South Arm Rd. It was something like 1.5 miles from the peak to the road. I hiked for about a mile and came across a break in the trees while on a slow descent. The road below looked so small. There was no way it was only half a mile of trail down to it.

Sure enough, another 50 meters or so and the trail made a turn to go straight down the mountain. I just remember it being straight down a steep mountain. I was glad I was camping at the road that evening.

I still have pictures from that break in the trees, where you can see the road below. Every time I show that picture to people I tell them about that descent.

High Side
01-06-2015, 16:32
North from the NOC is no joke, especially for the south

LittleRock
01-06-2015, 16:57
It was definitely shorter, but Albert Mtn. seemed tougher than Stecoah Gap. It might be just because the Albert Mtn climb was at the end of the day during a thunderstorm, though.

LittleRock
01-06-2015, 17:18
Data for Springer to Damascus is all from October 2012, so it might miss those switchbacks. Do you know when they were added?

Those were added last year. You could still see parts of the old trail - man it looked steep!

Thinspace
01-06-2015, 17:29
How does Huntington ravine central gully or Madison Gulf trail compare to the steepest parts of the AT?

ScottS
01-06-2015, 21:32
Albert isn't bad. It only stands out in people's memories because it's the first time you use your hands.
Stecoah Gap/Jacob's Ladder is probably the best climb in the lower section.

Malto
01-06-2015, 21:35
No need to speculate. Here the real data from da man.

http://www.guthookhikes.com/2015/01/what-are-the-steepest-climbs-on-the-at-and-pct.html

linus72
01-14-2015, 11:42
Bluegrass- let's see the photo! I've just gotten back into backpacking in the last year, section-hiking the trail for the first time since I was a teen. Back then I hiked the presidential range and lafayette pretty much fearlessly with a group from my summer camp in NH, and Bear Mtn CT on the AT with the boy scouts. Funny how things are much scarier as you get older and haven't been doing it all along! But I'm workin on it bit by bit so i can do the whole trail. So far, coming down St John's Ledges and Wetauwanchu/Barrack Matiff in a downpour put a little fear of god in me! Heading north into Mass in the spring and I'm sure I will get some more experience with steep the farther I go.

MattJB7480
06-25-2018, 16:07
The folks around CT/MA would know better, but I recall a really steep part that was basically a straight up slab of slippery wet rock, not real high, but definitely steep. There is a blue blaze around it, but we went straight up. I'm thinking it was Sages Ravine, but not sure. I remember just being thankful we were going up and not down.
I know the area very well. You're thinking of either hiking south bound from Sages Ravine (MA) up the north face of Bear Mtn (CT). Going up the north face of bear mtn while relatively short is definitely a tough hike requiring scrambling/hand holding in several spots. Which is why my 60 lb pit/boxer mix had a tough time. Or you're thinking of hiking north bound a few miles north going up Mt Everett. 700+ft in 0.7m.

MattJB7480
06-25-2018, 16:11
I know the area very well. You're thinking of either hiking south bound from Sages Ravine (MA) up the north face of Bear Mtn (CT). Going up the north face of bear mtn while relatively short is definitely a tough hike requiring scrambling/hand holding in several spots. Which is why my 60 lb pit/boxer mix had a tough time. Or you're thinking of hiking north bound a few miles north going up Mt Everett. 700+ft in 0.7m.
and yes, way to bring an old thread back.

I just did a loop around Greylock: Up north side of Mt Prospect (a moderately tough hike good to get the legs going), up Mt Williams, Mt Fitch, Greylock, steep decent, then up the south face of Mt Prospect. This is a tough mile-ish. It was pouring rain and muggy AF. After looking at the toughest mile list, it makes me feel like less of a wuss since it's #12 on steepest miles on the AT. Plus I had a 30 pound pack on plus what remained of my camel sack. ~14 miles in about 5 hours. Training for a 7 day hike through Yellowstone.

Berserker
06-26-2018, 11:02
I remember this thread because at the time I was a few hundred miles into my section hiking odyssey, and really didn't have the mileage under my belt to add anything useful. At that time I remember the climb NOBO out of Stecoah Gap and NOBO up Pond Mountain (in TN, prior to the trail re-route) being pretty tough.

