Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Wiley Shelter

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

Future hikers - any questions?

I was there in June 2002. The water supply was low but adequate. The shelter is dark inside as the opening is smaller than the width of the shelter. There is a large stone fireplace just outside the shelter. The most interesting part of this shelter is the maintainer who visits a couple times every day and has been doing it for 16 years. He's left a supply of buckets, pots, rakes, grills, etc. There's even a mailbox containing backpacker mags! Some nice tent sites nearby. The privy could use a window.

Stopped by for a lunch break on March 14, 2004
Things have not changed since DebW's report. Shelter maintainer still checking in a couple times a day.
Makes night time checks around 11 pm sometimes! He does do a great job. Shelter area in very good shape, plenty of tenting areas and picnic tables. Even a tenting platform.The privy does need a window
Water source was tagged be sure to treat.


Happy Hiking

2XL

I stayed at Wiley Shelter on a southbound section hikeone winter. I arrived in the evening. Someone has stuck THOUSANDS of those little reflective dots on the trees around the shelter, so if you approach the shelter at night from the north, your headlamp will shine on these things...being winter, I was alone and it spooked the snot out of me! Looked like millions of critter eyes! (Having seen a set of bear eyes starring at me a mile previous on the trail probably helped that jittery feeling along!)

Overnighted at this shelter, having hiked in a longish day after a late start from Morgan Stewart Shelter. The reflectors were of some use in following the trail by headlamp. No mouse preventers or other foodhangers were evident, but neither did they prove to be needed. Overnight temps were approx 0 d F, according to the provided thermometers. The handpump didn't seem to be functioning, but the boxed spring beside it was flowing vigorously, so it didn't matter anyway. Over all a pleasant cold winter night. A supply of Coleman fluid was discovered under the shelter, so we took a little as our supply was low.

The hike out the next day took us from 11 am to about 2 pm northbound to reach Bull's Bridge. The Housatonic was rampaging whitewater choked with surface ice.

Walt

I was there overnight in Sept. 04, I tarped on the tent platform. I was serenaded first by great horned owls and then by coyotes up on the ridge. It was beautiful.

Wiley is the first AT shelter I ever stayed at. It's nicely laid out, the pump being a few hundred feet North and creating a lot of traffic throughout the sight. There's also LOTS of open tent space. I stayed there a night in early August '06 while out for the weekend. There was a "grand confluence" of NOBO's and SOBO's, which was fun to observe. Plenty of room for all of us between the shelter and the plentiful tenting sights. The bummer is that you can hear the traffic on a nearby road.

nice place to stop in after conn. ... it's got a fire pit! yippee! (ct doesn't allow fires.)

but the lean-to and the grounds need some attention. pump broken. shelter run down. busted picnic tables. rain gutter bent so the rain all channels down right in front of the shelter. that kind of thing. a good work party could do nice things there in a day.

on the other hand, someone did leave a badminton set behind ...

I spent the night there last Saturday (5/10). It has a nice privy, and a good pump. Everything appeared in good shape, including what looks like a brand spanking new bench. It is located very near a local road with some traffic noise, though I didn't see any signs of the locals abusing the place. The hike from Hurd Corners into the shelter was decent enough. It's 6 miles through the Pawling Nature Reserve, with lots of water and solitude, though no scenic vistas to speak of during the walk.

:( I understand Bob Woodin, the shelter maintainer, did himself in a year ago.

:( I understand Bob Woodin, the shelter maintainer, did himself in a year ago.

I hadn't heard that but will be out with another AT supervisor on Friday and will try to find out if this is currently being maintained or not.

I did find out that he has passed but some relative of his is now the maintainer.

at the shelter today.
pump working, clean privy, nice new-looking picnic table.
there was a lot of junk at the site, old clothing, a jacket, about 10 various pots and pans, 6 1L water bottles, a coffee mug etc...
packed out what i could but was limited in space so there is plenty left...

at the shelter today.
pump working, clean privy, nice new-looking picnic table.
there was a lot of junk at the site, old clothing, a jacket, about 10 various pots and pans, 6 1L water bottles, a coffee mug etc...
packed out what i could but was limited in space so there is plenty left...

Um, I think all the "junk" is always there (meaning the pots and pans and mug). part of the charm of that particular shelter.

A lot of that stuff has been there for years. I remember an old large percolator haning on the side of the shelter, there for years also.
I think the maintainer the recently passed, liked to have stuff around for just in case a hiker was in need.
That old maintainer was at that shelter a couple times a day and would usually stop by at midnight to check on it.

was there yesterday. sorry to say someone thought the picnic table looked like firewood and is now an ugly hulk in front of the shelter. pump works fine.

