17 year old son robbed at Roan Mt Shelter

[DamnYankee]

what's a 17 year old doin' without an adult parent or guardian with him? there's certain hostels i wouldn't let a young man like that visit

There is absolutely no reason why a 17y/o wouldn't or shouldn't be able to hike the trail, the young mans age I'm sure had nothing to do with the thieves proclivities for theft. I hope that the young man he is okay and is managing until he gets his pack and gear back. If a 17y/o can join the Army and die he or she can certainly hike the trail.

[ChinMusic]

so wait a minute - you guys are saying that maybe this whole story was b.s.? Or are you saying someone set the kid up? I don't get it?

This is the internet. It is possible that the kid does not exist. It could be a legit sad story or it might be a fabrication from a troll. I'm leaning toward troll but could well be wrong. We just don't know at this point. It wouldn't be the first time we have been messed with.

[Papa D]

wow - good point Chin Music - a wise card player once said, "if you are sitting at the poker table and can't figure out who the mark is, it's you"

[weary]

so wait a minute - you guys are saying that maybe this whole story was b.s.? Or are you saying someone set the kid up? I don't get it?

They're just know it all cynics, wildly guessing.

[Blue Jay]

so wait a minute - you guys are saying that maybe this whole story was b.s.? Or are you saying someone set the kid up? I don't get it?

No, it might be BS. I trust what people say on the trail, in person, FAR more than here.

[WingedMonkey]

The people who live in rural areas have been largely disenfranchised due to education and jobs being moved to bigger cities - usually, unfortunately, along with the smarter members of their community. Therefore, there is a small contingent of less than smart "locals" in these rural areas that hang-out and sometimes "party" at shelters or near roads that the trail crosses. These are what one might consider an "opportunistic redneck thief" - he or she is a poorly educated local dumb-dumb with a few beers in them maybe.

Not to be confused with the educated, well bred, well employed city hikers that get drunk and party on Trail Days or trash The Place and party there until thrown out.

[Praha4]

having stayed at Roan Mtn Shelter myself last June, I recall the springs being downhill behind the shelter, and slipping and sliding down some slick mud, rocks and tree roots in my climb down to the springs. The story is quite believable if the young man left his backpack at the shelter, as he climbed down the hill to get water. The climb down and back, as well as time required to get water was more than 20 minutes for me. It's enuff time for thieves to walk up on the shelter, see a pack there, and possibly assume the hiker perhaps abandoned his gear there. who knows? I left my pack at Roan Mtn shelter, I was the only hiker there at the time, climbed down to get water, and when I got back up, it was still there. The young man in this story was not so lucky. It's a fact that in today's tough economy, we will see more of these kind of stories, there are thieves out there, even on the AT.

keep us posted, we hope the young man recovers his lost gear. It's a lesson for other hikers to be vigilant on the trail. I would say 99% of the hikers you meet ont he AT are honest, friendly folks. But there's always one bad apple out there who can do something like this.

[10-K]

I hiked up to Hogback Ridge shelter last winter and there were a bunch of hikers sitting at the shelter talking. The water source for this shelter is about .2 of a mile from the shelter and as I headed off to fill up my bottles I put on my pack and one of the guys said I was crazy for wearing my pack when I could just leave it there...

I told him what would be even crazier would be leaving all my gear with a bunch of people I didn't know....

[vamelungeon]

Exactly! A good attitude to have if you're like me and can't easily justify the $$$ to replace all that stuff if it gets stolen.

[rjjones]

Seems to me if he carried his pack down to the water,things could have been different.He hiked 10-20 miles to get to the shelter but couldnt carry the pack down to the water?Ive seen guys post on this board how your pack is your life on the trail.Guess there right.Lesson learned.

[RGB]

You'll hear some BS on the trail - for example, let's say I've hiked 100 miles and someone comes up from behind me and tells me that they are "thru-hiking" - hmm, that means that they caught me (but wait, they don't look to be in particularly good shape) and maybe they are clean shaved - this means that either they are really fast or got off in a town to shower and shave but then I notice that their camping methods are not "thru-hiker like" and they don't seem to know much about the trail - all of a sudden, I realize that this person is lying to me - why? This is when I might say, "wow, I'm really behind schedule - think I'll hike another couple of hours this evening," or whatever - and get out of there. Be careful though not to actually "throw the flag of doubtage" at someone - you don't want to piss off some weird person - just be nice and move along. One time I came upon a tent that had obviously been empty for several days (this was on another trail) -- I peeked inside and it was filled with porno magazines and enough canned food to live for weeks - super weird - I reported this to a park ranger. This sort of thing weirds me out much more than just a down and out quasi - homeless type guy sleeping in shelters - I've see lots of this sort of person - these types are a little more benign, usually.

