Food at Neels Gap/Mountain Crossings

[NickDezern]

I searched for awhile but couldnt find much info on the food selection/prices at Mountain Crossings at Neels Gap. Any info would be much appreciated!

[SCRUB HIKER]

Everyone on this site complains about the prices, but whatever. You can do a full resupply there. My grand total was about $15 when I resupplied there in 2011. Baltimore Jack was there and hooked up me, and possibly lots of other people, with some free food (Idahoan potato packets, gravy and olive oil).

Neels Gap is the type of place that I never knew anyone complained about until I got on WhiteBlaze after my hike and suddenly the consensus was that they are evil opportunists and price-gougers. Not my experience IRL at all.

[Biggie Master]

Can't speak to the selection or the prices these days, but you can't beat the convenience of a resupply and a HOT shower right there on your route! I have been a happy customer on several occasions. To me it's worth supporting their business just to keep these options available.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

There's a Forum thread somewhere that talks about the prices at Neels Gap at length. The consensus was that the prices are equivalent to a convenience store, which makes sense given it's size. The real thing to be concerned with is variety apparently, as they can sell out in Mar/Apr when the wave of Thruhikers comes through. I have no actual experience here mind, I'm just regurgitating the info I read.


I personally would hang around and make enough purchases there to enable me to meet the owner Winton Porter. I just finished his book "Just Passin' Thru" and I absolutely loved it. I'm hoping when I get there next spring there'll be a copy for sale and I can get him to sign it.

[Chris10]

If you spend the night there, is there any place to get a bite to eat?

[Northern Lights]

If you spend the night there, is there any place to get a bite to eat?

If you spend the night there, Pirate cooks dinner. He had sloppy joes on the go when I was there. I was invited to a cabin for dinner so I can't say how good the food was but I hear Pirate is quite the cook.

ETA: I don't know that the meal is part of the fee for staying and showering there, but there is a donation jar so donate accordingly. I found Pirate very hospitable and I enjoyed the wine he offered me.

[Chris10]

Donations for a good meal and company is not a problem! Thanks!

[Teacher & Snacktime]

If you spend the night there, Pirate cooks dinner. He had sloppy joes on the go when I was there. I was invited to a cabin for dinner so I can't say how good the food was but I hear Pirate is quite the cook.

ETA: I don't know that the meal is part of the fee for staying and showering there, but there is a donation jar so donate accordingly. I found Pirate very hospitable and I enjoyed the wine he offered me.

According to "the book", the meal is free and up to Pirate's discretion whether or not to cook. The donation goes to replenishing his larder.

[Old Boots]

I don't understand the problem with Mountain Crossing. They are helpful, friendly and hospitable. A small donation and Pirate gives you wonderful meal. 30 miles on the At, and you can't wait to get there.

[wornoutboots]

They have some frozen pizzas you can cook & small items like that to fill up on if you're hiking on & not stopping. I wouldn't worry too much about a resupply there, grab a few things & stay if you like, then pack light out of there. Helen is 2 days away & then Hiawassee is another day or 2 after that. I bounced into all of those towns & right back out after a quick hitch & walked very light from Neels to the NOC.

[Coosa]

Send yourself a resupply box, well marked, and I think it costs like a buck or two for them holding it.

You can always spend the night at Goose Creek Cabins and get their ride into town to eat and shop. Call and they'll pick you up at Mountain Crossings and shuttle you back the next morning.

I used to live in Blairsville and IMHO Winton and the people at Mountain Crossings have always been courteous and helpful to everyone. I would suggest that those who complain are the either blowing something out of proportion or are angry at themselves for buying heavy gear and deciding to spend money to replace it with lighter gear at Mountain Crossings.

YMMV, Coosa

[achilles]

The hiker box should provide for most of your resupply there. Make the most of the dumped gear while it lasts.

