Hands down ~ our worst night on the trail. It started with the rifle shots intermittantly from suppertime onwards to the local ATV riders who drove through the site until 2 am and then the truck that did donuts at 0400 was the final straw.
The trail shpuld be rerouted or somehow gated off to keep these yahoos out.
Gimp Ga-Me '03

Yeah ...and if I recall correctly, it's a pretty good little climb out of North Clarendon too.


'Slogger
AT 2003

I just cant believe you spent the night in that dump.

I'd like to seriously recommend folks don't stay there and circle this shelter with a big red marker in your planning books. It's right on a forest road and is a popular spot for partying, both for local teenagers and older folks. The shelter itself resembles the old smokies shelters, but even on the nicest days this place is a dump and dark and dirty. Garbage is all over the fire circle.

In 03' my friends stayed here while I treked it up to Cooper Lodge and they had not one but two unpleasant situations which resulted in a friend of mine having to confront 2 different groups of people. Needless to say it wasn't a very restful night.

I'd highly recommend pushing up to Cooper Lodge for great sunsets on Killington or pushing over to the newer Churchill Scott shelter. If you don't think you can make it over Killington, there are several good "stealth" sites south of Govt. Clement. In 04' I put up my hammock right along Gould Brook, which is a beautiful quiet place to stay the night.

Sounds like the Redneck Riviera.

I'd like to seriously recommend folks don't stay there and circle this shelter with a big red marker in your planning books. It's right on a forest road and is a popular spot for partying, both for local teenagers and older folks.

I believe that both Wingfoot and the ALDHA Companion give you fair warning about this shelter.

I'd like to seriously recommend folks don't stay there and circle this shelter with a big red marker in your planning books. It's right on a forest road and is a popular spot for partying, both for local teenagers and older folks.

Now if you're a teenager at heart or an older folk who likes to party, this shelter is one of the best on the AT. I've had absolutely great trail majic there. It is a Red Neck Riviera and the Yahoos are great. If you want to sleep there are over a thousand miles to the south and hundreds to the north.

I believe that both Wingfoot and the ALDHA Companion give you fair warning about this shelter.


Yes, they do. As well as The Long Trail Guide.

There is a new "secret shelter" just south of Gov. Clement. It sleeps 4-6, is on private property, has a good water source, and is beautifully built with beams taken from the trees they cleared. The privy was still a work in progress this past August, but is most likely done by now. There was even beer and soda in the stream. A sobo told us to look for the map in the ziplock on a tree. I'm not sure how known the place is now but there were several entries in the register. We signed in as Huff n Puff, Bug, and Pirate. It was one of the best nights we had on our LT hike!

I was lucky enough not to have any problems when I set up my tent near the shelter. Although I could tell that people partied there on a regular basis. And the burned out car on the forest road outside the shelter wasn't a good omen. If you're going north and can handle a 5 mile hike up Killington, then keep moving since there's a great (but drafty) shelter near the top with tenting platforms. I've heard many rumors about that secret shelter to the south, but I didn't see the ziploc bag with directions when I passed through last summer. My two cents: Governor clement shelter should be bulldozed and replaced by another away from that forest road.

The secret shelter IS awesome. There will probably be directions to it on the trail near the road/bridge crossing a mile or two before Governor Clement. As of this summer (2006) the privy was still not finished, if I recall.

The secret shelter IS awesome. There will probably be directions to it on the trail near the road/bridge crossing a mile or two before Governor Clement. As of this summer (2006) the privy was still not finished, if I recall.

Is there another "secret shelter"? The only one I know of is in NJ. Gov Clement is in VT.

We stayed there three years ago and I can truly say it ranks as one of the worst on the trail. When you first approach the shelter it does not look all that bad but a closer look reveals a mess. We would have moved on but a long day of hiking weakened our resolve to move on. The night there was wild with folks driving up all night,shining lights into the shelter etc. ,just not a re****l night. The shelter need to be relocated to avoid all the many forest roads that lead to this site. It would be a good idea to tent prior to or just beyond this shelter while on the trail in this area.

IIRC, Clarendon shelter is just a few miles south of Gov. Clements. GC has been a problem for years and years, from what I hear. It never fails: convenient access by road means trouble.

[quote=Gimp;73677]Hands down ~ our worst night on the trail. It started with the rifle shots intermittantly from suppertime onwards to the local ATV riders who drove through the site until 2 am and then the truck that did donuts at 0400 was the final straw.
The trail shpuld be rerouted or somehow gated off to keep these yahoos out.
Gimp Ga-Me '03[/quote

:D so vermont has rednecks huh:cool: neo

[quote=Gimp;73677]Hands down ~ our worst night on the trail. It started with the rifle shots intermittantly from suppertime onwards to the local ATV riders who drove through the site until 2 am and then the truck that did donuts at 0400 was the final straw.
The trail shpuld be rerouted or somehow gated off to keep these yahoos out.
Gimp Ga-Me '03[/quote

:D so vermont has rednecks huh:cool: neo

more so in northern vermont. i lived there for 10 winters. fine conservative folks

:D so vermont has rednecks huh:cool: neo

They seem to be drawn to mountains and remote places. ;)

Quote:
Originally Posted by neo http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=319258#post319258)
:D so vermont has rednecks huh:cool: neo



They seem to be drawn to mountains and remote places.

i would love to take on some rednecks from vermont,sounds like fun to me:cool: neo

Quote:
Originally Posted by neo http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=319258#post319258)
:D so vermont has rednecks huh:cool: neo





i would love to take on some rednecks from vermont,sounds like fun to me:cool: neo

whatcha mean "take on some rednecks"

whatcha mean "take on some rednecks"


:D kick their butts dude,i can be a bad a-- in the woods if i have to:cool: neo

Why did you stay there in the first place?

THE GMC comes right out and says that hikers should not stay there. The place is dumpy and very close to a road.

I do remember the secret shelter.. I took the detour as I heard there was a promise of cookies there! :)

They oughta really just tear the place down and clean it up.
DavidNH

more so in northern vermont. i lived there for 10 winters. fine conservative folks

They seem to prefer very liberal representatives, though. Leahy, Jeffords, Saunders.... :D

There is a new "secret shelter" just south of Gov. Clement. It sleeps 4-6, is on private property, has a good water source, and is beautifully built with beams taken from the trees they cleared. The privy was still a work in progress this past August, but is most likely done by now. There was even beer and soda in the stream. A sobo told us to look for the map in the ziplock on a tree. I'm not sure how known the place is now but there were several entries in the register. We signed in as Huff n Puff, Bug, and Pirate. It was one of the best nights we had on our LT hike!

The "Swan Song" secret shelter is great. Privy is still being worked on, but you can use it. Sleeps 6 comfortably, tent sites around, great water source. The dirt road is a little close and I believe a car woke me up a couple times. The caretaker stopped by.. she is an AT and PCT thru-hiker and used to be the caretaker for Blackburn.

There were directions to the shelter in a ziploc under a rock, just south of the road crossing before the road you actually turn on.

I had my ipod on while passing Gov' Clement in the morning. Just waved the locals hanging out there (it was July 4th). There were two pick-up trucks parked right there. Someone told me they were showing a revolver. The GMC caretaker for the area was alerted.

The latest GMC magazine says that a gate has been installed to close the roadway to the shelter up to 9/15. To keep the local partying down. Has anyone actually seen the gate and/or had better experiences there this year. Thanks, Mark S.

The latest GMC magazine says that a gate has been installed to close the roadway to the shelter up to 9/15. To keep the local partying down. Has anyone actually seen the gate and/or had better experiences there this year. Thanks, Mark S.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=40504&highlight=gate+shelter