Mountain Crossings

[Jack Tarlin]

Rock, he called a friend of mine a thief.

This was reckless, defamatory, and false.

So yeah, to me this IS a big deal.

Others are welcome to their own opinion.

[DavidNH]

This place is SO popular that the line can be out the door for hours. Was when I came through in 2006. Of course their prices are high. I mean why wouldn't they be? The are right on the trail and there is no competition what so ever for many miles around. Plus it is a very very popular stop over.

My only complaint about this hostel is that it was TOO busy. But I guess that is just an indication of how successful they are!

DavidNH

[SGT Rock]

Rock, he called a friend of mine a thief.

This was reckless, defamatory, and false.

So yeah, to me this IS a big deal.

Others are welcome to their own opinion.

And you attacked Cedar Tree's character without even knowing him. Sometimes you go straight for the throat Jack when someone even says anything negative about one of your friends along the trail; or sometimes a positive experience with someone you don't like. This ain't the first thread where you blast someone over them having an experience that contradicts your opinion of a service provider along the trail. Not everyone has the same experiences as you do with Ms Janet, Uncle Johnny, The Appalachian Pages, Bluff Mountain, Waren Doyle, MRO, etc.

You gotta wonder if you style of posting does more to hurt the point you are trying to get across.

You are accusing Cedar Tree of libel and slander. As they say in court "truth is absolute defense". So if the event that Cedar Tree claims happen is the truth - then it is neither of the things you have said he has done. You haven't even gone to Winton to ask him if it is the truth, you just attacked Cedar Tree for saying it.

I know Cedar Tree, I doubt he gleefully sat behind a keyboard and said "I'm going to get Winton". More likely he wondered if he should even bring it up and tell his story. Looks like he even regrets bringing it up. But he isn't the only one here on this thread that had some negative comments about the service they got there. He just added what his experience was. He also responded to the attacks you made on him. Yet you chose to say it is him instigating. From the impartial third person who has had good service there at Mountain Crossing and would use them again, and had good service from Cedar Tree and have set around talking with him and have got to know him - I would say that there is probably something to this story but we don't know what is all there. But also from that third person perspective you are taking this WAY too vehemently. Your actions are not putting this to any rest - but rather making it a bigger thing that it was here. Seems like at one point Cedar Tree laid it to rest, but then had to come back and defend himself from you.

Still love ya Jack. Look forward to seeing you out there somewhere. Have you thought about Blue Blazing through the Smokies this year?

[Jack Tarlin]

Rock:

I'm not accusing Cedar of anything, and I'm certainly not slandering him.

I'm merely disagreeing with him, and also disagreeing with the way he chose to make his argument.

And as for the personal name calling, i.e. publicly calling people dishonest or calling people outright thieves.....well this did NOT originate with me, Rock.

And yes, Rock, I certainly consider him the "instigator" of this argument.

If you disagree with this assessment, please check to see who initiated the thread in the first place.

[SGT Rock]

Good, then we can let it die...

That said - when are you getting to the Smokies? I'm taking a week off and plan to do some blue blazing and white blazing through there. Have you thought about doing some exploring this year?

[Jack Tarlin]

Rock: will be in touch when I leave Franklin and have a good idea about my Fontana ETA. Present weather conditions here are slowing everything down. In any case, I expect to see you guys before then, at Ron Haven's party. You better be there or someone else gets your cigar.

[SGT Rock]

Outstanding. I plan to be there Friday night. Prior to that I don't know because I don't have a work schedule between monday next week and my last day. I'll try and track where you are. If I can get out for a night or two maybe I'll see you out there.

[Lone Wolf]

Time to let it go.

yup. heed your own advice

[Lone Wolf]

I really think you are making more out of this Jack than Cedar Tree.

big time

[Lone Wolf]

Rock, he called a friend of mine a thief.

This was reckless, defamatory, and false.

So yeah, to me this IS a big deal.

your "friend" doesn't seem to think so.

[Lone Wolf]

My only complaint about this hostel is that it was TOO busy. But I guess that is just an indication of how successful they are!

it's more an indication of location and need

[mrc237]

it's More An Indication Of Location And Need

Mcx Does Have The 3 Most Important Items You Need For A Business: Location Location Location!

[DavidNH]

it's more an indication of location and need

You have a point here Lone Wolf. I can't argue with you here. There is no better location to be than RIGHT ON THE TRAIL (in fact the AT goes right through the place) and no greater need than being the first hostel in 30 some miles where folks can correct their gear mistakes.

David

[Bulldawg]

I'm not going to speak for Winton, but in brief, the product in question isn't carried at MC for any number of reasons, such as questions about the design; questions about how well it would sell; and lack of floor space. There are plenty of lines and products Winton doesn't sell. Further questions on this should be directed to him, and not me.

As for shuttles, there are staffers available evry day for this; call the store anytime (8:30-6) and tell the folks where you need to go and when; they'll quote you a price and work out a time good for both of you. getting a shuttle from or to the Woody Gap area should not be a problem.

