Where to cook at shelters?

[P-Train]

Finally going to do my first section hike through GSMNP (70+ miles, 7 days) this summer. Six nights in six shelters.

Obviously not going to cook at the shelters because of the plentiful bear population. What is the protocol for distance? Do I just go down the trail and cook? Walk into the woods and find a spot?

What about making coffee in the morning? That doesn't sound like a big deal.

Thanks.

[Moose2001]

If you don't cook at the shelters, you'll be the only one who doesn't!

[P-Train]

I thought cooking where you sleep was frowned upon. That's just what I've always read. I'd rather cook at the shelter!

[Pedaling Fool]

No, almost everyone cooks where they camp. Probably thinking about grizzly country.

[Northern Lights]

I thought cooking where you sleep was frowned upon. That's just what I've always read. I'd rather cook at the shelter!

Everything you read will tell you not to cook where you sleep, but I found everyone did on my section hike. I did not see one person trek into the woods to cook and no bear activity in our shelters. I think you'll be fine.

[Lyle]

Virtually all of the shelters have a picnic table right in front of the shelter for cooking. Most of the new or recently remodeled shelters have built-in tables and benches underneath the roof overhang for cooking. It is considered bad form to cook right on the sleeping platform, but even that is a common practice in miserable weather or really crowded conditions.

[Lyle]

OH, forgot to say: Have a GREAT hike and have fun!!!!

[P-Train]

Thanks all.

[lemon b]

On a flat area.

[clsvideo]

I know Yellowstone actually has a cooking area set up a certain distance away from all campsites in the back country. So, I know for sure in Grizzly country you don't want to do it. I personally don't cook where I sleep unless I'm in Florida.

[Tipi Walter]

What shelters?

[P-Train]

What shelters?

Mollies Ridge
Spence Field
Derrick Knob
Double Spring
Mount Collins
Icewater Spring

I've been to Spence Field shelter over the summer when I did a 2.9 of the AT and looped back down to Cades Cove.

Have you been to these?

Go Vols!

[Papa D]

Tipi is making a funny because he is super big into tenting (in his big Hilleberg Tents) - he's sometimes like a pack mule but camps comfortably:

seriously, back to cooking - it's fine to cook in the shelters - just do be careful not to spill food in the shelters - the mice don't need extra encouragement

[Tinker]

Tipi is making a funny because he is super big into tenting (in his big Hilleberg Tents) - he's sometimes like a pack mule but camps comfortably:

seriously, back to cooking - it's fine to cook in the shelters - just do be careful not to spill food in the shelters - the mice don't need extra encouragement

Up north, porcupines will chew the shelter floors near the outer edge of the sleeping platform to get salt, either from spilled food or sweat soaked into the wood. I noticed that several of the shelters in the Hundred Mile Wilderness have cooking shelves under the eaves on the sides or back of the outside of the shelter. Seems like a good idea, especially since a lot of hikers who don't sleep in shelters often use them to cook in (or near).

[Maple_Sky]

Most of the shelters in the Smokies have a bench and a high "table" running across the front of the shelter, which is what I used to cook on. I would say, out of courtesy, don't bring any food or drink other than water on to the sleeping platform. This summer, I had a guy spill a sugary Bailey's and coffee drink on my sleeping bag that he was drinking on the platform above me. It was not cool.


That said, even though most people are trained not to eat near where you sleep, most people I have encountered out there find it acceptable to cook around the shelter on the benches provided for cooking. Among hikers, the attitudes about keeping "smellables" out of the shelter range from "meh" to crazy strict... I stayed at a shelter with one guy who was an Army Ranger and used his food bag as a pillow, because he said if anything tried to get his food in the night, he would just "defend" his food. And there were great thuds and cursing in the night as the shelter mice breached his defenses... hahaha


On the strict side, in the Smokies this summer I was stopped at a shelter for my afternoon "cocktail" (3 ibuprofren and a cup of coffee) and was sitting on the inside bench at the table at the front of the shelter, having nice chat with some other hikers about native plants. Up walks a woman who is a paid guide for REI... she loudly proclaims that pack hangers attract bears, and cuts all the pack hangers down, even after I told her I was pretty sure the ATC sweat crew that was camped there was using them. She then announces to the women she's leading that it's ok to cook at the outside bench in front of the shelter, but not at the inside bench (which is maybe 2 feet closer to the shelter than the other bench). Since I was heating my coffee water on the "forbidden" bench, she directed her attention to me, and started giving me a lecture on Leave No Trace. I just laughed, packed up, and moved on, but I felt sorry for all the people who had to stay at the shelter that night and get "educated."


Sorry if this is too long, I have a story for everything! Just cook on the bench out front or by the firepit on a flat rock and you're fine--have a great hike!

[P-Train]

Awesome. Thanks all.

[Papa D]

Funny story about the "REI Guide" - sounds like she has gone out for a few weekends, read some nonsense and talked to some know-nothings in her store, collected a bunch of shiny gear and "declared herself" an expert.

[Jefe]

... Up walks a woman who is a paid guide for REI... she loudly proclaims that pack hangers attract bears, and cuts all the pack hangers down, even after I told her I was pretty sure the ATC sweat crew that was camped there was using them. She then announces to the women she's leading that it's ok to cook at the outside bench in front of the shelter, but not at the inside bench (which is maybe 2 feet closer to the shelter than the other bench). Since I was heating my coffee water on the "forbidden" bench, she directed her attention to me, and started giving me a lecture on Leave No Trace. I just laughed, packed up, and moved on, but I felt sorry for all the people who had to stay at the shelter that night and get "educated."

These type of people irk me to no end. I like to compare the LNT inquisitions to Star Trek's "Prime Directive". We are a part of nature whether we think so or not. Just be a part of it...

[Papa D]

Leave No Trace is an important philosophy and I generally subscribe to it - it is a problem that it's general principles are being "taught" in such an empirical and self righteous way. These sort of people hurt the overall ideals that we need to clean-up after ourselves, bury our poop, not pollute streams and creeks, avoiding a lot of fire making, keeping quiet and staying on trails, and not messing up sensitive areas and vegetation - - - - cutting down pack hangers and being bossy about how someone cooks is absolute nonsense.

[rmitchell]

If you don't cook at the shelters, you'll be the only one who doesn't!

I think all of the shelters in the Smokies now have a covered picnic table and a cooking shelf on the side. In a week's time you will likely encounter a bear near a shelter. They know the routine. Do not leave anything unattended. Do make use of the bear cables.

That is a classic section hike.