Fast forward to now and I have about 262 miles left to finish, most of it in ME (ME 4 Rangeley to Katahdin). From my personal observations/experiences the couple of climbs that stand out in my mind are NOBO up South Kinsman and NOBO up Mahoosuc Arm...those were both brutal for me.

I also appreciate the posts by Guthook that provide the actual data on the steepest climbs.

tdoczi
06-26-2018, 11:09
Fast forward to now and I have about 262 miles left to finish, most of it in ME (ME 4 Rangeley to Katahdin). From my personal observations/experiences the couple of climbs that stand out in my mind are NOBO up South Kinsman and NOBO up Mahoosuc Arm...those were both brutal for me.

I also appreciate the posts by Guthook that provide the actual data on the steepest climbs.

i was surprised the two climbs you mentioned werent higher on his list. i can only guess its because the steep parts arent long enough/a big enough vertical gain to register high with the way he set it up.

stephanD
06-26-2018, 11:34
As a New Yorker, I would go for the Agony Grind in Sterling Forest NY. a 90 degree decent to NY 17, if you are a nobo.

tdoczi
06-26-2018, 11:49
a 90 degree decent.

umm, nothing anywhere on the trail is 90 degrees

sadlowskiadam
06-26-2018, 12:09
Hello Whiteblaze friends! Just got back from hiking the Presidential Range and Katahdin in early September. Fantastic weather all 6 days of my trip and awsome pictures. My question is this: I have hiked all the AT from Springer to Damascus and now from NH 302 at Crawford Notch to Pinkham Notch as well as the AT trail up Katahdin. Does anyone know where the steepest part of the AT is? I thought it was the south side of Roan Mountain but am now thinking it must be either Katahdin itself, going up Webster Cliffs or coming off Mount Madison toward Pinkham. Are there any places steeper than those I have mentioned? Thanks, Jay B.

My vote goes to either the middle 3 miles of Mt. Katahdin or Jacob's Ladder in North Carolina. I still have nightmares about Jacob's Ladder because I hike it in a flash flood and mud slide.

Berserker
06-26-2018, 12:56
i was surprised the two climbs you mentioned werent higher on his list. i can only guess its because the steep parts arent long enough/a big enough vertical gain to register high with the way he set it up.
Yeah, I had to think back and decide if I was I having a bad day or something. Regardless of if it was perception or whatever, Mahoosuc Arm and South Kinsman are in the original top 25 (#10 and #18 respectively) of the Guthook list that's based on 1 mile segments of the trail. So yeah they aren't top 5, but their ranking proves they're still pretty tough compared to the rest of the AT.

I also forgot to mention Moody Mountain, which made #15 in the original list. This climb not only sucks, but there's no reward at the end. You just take a beating to a tree covered summit, walk across the top, and then go right back down the other side. I remember passing a bunch of day hikers going South, and I finally commented to one of them that it must be a popular section of the trail. The guy commented back that he was a thru slack packing this piece, and so were most of the rest of the hikers I saw that day. So yeah, a bunch of thrus slack packing Moody confirms that it sucks, because why slack pack something when you are a thru up in ME and almost done.

peakbagger
06-26-2018, 15:16
Moody does have a view to the south from the AT along the short flat spot near the south summit just before the descent to the east starts. Hall Mountain has even fewer views except the "gun sight". There is a summit canister on Hall right on the north corridor line. Its completely covered with spruce/fir with no view.

The south corridor boundary on Moody has very nice south facing ledge but unless it is approached from the correct direction its has cliffs below it.

By the way the Sawyer brook valley just south of the picnic table and campsite next to the brook is the last patch of stinging nettles I have seen on the AT. I always thought they ended in VT. I found out while wearing shorts one day :eek:

The AT used to skip Hall, Moody, Blue and Bemis up until the nineteen fifties (possibly until the seventies).

