Quote Originally Posted by Berserker View Post
Well, it's funny that you should mention this. Of all the climbs on the AT, South Kinsman sticks out in my mind as one of the top 3 toughest ones (for me at least). So yeah, I agree with what you have heard. It's basically a 2000' very hard rock scramble. So if you don't want to go down that, then NOBO is the way to go.
As I just did SK in September it is pretty fresh in my brain. I wouldn't say that Kinsman to Franconia was one of my favorite days on trail? But it was a GOOD day. We had great weather and despite me taking a bad fall cracking my elbow ontop of wolf, the day went smooth.

The climb up South Kinsman....I didnt mind it, but it is indeed straight up. like a ladder of rock(not a rebar ladder) pretty much from the boggy pond area to the top.