Took a chance on the Smokies loop trail everyone said was too hard

I've done the Appalachian Trail section around Gatlinburg a few times, but last month I tried the Ramsey Cascades to Greenbrier loop, about 18 miles with 4,500 feet of climbing. Everyone online said it was brutal and some folks told me to skip it. I went solo with a map and a filter, and honestly the climb was rough, but the payoff at the top where the old growth trees open up was worth every step. I expected to be wrecked for two days after, but I felt fine the next morning. Maybe I'm fitter than I thought, or maybe the warnings were just from people who don't do elevation. Has anyone else tried a route they were scared of and found it easier than the hype? What made it doable for you?

1 comments

1 Comment

tessa_hill869d ago

Isn't it funny how the scary stuff in life is usually just fine once you're in it?