Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Riga Lean-to

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

Future hikers - any questions?

AWSOME sunrises!:D

I just spent a night at the Riga Lean-to based on Dan Bowen's description. I was not disappointed. Even the 26 boy scouts camped behind the shelter did not dampen my enthusiasm. This place is incredible. Just roll over in your sleeping bag, open your eyes, and enjoy the sunrise.

Thats one of my favorate places to be in the world.My very first backpacking trip was in that area.I was 14. MT Everett to Salisbury.I try to hike that spot every year .It brings back great memories.Glad you enjoyed your time there.

Slept at Riga on Sunday night... the sunrises are just incredible. I definitely will be heading back there again. Lean-to was in great shape and a trail maintenance crew came in while I was there and spruced up the campsites.

This was my favorite lean-to ... definitely worth stopping here!

-- Ivy

Stopped by to check out this lean-to on a day hike, found it in great shape, nearby stream running fine, great tent sites and a pivy. I thought the privy is a little too close to the tent sites, but otherwise a nice destination. The view must be spectacular at sunrise.

The A.T. Companion used to call this shelter , "the only shelter in Conn. with a view." It should not be missed. There is a brook that runs directly behind the shelter. I woke up to a bright sun and a valley full of fog and clouds. I LOVE being above the clouds! I also "yogi-ed" some oatmeal, some cereal, and a couple of those expensive freeze-dried meals off of two college girls. Hey, hey, hey Boo-boo!

Bears have been reported starting last Fall and as recently as this past weekend.

Excellent shelter, good water, and plenty of campsites if you're looking to spend the night in your tent. Interesting observation: People expect this shelter to be full, and many hikers pass it for this reason.

Labor Day Weekend--very poor water here. Stream was dry. Spring was barely a trickle. less than 1 mile north two other campsites with good water--Brassie Brook and Ball brook. But, it was indeed a beautiful sunrise.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/8464/size/big/sort/1/cat/500


Bears have been seen recently, but we didn't see any. Bugs weren't bad--except for the underground white-faced hornets nest just under the right-front corner posts (when facing the shelter).

In addition to the sunrises, spectacular moon rises.

There is now a bear box on the approach trail to the shelter. I have no clue how long it has been there.

They put in the bear boxes on the northern end of the CT-AT over the spring-summer of 2006. There have been increasing numbers of sightings over the 2005-6 year on the northern end.

Jane in CT

It's nice to hear positive feed back on the Riga Shelter and really the whole Sages/Bear Mt. area. Its also a great place durring storms. It's a busy place with lots of folks young and old. We work hard here trying to improve the trail so all trail users have great experiences. As far as the bears go just use LNT ethics and boxes or hang you're stuff, make some trail noise when you walk thru the thick Mt, Laurals and should be good

Anybody have a photo of the shelter to share ?? I remember it from my 2003 thru but can't form a picture in my mind. Good old Mt Everest (Everett) had me huffin and a puffin.

'Slogger

In 2000 I spent 2 hours watching the moon rise while sitting in Riga Shelter. I was severely injured and thought it was my last night on the trail. At the time, I wrote in my journal that maybe it would be okay if my hike ended at Riga. It was that amazing.

Anybody have a photo of the shelter to share ?? I remember it from my 2003 thru but can't form a picture in my mind. Good old Mt Everest (Everett) had me huffin and a puffin.

'Slogger

No picture but just imagine an old style shelter on an overlook to forever.

No picture of the shelter, but here is a picture of a moon rise from there taken two weeks ago.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2869167020059080059ZfKzPh

The pic b4 it in my Webshots is of the inside of the shelter.

P.S. Captain, nice name...

No picture of the shelter, but here is a picture of a moon rise from there taken two weeks ago.


Yeah, it was like that, only longer and about six more colors-worth. Riga rocks.

No, seriously.

K-Man your webshots photos of your Appalachian Trail Hike NY/CT Border to Lee, Mass are excellent. Thanks for sharing them.

What camera did you use?

K-Man your webshots photos of your Appalachian Trail Hike NY/CT Border to Lee, Mass are excellent. Thanks for sharing them.

What camera did you use?

Thanks!! On that trip I used a Kodak Z650. I usually use a Canon A95, but it recently broke so I borrowed this from my parents. It took a little getting used to, but I was pleased with the results. I didn't like the lens cap which kept falling off in my fanny pack and the auto mode tended to overexpose my pics. For that moon picture I used a mini tri-pod and set the exposure to about 3 seconds.

Anybody have a photo of the shelter to share ?? I remember it from my 2003 thru but can't form a picture in my mind. Good old Mt Everest (Everett) had me huffin and a puffin.

'Slogger
I stayed here in early Sept. 2006. It's worth planning your mileage to stay here.

The maps are wrong. According to the AT map, Riga lean-to is about 200 feet down from the AT and maybe .3 or .4 off the trail. This is a bold faced lie! The shelter is at the same elevation as the AT and only .1 off the trail. Great sunrise views too.