The tricross is a cross bike with a triple, but I have 28mm tires and a closer cassette, and it's low is nearly 26 gear inches.
Any touring with any weight is tricky when hitting steep hills, but I don't tour on it like this.
The other bike with the mtb gearing was set up specifically for touring in mountainy terrain in other countries, with unknown surfaces and steeper gradients expected, and carrying more weight than usual due to circumstances of the trip, so it's really low nearly 17 gear inch low got used often, and boy was I glad to have it.
When not needed, you don't and shift up, easy peasy.
hope this gives an idea of what to look for in gearing setups.