Toughest Climbs Between Smokys & Shanandoah?

[JumpMaster Blaster]

As I'm planning my next section hike somewhere between Hot Springs & Roan Mountain, I'm wondering what were the most challenging climbs in the stretch between Davenport Gap & Pearisburg. Looking at the profiles, it seems that the hike from Hughes Gap up to Roan is a butt-kicker.

Last time I talked to thru hikers, they said coming out of Fontana NOBO was pretty tough.

[ChinMusic]

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

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

[Kerosene]

It's all relative, and you're going to have to make the climb regardless if you want to cover the distance! Don't fixate on the elevation maps.

That said:

• You've got a long climb from Davenport Gap to the summit of Snowbird that would best be done in the cool of the morning.
• The climb out of Hot Springs isn't overly steep for the most part, but it does stretch on for quite a while.
• I was SOBO over Big Bald, but I recall some steeper stuff that was covered in downed leaves when I went through (or was that Unaka?).
• The trail to the summit of Roan has a lot more switchbacks than it used to, but you still need to ascend to over 6,000 feet.
• You will have a pair of good climbs approaching Chestnut Mountain north of Atkins.
• The climb up Peters Mountain north of Pearisburg is a good one, but then you have 15+ miles of (fairly dry) ridge walking on a lovely trail.
• The climb out of Daleville is pretty well switch-backed but you have to get all the way back up to the ridgeline.
• The climb north from US-60 outside of Buena Vista is long with a lot of switchbacks.

Those are ones that I recall, but again, I wouldn't worry about them too much other than to recognize you're going to have to climb them. The New England ascents are much, much more rigorous than down South.

[bigcranky]

Conditions make the climbs.

Exactly. I've talked with hikers who go on and on about some terrible climb, and I didn't remember it at all. Then I'll start in on what I thought was tough, and the other hiker thought it was easy. The classic case is Sassafras

How much you've had to eat or drink, time of day, how well you slept the night before, the weather conditions -- all of these contribute more to the difficulty of a climb than the, um, difficulty of the climb...

[rafe]

Exactly. I've talked with hikers who go on and on about some terrible climb, and I didn't remember it at all. Then I'll start in on what I thought was tough, and the other hiker thought it was easy. The classic case is Sassafras

How much you've had to eat or drink, time of day, how well you slept the night before, the weather conditions -- all of these contribute more to the difficulty of a climb than the, um, difficulty of the climb...

+1 on all that. I remember some allegedly hard climbs that turned out to be no sweat, and vice versa. It ends up being all about attitude, conditions, the last night's sleep, the last day's miles, etc.

[RED-DOG]

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

[JumpMaster Blaster]

Appreciate the input. My very first hike was from VA 311 to McAfee Knob. By the time I got to Campbell shelter to camp, my legs were wobbly and I was dead tired. Could barely walk the next day on the return trip down. In my defense, it was my FIRST climb, and I was carrying a 33+ pound pack (never again).

That being said, I'm just trying to decide how to break up my hike so I'm not dragging myself back to my truck after 3 good days of walking . Oh well, it's all uphill anyway.

[Almost There]

Agree with the above. I hated the climb up to Wind Rock, but it was hot, late in the day. The climb out of Pearisburg was rough on me too, but my knee was bothering me. Any long climb at the end of the day sucks. Climbs in the morning are always better.

[FarmerChef]

I remember the Priest SOBO that was a slog. I would imagine 3 ridges coming NOBO would be similar. Still, not that bad. Now the Wildcats - that's a different story...

[ChinMusic]

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

[Tuckahoe]

It's all relative, and you're going to have to make the climb regardless if you want to cover the distance! Don't fixate on the elevation maps.

