Me Again....Nolichucky to Carvers Gap

[Yankee]

Nolichucky to Carvers Gap..

Any comments on this section of the trail? I'm a little worried the Fontana to Wesser Section might be a bit much for novices.

Is this a crowded area? Anyone familiar with this and could reccomend it? Maybe another section in this area of similar length? 30 miles or so? Shuttles?

Also, where is the best place to get detailed trail maps, all the ones I find online lack any detail at all, particularly, where the individually named trail heads are , I see a description of as an example "Appalachian Trail: Carvers Gap to Roan High Bluff & Rhododendron Gardens" but cant find these features on any map



Thanks again!

[MedicineMan]

Awesome sections, I have done this section too many times to count and from every direction BUT PLEASE continue on to 19E Elk Park so you can get in Yellow and Jane and Hump Mtns and the Overmountain Shelter...this section (CArvers to 19E Elk Park) is one of the most glorious of the entire trail!!!
Shift your starting pont from Nolichucky north if you have to...plus the climb from the river is not spectacular-but Beauty Spot is, so maybe start there....anyway enjoy and give a trip report when you get back....
incendentally, did the section from Carvers to 19E once with a Rottweiller, he got heat exhaustion and had to be carried from Doll Flats out! we made a stretcher out of limbs and our shirts...heavy dog to carry almost 3 miles!
Do know about the vandalism at 19e though, worst on the whole trail last year, the locals hate the ATC, so arrange a pickup there and dont leave a vehicle

[Yankee]

hmm, Im trying to download some trail descriptions, and am a bit confused on sequence...

Nolichucky River to Iron Mountain Gap --> Iron Mountain Gap to Hughes Gap -->Hughes Gap to Roan Mountain Cloudland Hotel Site -->Carvers Gap to Roan High Bluff & Rhododendron Gardens-->Carbers cap to US19E

This doesnt seem to be quite right...


Is there anywhere online that has a sequential listing of all the trail sections and info on each?

[Yankee]

total mileage from Noli to 19E would be?

[MedicineMan]

http://www.ragtag.org/atdist.html

46.6miles plan on a 5 day hike to smell some roses along the way!

[Groucho]

Hughes->Side trail to Roan High Bluff->Trail to Roan High Knob Shelter->Carvers Gap

Try also HTTP://www.aldha.org

For mileage: http://www.thebackpacker.com/trails/at.php

[chris]

Definitely go all the way to 19E. Carvers Gap to 19E is the prettiest (or one of the two or three prettiest) stretch along the AT in the South. The climb out of Erwin to Beauty Spot and over Unaka is a bit dry, but very nice. You will have to climb over Roan as well, which is about a 3000 ft climb. This is probably harder (it is longer, more elevation) than Wesser to Fontana or doing Fontana to NewfoundGap. Given my choice, I'd do Erwin to 19E.

[Yankee]

Ok, starting to narrow things down here...

Indian Grave Gap to US19E, looks to be just under 40 miles, which should be real doable in the 4 days/3 nights I have planned.

I spoke to a gentleman at a place called "The Country Store" which is alledgedly very near the 19E Trailhead, and offers parking. Anyone had any dealings with these folks before? I got the name from the ATC Shuttle page. So, what I'll need now is a shuttle from there to Indian Grave gap.

Any other suggestiosn for parking and or shuttling near the infamous 19E trailhead?