Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Wood's Hole Shelter

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

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Nice and newer of the GA shelters. Single level and sleeps about 6-7 hikers comfortable. Overhang roof on bed of gravel in front of shelter with picnic tables. Shelves on outer frame of shelter.
Water source is about 3/4 of the way from the trail to the shelter and it "iffy". This is the last shelter northbound before Blood Mountain and there is no water on Blood. So, either get some before you get to Woods Hole or take your chances.
In 2001 the forest service installed a new bear cable out in front of the shelter because of some bear "incidents". Have personally never seen a bear there but wouldn't take any chances hanging food inside the shelter with that history.

Toot's advice re. water availability at Woodshole is 100% correct.

About halfway up Blood Mountain is Slaughter Gap. I camped there about 2 years ago and there was a good spring there. It's only about 50 yards off of the trail, but I really don't remember that there were blue blazes to it. I just looked in the Data Book and it does show both camping and water at Slaughter Gap. There were a lot of backpackers there, as it is a large area, with many tent sites.

Scorpion

I seem to remember this shelter being about 1/3 mile or so from the trail. The water source was flowing very well-but so was every other source that day. The sign for the shelter was missing, and I know a lot of people almost passed it up. This shelter is well maintained and had nice construction. It is worth staying in over and over again.

-Squirrel

Was at Wood's Hole shelter today and noticed there was not a shelter register there. I didn't see anything that looked suitable to serve as a container for a register. How are registers placed at shelters? Rock on!

Usually in a big Ziplock bag.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=349&papass=&sort=1

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1875

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1297&papass=&sort=1

Another nice shelter in GA. This shelter was great ! With high winds on the night we spent there this shelter saved us from freezing to death. 5/3/04. Temp was 30 degrees at 6:30 am. Winds were about 25 to 30 mph. Had no mice problems. ;)

Woods Hole shelter now has bear cables and a privy. With all the rain we've had in GA this year (2004), the spring you pass on the way to the shelter is fully charged. However, this is not the last water before Blood Mtn. The AT has been rerouted and no longer passes through Slaughter Gap (due to severe over use, the gap is now closed to camping). There is a reliable spring right where the new trail section turns right to start the climb up to Blood Mtn. (the old trail section continued on a level route past the spring). About 200 yards above the spring are several new tent pads, just off trail - a nice spot amongst trees, facing Southwest with a view into Blood Mtn cove - usually something of a breeze here. In winter you can easily see Slaughter Mtn. to the N, which is only slightly shorter than Blood Mtn. If you want solitude, camp on the new pads (but not a good spot with strong N winds). If you prefer crowds, go on up to Blood Mtn. - always a crowd on weekends. The old CCC shelter there has a privy in the woods about 100 yds. N of the shelter, down in the woods E of the AT. Be forewarned that the entire Blood Mtn. Wilderness Area is a No Burn Zone, due to numerous forest fires over the years.

About halfway up Blood Mountain is Slaughter Gap. I camped there about 2 years ago and there was a good spring there. It's only about 50 yards off of the trail, but I really don't remember that there were blue blazes to it. I just looked in the Data Book and it does show both camping and water at Slaughter Gap. There were a lot of backpackers there, as it is a large area, with many tent sites.

Scorpion
Be advised that the AT has been rerouted to avoid Slaughter Gap, making the northbound ascent of Blood shorter (mercifully). Water & tent pads available at/near old intersection of AT & new Slaughter Gap trail on south side of Blood.:eek:

Spent last night, 9/14, at Woods Hole. Very nice shleter, great water supply and the privy was exceptional. This is the first shelter I have stayed at in 14 years. Probably will not stay at another hopefully in another 14 years. Even though the shelter is really nice, there were a couple of shelter mice that drove my nuts all night long. Wish I had brough a tent. For those that love shelters this one is great. Espically if it is raining.

Spent last night, 9/14, at Woods Hole. Very nice shleter, great water supply and the privy was exceptional. This is the first shelter I have stayed at in 14 years. Probably will not stay at another hopefully in another 14 years. Even though the shelter is really nice, there were a couple of shelter mice that drove my nuts all night long. Wish I had brough a tent. For those that love shelters this one is great. Espically if it is raining.

Be aware that the water supply isn't so great in dry years. Did you like the "window" on the privy? There used to be a patch of oregano growing right beside the privy, I've no idea who planted it or if it's still there, it's been awhile since I last looked.

Does anyone know if this shelter is still open? It is not listed in the GA-AT Club's trail description.:confused:

Peace,
Joe

It's open. New privy with no "window" as well.

Toot's advice re. water availability at Woodshole is 100% correct.
Yeah, this Autumn it was a tiny, tiny trickle. It was also full of baby salamanders!

Here's hoping that it looks better next week...

Why did I think Woods Hole was Ms Tillys place?

It is Tilly's place. The shelter was named to honor her place (also cause she might have donated the funds for the shelter?).

Too Tall Paul

O K Thanks TooTall

It is Tilly's place. The shelter was named to honor her place (also cause she might have donated the funds for the shelter?).

Too Tall Paul

Here's a photo of why the shelter is named in their honor.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/5757/size/big/cat//sort/1

Nice and newer of the GA shelters. Single level and sleeps about 6-7 hikers comfortable. Overhang roof on bed of gravel in front of shelter with picnic tables. Shelves on outer frame of shelter.
Water source is about 3/4 of the way from the trail to the shelter and it "iffy". This is the last shelter northbound before Blood Mountain and there is no water on Blood. So, either get some before you get to Woods Hole or take your chances.
In 2001 the forest service installed a new bear cable out in front of the shelter because of some bear "incidents". Have personally never seen a bear there but wouldn't take any chances hanging food inside the shelter with that history.

