MK, Albert Mtn has been trekked by an infinite number of people with varying degrees of ability and experience for years. I'm confident you will find the same success as the people before you. Enjoy your walk.
MK, Albert Mtn has been trekked by an infinite number of people with varying degrees of ability and experience for years. I'm confident you will find the same success as the people before you. Enjoy your walk.
Termite fart so much they are responsible for 3% of global methane emissions.
Stop often and laugh at the absurdity of the climb. You'll be fine, plus the view is worth it.
I’m shakey on heights, but I loved this very short section of the trail. There was plenty of tree cover in May 2017, which helped me feel less exposed while hiking up it.
I tried to go up the tower at the top and came down quickly after a few steps, if that says anything. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!
Twice in 2021-2022, i planned ten-day trips. The first time, I severely sprained my wrist on day 2 and had to bail on day 3 (solo hiker, non-functional hand, not a good combo lol). The second time, I woke up very sick on Day 3 with what turned out to be covid, and had to bail. That's why it took me a whole dang year to do GA... i kept having to go one weekend at a time, instead of one or two big trips, LOL.
“By the grace of God I am a Christian, by my own actions a great sinner, and by calling a wanderer.”
-Quote adapted from "The Way of A Pilgrim"
Heights give me anxiety, too. Are there any spots on the trail leading up to Albert with sheer dropoffs on the side of the trail? I know there are a few spots "somewhere" on the trail where one side is rock/mountain and the other side is basically nothing. More than a steep climb, steep dropoffs are my actual biggest fear.
“By the grace of God I am a Christian, by my own actions a great sinner, and by calling a wanderer.”
-Quote adapted from "The Way of A Pilgrim"
“By the grace of God I am a Christian, by my own actions a great sinner, and by calling a wanderer.”
-Quote adapted from "The Way of A Pilgrim"
I believe the trail has been moved in between Mooney Gap and where you start up Albert where it used to skirt a sheer drop, which I think is now a side trail to access that spot. Nothing at the top of Albert to give you the heebie jeebies, unless you climb the tower, which you can't access the top anyway. Some good pics to be taken from the steps, though.
"I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
- Kate Chopin
Yes, for me anyway. Going north past Wesser Bald Shelter there was a rocky summit where there were no trees. It came up suddenly as you turn down the trail and I felt instant dread. I just sat on the rock and eased myself down it, easy breezy lol.
I looked at my notes to see if i jotted down a name for it… I’m not positive, but it may be called jump-up or jump-off lookout. There were gorgeous expansive views; I wish I had snapped a photo, but I didn’t want to linger.
I hope this is encouraging, I feel like the parts where my heart was beating the hardest have also been the most beautiful/rewarding.
I don't recall exactly, but it's perhaps five or ten minutes on the trail. There are plenty of other stretches that are similar - just north of Jacob's Ladder, the Sawteeth past Charlie's Bunion, etc. But none of them will bother you because there are always trees or brush so that you don't feel imperiled, even though you have a fear of heights (ditto with me). I guess the most difficult, technical stretch of trail in the South may be the half mile north of Dragon's Tooth, near Catawba, VA. But even that didn't bother me. You aren't going to have any trouble dealing with a fear of heights on the AT. You've already done stuff similar to what you'll be doing going north (at least through middle Virginia, which is the limit of my experience on the trail). My list of fears is this: thunderstorms (slight), snakes (very slight), bears (very, very, very slight), ticks/hornets/wasps (miniscule), crazy people (so miniscule as to be almost non-existent), anything else (basically nada), heights (nada).
NH and ME are a whole different ballgame. But by then after 1800 miles you are committed.
I didn't find Albert Mtn all that tough. I thought Standing Indian & Cheowah Bald were a lot more tougher. Great view from Albert on a clear day.
more tougher? Seems like 6 1/2 years of college wasn't enough for me!
I’m doing the Nantahala Basin loop, clockwise from Standing Indian campground, so I’ll be going southbound down ‘ good ol’ Albert’!
Sounds fine unless the weather turns and gets slippery near the top….good to know there is an alternative, safer route as I may have my nine year old grandson with me who is very agile but lacks hiking experience.
I hiked it back in 2010 , northbound on an attempted thru hike, and had a major thunderstorm about half way up but managed just fine. Of course, I had my trail legs by then…now I am a weekend warrior from Florida!
Lucky you for living close bye….I lived in Black Mountain for two years, just outside Asheville….happy memories!
There are several places on the AT that people get themselves worked up over, and after doing it, realize "that was it"?
This climb is one of them.
It is what it is.
I don't recall the Mt Albert climb as even worth commenting about.