mountains in georgia

[pilgrim1]

which mt.in georgia is the tuffest to climb?(hawk mt.,gooch mt.,blood mt.,)and how do they compare to the 8 mile climb from amicacola falls to the top of springer.we are doing georgia a.t. in a few months.weve made the climb from amicacola to springer and was just wondering bout the rest!any info would be great.

[Lone Wolf]

none of them are tough in my opinion but most seem to whine about kelly knob

[Kerosene]

The only climbs on the GA AT that I found hard were the NOBO climb of Blood Mountain, the ascents out of Tesnatee Gap and Unicoi Gap, and the climb of Kelly Knob. Frankly, these climbs aren't all that difficult, but I've found a correlation between the smoothness of the footpath, my levels of hydration and energy, heat and humidity, the last time I took my inhaler, and my general mood. The same climb can be easy one day and a PITA the next. For example, I just missed the early April hiker feed at Addis Gap, it was just starting to rain, and I had been pushing the pace for a few hours, so I bonked on the climb up Kelly Knob -- the only climb in GA where I rested for more than 5 seconds.

Now, the climb out of Bly Gap into NC was much, much more difficult than anything I saw in GA, even though I had just eaten lunch and rested for an hour at the border.

[SweetAss03]

Those were mountains? They were all about the same.

[TheChop]

The only climbs on the GA AT that I found hard were the NOBO climb of Blood Mountain.

I find this interesting because NOBO on Blood Mountain has always seemed to be the easiest big climb to me. It's just so well switch backed. Slaughter Mountain right before it on the CBT is way more difficult than Blood. It always seems like you start up that climb and you're up the steep part before you know it and then make that turn right and have a gradual climb up to the summit. SOBO is another story.

The one mountain everyone seems to really complain about is Sassafras. I believe it's the first real "We're going up 1,000 feet and not messing around with it" mountain for NOBOs. I did the loop of the Duncan Ridge Trail to the AT at Neel Gap and then SOBO to Amicalola. None of the mountains on the AT in that section were anything compared to the DRT. Coming SOBO in April almost every thru I spoke with told me to watch out for Sassafras.

If you're afraid of mountains in Georgia go hike the Duncan Ridge Trail. If you can do that it puts a lot of climbs in perspective.

[Bearpaw]

No one mountain in Georgia stands out in my mind. None were all that big or tough, but it WAS aggravating that you always seemed to be hiking either up or down with no flat ground any where for long. Of course I was coming in from the Carolina coast where everything is flat.

You get used to it by North Carolina, then you hit mountains that really do make you climb.

[bigcranky]

When we were there, everyone complained about Sassafras, but we didn't really notice that one. The climb out of Tesnatee Gap was a royal PITA.

A lot depends on when you hit the climb. First thing in the morning seems easier, late in the afternoon gets more difficult.

[Luddite]

I think Rocky Mountain was hard and Albert mountain...or was that in North Carolina?

[Cookerhiker]

I also recall Tesnatee as perhaps the steepest climb in GA NOBO even though statistically, it's not the largest elevation-gain ascent. I thought Tray Mountain was the longest climb - it wasn't particularly steep but it seemed to go on forever. Maybe it was because of the dense fog when I couldn't see more than a few feet.

Hiking NOBO, the mountain I'd be most concerned about is descending Blood Mountain if the rocks are wet.

Funny thing about Bly Gap into NC: despite all I heard and read, I didn't think it was as tough as billed. Maybe because ascending on a windy 20 degree morning, it felt good to work up some body heat. I guess the grade was steeper than anything in GA.

The other irony about NC is that although Standing Indian is the highest AT point before the Smokies, the hike NOBO isn't that hard at all because your base elevation is already high.

[Cookerhiker]

...A lot depends on when you hit the climb. First thing in the morning seems easier, late in the afternoon gets more difficult.

So true, so true - for me at least.