Shelter is still in great shape. There were six of us this night: Steve and Thorin (father and son), Rat Puke, Wild Boy (southern cousins, whoo yeah!), Fanny and me (MandoMan). There were no bear *or* mice. Amazing. I think Steve's snoring scared all life-forms away for miles except a lone hoot-owl that must've been curious about the competition!

Water: We were dismayed at the trickle crossing the trail that is supposed to be our water source. However, a little side trail leads south uphill a couple dozen yards to a hollowed out mini pool that collects plenty of water. There is even a nice rock seat for your filling pleasure, so don't let first appearances fool you. A lengthy dry spell could be a problem, however.

Stayed there 7-2-07. Water source was nil, but nice place to camp otherwise.

Stayed there in mid-June and found the spring dry. Heard what I thought was a bear at night "huffing" near the bear bags, but quiet and beautiful otherwise. No mice reported by those who stayed in the shelter (we tented beside the shelter). Very cool place, and a really nice fire pit with log seats cut out!

Are the mice that you have to assume inhabit this and every other shelter any less active in the cold weather, say late November?

They are more likely to vacate the shelters when there are fewer hikers. Extreme cold may keep em at bay, but not November in GA.

at this shelter i played Frisbee whit the resident bear,for hours, after i hang my food bag of course;) and on the actual path (blue blazed trail) to the shelter there is a active ground hornet(or yellow jacket) nest, i don`t know exactly because when i heard and saw 2 of them coming out of the ground hole... Speedy Gonzales had no $|-|iT on me.

Stayed there this weekend. Really nice shelter. Everything was clean and well kept, made the Blood Mountain shelter look bad. Then again, it is a lot newer.

Oh, did not notice any bear, mice, or yellowjackets in the area. And the weather got up into the high 50's that day.

Met Leprechaun there this past weekend. Nice shelter a bit off the trail 3/4mile or so. Water was there just had to dig down and make a damn to pump from. Only water we found was bw shelter and AT.

If its dry enough to make a fire in the ring, pack it in from the trailhead as it is picked clean around the shelter, not even grass to make a tender bundle with.

I could not tell from the shelter pictures if there are spots near the shelter for one to put a tent. Are there tent spots nearby?

thanks
homer_at

I could not tell from the shelter pictures if there are spots near the shelter for one to put a tent. Are there tent spots nearby?

thanks
homer_at


There is some flat ground for tents near the shelter.

I was just there today. There are tent sites. In fact, if flat is the only requirement, there's some large tent areas around the privy.

I can't believe someone removed the privy window. Boo! Too early in the season to tell if the oregano patch is still there.

Water was there just had to dig down and make a damn to pump from.

Water source was reliable up until the time they built the shelter. Then it bcame iffy. Karma?

Behind/below the shelter are some tent-able spots, as well.

BTW: Who would want to pitch near the privy??? Feh!

Conceriege service was awful!
No really. I had similar experience as Chip. 11/2008. 25deg with howling winds. Water froze in bladder and had to use three times the amount of alcohol to get dinner water boiling.

With all the rain/snow we have been receiving lately...anybody have a water report for this shelter? How about bears this season? Thanks. :)

Yes. There are bears. In fact it is pretty close to the closed section. Don't recall a water spot their but you are very close to neels gap- mountain crossings which has water.

I stayed here on 4/17/09 and had a bear come through camp and try to get up to the cables. The register had an entry stating that he had pulled down a food bag the night before from the outside cables. If you stay at wood's hole hang food from the center cable, otherwise the bear can climb up, reach out and snag your bag. Claw marks on the tree went almost as high as where the cable meets the tree. Great shelter, too bad these bears in the area have a taste for granola and freeze dried food. Oh, the water is flowing great.

One of the squirrels left me a present: three nuts inside my boots. How cute :)

Are the mice that you have to assume inhabit this and every other shelter any less active in the cold weather, say late November?


I have found the mice to be more active in cold weather. When I got into the PATC sections of the trail, I asked a maintainer if they gassed the mice, because their numbers had certainly diminished. He felt like the snakes coming out in warmer weather were responsible. Or maybe, I just stopped worrying about them.

litefoot 2000

My GF and I stayed at Wood's Hole shelter last Saturday (8/8/2009.) Although the shelter itself was clean and in good shape, the bear cables were in disrepair and we couldn't get within 20 feet of the privy because the stench was so bad. Mice weren't a problem in the shelter (we hang EVERYTHING) but they did get into my pack hanging on a bear cable. The water supply was dry but that not uncommon this time of year.

As a side note, a number of people reported seeing a bear roaming between Jared Gap and Slaughter Creek. I spoke to one couple who had a pack stolen by a bear at Jared Gap Saturday night. (They said they hung it well but the bear still got to it.)

correction: the couple gave the pack to the bear by trying to get fancy. keep it with you, it stays with you. tie it to a tree a hundred feet away, the bear will say thank you.

We stayed at Woods Hole last year, just my 2 sons and I. This was our first up close bear contact but no troubles. He/She just poked their head in to get a whiff about 1 or 2 in the a.m. We had our packsinside with us and after this started hanging them (for the most part)

Mice don't climb bear cables.

Placing the blame where it belongs, Georgia's flying squirrels don't climb cables either but they don't really need to.

Mice don't climb bear cables.

Placing the blame where it belongs, Georgia's flying squirrels don't climb cables either but they don't really need to.
That
That's what i was going to say. The flying squirrils are doing some damage this year

I stand corrected. The funny thing is we swore we saw I flying squirrel near the shelter that night...