Thanks saltysack & Namtrag. The good news is that when we are in North Carolina, we're approximately halfway between both locations. My granddaughter has spent the past 3 summers at Grayson Highlands. Maybe I can kidnap her to be my guide up there. We drive right past Mountain Harbor going to-from my daughter's home. All I need now is some free time.
Wayne
Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
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I'm prob partial to Grayson as my only trip over roan was in the middle of winter without spikes...took over 14 hours to go the 15 miles from Clyde smith to overmountain shelter!! Stayed on my arse and about broke my ankle!!! Take spikes during winter!
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Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
https://wayne-ayearwithbigfootandbubba.blogspot.com
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Has anyone done IMG to 19E more recently? I'm considering this trip in April or May. Anyone have recommendations on best times of year/months to go? When do the thru-hikers tend to start arriving in this section? Are water sources reliable in their flow/availability? Thanks in advance!
For me, it would be in mid June when rhodos and flame azalea are in full bloom, despite the outrageous crowds, which is generally limited to the area between Carvers Gap and Grassy Ridge. Whole section is popular that time of year, you wouldn't be alone.
"I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
- Kate Chopin
That will be a great time of year to do it.
Big thru hiker crowds will be here starting in April through late may. There will always be section and day hikers in this area so you'll see multiple people through the day between march-oct. Even on the busiest days the shelters shouldn't be full.
Water is good in the spring and tends to become less abundant as the summer progresses but the marked springs should be flowing year round.
Aggie.
You will see some hiker crowds starting in late March. The majority will hit April to mid-May. Weekends will have increased section hikers.
The year I did it I hit at the middle of the crowd and on the weekend with school/BS groups. No room at the Barn. Plan on camping being a popular section just in case.
Water should be flowing that time of year.
Apple Orchard, seep at Weedy Gap, Greasy Creek Gap, near Hughes Gap, creek off of Ash Gap, probably too early for the Cloudland facilities, Roan High Shelter, pipe near Carvers, Near Grassy Ridge split, S Murray, the Barn, Little Hump/Bradley Gap, Doll Flats, and out to 19E.
Check with TEHCC on group hikes.
Last edited by Tennessee Viking; 01-10-2019 at 14:44.
''Tennessee Viking'
Mountains to Sea Trail Hiker & Maintainer
Former TEHCC (AT) Maintainer
I hiked that section in November of 2017. I don't know what it is like in other parts of the year, but the spring at the Clyde Smith Shelter was dust-dry and the spring at Ash Gap was a muddy seep that required some engineering and multiple filtering to make usable. Too bad, because Ash Gap has ample flat campsites.