View Full Version : Shelters that don't get used.....
I have been watching quite a few AT vlogs, learning and living vicariously....
One thing I'm noticing is a few shelters are famous...in the it seems everyone goes in for a look see and 'tour', but I have yet to see a video about anyone staying in them. Maybe it's just location and the way most people's schedule land. I don't know, just stuck me as odd....
The two that come to mind are
Blood Mountain ... I understand this one is cold and not great
The Fontanna Hilton... is it becasue it's close to a real hotel?
MuddyWaters
03-21-2018, 06:34
I have been watching quite a few AT vlogs, learning and living vicariously....
One thing I'm noticing is a few shelters are famous...in the it seems everyone goes in for a look see and 'tour', but I have yet to see a video about anyone staying in them. Maybe it's just location and the way most people's schedule land. I don't know, just stuck me as odd....
The two that come to mind are
Blood Mountain ... I understand this one is cold and not great
The Fontanna Hilton... is it becasue it's close to a real hotel?
Blood mtn requires bear cannister. It used to be used too much.
Fontana is heavily used.
Theres a couple a long ways off trail, 0.5 mi, etc that get light use. Rest are all used well if in decent condition, If not by hikers, by partiers.
Cloud Pond Shelter in the HMW is .4 of a mile off trail. Not used that often because that's almost an extra mile. At this point, most hikers have learned not to take any extra steps, if they don't have to.
I have been watching quite a few AT vlogs, learning and living vicariously....
One thing I'm noticing is a few shelters are famous...in the it seems everyone goes in for a look see and 'tour', but I have yet to see a video about anyone staying in them. Maybe it's just location and the way most people's schedule land. I don't know, just stuck me as odd....
The two that come to mind are
Blood Mountain ... I understand this one is cold and not great
The Fontanna Hilton... is it because it's close to a real hotel?
never stayed at fontana but the two times ive been by it there were people in it. once, during thru hiker time, a lot of people. not sure what gave you the impression it was otherwise.
i think the only shelter/shelter areas ive ever had 100% to myself for the night was eagle's rest in PA and pico camp n VT.
the latter surprised me, it was a nice fall weekend and there were definitely plenty of people out hiking, but no one went that way i guess.
the former is 1/4 mile or more off the trail in a totally unremarkable location and i imagine doesnt get much use.
i've even actually stayed at the widely reviled cooper lodge. and i wasnt alone.
evyck da fleet
03-21-2018, 08:18
Blood mountain is popular with day hikers since it’s two miles from a road so even without the canister rule I wouldn’t want to stay there. There’s no bunk so every child and dog would be wandering on and around your stuff as it sits on the ground.
Fontana is also near a road and makes for a good place to party. I encountered several hikers that had been there for days. I chose to move on.
Slo-go'en
03-21-2018, 08:49
There are three shelters in GA which are rarely used by thru hikers. Woods Hole is a double whammy, being 0.4M down hill and in the bear canister required area. Blood Mountain simply isn't a good place to stay since you have to sleep on a stone floor and the stone construction keeps the place cold. Finally, Whitley Gap shelter is a whole 1.2 miles off the trail, also down hill. These places probably get more use during the summer season.
The Pico cabin (Vermont) mentioned is no longer on the official AT so it doesn't get a lot of use. It's showing it's age too and might fall down some day. Cooper lodge (Vermont) is another shelter built of stone so also tends to be cold. Plus it's used as a trash barrel by skiers on Killington.
There are a few other shelters here and there which are either a bit of a walk off the trail or in disrepair so aren't often used.
The Pico cabin (Vermont) mentioned is no longer on the official AT
still in the guidebooks and not as far from the current AT as some other "official" shelters though.
illabelle
03-21-2018, 09:09
Cloud Pond Shelter in the HMW is .4 of a mile off trail. Not used that often because that's almost an extra mile. At this point, most hikers have learned not to take any extra steps, if they don't have to.
Cow Camp Gap Shelter near Buena Vista in VA is .6 off trail. Did we go there? Nope.
LittleRock
03-21-2018, 09:35
Cow Camp Gap Shelter near Buena Vista in VA is .6 off trail. Did we go there? Nope.
Two others I remember in Virginia - had them both to myself.
1) Sarver Hollow. It's on a fairly lightly used section of the AT to begin with, but being a steep 0.4 mile down from the trail makes most people pass it up.
2) Cove Mountain. It's right on trail, but there's no water and a nice campground with food and showers another 3 miles NOBO.