[SawnieRobertson]

none of them are tough in my opinion but most seem to whine about kelly knob

In 1999 I went south from Wesser to Springer before being shuttled back up to Wesser to hike north. I, therefore, hiked DOWN Kelly Knob. Because it had just snowed and iced significantly, the footing was odd to mee--crunchy snow, balls of ice, and running water underfoot the whole way down. I do recall that ALL of those I met going NOBO begged for info about how much farther to the top. Am I nuts? Why am I not going NOC to Amicalola Falls this time?--Kinnickinic

[scope]

which mt.in georgia is the tuffest to climb?(hawk mt.,gooch mt.,blood mt.,)and how do they compare to the 8 mile climb from amicacola falls to the top of springer.

Hawk, Gooch - seriously? There are many more non-designated humps worse than these.

Blood - lot of elevation gain, but really, not all that hard going Nobo. Definitely not the worst.

Tesnatee (Wildcat Mt), Sassafras and Big Cedar (after Woody Gap) are all short pumpers. Kelly Knob is relatively short, but what makes it a bitch is no switchbacks AT ALL. There's a level spot in the middle of what is a 1 mile incline. Rocky Mt and Buzzard Knob (before Plumorchard) would take my vote as probably the worst just because they are longer. Tray Mt. is long, but the elevation gain is strung out over several miles, so not too bad.

The Approach trail is somewhat difficult because its a lot of elevation gain over the 8m, but its strung out over those miles, up and down. You get over a hump, go down a bit, and you're facing another hump. More a mental challenge really.

I vote the biggest challenges are going down Blood, down Blue Mt, and down to Dicks Creek Gap. (for GA)

[MoodyBluer]

When we were there, everyone complained about Sassafras, but we didn't really notice that one. The climb out of Tesnatee Gap was a royal PITA.

A lot depends on when you hit the climb. First thing in the morning seems easier, late in the afternoon gets more difficult.

Most folks who start at Unicoi Gap with Deep Gap as destination hit Kelly Knob late in the day and that climb is a killer under those circumstances...

[ChinMusic]

Big Cedar got my attention. It's not all that long but I wasn't expecting anything tough.

IMO, the hard climbs are the ones you aren't expecting, late in the day.

[Pedaling Fool]

I find this interesting because NOBO on Blood Mountain has always seemed to be the easiest big climb to me.
Agree, a SOBO hike of Blood would be good for raising the HR, but a NOBO hike over Blood is actually very easy. It's like the north face and south face of Blood are two completely different mountains.

[MoodyBluer]

Agree, a SOBO hike of Blood would be good for raising the HR, but a NOBO hike over Blood is actually very easy. It's like the north face and south face of Blood are two completely different mountains.

Blood to me is kinda like the crest of a big wave if you were coming up behind it...fun coming up the back side but the drop off the front....well...

[Bravefriend]

After Hawk Mt shelter when you drop down into Hightower Gap. that's the three toughest climbs in GA. Unnamed knob, Sassafrass, and Justus mtn. This is where all whom don't believe there are mountains in GA get a wake up call!

My opinion of course

[bigcranky]

After Hawk Mt shelter when you drop down into Hightower Gap. that's the three toughest climbs in GA. Unnamed knob, Sassafrass, and Justus mtn. This is where all whom don't believe there are mountains in GA get a wake up call!


Yup, because the first 8 miles to Hawk Mountain Shelter are pretty flat, so hikers get to Hawk and say, "Hey, it's only 1pm, I can knock out the next 8 miles easy." Then they hit those climbs in the afternoon.

Good times.

[Freedom Walker]

Prilgrim, My son and i had a great time hiking Springer to Neels back in Sept and I agree with the earlier posts on the mountains to that point. However i noticed from your profile that you are 54 and I if you anything like me, (I'm 56) watch the descend down Blood. It was tough on the knees and most likely where I recieved a torn menicus.

[Tinker]

For descents, Blood Mt. was the one I remember being tough.
The approach trail to Springer was tough, but I was pretty out of shape. By the time I got to Kelly Knob (which I'd been told was nearly impossible to climb without a rest) I was in good shape and hiked from bottom to top without stopping. The grade was pretty much constant up without a level stretch. It was pretty tough, but nothing compared to the White Mountains of NH, where I cut my hiking teeth, so to speak.

[JaxHiker]

I'll go with the climb out of Tesnatee as well. Ain't it Wolf Mtn?