Primitive camping spots

[9outof10mms]

I've hiked a good bit in the PacNW and Colorado Rockies, and never had my ass kicked like the Smokies!

The three most brutal that I've had the displeasure of experiencing::
Chimney Tops (1500' gain over ~3 miles)
Cosby campground up to the AT (2000' over 2 miles)
Lost Cove Trail (Fontana to Shuckstack Fire Tower--1800' over 3 miles)

And like you said, "pointless ups and downs!" I remember thinking on my Cosby-AT-Snake Den Gap hike "it's got to be just ahead"...make the mistake of looking at my GPS for altitude...nah there's another 1,600' to climb!!! The geek in me quickly converts that to tangible units...that's approximately two Bank of America towers in downtown CLT!!! Learned right away NOT to keep the GPS running on easy-to-navigate trails like in the GSMNP. Total confidence killer.

 

[chiefjason]

I've hiked a good bit in the PacNW and Colorado Rockies, and never had my ass kicked like the Smokies!

The three most brutal that I've had the displeasure of experiencing::
Chimney Tops (1500' gain over ~3 miles)
Cosby campground up to the AT (2000' over 2 miles)
Lost Cove Trail (Fontana to Shuckstack Fire Tower--1800' over 3 miles)

And like you said, "pointless ups and downs!" I remember thinking on my Cosby-AT-Snake Den Gap hike "it's got to be just ahead"...make the mistake of looking at my GPS for altitude...nah there's another 1,600' to climb!!! The geek in me quickly converts that to tangible units...that's approximately two Bank of America towers in downtown CLT!!! Learned right away NOT to keep the GPS running on easy-to-navigate trails like in the GSMNP. Total confidence killer.

North bound Art Loeb up Pilot Mtn. Over 100 switch backs IIRC to the top. Then you drop down to the shelter. Then it's about a mile up to the Parkway. From there it's as close to vertical as you can get without rocks to climb from the parkway to the ridge near Black Balsam. You can look down on the tops of peoples heads behind you. 2.2 miles and about 1800' elevation gain up Pilot mtn. 616' in .74 miles from the Parkway to Silvermine at the top of the ridge.

But by far the single worst section of trail I have EVER been on is Pinch In trail coming out of Linville Gorge. You have to lean into it on the way up. And I had to turn around and face back up hill on rest breaks when we went down. And there are very few switch backs, it's just a damn goat trial climb straight up in places. Made things worse by doing that as an overnight camp. My wife never really forgave me for that mistake. lol 1668' in 1.1 miles.

WNC will kick your butt.

 

[chiefjason]

Just re checked my numbers online. Day 3 is closer to 14-15 energy miles. 1170' climb from Metcalf Bottoms to the AT then another 2000' or so of ups and downs to Tri Corner shelter.