Tennessee Viking
03-21-2018, 09:42
Laurel Fork - Reason for the light use is the heavy day-hiker traffic and Hampton/Dennis Cove provide plenty of hostel services. Because it sits inside a Wilderness area, if it is ever dismantled it will not be allowed to rebuilt without going through a heavy approval process.
Apple House (former) - Main reason it was a party spot and 0.5 miles from 19E. It was only used during the crowd season whenever Mtn Harbour full or hikers on a budget. Due to road proximity, safety reasons, and new shelter standards, it was dismantled.
Starchild
03-21-2018, 09:45
There is the Love Shack, officially called something like the McQueen shelter. 2 person capacity (hence the love shack), no water at the shelter, trashed when I went through 2x, listed in the guide book as a emergency AT shelter, right on the trail.
Also one hut in the whites is not well visited by thru hikers as it is something like 0.9 miles off trail. From what I heard it is the best chance for a work for stay.
Sarcasm the elf
03-21-2018, 10:00
Keep in mind that those videos are typically made by thru hikers who are a tiny minority of trail users. Each year there are (very roughly) 3,500 people who try to thru hike out of a 3-4 million total trail users (USDA estimate). So even the thru hikers in youtube videos pass by a shelter for being too far off trail or not up to their standard, it is overwhelmingly likely that there are still plenty of section hikers overnighting there and plenty of day users stopping by for lunch or a break throughout the year.
FrogLevel
03-21-2018, 10:09
Lots of people pass the Stan Murray Shelter on Roan and stay at the barn because its less than an hour down the trail.
In Maine, I don't think Potaywadjo Spring Lean-to gets much use because it's just a few miles north of Antlers, a beautiful lakeside place to camp. I passed up Antlers because of a big thru drinking bash in progress and stayed there instead. It has much to recommend it: numerous campsites and hammocking possibilities, plus marvelous spring water: cold, sparkling, and plentiful.
Water Rat
03-21-2018, 12:40
In Maine, I don't think Potaywadjo Spring Lean-to gets much use because it's just a few miles north of Antlers, a beautiful lakeside place to camp. I passed up Antlers because of a big thru drinking bash in progress and stayed there instead. It has much to recommend it: numerous campsites and hammocking possibilities, plus marvelous spring water: cold, sparkling, and plentiful.
Another shout-out for Potaywadjo - it has two newer, clean privies. They are huge. You could fit a group of people in each one of them.
Ive had shelters to myself in October on section hikes in Georgia (not even any mice) and North from Harpers Ferry during the week.
October section hikes seem to have lots of empty shelters.
March or April not so much.
Dan Roper
03-21-2018, 13:08
Cold Springs (near Copper Bald, if memory serves), Rufus Morgan (near Nantahala) and Cable Gap (near Fontana) are three of the dingiest, darkest, and least used shelters I've seen over the years. It's possible on or more has been replaced, since I last visited that area about eight to ten years ago.
Rufus Morgan sits just a mile or so up from the U.S. highway at Nantahala. Too, it's water source was listed in the Trail Guide as polluted when I came through, back around 2009. Cold Springs was a small, damp, squat shelter right on the trail in a rhododendron garden. Cable Gap was old (1930s?) and sat on a small creek in a deeply-shaded valley.
Cedar Tree
03-21-2018, 13:09
Trimpi Shelter just south of Marion VA gets used very little. Most people anxious to get to Partnership Shelter and Marion skip this little gem. I used to go there quite a bit when I lived in Marion. I could leave my house and be at this shelter in exactly 1 hour. Never saw another hiker there.
Third shout-out for Potaywadjo; best damn water source on the entire trail IMHO. Think Poland Spring...
The Pipe Bellows leanto near Mt Greylock doesn't get much use either. 1 mile and 1,000 feet off the ridge down the Thunderbolt Trail. First backpacking experiences of my life I tried staying there and I got charged at by a sow with 2 cubs...never returned since.
The West Mountain shelter is about a half mile off trail but because of its view of the NYC skyline, I think it gets more activity than other half mile off-trail shelters.
There's also the Limestone Spring leanto in Connecticut that doesn't get much use. It's located between Falls Village and Salisbury (two resupply points), and since there are plenty of water sources in CT and beautiful camping areas directly off-trail, it sees little use.
kolokolo
03-21-2018, 13:32
Docs Knob shelter South of Pearisburg seemed to get little use when I stayed there a few years back. Probably because of its proximity to Woods Hole Hostel, which I assume is where all of the other hikers were.
Trimpi Shelter just south of Marion VA gets used very little. Most people anxious to get to Partnership Shelter and Marion skip this little gem. I used to go there quite a bit when I lived in Marion. I could leave my house and be at this shelter in exactly 1 hour. Never saw another hiker there.
