Wapiti Shelter

[Captain Blue]

Anyone know why the pond near Wapiti Shelter was drained? I hiked by there on April 18 and it was empty. A side of the pond wall was removed. There was orange plastic fencing around the whole perimeter of the pond.

[IronGutsTommy]

orange plastic fencing is usually used in areas theyve designated for regrowth, keep out areas that have suffered from overuse and need time to heal. my guess is lots of other hikers liked this pond as well and it was drained as a way to allow the surrounding earth and plant life to rebound

[Pedaling Fool]

orange plastic fencing is usually used in areas theyve designated for regrowth, keep out areas that have suffered from overuse and need time to heal. my guess is lots of other hikers liked this pond as well and it was drained as a way to allow the surrounding earth and plant life to rebound

I'd say that's a bad guess. It's one thing to rope it off, but drain it also

[IronGutsTommy]

yeah I figured it wasnt more than a uneducated guess, hence the "my guess" disclaimer. I dont pretend to know what exactly goes on when restoring an area, whether they just rope it off or actually do any work there. you think that guess was bad, you dont want to look for edible berries with me

[Rain Man]

I was there in October and guessed it was an old manganese mine pond (similar to the ones at Partnership Shelter), and thus a source of pollution. But that was a total guess.

Here is a photo I took. Not great, but shows the hole and orange fencing.

RainMan

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[Pedaling Fool]

I was there in October and guessed it was an old manganese mine pond (similar to the ones at Partnership Shelter), and thus a source of pollution. But that was a total guess.

Here is a photo I took. Not great, but shows the hole and orange fencing.

RainMan

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Sounds very plausible.

[IronGutsTommy]

it might be a tumor

[So Far]

I thought it had to do with the 09 missing couple...which someone told me as we night hiked past it...creepy!

[topshelf]

maybe someone could give the forest service a call to end this mystery, ha.

[Hikerhead]

It might have something to do with it being an earthen dam. Seems the state of va has come down hard on some of the owners around here lately because of the failures of a few of them.

[Rain Man]

It might have something to do with it being an earthen dam. Seems the state of va has come down hard on some of the owners around here lately because of the failures of a few of them.

That makes sense. But honestly, I don't recall the pond being that large, that anyone downstream would be threatened.

I vote we ask the ATC! Laurie, you reading this?

RainMan

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