The hiking community has long debated the relative difficulty of trails on the East and West Coasts. While the West Coast boasts towering peaks like the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges, the East Coast is home to the iconic Appalachian Trail, affectionately known as the 'Green Tunnel' for its dense forest coverage. Despite the West Coast's impressive heights, hikers generally agree that East Coast trails are steeper and more challenging. This phenomenon can be attributed to a combination of factors, with a key player being the absence of switchbacks on the East Coast.
The concept of switchbacks, sharp U-turns that facilitate gradual climbs, was introduced on the West Coast in the 1880s, primarily to aid pack animals in transporting gear over high mountains. In contrast, East Coast trails, often limited by the confines of their properties, were initially built for recreation and offered straight, steep routes. Interestingly, East Coast trail builders were aware of switchbacks, but hikers preferred the steeper grades, embracing the challenges they presented.
Several East Coast trails have earned a reputation for their extreme difficulty. The Devil's Path in New York's Catskill Mountains, for instance, spans 22.5 miles and gains over 8,000 feet in elevation across five summit peaks. Similarly, New Hampshire's Presidential Traverse in the White Mountains rises 8,200 feet in just 18.4 miles. Even shorter trails, like Maine's Precipice Trail, present formidable challenges, with a 0.9-mile section gaining 1,000 feet and requiring hikers to ascend rock faces using iron ladder rungs.
While the West Coast has its share of steep trails, such as the hike to Mount St. Helens, which involves a boulder field and a 45-degree ash slope, these are exceptions. The hike up California's Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States, is a more typical example, with a gradual ascent of 6,600 feet in 21.7 miles, incorporating numerous switchbacks.
Hikers who have traversed both coasts offer diverse perspectives. One hiker, who grew up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, found the ergonomic switchbacks on the West Coast more manageable compared to the rugged terrain of the East Coast. However, she expressed a nostalgic fondness for the grueling East Coast trails, despite their demanding profiles.
Veteran thru-hikers who have completed both the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and the Appalachian Trail (AT) provide further insights. They highlight the difference in design and maintenance between the two trails, with the AT often featuring more abrupt elevation changes, or 'PUDs' (pointless ups and downs). The AT's rougher nature is further emphasized by its higher elevation gain per mile compared to the PCT.
The preference for trails with switchbacks is evident in the coining of the acronym 'PUDs' by thru-hikers, underscoring the challenges of hiking without switchbacks. Ultimately, the best way to determine which trails are harder is to experience them firsthand, as the subjective nature of hiking difficulty makes personal exploration essential.
