There was a problem bear here in May of this year. Got some packs and food and was a general pest.
This, by the way, is the Siler Bald shelter south of Wesser Bald, not the one in the Smokys.

I was there in April 2002 and experenced the same problem bear.
The bear never did take our food or packs but did keep us up to around 1 AM. The problem in this area is that there is only 1 tree that is close to the shelter that everybody uses to hang there food and the tree has only 1 branch that is close enough to the ground to use. We where lucky enough to have enough rope to tie off from the tree to the shelter. PLEASE BE CAREFULL @ THIS SHELTER.

Photo Link:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1194&papass=&sort=1

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=235&papass=&sort=1

There was a cable system in place for hanging food bags when I was there-- July, 2003.

Youngblood

Was there this week on a long section hike. Cables are in place, but someone had dumped orange peels, trash, and other food items in the fire pit. We removed as much as we could.

blade


Photo Link:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1194&papass=&sort=1

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=235&papass=&sort=1

There was a cable system in place for hanging food bags when I was there-- July, 2003.

Youngblood

I was there in April 2002 and experenced the same problem bear.
The bear never did take our food or packs but did keep us up to around 1 AM. The problem in this area is that there is only 1 tree that is close to the shelter that everybody uses to hang there food and the tree has only 1 branch that is close enough to the ground to use. We where lucky enough to have enough rope to tie off from the tree to the shelter. PLEASE BE CAREFULL @ THIS SHELTER.

And that 's how Smoky errrrrrrrrrrrr Bearmagnet got his name........from that trip.
William the bard and the TarHeel agree.

Thanks for the heads up, I'm going to be through there in the next few weeks. Just to confirm this is the one north of 64 , Franklin NC, before the smokeys? I'm going for NOC from 64....I aint sared!!!..woof woof!! to the big bad bear...

Thanks for the heads up, I'm going to be through there in the next few weeks. Just to confirm this is the one north of 64 , Franklin NC, before the smokeys? I'm going for NOC from 64....I aint sared!!!..woof woof!! to the big bad bear...Yeah, this is Siler Bald Shelter that is 110 miles north of Springer... the one in the Smokies is Silers Bald Shelter and it is 191 miles north of Springer.

I camped there last week on a very snowy cold night. The problem bear reportedly was shot recently by a hunter.

Very good flow from the spring, best water between Dick's Creek and Fontana as most sources are either a trickle or have dried up.

my youngest son spent the night there in july 2001:cool: neo

Very good flow from the spring, best water between Dick's Creek and Fontana as most sources are either a trickle or have dried up.
Anybody got a GA water report? I walked the Georgia section a couple of months ago, and the water was spotty. Lots of salamanders, lol.

It was pretty dry from Woods Hole on North. Faster water, like 5 forks in the South and Hiawassee Springs up at Unicoi were fine, but Wolf Laurel Top, Woods Hole and lots of the other small springs were just barely trickling. Hopefully the recent rain has helped some.

I'm leaving next weekend to gather mapping data from Amicalola to Bly Gap, and hopefully a lot of the side trails. What I don't finish before Christmas, I'll do from Christmas to New Year's. Map-hiking is slower, as you only walk when the satellite situation is really good. Sometimes at times of day that most people don't walk at all. :)

About a month ago, Almost There, Skipster and Generol and I did Unicoi to Dicks Creek Gap. We had been warned of poor water conditions, but weren't all that impressed with the situation as we found it. There were a couple of campsites/gaps that required a walk downhill a few hundred yards for water, but generally the flow was substantial and easy for Nalgene without a dipping cup. I think one could do very well carrying 2 liters and only need to refill about every other water hole.

About a month ago, Almost There, Skipster and Generol and I did Unicoi to Dicks Creek Gap. We had been warned of poor water conditions, but weren't all that impressed with the situation as we found it. There were a couple of campsites/gaps that required a walk downhill a few hundred yards for water, but generally the flow was substantial and easy for Nalgene without a dipping cup. I think one could do very well carrying 2 liters and only need to refill about every other water hole.
Thanks. Last time that I went, Neel's Gap to Low Gap was the worst, but we've had a little rain since then. Either way, I'm gonna go have some fun and grab some good data.

Any recent info on this shelter? What is the area around it like for tenting?

Skip the shelter and camp on the summit of Siler Bald.

Any recent info on this shelter? What is the area around it like for tenting?
Nice big field to tent in.

There was a problem bear here in May of this year. Got some packs and food and was a general pest.
This, by the way, is the Siler Bald shelter south of Wesser Bald, not the one in the Smokys.I heard the local McMahan boys poisoned that bear on grain.;)

Was up there in Oct. Tented just off the old road next to the bald. Listened to a couple of hounds baying for over an hour. They worked there way up the mountain, passed within a 100 yds of our camp and worked their way down the other side. Never did here them put the bear up.
Saw Bear hunters all that week hiking the Foothills Trail so I assume they were hunting bear in NC too.
The water was flowing good at the shelter but what a bitch hauling it to the camp. The shelter like most looked nasty.

It's a very old shelter...tent out in the grassy field.

Was up there in Oct. Tented just off the old road next to the bald. Listened to a couple of hounds baying for over an hour. They worked there way up the mountain, passed within a 100 yds of our camp and worked their way down the other side. Never did here them put the bear up.
Saw Bear hunters all that week hiking the Foothills Trail so I assume they were hunting bear in NC too.
The water was flowing good at the shelter but what a bitch hauling it to the camp. The shelter like most looked nasty.That big one they poisoned was on grain.It was 180 grain shot out of a 308 Remington.-

Good one Ron. Lead poisoning.

It's a very old shelter...tent out in the grassy field.

That little grassy field next to the shelter was not a level place. I guess you could set up at the bottom of it but in a big rain.....
Went up close to the bald and camped in the woods out of the wind. Lots of fire wood along there but no water. Save yourself a trip, go to the shelter area and get it on the way up.

The shelter is a little worn but not as bad as others I've seen. There's a decent camping spot in front of the shelter on top of a grassy mound next to the woods. Only problem I had was the mice running around and over the tent while I tried to sleep. Other than that, there really isn't a lot of tenting available. There is a bear cable located behind the shelter but it is need of repair. Didn't have issues with bears that night.