That said:

• You've got a long climb from Davenport Gap to the summit of Snowbird that would best be done in the cool of the morning.
• The climb out of Hot Springs isn't overly steep for the most part, but it does stretch on for quite a while.
• I was SOBO over Big Bald, but I recall some steeper stuff that was covered in downed leaves when I went through (or was that Unaka?).
• The trail to the summit of Roan has a lot more switchbacks than it used to, but you still need to ascend to over 6,000 feet.
• You will have a pair of good climbs approaching Chestnut Mountain north of Atkins.
• The climb up Peters Mountain north of Pearisburg is a good one, but then you have 15+ miles of (fairly dry) ridge walking on a lovely trail.
• The climb out of Daleville is pretty well switch-backed but you have to get all the way back up to the ridgeline.
• The climb north from US-66 outside of Buena Vista is long with a lot of switchbacks.

Those are ones that I recall, but again, I wouldn't worry about them too much other than to recognize you're going to have to climb them. The New England ascents are much, much more rigorous than down South.

Isnt that I-64 or Rt 60, rather than I-66? I-66 is north of Front Royal.

[Studlintsean]

Appreciate the input. My very first hike was from VA 311 to McAfee Knob. By the time I got to Campbell shelter to camp, my legs were wobbly and I was dead tired. Could barely walk the next day on the return trip down. In my defense, it was my FIRST climb, and I was carrying a 33+ pound pack (never again).

That being said, I'm just trying to decide how to break up my hike so I'm not dragging myself back to my truck after 3 good days of walking . Oh well, it's all uphill anyway.

I just did the hike through Roan Mountain area in 2.5 days and it was an awesome hike. Not real easy but not too challenging either. If it helps at all, PM me an email address and ill send you a short trip report I wrote up to send to my brothers.

[bigcranky]

I remember the Priest SOBO that was a slog.

Yeah, that was tough. Long climb, but good views on the way up and the top.

[rafe]

I remember the Priest SOBO that was a slog. I would imagine 3 ridges coming NOBO would be similar. Still, not that bad. Now the Wildcats - that's a different story...

See, that's what I was thinking as I approached it (heading sobo)... but when it finally happened, it was no big deal. I really enjoyed the three ridges neighborhood, for some odd reason.

Climbs I remember as being rude... the climb out of Sweetwater Gap, Roan, Chestnut Knob, the climb out of Pearisburg (all nobo.) Common denominator for most of these was bad attitude. Of course none of these climbs compare to a "normal" day in the Whites or southern Maine.

[Slo-go'en]

There were a few descents between Partnership and Daleville (which I just came back from doings, so are fresh in my mind) I would not have liked to have climbed SOBO - like the decent off of Dragons tooth. That one is probably in the top 10 worst descents on the AT. Of course, I'm sure some of the climbs I did going NOBO through that section would have seemed like bad descents going SOBO. It really is all relative.

[jimmyjam]

That climb north out of Pearisburg was the first time I stepped on the AT. It was 37 years ago OMG. But I remember it well it was late April and I was a VT freshman and hiked up there with the guys on the hall. We were beat by the time we got to the shelter near Kelly's Knob. We drank the beer we brought and cowboy camped around the fire ring in front of the shelter. It snowed while we slept and when we woke we were all covered with +1" of snow!!! I was hooked from that weekend, thanks "Ydean" for getting me hooked.

[Lone Wolf]

As I'm planning my next section hike somewhere between Hot Springs & Roan Mountain, I'm wondering what were the most challenging climbs in the stretch between Davenport Gap & Pearisburg. Looking at the profiles, it seems that the hike from Hughes Gap up to Roan is a butt-kicker.

Last time I talked to thru hikers, they said coming out of Fontana NOBO was pretty tough.

those climbs are tame now. there are no tough climbs till you hit northern NH. even then they're just slow goin'. i never found any of the AT physically challenging

[ChinMusic]

i never found any of the AT physically challenging

I think you should post that on ALL your future posts. It would help the reader.

[Lone Wolf]

I think you should post that on ALL your future posts. It would help the reader.

well, unlike most i was physically prepped before any of my LD hikes. i enjoyed climbs. i'm a Marine. we love that stuff!

[Cookerhiker]

I remember the Priest SOBO that was a slog. I would imagine 3 ridges coming NOBO would be similar. Still, not that bad. Now the Wildcats - that's a different story...

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