Are you saying that someone burned the picnic table? also I had heard that there was a blow down just north of the road crossing near the shelter did you notice this? I will pass the info along to the section coordinator.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fd2vj3z5SFk/SarR-5sq6SI/AAAAAAAAA5I/vH49uBm7f6U/s640/DSCN0086.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fd2vj3z5SFk/SarR7lc_afI/AAAAAAAAA44/dV4gLp3T6l8/s640/DSCN0088.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_fd2vj3z5SFk/SarR4xvlGNI/AAAAAAAAA4o/QVBuwD0nz6I/s640/DSCN0090.JPG

Looks like someone's stove got away from them.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_fd2vj3z5SFk/SarSDdt5iDI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/4Y3lZFjGiXo/s640/DSCN0092.JPG

Looks like someone's stove got away from them.

I have seen enough scouts burn a spot in a picnic table. It doesn't burn clean through. Besides, there is no lack of snow around to put it out.

Pictures were taken today. I neglected to take the pics of the asorted Bass Ale and Guiness Stout tossed around the woods. I didn't have a garbage bag with me, so I stacked the ones I found near a tent platform.

I usually only take pics of scenic vistas and the trail, but I thought I would give maintainers a heads up and others a view of what happens at shelters built too close to the road. This one is 0.2 miles off Duell Hollow Road near the NY/CT border.

Thanks I'll send the pic on to the NYNJ Trail conference. That was one of the new picnic tables. I tell you we may need to start a bail fund. This area of the trail is also where my car was broken into about 2 years ago. If I find these little bastards that keep doing this **** I swear to god they will learn how to crawl along the trail back to their cars with broken legs with me kicking them in the ass the whole time.

Cousin-in-law of mine remarked a week ago that they knew of some kids who 'go there to party' who go to the marvelwood school in Kent CT. Not sure they're the beer drinking crowd though. I'll ask some questions.

ive been there twice and i saw drop down the hill to ten mile river
its a short and easy trip to ten mile river . looks really dirty and trashed
and in 2007 there was a dead turkey in the cistern ..
i think kids party there from time to time or something

I parked at 55 on a section hike in October. When I got back to my car, a trooper was patrolling the parking area.

At least thats something...

More than likely he was just turning around as you are right at the state line.

Spoke with area supervisor. Sounds like the table was burnt sometime around New Years. They are aware of it and have plans for the table to be rebuilt. Thanks guys for letting me know about this so I could pass it on.

Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Wiley Shelter

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

Future hikers - any questions?

Ughhh....Wiley Shelter....

We had planned to stay there on our SOBO last year and arrived to a bunch of kids partying. They all ran to the shelter and claimed it so that we would not stay there (not that we wanted to after seeing/hearing them). They were all from the Bronx (And VERY obnoxious!) and had never been out in the woods but thought it would be "cool" and took the train to the AT then hiked up. We stealthed on pass the shelter up on Hammersley Ridge and passed all their discarded stuff along the way (suitcases, bags of food, tolietries, clothes). Their stuff was strung out all the way to the train station. A section hiker that passed by our camp the next morning said he had to deal with the partying all night, a girl crying, and another girl getting sick (from drinking too much). Ughhhh......

Ten mile river is the place to go ..the shelter is disgusting and should be removed IMHO....

I was just there last night and brought a load of od up as I thought that the hiker i met last night at the Telephone Pioneer Shelter might have been there. I figured a nice fire of dry wood after hiking in the rain all day may have been the right ticket. He wasn't there but two other hiker were.
Hill

The maintainer who covers from NY 55 south of Nuclear Lake to Depot Hill the dirt rd just north of the Morgan stewart Shelter was there. He was replacing the picnic table that was burnt this past Jan. While the shelter is one of the old ones it is looking fairly clean.

I was just there last night and brought a load of od up as I thought that the hiker i met last night at the Telephone Pioneer Shelter might have been there. I figured a nice fire of dry wood after hiking in the rain all day may have been the right ticket. He wasn't there but two other hiker were.
Hill

The maintainer who covers from NY 55 south of Nuclear Lake to Depot Hill the dirt rd just north of the Morgan stewart Shelter was there. He was replacing the picnic table that was burnt this past Jan. While the shelter is one of the old ones it is looking fairly clean.

fairly clean? what were you drinking?? :D

wiley is a pit

sasquatch2014 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=13750), im gonna be there on saturday, is there a fair amount of wood layin around?

Wiley was one of the shelters that I tented next to instead of sleeping in back in 2003. It's obviously seen better days. Any plans to replace it?

sasquatch2014 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=13750), im gonna be there on saturday, is there a fair amount of wood layin around?

unless someone carried it out in the last 3-4 weeks, there is a huge pile of logs and plenty of smaller stuff in the area. just don't burn the picnic table that was previously burned and then repaired.

unless someone carried it out in the last 3-4 weeks, there is a huge pile of logs and plenty of smaller stuff in the area. just don't burn the picnic table that was previously burned and then repaired.

forgot I posted a pic of the wood - #22 above... might be a little green yet, but I am sure you will have no problem building a fire.

if you are hiking into CT, on the other had, fires are prohibited along the AT and at campsites

fairly clean? what were you drinking?? :D

wiley is a pit

Now don't confuse dark, old, cluttered and run down for dirty. I guess I should have said that it was picked up and no trash other than the shelter itself.

sasquatch2014 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=13750), im gonna be there on saturday, is there a fair amount of wood layin around?

