Beyond 6,000 - The Southern Sixers

(Ratings in ascending difficulty: trail, moderate, grunt, epic)

The Smokies

Clingmans Dome 6643 Trail

Mount Collins 6188 Trail

Mount LeConte 6593 Moderate

Mount Kephart 6217 Trail

Mt Chapman 6417 Epic

Mt Sequoyah 6003 Grunt

Tricorner Knob/Mt Yonaguska 6120 Grunt

Mount Guyot 6621 Epic

Old Black 6370 Grunt

Marks Knob 6169 Epic

Luftee Knob 6234 Grunt/Epic

Big Cataloochee 6155 Grunt

Smokies Sampler: Backpack the 25-mile route from Cosby Knob to Balsam Mountain Road (you'll need a car shuttle for this one-way hike). This three-day trip puts you within striking distance of the eight peaks in the western part of the Smokies. Remember that all but one of these summits adds a bushwhack to your workload.

Plott Balsam

Yellow Face 6032 Moderate

Waterrock Knob 6292 Trail

Mt. Lyn Lowery 6240 Moderate

Plott Balsam 6088 Moderate

Plotts Sampler: Most climbers qualify all four peaks with a long day hike over unmapped and unmaintained trails.

Great Balsams

Cold Mountain 6030 Grunt

Shining Rock 6040 Grunt

Grassy Cove Top 6040 Trail

Tennent Mountain 6040 Trail

Black Balsam Knob 6214 Trail

Chestnut Bald 6040 Grunt

Sam Knob 6040 Moderate

Mount Hardy 6110 Moderate

Reinhart Knob 6080 Epic

Richland Balsam 6410 Trail

Great Balsams Sampler: Follow the Art Lobe Trail north from the Blue Ridge Parkway across Shining Rock Wilderness to the Cold Mountain of literary fame. This long day trip (or easier overnight hike) can qualify five peaks.

Black Mountains

Celo Knob 6327 Grunt

Gibbs Mountain 6224 Grunt

Winterstar Mountain 6212 Grunt

Potato Hill 6475 Grunt

Balsam Cone 6611 Trail

Mount Craig 6647 Trail

Mt Mitchell 6684 Trail

Mount Hallback 6320 Moderate

Mount Gibbes 6571 Moderate

Blackstock Knob 6359 Trail

Black Mountain Sampler: The Black Mountain Crest Trail leads from Mt. Mitchell along the crest to Celo Knob. Try this as an overnight hike (or a killer day trip) and you'll bag seven peaks.

Roan Mountains

Grassy Ridge 6160 Trail

Roan High Knob 6285 Trail

Roan High Bluff 6267 Trail

Roan Mountain Sampler: Follow the Appalachian Trail from Roan High Bluff across Carver's Gap to the fantastic views from Grassy Ridge. Most hikers take a long day for this hike.