Breaking Up the Smokeys at Newfound Gap

[Rain Man]

I have never understood people tryin to get out of doing some part, or Mountain or skipping this or that... to me the struggle is what makes the AT worth doing....

I'm pretty much right with you, ... but do understand that some folks are doing GREAT just to be out there and have all sorts of issues (health, injury, age, time, money, etc) and don't blame them for doing what they have to do to make their hike work for them. I don't mind if they hike north, south, or sideways, slack-pack, are supported, whatever. (As long as they walk the AT and don't skip or blue-blaze whole chunks of the AT itself, then falsely claim to have thru-hiked the AT. That, I do mind. Not that my vote counts for anything.)

RainMan

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[ChinMusic]

I'd drive to Hike Inn, stay the night, and have Jeff shuttle you up to NFG the next morning.

Good plan. I'd still leave my car at Fontana.

[jacob_springsteen]

The climb up ShuckStack was not that bad IMHO. I'll tell you, the grind up to Mollies Ridge is what I remember. There are some nickel and diming sections between Mollies Ridge and Double Springs. For the OP, maybe just go with a few days food from the Fontana PO to keep it light and resupply at NFG? And by the way, the hike from NFG to IceWater is relatively easy going. That whole section, Icewater to Standing Bear I did in a day once. Had my boots been better I would done well with the mileage but I was a walking cripple by the time I got to Curtis's. So, yeah, it is a ridge-walk in general.

[stranger]

To me this sounds like a fair bit of arrangement for little benefit. This section is not the easiest, and I doubt there would be a substantial positive difference in hiking it southbound simply to make it easier, but yes...in theory the trail basically climbs steeply out of Fontana, then less steeply towards Thunderhead, and then even more gradually towards Clingmans, so perhaps it makes sense on paper.

I would just go nobo if that was the direction I was going, I wouldn't single this section out, I've been through there twice...it's no drama

[d.o.c]

i ended up starting my hru hike at fontana dam i found it no harder out of shape than most of the trail in shape... ha jus take breaks and after clingmns dome its all down hill from there to maine.

[bamboo bob]

I met some very nice people who always hiked down. They took the tram up Wildcat in the whites hiked down southbound and then did it again , up the tram and down northbound. Also Mt Washington.

[Six-Six]

IMO - downhill is not easier. I did the SOBO section last year - Clingman's Dome to Fontana. My knees, hips and ankles didn't appreciate me very much after that last downhill to the dam. In April, I will NOBO that same section and not look back.

[CrumbSnatcher]

i heard it more than 1 time
most hikers& thier knees prefer uphills

[JustADude]

Hike Inn...shuttle you up to NFG...

Kind of out of my price range...was hoping for some hostel prices...still may try to fund a shuttle and leave the car at a hostel...thanks again for the suggestions...

[Doctari]

From Newfound gap to Fontana, really the only hill you will avoid from a practical point of view, is the climb up Shuckstack, which is the first hill once you cross the dam. You will still have to climb: Mt Collins, Love Mt, & Clingman's dome, to start your "down hill" hike. On a thru hike (Ive only done it at the end of a section hike) I would just push on, once you get to the top of Shuckstack, it's a relatively easy ridge walk to Newfound gap. For me, the drive from Fontana to Newfound gap took 2 hours, (to move my car to my take out point) Google maps says about 1 hr 30 minutes, but that's not allowing for traffic, which in Cherokee can way Suck! So at least 4 hours car time added to your trip. Add to that, 2 extra chances to leave something behind in someones car (hiking poles are a popular choice :-) ). Plus around $200.00 added cost, if that cheap with the cost of gas going up almost every day.
IF missing that first climb is your main goal, get a ride to the parking lot of Clingmans dome X2. That would allow you to miss the above mentioned climbs AND the one out of Fontana. And, as has been mentioned, HYOH!!!

[peakbagger]

I did it on a section hike, we had two cars and were beginning a section hike and spotted cars so that we could split the hike up. It was a lot of driving, granted we saw some nice territory but it did suck up at least a day. I think we did the following

Drop car off North end of park, drive to Newfound Gap, throw on backpacks and hike for a couple of days back to car. Then drive back to Fontana dam, drive back to Newfound Gap and then hike to shelter just north of Clingmans (it was dusk by the time we got to the shelter. Then we hiked south back to the car at Fontana. I cant remember the mileage but a shuttler would have to charge a lot.

[Falcon]

I did this section solo in early October from NFG to Fontana and really enjoyed it. Saw lots of bear sign but not a single bear. I'm glad I did this section from N to S because there are still some tough climbs. I stayed in shelters 3 nights and completed the 40 miles in 3 1/2 days. Good trip.

[jacquelineanngrant]

If you want to break up the Smokies you can catch the NOCs free shuttle to Gatlinburg at the gap. Hitching out of there is not as easy as folks think. Got a free ride from the NOC people both ways last year.

[ChinMusic]

delete......

[JustADude]

Kind of out of my price range...was hoping for some hostel prices...still may try to fund a shuttle and leave the car at a hostel...thanks again for the suggestions...

Whoops...I totally looked at the wrong Hike Inn...why don't these places come up with original names? Ugh...the one that came up 1st in Google was for GA not NC...I'm going to look into this place...

[ChinMusic]

Whoops...I totally looked at the wrong Hike Inn...why don't these places come up with original names? Ugh...the one that came up 1st in Google was for GA not NC...I'm going to look into this place...

When I read that post I was thinking "good luck". I had no idea you were posting about GA......lol

[Sly]

IMO, that's nuts. There's no reward in reaching the bottom of a mountain. While hiking uphill may seem harder downhill, your knees and feet will definitely disagree.

[DripDry]

I did Fontana to NFG NOBO as a Section in September without trail legs, and didn't think it was bad. The climb out of Fontana and the hike to Clingmans is a bit of work, but neither was overwhelming. Clingmans to NFG was a pretty easy section overall (IMO).

[jesse]

[QUOTE=Sly;1240926... There's no reward in reaching the bottom of a mountain...[/QUOTE]

Well said.

[Blissful]

Going south or going north, the Smokies are the same up and down wise imo. I saw no real difference and I've done it both ways.