Got a question for those of you that avoid shelters every night of doing the AT:

[Different Socks]

How do you ever get to know anyone?

When I did the trail in 1992, on the trail the shelters were the "meeting place" at the end of each day to talk with like minded others, find out next day plans, ideas for town stops, advice/help with gear and food, reading/signing the registers, etc. For my entire thru hike there was only a handful of people that only tented. Is this another one of those things that's changing with the times? Should we just accept the fact that the shelters will be slowly removed from the trail altogether?

Part of what makes the AT what it is, is the shelters!!

[10-K]

Judging from what I saw in Vermont these past few weeks I don't think that there are any shortages of people gathering at shelters so I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Every shelter I passed towards the end of the day from Maine Junction to MA had people gathered at it.

What really got my attention is how early in the day people were stopping hiking. Tents were going up before 5:00 PM.

[The Cleaner]

I guess when you hiked the web didn't have all the info it does now.Who needs info from hikers when you have a smartphone,ipad,SPOT,ipod or all kinds of other info.When I started doing long hikes in79' I always enjoyed meeting others and sharing tales&info....things change....back then I never got to a shelter with 30 hikers all around...

[Chaco Taco]

How do you ever get to know anyone?

When I did the trail in 1992, on the trail the shelters were the "meeting place" at the end of each day to talk with like minded others, find out next day plans, ideas for town stops, advice/help with gear and food, reading/signing the registers, etc. For my entire thru hike there was only a handful of people that only tented. Is this another one of those things that's changing with the times? Should we just accept the fact that the shelters will be slowly removed from the trail altogether?

Part of what makes the AT what it is, is the shelters!!

All of this can be done away from shelters as well

[Different Socks]

I guess when you hiked the web didn't have all the info it does now.Who needs info from hikers when you have a smartphone,ipad,SPOT,ipod or all kinds of other info.When I started doing long hikes in79' I always enjoyed meeting others and sharing tales&info....things change....back then I never got to a shelter with 30 hikers all around...

So you're saying it's easier for you to get current info on the trail, bugs, towns, weather, next water crossing/supply or just plain talking to others off your Iphone than to stay at a shelter and just do it there?

[tenlots]

When I first started sectioning, many people gathered at the shelters with tents and lots of people just sitting around chatting. The past few years and the further north we went, less and less people were gathered in the evening. Now that we are in Virginia, very few people are in the shelters and most are going on for 25 more miles....no resting, just seems like a race.

[MuddyWaters]

Shelters are still great places to congregate, eat, chat, meet others, fill up with water, etc.

They just suck for sleeping

Some like solitude as well in the woods. Makes it more "woodsy".

[The Cleaner]

So you're saying it's easier for you to get current info on the trail, bugs, towns, weather, next water crossing/supply or just plain talking to others off your Iphone than to stay at a shelter and just do it there?

Some info like water,bugs,mice activity you still need to get while hiking.Other info such as post office or re-supply & hostel conditions seems like you plan before you start a trip.I still meet hikers who've never heard of WB.I guess it depends on your personal preference as to where&when you find out current trail conditions.Seemed like shelter registers might have been more important in days gone by....

[garlic08]

I stopped at shelters for meals and the privy, then hiked on. It was nice to socialize for an hour or two, then sleep quietly in the woods. I got to meet all the people I wanted to that way. Towns were also a good place to socialize with other hikers.

I met some lifelong friends on the PCT and CDT, and there aren't any shelters on those trails.

[scree]

So you're saying it's easier for you to get current info on the trail, bugs, towns, weather, next water crossing/supply or just plain talking to others off your Iphone than to stay at a shelter and just do it there?

Are you afraid that if you hike again you won't be able to find people to talk to, or are you saying it's bad that people use technology to get information instead of having to talk to other people? I doubt you'll ever have much trouble finding people who'll want to talk all night, but if you just want the facts and a little quiet time you're a lot less dependent on word of mouth these days. When I section I mostly stick to myself. Has less to do with whatever technology I'm using and more to do with wanting some peace and quiet. I'm not out there to meet people or make friends, but if I happen to meet a few people I get along with it's always nice to bump into them from time to time.

[Praha4]

my experience on the AT was that many hikers still like to camp at the shelters for the reasons you stated: socializing, close to water, bear cables, shelter logbooks, etc. But there are many hikers who do not like camping near shelters for other reasons: too much noise, snoring, mice....and some prefer the solitude of camping away from the group.... some want to wake early and move out, don't want to worry about waking others in the early house... and some do not want to be involved in much of the "drama" on the trail, and when the shelter topics shift to politics or religion. but overall I see most shelters busy at nights.

[leaftye]

People on the other long trails meet just fine without shelters.

[Monkeywrench]

I camp at shelters often, just not in them.

[Papa D]

Muddy Waters and Garlic said it - - you hike to a shelter and hang out a bit, then hike on to a good tent spot or (if it's not too crowded) I often tent near the shelter when good sites are available.

[hikerboy57]

Shelters are still great places to congregate, eat, chat, meet others, fill up with water, etc.

They just suck for sleeping

Some like solitude as well in the woods. Makes it more "woodsy".

i agree.ill hang at a shelter to eat cook and bs,then go to my tent to sleep.

[garlic08]

How do you ever get to know anyone? ...

I'll turn the question around a bit, and posit that you don't really get to know a hiker by meeting in shelters or towns, the typical "social scene" on the AT.

The hikers that have gained my respect, and consider among my closest friends, are those I've seen through harsh conditions without a convenient lean-to, picnic table, and campfire that someone else built. In that case, it's a matter of quality vs quantity.

I totally agree that the social scene is what makes the AT unique among trails, and one of the things I enjoyed about it. I'm just saying you can get to know people, maybe even better, without shelters.

[lemon b]

Agree with Muddy, Garlic, and Papa. Another point is that in the late 70's early 80's there were not as many hikers or shelters. Not to mention no cell phones and the like. We actually needed a map and compass.

[moldy]

We need more, bigger and better shelters. We have a ever growing population of hikers. In the next 20 years the total numbers of AT hikers and thru hikers will double. In addition to all the listed reasons why shelters are needed is the security issue. With all the missing, attacked and murdered hikers, many people sleep better if they are within screaming distance of a shelter.

[Mags]

Part of what makes the AT what it is, is the shelters!!

Perhaps. But part of MY AT hike was using shelters less.

Glad you enjoyed the socialization of sleeping in them. Found I could get a similar socialization by eating talking at shelters and then tenting nearby.

But, having done backpacking before I did the AT, I thought it was odd to sleep in shelters. Still do,

Most long distance hikers likes shelters. Most people who backpacked before doing the AT do not like them.

Odd, but seemingly true.

Shelters are still great places to congregate, eat, chat, meet others, fill up with water, etc.

They just suck for sleeping

Yeppers...

[coach lou]

I carry a tarp and net, It can and does go up anywhere. If it's raining or is going to rain and it isn't crowded I'm in the shelter. If I find a nice spot, I tarp or just net. Some times those designated sites are mud pits. How many shelters have a view like Riga Lean-to, the tent sites don't. I just think being able to adapt to whatever situation is part of backpacking.