Pond Mountain Drive & Trail Guide, W4T/SU-030

Drive Guide - Pond Mountain

• Duration: 4:30 from Atlanta; 2:20 from Knoxville
• Google Maps URL from Ashford Dunwoody Rd and I-285 at 33.917, -84.3378: https://goo.gl/maps/B3DJ7wLN4272
• Google Maps URL from Knoxville: https://goo.gl/maps/vBEU6D2yDc32
• Seasonal/Limited Access:
• Directions:
  • See Google Maps and http://www.peakbagger.com/climber/ascent.aspx?aid=286881
  • From 19E heading N in Hampton TN, turn R on US321 south and go 0.8
  • R on Dennis Cove Dr (a.k.a. Laurel Fork Rd, a.k.a. USFS 50) and go 0.6
  • L to stay on Dennis Cove Dr and go 3.3
    • Gravel part was rough but passenger car navigable in 2012.
  • At the AT crossing, set odometer to zero and continue 3.0 miles to trailhead.
  • Park at unsigned Pond Mountain Trail trailhead, opposite a gravel road to the R.
    • On the L, you’ll may see a dark blue blaze on a roadside tree, marking the trail. It * Food
  • Last McDonalds:
  • Penultimate McDonalds:
  • Dinner

Trail Guide

• Duration: 2 miles; 1:40 up, 1:30 down.
• Navigation
  • See http://www.peakbagger.com/climber/ascent.aspx?aid=286881
  • Blue blazed; poorly maintained; overgrows; check topo, but it doesn’t match the topo.
  • The first 1.4 miles follow an old road that contours along the W flank of Rough Ridge, and the last 0.7 is an assault on the ridge, gaining 540 feet in just 0.4 miles. The trail does cross directly over the summit.
  • Cross 5 berms to reach an abandoned dirt road. Follows the winding road, climbing gently.
  • After 1.0 mile on the road, elevation 3660, you’ll see a dip in the ridge on your R.
  • Leave the trail here and climb through open woods to reach the ridge at 3700.
  • Turn L (north) and walk up onto the 3880 ridge that leads N/NE toward the summit.
  • At 1.5 miles, you’ll encounter the blue blazes again.
    • To your left, the Pond Mountain Trail followed the road a total of 1.4 miles from the trailhead and went down and then up steeply to reach the ridge. You short-cutted several hundred yards and reduced your climb.
  • At 1.75 miles (4240’) you reach boulders on the SW end of the summit ridge. The summit is 0.25 miles NE. Trail is poorly marked and overgrown. Treat it like a bushwhack.
• Trailhead altitude: 3360’ @ 36.262766,-82.093
• Summit altitude: 4329’ @ 36.2828,-82.0876
• GPS tracks/waypoints:
  • x

Summit Guide

• Hang antenna from tree:
• Space to guy mast:
• Cell coverage:
• Unique features: No views.

Plan-B Candidates

• summits listed here with some clue as to where/how