1 (maybe 2) other hikers and myself spent the night there on a sunday in august 2016. made for a short day to finish the next day and then make a long drive home. also didnt want to risk trying to do a long day and get my car out of the HQ parking lot before they closed the gate.
it did occur to me though that if i were continuing on past there that not staying at partnership would be a very peculiar plan.
The West Mountain shelter is about a half mile off trail but because of its view of the NYC skyline, I think it gets more activity than other half mile off-trail shelters.
never spent the night there but west mountain shelter is a regular dayhike stop of mine (or the mountain next to it, from which you can clearly see it) and there is almost always people there. it certainly is far from underused.
now how many of those people are thru hikers or even AT hikers in general is a different story.
Several times, especially during the NOBO bubble, I've stayed with 25 or more at the Fontana Hilton and awaiting my turn for the shower 6 or more deep in line. Fungus, used Band Aids, laundered filth called clothing, and hiker funk anyone? A few times the Hilton was full with barely any tent space or hanging trees left outside making others hike on or go to the Hotel. That's a great shower at the dam!
I rely on lazy hiker tendencies especially of thru-hikers. That's why shelters at a elev loss or further off trail away from other easy access there's greater possibility of solitude and smaller or no groups. Be careful though that's sometimes where Scout, church, hiking club, etc groups choose to camp.
Mid-late fall and winter are a great time on the AT commonly with less lean to competition. Winter and fall are fav times for AT shelters.
I shake my head at LASHers and 2200 mile Thru Hikers who will avoid shelters and CS's .4 or more mile off the beaten AT tread or involving loss of elevation yet are willing to call themselves LD hikers, be recognized for climbing Mt K and Clingmans Dome and have no problem getting into town should it be raining or snowing or when getting to resupply or walking to the bar or walking in a parade in Damascus.
What I would take from all these posts are the places to camp not avoid!
never stayed at fontana but the two times ive been by it there were people in it. once, during thru hiker time, a lot of people. not sure what gave you the impression it was otherwise.
.....
Only because I've lost count how many vlogers I've seen pass by it and record a tour of it, not staying in it themselves...middle of the day, and no indication of anyone there. It just seems (by gut feel) that by now at least one of the vlogers I've watched would have stayed the night there.... just anecdotal.
Only because I've lost count how many vlogers I've seen pass by it and record a tour of it, not staying in it themselves...middle of the day, and no indication of anyone there. It just seems (by gut feel) that by now at least one of the vlogers I've watched would have stayed the night there.... just anecdotal.
somewhere in there is some sort of profound something or other warning against viewing the world through too narrowly focused a lense.
but then again i also find the notion that people go around videotaping their lives and then other people have time or interest to watch it to be supremely strange.
i'm trying to imagine feeling the inclination to, while hiking, record a video tour of the inside of a shelter and i just cant summon it. nor am i able to confess any interest in seeing a video like that someone else has made.
now dont get me wrong, having a camera at the ready, or even arguably constantly rolling, in case of coming across something truly interesting to share with others is a fine idea. but tours of the inside of all the shelters? pass.
.....
but then again i also find the notion that people go around videotaping their lives and then other people have time or interest to watch it to be supremely strange.
i'm trying to imagine feeling the inclination to, while hiking, record a video tour of the inside of a shelter and i just cant summon it. nor am i able to confess any interest in seeing a video like that someone else has made......
I've gotta admit that i agree. As I watch sometimes I just chuckle at the idea....
I watched a couple vlogers as a way to learn about equipment options and to learn about the trail. Not so unlike participation here on this site. I watched one person's full through of the AT, then a few more but don't think I've seen another through all the way yet.... this season I've got a handful that I'm more or less following when I can
Anyway, I was originally focusing on folks that hiked the Southern sections so that I could get a better idea of some sections to plan.... then some of these folks, for some reason, I find entertaining... and since I don't live close to mountains, or any terrain really that I'd call 'redeeming', I live vicariously through some of these folks.
MtDoraDave
03-21-2018, 17:06
Lots of people pass the Stan Murray Shelter on Roan and stay at the barn because its less than an hour down the trail.
The shelter just before the Barn (nobo) is small, right on the ground, no significant overhang... not much tenting area... I was going to stay there on that section because I had a hiking partner who I didn't think would be able to go the extra two miles to the Barn... but she did. We got there just as it was getting dark and raining. Of course there were already plenty of people in the barn, so we pitched tents. Great location.
...and I did stay at the Fontana Hilton. I think it was day three of my very first AT section hike (started at NOC). I think there were 5 people there that night.
