View Full Version : Gov Clemont
Just got back from 209 of the 273 miles (classes started up too soon). Timing put me at Gov. Clemont so I stayed there anyway. It was perfectly fine. Stayed with one other hiker in the shelter. Best water source on that I came across too (taste/color/closeness). It was a Monday so maybe this is out of the norm for any weekend folk that "cause problems". Actually, 3 AT folk came in after dark and tented and made a crazy racket, shinned lights in the shelter when they weren't even staying in there, and knocked down some of our hanging items trying to hang all their food.
Just mentioning this because the shelter prior heading north (Clarendon) had upwards of 40 people staying at/around it that night because everyone just repeats the same adage "oh, it's a local hangout. Don't stay there."
Migrating Bird
08-24-2015, 20:03
Hi Collin, I stayed there June 2014 and hammocked out in front of the shelter near the drop off. I was the only one there and the shelter and area was very clean, no problems for me as well. Glad you had a similar experience except for the disrespectful late arrivals.
Cookerhiker
08-24-2015, 20:14
Stayed there (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=204987) on my LT thruhike in 2007. Shared the shelter with one solo woman hiker. Given Gov. Clement's reputation, we decided that if a crowd of non-hiking locals showed up, we'd leave together and tent beyond. But no one else came.
What I remember was that I don't think I've seen a shelter with such a long protruding roof. It made for a very dark inside.
IIRC, tons of folk at Clarendon when I was there also. Someone had hauled in cords of firewood.
Definitely a bit deep so it was dark. If they cleaned it up a little- the chimney would be awesome to use with a fire.
hikeandbike5
08-24-2015, 21:42
A few years ago there was a gate installed that cut down on most of the riff-raff driving up to the shelter.
Also, that shelter is older than the actual appalachian trail.
Gov Clement shelter is just fine today. The next shelter north Cooper Lodge is in poor condition and there has been talk for several years Cooper Lodge is slated for demolition.
I arrived at the Gov Clement shelter near dinner time on a rainy day during my 2013 LT thru. I was planning on staying there and had begun drying out when the ridge runner arrived. He asked me if I was staying and then told me of a "secret shelter" about .3 mile away. I followed him to the Swan Song shelter and stayed there. I have to say that the Clement shelter had improved from when I passed it in 2010 during my AT thru.
capt. photon
05-18-2017, 15:49
The road that goes to Gov. Clement also goes to a private inholding, so it can't be closed, only gated for part of the year. The gate has cut down on non-hiker partying there, but it could still crop up.
They don't WANT to remove Cooper as it's the highest shelter on the LY and one of the oldest, but get vandalized by skiers; it may someday be removed.