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  1. #1
    Bayou
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    Default Drugs and Heavy Drinking on and along the AT

    How can the people doing the heavy drinking and drugs on and along the AT be keep away?

  2. #2
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Hike in the off season, the cold keeps most of the good timers indoors. Also avoid shelters during popular hiking months, and try to camp at least a mile or two away from any road or ATV path, most partiers don't like to hike too far away from their cars.

    If you are specifically referring to partying thru hikers, I live In Connecticut and rarely run into this problem, most of the drunks and druggies drop off of the trail long before they reach New England.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  3. #3

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    Do you have a moral objection or a practical objection? If you don't like the noise, ask them to quiet down. If you don't like the smell, ask them not to smoke in the shelter. If this doesn't work, go pitch a tent. I find them much less annoying than a wet smelly dog or a jackhammer snorer, and I get along with those okay too.

    (for reference I don't do drugs or drink excessively on the trail)

  4. #4
    Coach Lou coach lou's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    Hike in the off season, the cold keeps most of the good timers indoors. Also avoid shelters during popular hiking months, and try to camp at least a mile or two away from any road or ATV path, most partiers don't like to hike too far away from their cars.

    If you are specifically referring to partying thru hikers, I live In Connecticut and rarely run into this problem, most of the drunks and druggies drop off of the trail long before they reach New England.
    Unfortunately I had one crappy experience at Mt Algo Shelter, 300 ft. from rt.341, in November. I was lollygaging from Ten Mile shelter and arrived at Mt.Algo in the dark. Shelter had no people but lots of crap strewn about.Lounge chairs ,boots, a Dutch oven, allsorts of stuff. But there was room for me, it was a long day. I set up and made dinner. around 8pm 4 teen agers showed up. very surprized to find they had a guess. Well Brendan, the spokesman, we will now call him Brenda[i think he was Masha, the kent ladys son] TOLD me I had to leave............"I don't think so kid!" So they proceeded to get snockered, for the first or second time in their lives. It was funny watching,and they were harmless. At about 0600, I woke there a**es up, one of them started pukin', it was comical. There picture is in my gallery. Bottom line is the shelter is 300 feet from the road, and this is what we got! I didn't bring a tarp 'cause it was an odd weekend and didn't think the shelters would be full. Ten Mile, I was alone.

  5. #5
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Quote Originally Posted by coach lou View Post
    Unfortunately I had one crappy experience at Mt Algo Shelter, 300 ft. from rt.341, in November. I was lollygaging from Ten Mile shelter and arrived at Mt.Algo in the dark. Shelter had no people but lots of crap strewn about.Lounge chairs ,boots, a Dutch oven, allsorts of stuff. But there was room for me, it was a long day. I set up and made dinner. around 8pm 4 teen agers showed up. very surprized to find they had a guess. Well Brendan, the spokesman, we will now call him Brenda[i think he was Masha, the kent ladys son] TOLD me I had to leave............"I don't think so kid!" So they proceeded to get snockered, for the first or second time in their lives. It was funny watching,and they were harmless. At about 0600, I woke there a**es up, one of them started pukin', it was comical. There picture is in my gallery. Bottom line is the shelter is 300 feet from the road, and this is what we got! I didn't bring a tarp 'cause it was an odd weekend and didn't think the shelters would be full. Ten Mile, I was alone.
    Just one more reason that I'm glad I stayed with you folks at Stony Brook Campsite instead of pushing on to Mt. Algo shelter on Memorial day weekend.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  6. #6
    Coach Lou coach lou's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    Just one more reason that I'm glad I stayed with you folks at Stony Brook Campsite instead of pushing on to Mt. Algo shelter on Memorial day weekend.
    I was alittle nervous about those 4 guys near the wash pit, but Cliff scared them away!

  7. #7

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    Now,you and your boys better get on your hogs,and get out of here,or iin a hour there's gonna be more pot sniffing dogs than you could ever imagine in your wildest dreams.

    Or maybe one of them dollar store security bages on your pack.

    Or just ask to barrow money.

    few other things you could try,none of them can be mentioned here though.

    If none of that works,I guess ya just grab a beer.

    When in Rome~
    Last edited by rocketsocks; 06-08-2012 at 22:10. Reason: there is one other thing you could try..."Rough talking" em

  8. #8
    Coach Lou coach lou's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rocketsocks View Post
    Now,you and your boys better get on your hogs,and get out of here,or iin a hour there's gonna be more pot sniffing dogs than you could ever imagine in your wildest dreams.

    Or maybe one of them dollar store security bages on your pack.

    Or just ask to barrow money.

    few other things you could try,none of them can be mentioned here though.

