| Date |
Distance |
Time |
Elevation Gain |
Average Moving Time |
Year to Date Miles |
| 4/24/62022 |
16.7 miles |
9 hours 39 minutes |
2,157' |
2 mph |
294.1 |
Parking:
- 1 car at Clingman's Dome Visitor Center, 1 car at Fontana Dam Road (marina)
Maps:
- FarOut app (Guthook)
- GaiGps app
- National Geographic Great Smoky Mountain National Park West
Directions:
- Hike southbound on the AT from Derrick Knob Shelter.to Russell Field Shelter
Carolina Mountain Club Challenge
- Lookout Tower Challenge - Shuckstack
We had a long day ahead of us, so we woke up at 5:30 am and packed up in the dark. Today's hiking wasn't hard, it was just long. Guthook said we had 5,000' elevation loss! Most of it was a gradual downhill. It was another sunny day, and the more we descended, the hotter it got. I just made sure I drank plenty. Lots of flowers again. Sometimes the trail was lined with bluets on both sides. It looked as if they had been planted there.
We met a couple on horseback. They told us they could have horses on the AT, but they had to walk their horses, they weren't allowed to ride them until they got off the AT. We got to pet the horses. So fun!
We continued on and I left my pack with Tara and took a side trail up to the Shuckstack fire tower. I'm not a fan of climbing fire towers, but I did make it to the top of the tower. The views just kept getting better and better the higher I climbed. I could see Fontana Lake, our destination.
Glen drove up to the Fontana Dam Visitor Center and hiked in part way to meet us. We continued to the Visitor Center and left some of our group there. Dian and I needed to finish the section to the marina, so Tara, Dian, and I continued on to the marina. We passed by the Fontana Hilton, a "fancy" shelter with a waterfront view.
I've now finished Springer Mountain in Georgia to Newfound Gap. We have another trip planned soon to do the northern section of the Smokies. We had a great weekend, and I can't wait to get out there again with this group. Congratulations to Dian for finishing Georgia this past week!
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Yellow trillium - we sniffed them as they are supposed to be lemon scented.
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| White trillium - we only saw the trilliums at lower elevations |
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| Shuckstack fire tower |
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| A fireplace below the tower |
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| The views kept getting better the higher I climbed up the tower |
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| Leaving the Smokies |
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| Fontana Dam |
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| Fontana Dam Visitor Center |
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| Fontana Dam Shelter (nicknamed Fontana Hilton) |
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| Lots of dwarf irises between the visitor center and the marina. |
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