33rd Assault on Mount Mitchell

Leaving from Spartanburg, SC the first 72 miles has about 4,500 feet of climbing. This portion of the tour moves through gentle rolling country side of South Carolina. While you are riding in South Carolina - there are several locations that you can see your goal of Mount Mitchell. You have several very short climbs to go up but for the most part, this is the leisure part of the ride where you can just sit back and enjoy the country side and the morning sun rise!

Just after after crossing into North Carolina, the climbing starts off with a bang! As the miles go by, the climbs gets longer and harder and the corners get sharper.

Bill’s Mountain comes up at about the 45 mile point. This hill has about 1000 feet vertical of climbing in less than one mile. It is the first place that we really separate the strong riders from the rest of the pack! There is a photo opportunity near the top of Bill’s Mountain and a roadside clock, don’t forget to smile and check your time!

Onward you go, still up and down with the hills while you can now see the real mountains still looming off in the distance.

As you near Marion, you will start up the final set of stair case climbs that seems to never end. Finally at the top you are on the last high speed down hill to the Marion Finish line which is very fast and has sharp curves with very steep drop off over the left side of the road.

Passing through Marion, once you turn onto NC-80, you are now on your way on the final leg of your journey to the top. You are now going to climb the rest of the 6,500 of the 11,000 plus feet of this challenge and this is all done in the next 27 miles.

Riders will find that this climb becomes progressively steeper with each mile until you get to the Blue Ridge Parkway Entrance. Average speed up this part of the grade for the riders runs from 3 to 14 mph. It is very important that cyclists stay as far to the right as possible on this narrow, winding road. There are a number of blind curves. Motorists on this portion of this course just can not see you until they are right up on you.

Once on the Parkway, your climbing will not stop except for 2 short and 1 fast descents until you get to the very top of Mount Mitchell. You will find that you have 3 tunnels to go through.

Once you turn into the Mount Mitchell State Park, you will be faced with one of the hardest climbs of the entire tour. What makes this climb even more difficult is the fact that you have already completed almost 100 miles. Once inside the upper main gate, the grade levels out for about a 1/2 mile and then the climbing resumes to the finish line. The finish line is at the very top of the mountain in the parking lot.

Family members, use the Shuttle Vans from Marion to go to the top. See the application form for van round trips for Sag’s and Family.

Remember that the weather can change from a fantastic, warm, sunny day to a very cold rain, sleet, or snow . Warm clothing and rain gear is highly recommend. There is very limited shelter from the weather on top of Mount Mitchell. There is no wind protection at all. Remember to use our bag service that will take your clothes to the top. Hypothermia can happen at this elevation.

For more information please visit The Assault on Mount Mitchell and Assault on Marion web page.