There is the stuff that was cut but it is all still very wet and very large to burn easily. You will need to hunt and peck it is pretty picked clean around there. I would think that if you went down from the tent areas over that steep hill you will find stuff most folks are too lazy to haul wood even 10ft up hill. They would rather haul it 1/4 mile down hill.

Picnic table fixed by AMC member. Site in good condition.

Excellent news to hear, many thanks to them

thats good they fixed it quickly

amazingly sad.

I understand that im a little young to be saying this but i have to get it out. Kids are selfish these days. I know im young to be saying that but i mean common do the kids really have to burn a picnic table. Is it fun or something

There is wisdom in youth sometimes OutwardBoundbackpack. Glad to see it is again fixed. Thanks to the trail maintainers and others who got it done.

lets just hope they dont burn it again

From the burn pattern and talking to the maintainer who was up there fixing it that day it almost looks like it was started accidently. One more case possibly of an alcohol stove getting away from someone. While it may have started that way it appears no attempt was made to put it out after it got going.

This time of year when shelters are not crowded up here I have seen a lot of folks cook in the shelter. Aside from the issue of bear activity the fact that your place where you plan to sleep now smells like a TV dinner for bears there is always the risk for fire. While the loss of a picnic table is an inconvenience to hike all day in cold wet conditions planning on a shelter to come to a pile or charred timbers would down right suck. Play it safe, Smokey the bear will appreciate it.

Started Accidentally?

Oh man, If I rolled my eyes any harder, I'da had an aneurysm.

Take a closer look at the pics of the burned table and look at the burn patterns and where it burned. If I were to burn a table I would light it from the bottom and let it burn up not start it on the flat top surface. Either way they did noting to put it out which then makes it purposeful.

Like they say. The most dangerous shelters are those closest to a road.

This shelter is a pit and the shelter should be torn down and replaced with tenting spots, maybe further from the road. Waste to maintain wooden structures near roads.

I must sadly agree, it's the least appealing shelter I've seen on this stretch of the AT.

I am not a big fan of this shelter myself. It does not help that it had been with out a maintainer for almost a full year. From what I heard recently the area supervisor has now found someone to do this and if not I know of someone else that will be willing to step up to the plate. It needs a bunch of work and has been neglected for a while. I hope that whoever takes on the task can make this thing really turn around. Maybe in the early spring we can do a work weekend there and get it looking better for next "season".

Ughhh....Wiley Shelter....

We had planned to stay there on our SOBO last year and arrived to a bunch of kids partying. They all ran to the shelter and claimed it so that we would not stay there (not that we wanted to after seeing/hearing them). They were all from the Bronx (And VERY obnoxious!) and had never been out in the woods but thought it would be "cool" and took the train to the AT then hiked up. We stealthed on pass the shelter up on Hammersley Ridge and passed all their discarded stuff along the way (suitcases, bags of food, tolietries, clothes). Their stuff was strung out all the way to the train station. A section hiker that passed by our camp the next morning said he had to deal with the partying all night, a girl crying, and another girl getting sick (from drinking too much). Ughhhh......

The idea that kids from the Bronx even KNOW about the AT, much less that they'll jump on the train (and the Fordham stop is 15 minutes closer to the AT than Grand Central) and hike 5.6 miles to get to it well, that just makes me glad the AT stop is only open on weekends. Though if they got from the Bronx to the AT, they might be clever enough to get to it from Pawling too.

Anyway, as of Tuesday (06 Oct 09) night the shelter was in good shape, the inside stayed dry in a pretty decent downpour and the fire enclosure is even closer to the shelter than at Telephone Pioneers (nice for getting a little bit of warmth off the fire on those chilly Fall nights).

If you're into fires and heading NOBO, this is your last chance to have one legal until MA.

There's a Ms. Susan Geisler who signs into the log as the volunteer supervisor. That's definitely the right last name, first name on an IIRC basis only.

It's really a pleasant spot. One possible improvement might be a sign to alert SOBO's of the path they want to take (a left turn in front of the fire enclosure). Some people miss the little white arrow pointing to the left on the fireplace and take a right, leading to the Thru-Hike to the Privy.

at the shelter today.
pump working, clean privy, nice new-looking picnic table.
there was a lot of junk at the site, old clothing, a jacket, about 10 various pots and pans, 6 1L water bottles, a coffee mug etc...
packed out what i could but was limited in space so there is plenty left...

one man's ceiling ...