Vlogs are becoming as common as Selfies. And who wants to always see other people's Selfies? It's like my posts on WB. This, too, shall pass.
LIhikers
03-22-2018, 21:59
There's a shelter in Connecticut, that I can't remember the name of right now, that thru hikers don't generally use because it's a 1/2 mile and down hill from the AT. It's in a really beautiful location with water easily available. It's their loss and us weekend and section hikers gain.
Sarcasm the elf
03-23-2018, 00:16
There's a shelter in Connecticut, that I can't remember the name of right now, that thru hikers don't generally use because it's a 1/2 mile and down hill from the AT. It's in a really beautiful location with water easily available. It's their loss and us weekend and section hikers gain.
Limestone Spring shelter?
In my experience on the AT of over 850 miles, I found that the shelters close to town were seldom used. Anybody who made it to Blood Mountain before dark was probably going to walk another 2 miles downhill and get some pizza and ice cream. I stayed 4 days in the first shelter beyond Erwin and I was the only one there the whole time. Everybody was slackpacking and being shuttled. Sarver Hollow I was the only one there when I went to sleep and one other hiker showed up late and left very early...probably because the AT runs along the ridge and the trail down the the shelter is an almost vertical drop a couple hundred feet...nobody wanted to climb down there and then back up. Also had Wise Shelter in the Grayson Highlands all to myself...it was the last one before leaving the park so I'm thinking everybody wanted to camp in amongst the ponies...or didn't want to...quite a few deer and ponies were beggars and wouldn't leave people alone.
never stayed at fontana but the two times ive been by it there were people in it. once, during thru hiker time, a lot of people. not sure what gave you the impression it was otherwise.
i think the only shelter/shelter areas ive ever had 100% to myself for the night was eagle's rest in PA and pico camp n VT.
the latter surprised me, it was a nice fall weekend and there were definitely plenty of people out hiking, but no one went that way i guess.
the former is 1/4 mile or more off the trail in a totally unremarkable location and i imagine doesnt get much use.
i've even actually stayed at the widely reviled cooper lodge. and i wasnt alone.
Reviled because you may be expecting something like Bascom Lodge on Greylock in MA, but arrive to find slum housing from the Flintstones era.
Reviled because you may be expecting something like Bascom Lodge on Greylock in MA, but arrive to find slum housing from the Flintstones era.
That shart hole near the Killington summit and the old Clement Shelter in VT was a a modern day cult fanatic stoner Flintstones rodent fest. When you can't find a black ashened free spot to lay down or there's a pull out sofa bed for sleeping with the roof held up by cheap beer bottles and four ATVers and two trail motorcyles show up with their full YETI coolers strapped on the front racks on a tues night might want to move on.
Reviled because you may be expecting something like Bascom Lodge on Greylock in MA, but arrive to find slum housing from the Flintstones era.
reviled because others revile it. i had no issues with it at all and think the constant pushing some make to tear it down is just silly.
Alligator
03-24-2018, 10:17
I've hiked within the thruhiker bubble before and had a shelter to myself. Bronk touches on the reason. If there's a bigger attraction nearby, thruhikers will gravitate to it. It could be town, a hostel, a better shelter, a feed, etc. Sometimes you have to work the reasoning backwards. A popular hostel five miles back and thrus will be skipping shelters close to that heading out. I figure that in sometimes although it doesn't always work. Thruhiker are not always predictable specimens.
Puddlefish
03-24-2018, 10:40
I've hiked within the thruhiker bubble before and had a shelter to myself. Bronk touches on the reason. If there's a bigger attraction nearby, thruhikers will gravitate to it. It could be town, a hostel, a better shelter, a feed, etc. Sometimes you have to work the reasoning backwards. A popular hostel five miles back and thrus will be skipping shelters close to that heading out. I figure that in sometimes although it doesn't always work. Thruhiker are not always predictable specimens.
On a snowy day the last northbound shelter in the SMNP was empty, likely for this reason. Standing Bear Bear Farm is just a few more miles down the road. After walking some 17 miles through three inches of trail slush, and given the choice of sleeping in a shelter that had to be fenced/caged to keep the bears out and potentially waking in the morning, all by myself to prowling bears... or continuing a few more miles to a warm and dry hostel... suddenly the extra few miles didn't seem so bad.
Sarcasm the elf
03-24-2018, 10:57
In the dead of winter in southern New England it seems like none of the shelters get used. Usually when I get there I’ll be the first person to have to have signed the log books in weeks.
