FONTANA WEEKEND 2005

From the editor: Bruce Bente did a great job of organizing another Fontana Weekend. The meals were good, the hikes were interesting and novel and showed us a section of WNC we usually do not hike in as a club and the accommodations were very affordable. Thank you, Bruce!!

36 hikers enjoyed a weekend of hiking, canoeing and a boat trip in beautiful sunny early fall weather. 22 early arrivers hiked or explored the area, and went to supper together at the Fontana Inn restaurant on Friday evening. Saturday was spent on three different hikes, with some attendees canoeing or other activities. Saturday evening 28 hikers again enjoyed each other's company and jokes at supper. Sunday was spent by 17 people on a boat-and-history tour on Lake Fontana, with others hiking on their own. Nine of us finished the weekend with a good supper on the way home at the Jarrett House in Dillsboro.

HIKE REPORT

AT: YELLOW CREEK GAP TO FONTANA
Saturday 10-1-05

14 hikers, including two hikers visiting from California, enjoyed a moderate 7.8 mile woodlands hike on the AT from Yellow Creek Gap to Fontana Dam. The trail first climbed up to a ridge, followed the ridge line in open woods to our lunch spot at Walker Gap. After lunch, we did the long 2000' descent to NC 28, then a series of ups and down to the Fontana Hilton, one of the nicest shelters on the AT, with a great view of Lake Fontana. Then down to the dam and the visitor's center, where we waited while one car shuttled the drivers back to get the cars at Yellow Creek Gap.

Hike Report:

Saturday Oct. 1 - A.T. to Shuckstack and down Lakeshore Trail.

From the road past Fontana Dam, we took the A.T. 3.7 miles up to Shuckstack Tower. The trail, a moderate, well-maintained path, has occasional views of Fontana Lake. The A.T. goes left and a short spur trail on the right takes you to the tower. An old chimney and cistern is all that remains of the firewatcher’s cabin. We climbed the tower and you will understand why a road should not be built. We could see the mountains and creeks in jeopardy if the road is built. That road would need three bridges to go over major creeks, each the size of the Brooklyn Bridge.
We went back down to the junction with the A.T., followed it north (right) until its intersection with the Lost Cove Trail at Sassafras Gap. The Montvale Lumber Company, which built the original town of Fontana now under Fontana Lake, also constructed a railway spur up Lost Cove. This downhill trail has several water crossings. At the intersection with the Lake Shore Trail, we made a sharp right and started up toward Fontana Dam. Fontana Lake can only be seen sporadically from the trail. Within its 5.2 miles, the trail goes up and down and about halfway, it follows the old NC 288, the road that was flooded in 1943, the lifeline to people living in the area at the time. The road went past settlements and cemeteries. Several rusty car bodies lie to the right of the trail; one car is on its side, with a tree growing through its middle.

Carroll with the help of Charlie Ferguson identified the era of the cars.

Carroll said, "The first two old cars are (were) Fords between the years 1933 to 1936.  The third car with the tree growing through it and the starter button on the floor which I showed you was unidentifiable.  The third car was of the same era as the Fords but I'm certain that it was a Chyrsler product, probably a Plymouth which was the low end (working persons) car in the Chyrsler line."

With gas and tire rationing, men off to war and many women not able to drive, families left their cars behind when they moved out.

This is the area of the North Shore Road controversy. For all details, see http://www.northshoreroad.info

Lance Holland took us on a history walk in Proctor off Hazel Creek and then to a deserted mine.

He was a good, entertaining speaker.