    If none of that works,I guess ya just grab a beer.

    When in Rome~
    Socks, Cliff is my wonderful little step-son. I could take him on a thru, I'd have every shelter on the east coast all to myself, 5 minutes after we arrive.

  9. #9

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    The problem would be trying to convince a LEO that you didn't supply the underage drinkers the alcohol.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by rastraikis View Post
    The problem would be trying to convince a LEO that you didn't supply the underage drinkers the alcohol.
    Good point,what about a gemini,there pretty open minded.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by coach lou View Post
    Socks, Cliff is my wonderful little step-son. I could take him on a thru, I'd have every shelter on the east coast all to myself, 5 minutes after we arrive.
    Can he cook?

  12. #12

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    Be prepared to share.

  13. #13
    Coach Lou coach lou's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rocketsocks View Post
    Can he cook?
    He can cook frozen pizza, and easy-mac!

  14. #14
    Coach Lou coach lou's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rocketsocks View Post
    good point,what about a gemini,there pretty open minded.
    wow!!!!!!!

  15. #15
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Quote Originally Posted by coach lou View Post
    I was alittle nervous about those 4 guys near the wash pit, but Cliff scared them away!

    Those guys seemed okay, since you had the kids with you I was a little worried about their "cigarettes" at first, but all I ever smelled was actual tobacco. I passed them pretty quick once I left in the morning, all those camp chairs and four man tents that they were carrying made for a challenging hike.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  16. #16

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    Sounds like Cliff might be built like a Cliff,when your faced right at it,it's a long way to the top.

  17. #17
    Coach Lou coach lou's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    Those guys seemed okay, since you had the kids with you I was a little worried about their "cigarettes" at first, but all I ever smelled was actual tobacco. I passed them pretty quick once I left in the morning, all those camp chairs and four man tents that they were carrying made for a challenging hike.
    Those cigs were what I was thinking myself. Sherrie would have been nervous that it would get back to dear old dad and DCF would have been waiting for us at Silver hill. They didn't seem like ultralite hikers!

  18. #18
    Coach Lou coach lou's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rocketsocks View Post
    Sounds like Cliff might be built like a Cliff,when your faced right at it,it's a long way to the top.
    Oh no, no. He is a royal PITA!

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by rocketsocks:1297490
    Quote Originally Posted by rastraikis View Post
    The problem would be trying to convince a LEO that you didn't supply the underage drinkers the alcohol.
    Good point,what about a gemini,there pretty open minded.
    Your so funny Rocketsocks!

  20. #20
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    Stealth Camp.
    When you arrive at a shelter and the scene doesn't feel right, hike on a few more miles and make a stealth camp 50 yards or more off the trail.
    (Make a point to remember which side of the trail you walk from so in the morning you know which way to go.)
    The AT is unique among the Triple crown in that you can easily lose your sense of North and Southbound due to it's steep terrain, routing, and tree cover.
    Anyhow, If you want to socialize yet have peace and quiet, just eat dinner at the shelter then hike on a few.
    The amazing thing about the AT is that despite the multitude of folks hiking it you can still have solitude.
    I found that when i stealth camped I would not generally see any hikers until around noon the next day as i had stealth camped between the shelters.
    Those behind me stayed behind, those ahead stayed ahead or i passed them while they were sleeping in.
    Hey, I am a pretty open minded person, living in Santa Cruz California and all.
    I found almost everyone i met on the AT to be awesome.
    Yet there were a few folks "in a different groove" so to speak and rather than confront them i found it much easier, and more pleasant, to simply use my legs to hike onward a few miles.
    I think that having a simple tarp and mesh bug bivy combo that set up quickly helped me in that regard as well.
    The shelters were nice at times but I really enjoyed being tucked away on "virgin" ground in a sneaky stealth camp even more so.
    You can engage with hikers and still have your freedom and peace.
    This all being said i am sure i got on a few peoples nerves at times as well.
    I remember a twenty degree night in the Smokies when I was all stuffed up and snorring like a bear. I really felt bad cause i know i was pissing off the guy next to me. Yea, it's different cause i was sick but i probably should have stealth camped that night.
    Then there was the night I really wanted a shelter and some long trail hikers had their tents all set up in the shelter and i started to get all pissy about it.
    I just hiked on and i am glad i did cause they just didntt know how rude they were being and i didn't feel like ruining their trip over it.
    We all get along, occasionally stepping on each other toes, but mostly we get along pretty well.
    The AT is a trail with a strong social component, you can either embrace it or shy away but it is still part of the trail.
    Last edited by Iceaxe; 06-09-2012 at 00:21.
    Headed in to town.. You gotta rock the down! -fellow hikers mantra

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