1976 Map of Luftee Knob

About this map

Luftee Knob and the surrounding high ridges of the Great Smoky Mountains define this orthophotoquad, which uses rectified aerial imagery to showcase the dense forest canopy of western North Carolina in the mid-1970s. This specific type of survey provides a unique visual record of the land surface, revealing the intricate drainage patterns feeding into Big Creek and the sharp relief of Mount Sterling Ridge. Because it is based on 1976 photography, it captures the vegetation and land cover precisely as it existed before modern shifts in forest composition. Significant topographic landmarks like Big Cataloochee Mountain and Balsam Mountain dominate the southern portion of the sheet, while the northern extent reaches into the heights of Camel Hump Mtn.