Berserker
06-26-2018, 15:44
Moody does have a view to the south from the AT along the short flat spot near the south summit just before the descent to the east starts.
You're right, I stand corrected. For the amount of work to get up there, and then having to go right back down it's definitely not worth the view though.

egilbe
06-27-2018, 07:43
Moody mountain. I bonked climbing it. One of three times I've been completely gassed while hiking. I'd hike about 30 feet and flop down on my back for 10 minutes. Eat something, drink some water. Stagger another 30 feet up the trail. Rinse, repeat. Stopped at that flat spot that peakbagger mentioned for about half an hour. Good place to take in the views and talk to passing sobos.

Slo-go'en
06-27-2018, 23:40
Having just done some of the Mahoosucs and Franconia notch to Crawford Notch, I can say there are a lot of insanely steep sections of trial all through here. Going up and down Garfield has to be in the top 10.

Kerosene
06-28-2018, 10:20
Yep, South Kinsman is my vote for toughest climb, and generally I don't mind climbing.

I had started NOBO from Glencliff on Saturday afternoon and reached Beaver Brook Shelter just as the sun was setting in September 2006 after waiting out a T-storm before the summit. The next day dawned bright and sunny and I thought I could easily make it to the Lonesome Lake Hut, or at least somewhere on the north side of South Kinsman. By the time I reached Eliza Brook Shelter after a grueling afternoon of stepping on or around tree roots and little rocks for 7 miles, I had to make the decision to stay for the night or push on. The guidebook noted the climb, but I had 4 hours of light left and I thought I'd head out after a good rest.

I actually did start again, but after hitting a muddy patch with wobbly legs I decided to go back and rest up. The next morning, bright and bushy tailed, I hit the base of South Kinsman and started to climb...and climb...and climb, hand over hand in many places with my useless trekking poles hanging from my wrists (took a while to figure out that I should just pack them away). It was exhausting, even though I was rested. I have a picture someone took of me at the top and my T-shirt is totally soaked on nice fall morning.

Comparatively, the slog out of Franconia Notch up to Liberty Tentsites that afternoon was a piece of cake. Yes, Katahdin was a good climb, but I was carrying minimal weight, I had gloves on, and it was exciting and fun to be so close to finishing a 41-year odyssey.

Kerosene
06-28-2018, 10:22
Going up and down Garfield has to be in the top 10.The NOBO climb up Garfield was okay, but I was really glad that the rocks were dry going down Garfield. I have no idea how someone could go down that slide in the wet.

rocketsocks
06-28-2018, 10:52
That which sends ya home

sloetoe
06-29-2018, 04:39
That which sends ya home

It's hilarious to see this thread so enthusiastically (grimly?!? "Yipes!") re-visited.

I can tell you that 40 years after my AT through-hike, and 16 years after having done Killington-Pinkham with my (8 year old) twin boys, and then 14 years after going Cohos-->Pinkham-->Katahdin with them, the memories don't diminish in the least, on the climbs named in this thread. HOLY COW, no -- not in the least.

Moody, S. Kinsman, (SOBO) Beaverbrook..... Yep! Still send shivers!

AND still happy to have done them.

AND would not hesitate to repeat. (And, have!)

Stuff worth the doin' is worth the doin'.

BE HUGELY WELL.
sloetoe
GA→ME'79

sloetoe
06-29-2018, 04:42
Actually, if you click on my "Images" button, the one pick there is of that flat spot mentioned in the thread, with me just below, and my kids leaning over...
Cracks me up...!

rocketsocks
06-29-2018, 05:33
Actually, if you click on my "Images" button, the one pick there is of that flat spot mentioned in the thread, with me just below, and my kids leaning over...
Cracks me up...!that Lincoln log wouldn’t send me home either, nope, I’d prolly be more the boring up on top of the mountain flat spot somewhere that’d have me scratchin’ my head. Nice photo Sloetoe.

egilbe
06-30-2018, 14:38
I had to reread this thread after hiking the Wildcats yesterday. Completely wiped out by the ascents. Carter Moriah range can be for another day. I'm noticing a pattern with my steep hikes. They are wet. Rained Thursday night be fore we did Wildcat E. Did Mahoosuc Notch and Arn in the midst of the remnants of Hurricane Harvey. Hiked Katahdin the day after 7 inches of rain fell. Thoreau spring was a geyser. Moody and Hall mountains we're unseasonably warm. Old Blue bonked me out for some reason.

