I was just joking but last time I rode Wilson's Ridge (a long time ago) it was barely passable due to dead fall. Conditions have probably improved... Regardless, this is a very challenging route. It is heavy on pavement but also has a ton of single track and lots of gravel mountain bikers rarely go to.

I have maps of most of the route. The elevation is a little more tricky as the route has not been completed. But really the whole thing is a little more tricky since nobody has done it yet. This will be a full on adventure.

I need to add up some stuff but this should be well over 500 miles with a  substantial elevation gain. But that doesn't really matter as I doubt anyone will make it past Wilson's Ridge 

This is an adventurous route that will take you from Carver's Gap to the SC border just a few miles from the TNGA start. Along the way you will go through or around Wilson Creek, Linville Gorge, Wood's Mtn, Mt. Mitchell, Pisgah Ranger District and Panthertown.

Details to come. Who is in?

 

Also looking for some good routes that may not require a heck of a lot of climbing. Ive lowered my expectations for a ton of singletrack and would be fine with dirt roads to connect trails. I purchased the Nat Geo Map it tool to view all of the Trails Illustrated. Now i just need to figure out what im looking at.

There is a lot of climbing in Pisgah. Even if you stick with mainly gravel roads there is still going to be a lot of climbing.

But Pisgah is great place for bike packing. Like kkjellquist says you will just move slower than you might expect.

I have lots of good loops in the Pisgah Ranger District. Here is a good 100 mile mainly gravel loop starting and ending from the Ranger Station:

Right on FR477
Right on FR5058 Clawhammer Rd.
Straight on Buckhorn Gap Trail 103
Left on South Mills River Trail 133
Straight on FR476
Right on FR1206 Yellow Gap Rd.
Left on FR5000
Straight on FR479
Right on FR479M South Ridge Rd.
Right on FR481
Left on FR491
Left on Little Hickory Top Trail 136
Right FR479G
Right on FR479
Right on Blue Ridge Parkway
Left on Trace Ridge Trail 354 *You must walk your bike down the trail to the carsonite sign indicating where you can begin riding*
Left on FR142
Right on FR5000
Left on FR1206
Left on Hwy276
Right on FR475B
Right on FR5045
Left on Sienard Ridge Trail 609 HIKING ONLY trail. Please carry your bike and respect trail designations.
Left on Blue Ridge Parkway
Right on FR816
Left on Flat Laurel Creek Trail 346
Left on Hwy215
Left on FR140
Right on FR5031
Right on FR229
Left on FR475
Right on Long Branch Trail 116
Left on FR5095
Right on FR475
Right on Davidson River Trail 650
Right on FR475
Right on Hwy276

If anyone does this route I ask that you Please respect the trail designations and carry your bike down Trace Ridge trail until you reach a carsonite sign indicating it is okay to begin riding. Also please carry your bike up Sienard Ridge Trail (it is too steep to ride up anyway!).

My directions might be off a little in the Bent Creek area. Just wander around there for awhile.

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gearsconfuseme, I'll be coming from the Asheville area and will be looking for someone to help with the transportation logistics. I don't know how I'll be getting down there or back up here yet but would be happy to help you out if I can. I won't know my specific plans for awhile yet and am on the waiting list, so maybe check with me in a few months.

Mulberry Gap does provide a good service for the racers who chose to use their services. However, they are out of my budget and I would rather not have the temptation of possible support half way through the race so they are not for me.

I went with my normal gearing last year - 32x20 with 29" wheels. I did a lot of walking, like the Hogpen climb, but also was really strong on a lot of the long climbs like Tray Mtn. The flats at times had me helplessly spun out and were utterly unbearable. Because of all the flats, of which there are a lot imo, I might consider gearing more aggressively next year. Tough call so I'll probably just stick  with my normal gearing as it is what feels right to me.

http://www.firstworks.com/tnga/index.html

I'll be back this year. Likely single speed again.

My advice is to be prepared for a lot of climbing in the first third of the race and a lot of single track in the last third.

No bugs that I noticed. Plenty of water on route. You might want to carefully plan your resupply points in advance. Beware of bears at Hogpen Gap.

It is a great route.

Last minute, but if anyone wants to carpool to the start or from the finish from and to the Asheville area let me know!

Thanks for the info.

It has been a very wet summer here in the Pisgah, NC area. Hopefully they have had similar fortune down West GA way.

I'll be carrying bleach only and will likely gamble with any water I encounter....

Is there really no water on the route past Dalton? No streams or anything?

There is a thread a page back on it:

http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,3162.0.html

My thoughts are it is a really good route and Georgia is a beautiful state with some surprising mountains. I'm looking forward to it 

wait, now did you actually see bears? hear them? - if so, what did you do to guard your food?  I'm interested in this

Yes, I saw bears while camped at Hog Pen Gap. I banged sticks, blew my whistle, threw rocks, etc and they just kept coming back every half hour until I finally packed up and left. I had made a poor attempt at hanging my food but was smart enough to hang it close enough to my person that the bears were not able to get to it. There were signs warning against bears and the drunk local guy in the bar in Helen I'd been drinking with a few hours earlier warned me about bears up there as well.

Driftwood, I was going to use a bear bag - a bag with a long string that you attach a rock to, throw it over a limb and hoist it up where a bear cannot climb to - I was also going to put it 20 yards away from my tent.  That's what I do when I hike sections of the A.T.

Keeb - that sounds like a fantastic idea. 

A bear bag is a good idea, especially if you might find yourself camping in bear prone areas. I tried to get a bear bag up but at 3am after 120 miles for the day I could manage to get it ten feet off the ground. I picked a bad spot to camp that night. There were signs warning against bears and I should have kept going a little further, instead I got to stay up all night trying to keep the bears from my food! Good times, I can't wait to do it again this year!

My first night of 'sleep' during the TNGA last year was spent defending my food from aggressive bears. While I was never concerned that they were going to harm me I was very worried they were going to take my food.

I'm at Mulberry Gap. Most riders are here or are headed here from what I hear. Freaking epic 

It looks like Brad Kee rode all night but Matt Lee's spot is still stopped off route?

The weather forecast has changed for Monday and Tuesday and I'm starting to rethink my already packed gear. I'm ready to start - it is gonna be epic!

I'm in 

No tips or suggestions from me as I'm a rookie as well. I really have no idea what I've gotten myself into and hope I can get myself out of it... Anyone doing it singlespeed? I can't decide!

I do want. I'll keep my eyes open for when you post the info. Thanks 

Anyone know where I can rent a spot for the TNGA?

Both are in NC. Liberty is near Murphy (not the Liberty by Greensboro) and Elk Park is near Banner Elk (it would likely start more North of Banner Elk than at Elk Park itself). The start and finish points could change but if you look at those towns on a map it should give you an idea of what the route could be like.  I wouldn't expect the route to be done anytime in the immediate future, maybe by next year. Lots of variables involved and what looks good on a map isn't always what is good on the ground. Is there even a demand for something like this? Are we eventually going to have a trans every state?

Good job again on putting together the Pisgah Traverse. It sounds like fun and I'm going to try and do it soon! If I do it I'll gps it.