Shuckstack Tower loop - 03/24-03-25

“I decided Friday to head up to Fontana Dam and hike the Shuckstack loop.

I figured since I was hiking the relatively flat Lakeshore trail to CS #91 that I would head in late.
I hit the trailhead around 3:30, and the parking lot was pretty full. The temp was already 85, and the low water levels of the lake made it feel even hotter.

As I started down the first switchback, I heard something in the leaf litter. I stopped and watched a doe walk towards me.
As soon as she notices me she’s gonna run away right?
Nope…this deer must have been from Cade’s Cove. She walked right up to me, and eventually I had to walk on.

I then came upon the first 2 of 6 abandoned cars and noticed a sprung hawg trap. The ground had been torn up around it, and it was turned on its side. The bottom fencing had been torn through….Seems like the hawg figured it could break through the rusted fence on the bottom.

At the second seep/creek crossing I smelled pigs and saw were they had been rooting. I hear something again in the creek draw..and at the waters edge is a medium sized boar.

Wow…great trip for Michelle to have my camera in her car.

As I near the lake’s edge around mile 3.5, I see two huge deer running up one of the ridges. I see tons of hawks, woodpeckers, squirrels, and songbirds all day long. This coming after I had commented in the Sipsey that I never get to see or hear anything. Must be springtime!

At one point where the trail over looks some of the coves of the lake I see two guys fishing, must be nice, only thing nicer would be hiking around in the smokies.

The first park of the Lakeshore trail was steeper than I was expecting, but it leveled out, and I had 3 hours of light left once I hit the Lost Cove Trail.

The Lost Cove trail crosses its namesake creek 7 plus times. Most are wet crossings.
I make it into CS# 91, and find it empty. It’s a real nice site with large second growth trees, and 2 running streams alongside it. I set up camp and decide to forgo a fire.

Right at dark I hear the poorest excuse for a dog howl I’ve ever heard. Must be latecomers coming into camp crossing one of the wet crossings. So I decide to sit and wait for them. Nothing. Then I hear it again…twice...same area. So I respond with a better howl…no response….then I hear it again. Hmmm I’ll keep waiting. Then 15 minutes pass and I hear it again….up the creek through brush no human could make it through and behind me….OH CRAP!!

Time to get in the tent and pull the sleeping bag over my head!!”

“Day 2.

Bad night of sleep, no real reason, it just sucked.

I started up Lost Cove trail at daylight to beat the sun’s heat. Crossed the creek several more times, but was able to rock hop them all. Around an hour into it I hear something on the other side of the creek and turn to look…I see what appears to be the biggest Alaskan Malamute I’ve ever seen..and very dark in color. It turns and runs off through the rhododendron. What the hell was that?? Park has stated there are no more wolves in the park right?

Two hours in, and it’s HOT. No shade since spring seems to have been forgotten and the budding trees are trying to figure out how to catch up.
As I head up one of the steeper parts of the trail into Sassafras Gap, I hear something else on the opposite ridge. I stop and look. Four Elk cows coming down towards the lake!!

What a trip, and no camera, but I did have my binoculars, and had a time trying to watch everything.

Finally make it to the AT, and it’s a pleasant, cooler, level trail, mostly in shade. Still no one to be seen.

I hike up to the Shuckstack tower, and climb to the top. This has to be hands down the best views in the smokies. Gregory’s Bald are nice…but this one was WOW!
You don’t even have to go into the cabin; actually your views are blocked in it. The best views are from the top 2 platforms.

I saw my first AT thru hiker about a mile south of the Shuckstacks. After the 1st, I then saw a total of 10 more hikers. Half of them NOBO’s. Kind of a late start in this heat to be tackling the climb out of Fontana. One girl was alone, and looked doubtful that she’d make it to the end of the Smokies.

Very beautiful part of the park, awesome loop, and tons of animals. There were a few wildflowers blooming, a few trees were in bloom, but most of them hadn’t started yet.

I’ll see if the 24 pics that I took with my CVS disposable came out.”

“Cool, thanks for the TR.
Shuckstack is cool.
I exited the park via the AT there once. I'm not sure I want climb up the AT to shuckstack from the Dam.”

“I read this earlier and meant to comment. :) Nice TR ~ I hope your pics come out! Shuckstack is a rickety firetower, IMO! I was actually nervous up on that thing, and I don't mind heights. Worth the view though!

The hike from the Dam up to Mollies Ridge Shelter is a long one ~ but I gotta say, the hoof up Shuckstack was definitely the steepest!”

“That is a killer view. Glad you had a great trip.”

“Sounds to me like y'all need his and her's cameras.”

“Thanks for your interesting trip report, OPIE. Glad that you were able to see so much.

I've found that the Lakeshore Trail to Lost Cove Trail seems more difficult than hiking straight up the AT to Shuckstack. The Lakeshore Trail is a rough trail in either direction. In fact, it is the main reason I take a shuttle across the Lake to Hazel Creek Trail instead of hiking to CS#90 and then over to CS#86. But, one of these days I would like to try the new Lakeshore Trail across to CS#86. It is much shorter than the old trail to CS#84.

I have never been on Lost Cove Trail between CS#91 and the AT. But I have hiked across a good number of times to CS#90. Likewise, I've gone up to Shuckstack several times. I was always in pretty good shape for that trip, so it never seemed too difficult. I would compare it to hiking from Cosby on Low Gap Trail to the AT and up to Cosby Knob Shelter. From Stuckstack I returned back down and out on two occasions, but twice I have made it an eight day trip(7-nights) going as far as Spense Field before returning

I'm just mentioning these things in case they might provide you with ideas for other trips. But you've been doing great on your own. You've developed into a real interesting backpacker.”

“Wow, you saw some critters! Maybe the Malamute was a bear? If not, then you can always say it was :-)”

“no it wasn't a bear....i'm telling you...this was canine”

“Nice trip report...thanks!”