tdoczi
06-30-2018, 15:33
I had to reread this thread after hiking the Wildcats yesterday. Completely wiped out by the ascents. Carter Moriah range can be for another day. I'm noticing a pattern with my steep hikes. They are wet. Rained Thursday night be fore we did Wildcat E. Did Mahoosuc Notch and Arn in the midst of the remnants of Hurricane Harvey. Hiked Katahdin the day after 7 inches of rain fell. Thoreau spring was a geyser. Moody and Hall mountains we're unseasonably warm. Old Blue bonked me out for some reason.

wildcat A does top guthook's list. and ive always thought that, though not very high on said list, the drop into carter notch is just as nuts. i'll never forget the sight of carter notch hut basically sitting directly below at the bottom of what seemed like a straight drop. i bet one could base jump off the top and land on the roof.

egilbe
06-30-2018, 15:39
I posted this pic on Facebook and someone commented it would be a good plave to fly a wingsuit

43049

TwoSpirits
06-30-2018, 16:10
This thread makes me doubt if I will ever complete the whole trail. At 55, I'm sure not willing to say that I'm getting too old -- but at 55, I'm sure damn scared of heights!

illabelle
06-30-2018, 21:43
This thread makes me doubt if I will ever complete the whole trail. At 55, I'm sure not willing to say that I'm getting too old -- but at 55, I'm sure damn scared of heights!

I remember feeling that way. A few years ago we completed our first week in Maine, some near Andover, some near Stratton, a trip that included a couple of slackpack days. The next year we did Katahdin and a chunk of the HMW, as well as the hut-to-hut hike through the Whites. A lot of it was hard, but there weren't really any places that I recall where my fear of heights was triggered. Having done those, I'm not afraid anymore. I'm not so afraid of falling, and I'm not afraid of failing. Maybe some similar experiences would help you.

Yesterday I printed out Guthook's list on post 121 in this thread. I crossed out everything we've already done, and there are 27 of the 75 steepest half-mile segments left for us to do. They will be very hard, but I am confident that we will complete each one just as we've planned. I hope you find a way to build your confidence as well.

TwoSpirits
07-01-2018, 09:54
Thank you so much for your encouragement -- I know it's true that the more I do, the more I know that I *can* do.

To be totally honest, I can also find myself fearful in situations that don't even involve real heights, per se. Almost anyplace where I can trip, slip, or fall gets me nervous. When I fell and smashed my knee on my 3rd day in Maine, I was walking across a piece of granite as flat as a sidewalk...and it ended my hike. I learned a lot from that experience, but perhaps too much: I think I'm more fearful than I "should" be.

cmoulder
07-02-2018, 06:24
Thank you so much for your encouragement -- I know it's true that the more I do, the more I know that I *can* do.

To be totally honest, I can also find myself fearful in situations that don't even involve real heights, per se. Almost anyplace where I can trip, slip, or fall gets me nervous. When I fell and smashed my knee on my 3rd day in Maine, I was walking across a piece of granite as flat as a sidewalk...and it ended my hike. I learned a lot from that experience, but perhaps too much: I think I'm more fearful than I "should" be.
Just go out and do it, but be more attentive and don't get distracted by talking, etc, and maybe slow down a bit if necessary. And if you want to take in the scenery just stop briefly to do a good horizon-to-horizon scan and perhaps take a photo.

To me, some of the most fun trips these days are with my friends who simply can't do a lot of miles, which makes me slow down, so I take more photos.

43051

guthook
07-03-2018, 10:25
I am very amused and that this thread has risen from the dead :-D I've actually been thinking for a while of updating my list, since there have been changes to the trail over the years. Probably not enough to really change much, but who knows?

On a related note, we launched our new website (http://www.atlasguides.com) last week, and we'll be starting a new blog on it soon as well, which we're hoping to use to do some really nerdy things like this "steepest climbs" series or other data-related things. Stay tuned, and good luck climbing all those slopes!