I talked to Cool Breeze yesterday, the shuttle deal is set up.

Their best-selling alcohol stove is made by Etowah Outfitters. This has probably been the best-selling and most popular alcohol stove on the A.T. for the better part of a decade.

Yeah, and good people who make the stuff too.

[SunnyWalker]

I stopped there on a section hike and they sold me a pari of Keen hiking shoes. Wow, best hiking boots/shoes I have ever used. I thought they were great folk. I saw no pressure or anything. They were pretty laid back and Winton is real personable. I sure enjoyed the store portion and the hostel was just super. It was a real neat first experience in a hostel on the AT.

[Lemni Skate]

It's funny, but I never thought of the location as a huge advantage. 2000 thru-hikers come through a year, sure, but how many of them did the first thirty miles without having already purchased big money items (tent, sleeping bag, pack, etc.). I'm sure that pretty much the same is true for section hikers.

Other than hikers the place is pretty much in the middle of nowhere (I remember wondering how far these guys had to commute to work). I don't think any business can make it off of just hikers wandering thru. I think Mountain Crossings has worked hard to make the experience for most people a big positive and this has made the place popular enough to get "tourist" traffic.

I don't doubt that some have had a bad experience there. I am an ex-pastor and the "ex" part is because I tried so hard to make everyone happy and it was impossible. I imagine when you're trying to make a living the line between service and being taken advantage of is a hard one to walk.

In short, it sounds like most have a good experience at MC, but unfortunately some haven't, and human nature being what it is, people remember the bad experiences more than the good ones.

[RockDoc]

Personally I'm not a cheerleader for the place...

We showed up there tired, cold, and wet, and the hostel was full. I asked about the cabins down the road, and the fellow behind the counter scowled and said that they were far away and expensive. He proceeded to sell me a room in a house for $55.

The room was fine, but others told me later that the cabins are close by and cheaper than I spent for the room.

They did the shakedown on a friend's pack, sent home his Whisperlite stove and sold him an alcohol stove for like $55. I hiked with him for the next two days (in the snowstorm around April 8) and he never did get a cup of water to boil with that stove. He was furious AND hungry.

[Mikiniki]

I completely disagree with your oppinion about Mountain Crossings, I stayed with Cool Breeze and Farsang (two of the guys that work there) they BEGED me to do a shake down, but they didn't push the subject when I said no. They tell you before you start that it typically costs $100 per pound you lose through buying new gear. And with that said, They don't try to scam you, infact CoolBreeze GAVE me a sleeping pad for free when he found out I wasn't useing one. I also know of another hiker that didn't have a pack(don't ask) and they loaned him one. They also offered to loan my friend a pack with a hipbelt since she was carrying a sea bag(she carried that thing the whole way to Gatlingburg)

The guys at Mountain Crossings may not be particularly professional about the job, but they know what they're doing and they give you what you need.

[jwalden]

I stopped in last year on my last night before completing the trail. I had very few needs: first, get sufficient candy bars for the last day's hiking; second, get some sort of bag to protect my backpack in checked luggage when I flew home (it's a monster, no way to keep it as a carry-on); and third, attempt to figure out some way to get to Atlanta the day after next for a flight home. I was easily able to get a dozen Snickers bars (didn't need nearly that many had I rationed a little and eaten a third or a half at a time, but why even make yourself think about it the last day out if you don't have to?), they threw in an extra for free. They had a lightweight EMS cloth sack with draw string that worked great for transporting the backpack (used it to get home, then again to get to/from this past Trail Days, thing's brilliant). I was able to use their computer for a bit to check on bus/train transit from the nearby cities into Atlanta, and when those options turned out to be unusable (you couldn't pick up tickets same-day if traveling on a Sunday, boo), they gave the option of an expensive but reasonably-priced shuttle all the way to Atlanta (which, thankfully, I didn't end up having to use, but which I would have used if other options hadn't presented themselves). They shuttled another southbounder and me back to Neels Gap from Springer the next day when we finished. (And, of course, the hostel for two nights in then-quite-cold-Georgia was much appreciated as well, and Pirate is awesome.) I didn't need much (certainly not compared to the more typical aspiring thru-hikers they see that far south), but what I needed I had no trouble getting there. No complaints at all from me -- they were a great nearly-end of the trail.

[Mrs Baggins]

We stopped there when we were attempting a thru in 2007. We took a room in the house a few miles away and it was fine. It's pricey because you're getting a kitchen, bathroom, and washer and dryer. We shared the house with 7 other hikers and there was plenty of room. As for the store, yeah it's pricey, too, but we found everything we needed and didn't mind paying. Also, they had helped another hiker who was carrying something like 75 pounds. She chucked her too-heavy gear and spent so much on new lighter stuff that they gave her free loan of the van and several of us used it to go into town to use the internet at the library, resupply food at the grocery store and get dinner.