[yellowsirocco]

My beef with Mountain Crossings is they only carry newbie thru hiker type food. I like more interesting foods like fresh bread. I don't do Liptons or Ramens, just a few potatos, and no freeze dried stuff. I do realize that most of their market is wanting crap food and hasn't branched out to real foods yet.

[10-K]

It costs money to resupply (the hiking part is free though....) and Mountain Crossings is not even close to the most expensive resupply options you'll see - particularly if you make it to Harper's Ferry.

[Almost There]

They're an outfitter, and you want them to carry fresh food three days into a hike??? I would never expect to do grocery shopping at an outfitter. People who hike the AT are priveledged compared to the other long trails. Geesh.

[bigcranky]

You can always spend the night at Goose Creek Cabins and get their ride into town to eat and shop.

I was wondering if Goose Creek was still open. We stayed there ten years ago in a downpour, and thoroughly enjoyed it. My wife and I are hiking the GA section again in April, and I was hoping to stay there. Thanks for the info.

[max patch]

Its not like you're leaving Mountain Crossings for the wilderness. If ya like the food they have buy enough to last 40 miles and head into Hiawassee. Don't like what they have buy enough to last 20 miles and head into Hiawassee.

[flemdawg1]

Quote from a previos Mtn Crossings thread: "Prices are around 20% higher for hiker food than you'd pay at a normal grocery or Walmart, with some things being extravagantly high (I paid $7 for a small tube of toothpaste). Also they can and do run out of some items during peak hiker season, I arrived on April 4th and they were out of pita bread and tortillas (I bought the $7 toothpaste, a knorr side, a spam pack, and a pack of bagles, and went 2 days more to Helen where they have an expensive small grocery store and a Dollar General (go there first)).".

For the quote above, I was accused of "complaining". I simply gave what I thought was an accurate non-opinionated report of what I observed when I visited. Baltimore Jack disputed my purchase of $7 toothpaste. But the reality is they were out of other brands of toothpaste and some food items on perhaps the busiest hiker weekend of the year for them. (I think Mtn Squid counted around 150 hikers at Springer Mtn on April 1). And the only brand I could find in the store was Kiss My Face Aloe Vera Whitening, I'd forgotten my toothpaste 3 days prior and paid "stupid tax" so I wouldn't have to go without for 2 more days. (Is it possible that I missed the $1 tube of Colgate? Yes, and if I'd been a abit more patient at 7:30 or 8 Am whenever they'd just opened I'm sure a nice employee would helped me find it, if I'd asked.) MC is a fine store with excellent employees, but they are not Holy shrine with monks. They provide a extremely convenient shop for hikers, and they make a profit. Nothing wrong with that either. I was happy to do business with them and will do it again if/when I rehike that section.

FWIW, Betty's Country Store in Helen, was just as or more expensive.

[wornoutboots]

FWIW, Betty's Country Store in Helen, was just as or more expensive.

I agree Betty's is a luxury store, with many vegetarian options & the freshest produce so you do pay more, but its a great option for anyone looking at resupplying with "Healthy foods". If not, there is a Dollar Store (as mentioned before) in Helen as well. I love Helen, to me it would be a "must" stop, not everyday you can walk through a replica of a Swiss Alpine Village. & when I hike, I always bounce in & out of the small towns as part of my hike. I also enjoyed Mountain Crossings, I ate a Pizza, a few other items, grabbed a few items for my feedbag, rested for an hour or 2 then headed out. It's all about HYOH so Enjoy!

[yellowsirocco]

They're an outfitter, and you want them to carry fresh food three days into a hike??? I would never expect to do grocery shopping at an outfitter. People who hike the AT are priveledged compared to the other long trails. Geesh.

Son, reread what I said above. I dislike their selection, but understand why they carry what they carry.

Neel's Gap does enough volume to carry fresh bread during thru hiker season, but hikers are stupid and fixated dehydrated junk. I was sitting at a notch this summer having part of my baguette and a group came up and they just couldn't believe someone had bread in the woods. It is like they never thought about eating anything other than crap hiker food.