6 Gap Century/Assault on Mt Mitchell-Anyone done both ?

I would highly recommend the 6-Gap century.  I have never done the Mt Mitchell Century, but I would really like to.  Hogpen is 7 miles from top to bottom, but it has about a 3/4 mile dip from mile 2 to 3.  The mile markers help you know where you are and that helps.  The worst of Hogpen is from mile marker 3 to 5.  It gets pretty steep there.  It levels off a bit after 5 and you have short final dip before you get to the top.  Wolfpen is only about 3 miles of climbing, but there are no dips.

Neel's gap is 7 miles of climbing, but has a 1/2 mile dip about halfway up, Jack's gap is about 5 or six miles with a few dips, Unicoi is about 3 miles with no dips and a 7 mile downhill (my favorite), then Hogpen, then Wolfpen, and then Woody's which is only about 1 1/2 miles of climbing with a 5 mile descent.  If you get the chance and want to climb, the spur to the left at the top of Jack's gap is Brasstown Bald.  It is three miles long and has a VERY steep section.  There is also a Brasstown Bald Century that has already passed.

I think there are a few people that get on here occaisionally that have done both though.

Brasstown Bald was the worse experence I have ever had on a bike...and I was smiling ear to ear at the top.  Great hobby we all have...

I signed up for St. George IM and this sounds like perfect training for that race...18% grade..is that possible

Actually, I think the average grade for Brasstown Bald is only about 10% although I did see one site that said 14%, but according to this profile it has 200 meters @ 24 % and 400 meters @ 20%.  It is not an easy climb.  I have only done it once.   I did it just before the TdG guys got there last year.  I was dying on "the wall"  and had no idea how long that grade would last.  I saw a porta potty on "the wall" and "decided" I need to go to the bathroom.  I wish I had reconned the ride because I am pretty sure that I could have made it without stopping because the grade eased up considerably about 75 yards up from the porto potty. I would like to do it again now that I know how long the tough parts are.  I did the same thing on my first climb up Hogpen.  I stopped just before the 5 mile marker not knowing that the grade there drops considerably just after the marker at the time I was thinking "I can't do two more miles of THIS" when it was actully just a hundred more yards of tough stuff.  That is why it is important to know what lies  ahead while riding the gaps. 
http://www.mountainmapper.com/brasstown_bald.htm

I am also attaching a link to a pretty good article about a group of cycling journalist riding up it with Greg Lemond.
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=3969

Neal is so right about knowing the territory.  The first time I did Hogpen, I was feeling like I was all that on the lower slopes, then you come around a corner and it seems like the road goes straight to heaven.  No turns, just straight up.  I stopped about 2/3 up thinking the same thing as Neal.  I got back at it and shortly after starting again, BAM, the grade goes way down.    Just needed to suffer a few more minutes and I would have made it.  I still hate Hogpen.