That is weird! It's a strange world full of strangers.

[earlyriser26]

yea, everybody told the man his son would not have any problems.

Panzer

I, and most others, said he would unlikely have any problems based on his age. I don't know why he would have been a more likely target than someone older, like myself (55). He went to get water and someone took his stuff.

[Papa D]

Allright you people - maybe this is all b.s. or maybe this 17 year old kid did have his stuff stolen while going to get water - I suppose that in the end it doesn't really matter - as wise people have said, his age doesn't really matter - there are 17 year olds far more capable that many 27 or 37 year olds BUT I have to call BS on all you people that say once you get to a shelter you always take your whole pack with you to pump water. During the day, if I'm near water, sure, my pack is with me but if I have to blue blaze more that about .2, I almost always grab my aqua-mira and my bottles, stash my pack behind a rock or something and go. At shelters, unless my radar has alerted me to someone strange, I typically leave my pack while going to get water. I've never really seen someone stash their pack while at a shelter so I think some of you guys may be embellishing your practices - no big deal - my sh&t doesn't stink on this site either.

[ChinMusic]

I do agree with 10K on the pack issue. I would not leave my pack if things didn't feel right, especially if we are anywhere NEAR a road. I would not expect a newbie to have these instincts whether they be 17 or 57.

[mrc237]

just another example of southern hospitality

[jbwood5]

Allright you people - maybe this is all b.s. or maybe this 17 year old kid did have his stuff stolen while going to get water - I suppose that in the end it doesn't really matter - as wise people have said, his age doesn't really matter - there are 17 year olds far more capable that many 27 or 37 year olds BUT I have to call BS on all you people that say once you get to a shelter you always take your whole pack with you to pump water. During the day, if I'm near water, sure, my pack is with me but if I have to blue blaze more that about .2, I almost always grab my aqua-mira and my bottles, stash my pack behind a rock or something and go. At shelters, unless my radar has alerted me to someone strange, I typically leave my pack while going to get water. I've never really seen someone stash their pack while at a shelter so I think some of you guys may be embellishing your practices - no big deal - my sh&t doesn't stink on this site either.

I did even worst than that. When I was at Mt Algo shelter, I left my pack in the shelter and hiked down to Kent for supplies and supper. I was gone for near 3 hours and when I came back, my pack was just where I left it.

I guess I better re-think that one.
It is easy to be too trusting while being away from the real world for so long.

[Papa D]

yep - the sketchiest people are definitely in the south (and I live here) -- I also recall some real sketchy sorts in Pennsylvania (maybe that's just random)

[10-K]

Allright you people - maybe this is all b.s. or maybe this 17 year old kid did have his stuff stolen while going to get water - I suppose that in the end it doesn't really matter - as wise people have said, his age doesn't really matter - there are 17 year olds far more capable that many 27 or 37 year olds BUT I have to call BS on all you people that say once you get to a shelter you always take your whole pack with you to pump water. During the day, if I'm near water, sure, my pack is with me but if I have to blue blaze more that about .2, I almost always grab my aqua-mira and my bottles, stash my pack behind a rock or something and go. At shelters, unless my radar has alerted me to someone strange, I typically leave my pack while going to get water. I've never really seen someone stash their pack while at a shelter so I think some of you guys may be embellishing your practices - no big deal - my sh&t doesn't stink on this site either.

I will stash my pack if no one is around, definitely. I'll even stash it to walk a few miles or for an hour or 2 to get to a store or town.

If I've been at a shelter for a while and have a feel for the occupants I'll generally leave my pack.

But, if I walk up to a shelter as I did at Hogback Ridge and get water first thing before I really get the "lay of the land" the pack goes with me.

Also, I don't care if Jesus, Joseph and Mary are there - my cash, credit cards, phone, and DL go with me.

[Papa D]

Mt. Algo huh - I was just there a few months ago in the snow. I would say that Kent CT would definitely NOT be considered anywhere as close to as sketchy as a place like Irwin, TN - if you make less than a million dollars a year, you are basically homeless in Kent. The homeless people drink champagne and eat Brie. Seriously, did you go to the Fife and Drum Restaurant - neat piano bar there - old school.

[10-K]

Mt. Algo huh - I was just there a few months ago in the snow. I would say that Kent CT would definitely NOT be considered anywhere as close to as sketchy as a place like Irwin, TN - if you make less than a million dollars a year, you are basically homeless in Kent. The homeless people drink champagne and eat Brie. Seriously, did you go to the Fife and Drum Restaurant - neat piano bar there - old school.

Erwin... with an "E"...

And we're not sketchy.