Most challenging passes in the park

[smahurin]

As for the east side of Stoney Indian Pass, that is my favorite pass to climb and one I have always found very doable because the climb is broken into three steps with flat sections between.
Heff

I think the problem for me is that the first two steps are quite steep and overgrown. This year I hiked up to Boulder Pass from the west. I figured it would be hard but it turned out not bad at all. I think the reason is a consistency of the slope. You are going up most of the time but it's not too steep. Or maybe I was just in better shape this year

I agree while 3000ft vert seems like alot, I think it's a very continuous gradual climb over about 4.5 to 5miles which makes it fairly manageable.

While not a pass, I'm curious to hear from those who've hiked to the Mt. Brown lookout (I haven't as of yet). I've been told that hike is arguably the steepest maintained trail in the park. At least in terms of extended lengths of trail.

[wnysteve]

While not a pass, I'm curious to hear from those who've hiked to the Mt. Brown lookout (I haven't as of yet). I've been told that hike is arguably the steepest maintained trail in the park. At least in terms of extended lengths of trail.

We hiked the Mt. Brown Lookout on September 28, 2013. We had been hiking in Glacier that year since Sept. 3, and had saved Mt. Brown for the last hike, due to its reputation. It was about 35 degrees that morning when we departed from Apgar CG, with a light drizzle which turned to snow after the junction of the Sperry and Mt. Brown trails. The steepest part of the hike is the first ~quarter of the distance from that Junction up to Brown. Then it switchbacks multiple times. Though it became very cold with the blowing snow, I'm sure that was actually a positive factor. Certainly the hike was not the Intimidator that I had always heard. Dawson Pass from the lakeshore is much more of a slog, in my experience.

[distressbark]

Cut Bank Pass from the west. Start on Nyack Creek and go from there. Very steep.

I'm going to agree with Ralph here, and I haven't even endured the trail from the valley bottom. In 2013, we camped on a saddle south of Razoredge Mountain. The next day, we traversed the Continental Divide towards McClintock Peak. We thought we'd be able to follow the ridge all the way to Cut Bank Pass, but with our large overnight packs, we opted to drop down to the valley to the west. We hit the trail just north of the Tinkham-Mcclintock saddle, and wow, is that trail steep. It's quite steep from the wet meadows to the north of the saddle, but from the saddle on to Cut Bank Pass is essentially a scree field. The pitch rivaled many of the off-trail routes I've been on. Beautiful country, but you really have to earn it to hike in this part of GNP!

[Heff936]

Cut Bank Pass from the west. Start on Nyack Creek and go from there. Very steep.

I'm going to agree with Ralph here, and I haven't even endured the trail from the valley bottom. In 2013, we camped on a saddle south of Razoredge Mountain. The next day, we traversed the Continental Divide towards McClintock Peak. We thought we'd be able to follow the ridge all the way to Cut Bank Pass, but with our large overnight packs, we opted to drop down to the valley to the west. We hit the trail just north of the Tinkham-Mcclintock saddle, and wow, is that trail steep. It's quite steep from the wet meadows to the north of the saddle, but from the saddle on to Cut Bank Pass is essentially a scree field. The pitch rivaled many of the off-trail routes I've been on. Beautiful country, but you really have to earn it to hike in this part of GNP!

I tried the last 2.9 miles to cut bank pass on my incline trainer on Saturday and agree with you and Ralph. It was probably the toughest trail I've tried on the incline trainer except for one of the routes on the shoulder of Kilimanjaro. Don't think that one will be part of my normal rotation since while I usually find something appealing about the trails, but this one was steep enough to be no fun. Glad that I checked it out though. Hiking for real with a heavy pack would be brutal on that trail.

[scott-atl]

steep up is easier for me than steep down. the section up to the hut on divide mtn is much better up than down. I've developed arthritis in my left knee, just the inside bone fortunately. I underwent stem cell therapy this past fall hoping to grow some new cartilage and avoid knee replacement surgery. daily walking around is definitely better but tennis was still painful. this past weekend did a 2600' 4 mile hike in Pisgah forest, NC w a heavy pack. knee felt amazingly good. was real careful coming down.

[lucygp]

There is about 300 more feet of descent











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