Shuckstack Fire Tower

[Noggin]

I was at the Shuckstack fire tower recently and wondering about its history. How old is it, and how long ago was it abandoned as a firetower?

Also I was looking at the graffiti inside the tower (no doubt one of the hottest places to make love in the area). And I saw this inscription "I love Taylor" with a date either of __/__/60 or __/__/00. My thinking is the fire tower probably still was in active use in 1960, so the graffiti must have been from 2000. But then again, the date looked old and worn and if the tower was only in seasonal use in 1960 ...

[Chip]

Hello Noggin,
The tower was built in 1932 by the CCC. The chimney, foundations and cistern of the watchman's cabin sit beside the tower. I don't know when it
stopped being used. Another tower with 360 degree views is the Mt. Sterling
Fire Tower on the northeast side of the Smokies (just south of Davenport Gap, look at the GSMNP map). Any how great views. I watched the sunrise one late September morning, frost on the ground. The surrounding mountains rose above the clouds and reminded me of islands in the sea. If you ever get
the chance you really need to check it out !
Happy Trails,
Chip

[Bear Magnet]

I spent the night in the Shuckstack firetower after an encounter with a bear near the campsite about 1 1/2 miles away. Mr. or Mrs. Bear didn't want to let me pass to the campsite, so I walked back to the firetower in the dark and spent the night there. Me and a mouse. Clear night, lots of stars, but very windy.

The next morning I was going down the stairs when I saw another bear right on the trail between the AT and the firetower. Just poking around, looking for food, but I decided to wait until the bear was gone to leave. Kept me up there for another hour. And that is how I got my trail name.

Bear Magnet

[Chip]

Hello Bear Magnet,

Back in the fall of 2002 (October) my wife and I were about a mile from the tower headed back down the AT towards Fontana Dam when she saw a bear. It was about 15 yards up hill on the left eating some kind of berries off a tree.
I had walked right by and never saw it. She saw the bear after it moved
around, and made some noise. There were bears at the next shelter going north that year ( Birch Spring Gap). There was a warning posted. Your story adds to the others that I have heard. That area must have more than its fair share of bears.
Thanks,
Chip

[straziante]

I used to live in Fontana Dam and just recently moved a few miles away to Stecoah. A few friends and I just hiked to the tower this past Saturday. It was windy and rainy, and the trail was littered with acorns and branches from where the bears had been feeding. We ran across a large mother bear with a second-year cub and two very young cubs. We had to stall our hike for about an hour to let the bears clear out. The view was magnificent once we got there. The clouds and fog were swirling about below the mountain on the northern side and the sky had a purplish tint to it. It was the second best view I've seen since then. The best was the day the remnants of Hurricane Ivan blew through. It was crystal clear as far as the eye could see. We're doing a night hike this weekend.

[Boat Drinks]

We would have walked right past her and her cub, (higher up) if she hadn't snorted at us!

[Sly]

We would have walked right past her and her cub, (higher up) if she hadn't snorted at us!

LOL... that's a great shot. Hikers would probably see as many bears in trees if they looked. It seems they like to snooze in them.

I don't know if I'd wait an hour. I tend to talk to them, raising my voice if I have to, for them to leave.

[MedicineMan]

many many firetowers have been lost, they like lighthouses should have been preserved...one old favorite of mine was Temple Hill, we used to stash our backpacks and do the short hike up to get the awesome view but neglect and vandalism foreced the Forestry Service to destroy it....be nice if the few remaining be adopted and preserved.

[shades of blue]

Just from curosity, can you still get into the top of Shuckstack tower? How about Albert Mt. tower? Those towers always seemed locked to me.

[anneandbenhike]

I was at the Shuckstack Fire Tower last week on the first day of my Smokies hike. It is indeed open and you can climb to the top.

[Boat Drinks]

It IS still Open!!! Heck of a 3.7 miles up to it I thought, but that hike inspired me to go all the way!

[RAT]

When I hiked the Smokies for my first time in `91 going South, right after Shuckstack Tower was the only place we saw bears, so definitely a popular place for them ! Saw many more in other places in latter years tho, they dont bother me I just go on by, guess they are used to RAT`s lol !

RAT

[springerfever]

The Shuckstack firetower is probably in danger of being torn down over the next few years. Last time I was there, a couple of years ago, it was in pretty bad shape. I hope the USFS decides to restore it. It really gives a spectacular view of the area surrounding Fontana lake. I can't believe some folks pass it up when they enter the Smokies. It's a "must see" when I'm in the area.

[GSCOTT]

Man it was clear

have been wanting to go for a lot of years but just never did
oh well went today and it is an awesome place
i hope the park restores it soon or it may get torn down

here are a few pics

enjoy

[general]

stand on top of that thing on a windy day for a thrill. she was in bad shape when i was there in 2000. i can only imagine what it is like now. USFS ain't gonna restore it. they will just let her fall and build an observation deck in her place, surely not as tall. count your memories, they will be good ones.

[rafe]

stand on top of that thing on a windy day for a thrill. she was in bad shape when i was there in 2000. i can only imagine what it is like now. USFS ain't gonna restore it. they will just let her fall and build an observation deck in her place, surely not as tall. count your memories, they will be good ones.

It was gloomy and rickety for at least ten years prior to that. I climbed halfway up, lost my nerve... might have been better on a sunny day, I dunno. I didn't linger.

[general]

It was gloomy and rickety for at least ten years prior to that. I climbed halfway up, lost my nerve... might have been better on a sunny day, I dunno. I didn't linger.

i got some great pictures while sticking my head out of the roof hatch. it is a neat place, a little dangerous though.

[HooKooDooKu]

Just an update on the tower's condition years since this thread was started...

For the most part, the metal structure seems to still be in good shape. About the only thing I recall missing was the 2nd hand rail of the 1st flight of steps and one of the handrail supports on this same flight. While all the supports are metal, the steps and platforms are wood. Just about all the wood is still in-tacked, but very cracked and weathered. I felt like it was a necessity to ALWAYS be holding on to a railing and be ready for any piece of wood to give out. The observation deck is in pretty rough shape, but I'm suprized how many of the glass windows are still in tacked. However, they are so dirty that the views through them are terrible. However, the windows can still be propped open as seen in the picture on post #11.

Given the condition of the metal, it seems a shame that efforts might not be made to preserve the tower. It seems like all it needs if a few pieces of metal added/repaired and some new wood and the tower would be safe for many more years. Seems like a small expense when I think of the money being spent to repave many of the roads in the park at the moment.

[Jeff]

Whippersnap, a 2010 thruhiker used his hike to bring attention to Shuckstack and received contributions to save it:

http://peterontheat.com/save-shuckstack/

[moytoy]

The first time I was at the Shuckstack was in 1960. I don't recall if it was in use or not. We didn't go to the top so I am inclined to believe it was still in use.