Iron Mt. Trail questions

[10-K]

I zipped off an email to Lone Wolf but in case he's not around I have these questions about the IMT.

1. Getting to the northernmost end in VA.

2. Info on the first few miles starting at the north VA end - understand that the trail might be sketchy.

3. I'm guessing there's not a lot of snow up there now?

4. Start at the northern end with a day of food, resupply in Damascus with another day and hike out to the southern end in TN. That's my plan - any problems with that?

I know I need to camel up out of Damascus because the southern end is dry.

[Slo-go'en]

10K, I've done both legs of the IMT a couple of times.

You pick up the IMT a little south of Hurrican Mt Shelter. I belive it is 30 miles from there to Damascus and there are 3 old time shelters on that streach. There is a horse trail which connects between the AT and the IMT near the Hurricane Mt shelter, which you can actually pick up before or after the shelter, as the AT loops around the two crossing points.

On the south end, there are several ways to get into Damascus. You can pick up the rail trail (heck what's it's name?) or connect back onto the AT.

What I've done in the past is to get on the AT at Partnership shelter outside of Marion, VA, take the IMT to Damascus (which is 3 days), then head back north on the AT to make it a loop.

Now the section south of Damascus is a little tricker. I belive the IMT intersects the AT on the north end, south of Damascus, but the south end terminates at a road and it's a mile or so back to where the AT crosses this same road, which is the first road crossing north of the Iron Mountain shelter.

It's true the section of the IMT south of Damascus doesn't have much water, but there is some near both ends, about 3-4 miles in maybe. The first is a small stream crossing and the second is a spring off the trail 100 yrds or so down an old woods road and is a good place to camp. Both of these water sources might be seasonal, only there is the spring. This section is about 20 miles long and is pretty easy, so it can be done in one day. This section is also kinda interesting to hike.

I found a klm file for google earth which plots the course of the IMT somewhere, it shouldn't be hard to turn it up with a quick search.

[Grits]

10K check out this web site it might be able to help http://johnsoncountytrails.org/iron.html The IMT head there in Damascus is you go on the AT NB past the sub shop and turn right across the bridge then follow the road to the left and the trail head is about 1/2 mile on your right heading SB on the IMT.

[JEBjr]

I don't have my map with me, but I think the most Northern or actually Western section is near the New River or Fries, VA. It would probably require some road walking. I know it goes up to Comer's Rock and ends at Hale's Lake. I think it starts back again North of Troutdale on VA 16 just South of Sugar Grove. I've looked at hiking the entire thing by incorporating the VA Highlands Horse Trail rather than long road walks.

[JEBjr]

Replace Western with Eastern.

[10-K]

Off to hike both sections (TN/VA) of the IMT Wednesday morning....finally. Back in February when I posted this I decided to hike the Art Loeb Trail instead.

[WingedMonkey]

About time you took that poor dog hiking.

[10-K]

Oh we've been burning up the 110 miles between Roan Mt. and Hot Springs these past few months. We've hiked most of this section twice and some parts of it 3 times since March 1.

He's a great trail dog!

[10-K]

I've finally hiked the trail from the southern end at TN 91 up to the northern end above Damascus and I have to say this is a very nice, solitary hike. Dividing the trail into 2 half with Damascus in the middle the trail has 2 completely different personalities.

The northern half is easy hiking with lots of water, 3 shelters and decent views from time to time. A random hiker or 2 and people on horses in this section.

The southern half is wild, very little water (2 sources in 20 miles), and is chock full of bear. I saw one bear and more bear skat than I've ever seen on one trail in all my life. This half doesn't get much traffic at all - the trail is overgrown in places and there are no signs that hikers come through (fire rings, campsites, etc.)

2 thumbs up for the IMT!

[Mr. Bumpy]

I have always thought that doing a figure eight loop on the IMT and AT with Damascus as the middle would be cool.