I've hiked within the thruhiker bubble before and had a shelter to myself. Bronk touches on the reason. If there's a bigger attraction nearby, thruhikers will gravitate to it. It could be town, a hostel, a better shelter, a feed, etc. Sometimes you have to work the reasoning backwards. A popular hostel five miles back and thrus will be skipping shelters close to that heading out. I figure that in sometimes although it doesn't always work. Thruhiker are not always predictable specimens.
on a hike in SNP one june, in the middle of countless thru hikers, i found myself sharing a shelter with one other hiker. a shelter surrounded by easily 20 tents.
for purposes of this thread i wouldnt count that as the shelter not being used, but it was an interesting occurrence.
on a hike in SNP one june, in the middle of countless thru hikers, i found myself sharing a shelter with one other hiker. a shelter surrounded by easily 20 tents.
for purposes of this thread i wouldnt count that as the shelter not being used, but it was an interesting occurrence.I had a similar experience and I attributed it to the fact that it was getting to be summer and the bugs were out so people were tenting to avoid mosquitos. Also, by that stage of the game people have realized the drawbacks of staying in shelters and may opt to sleep in their tent for some privacy and some of their own space. In the beginning many people are out of shape, the days are shorter and you're hiking from dawn until dusk, so setting up a tent is one more thing you don't want to do at the end of the day...by summer you're in shape, probably hiked 12 miles before noon and it doesn't get dark until 9pm.
I had a similar experience and I attributed it to the fact that it was getting to be summer and the bugs were out so people were tenting to avoid mosquitos. Also, by that stage of the game people have realized the drawbacks of staying in shelters and may opt to sleep in their tent for some privacy and some of their own space. In the beginning many people are out of shape, the days are shorter and you're hiking from dawn until dusk, so setting up a tent is one more thing you don't want to do at the end of the day...by summer you're in shape, probably hiked 12 miles before noon and it doesn't get dark until 9pm.
no doubt all of that is accurate, but at the same time two days prior i was in a jam packed shelter filled to capacity plus probably 2 extras. and it wasnt raining.
ive yet to realize these "drawbacks" so many speak of.
there are no doubt people who prefer to go one way or the other. i just thought it was interesting that so many people with the same preference ended up all gathered in the same spot at once. at a casual glance one wouldnt have been blamed for thinking there must be something wrong (as in beyond the usual things people dislike) with the shelter . i actually kind of wondered if maybe the last 2 people or so who decided to tent did so just to follow the herd, even if subconsciously.
CrumbSnatcher
03-24-2018, 13:17
funny things you will do or won't do early on on a hike, i never made it or really wanted to go down 1.2 miles to the whitley gap shelter in Georgia, but in New Hampshire up on Franconia ridge i dropped down to the Greenleaf Hut from Mount Lafayette just cause i heard about free leftover bread and lemonade :)
Highland Goat
03-25-2018, 08:19
[COLOR=#333333]There's also the Limestone Spring leanto in Connecticut that doesn't get much use. It's located between Falls Village and Salisbury (two resupply points), and since there are plenty of water sources in CT and beautiful camping areas directly off-trail, it sees little use.
Limestone Spring is one of the shelters that was built right on the trail, but is now a bit of a distance away as a result of trail reroutes.
Sometimes these shelters are maintained, like the William B. Douglas Shelter on the Branch Pond Trail. Other times these shelters are abandoned and deteriorate, like the Red Mountain Shelter on the Mohawk Trail. I often seek out these types of shelters, mostly for curiosity, but sometimes for solitude.
thewalker
04-18-2018, 09:42
And how many use the shelter at Amicalola Falls before the approach trail? Does anyone have experience with that one?
I can't imagine the Antietam Shelter in southern PA gets much use. It's a dilapidated structure and the stream is not recommended as a water supply. In addition there are much nicer shelters- Deer Lick and Tumbling Run- within a couple miles in either direction.
Mike Steger
04-19-2018, 13:12
I can't imagine the Antietam Shelter in southern PA gets much use. It's a dilapidated structure and the stream is not recommended as a water supply. In addition there are much nicer shelters- Deer Lick and Tumbling Run- within a couple miles in either direction.
spigot is only .2 from antietam shelter at old forge picnic grounds no need to shelter....road is only .2 from shelter
Mike Steger
04-19-2018, 13:14
spigot is only .2 from antietam shelter at old forge picnic grounds no need to shelter....road is only .2 from shelter
* filter******
The first shelter NOBO after Stecoah Gap...Brown Mtn Shelter maybe? I stopped in for a water break (there is a stream directly in front of the shelter which is nice), but had a few people mention the shelter didn't give them a good vibe. It doesn't help that it's also a tiny shelter and the floor is uneven and warped.
Odd Man Out
04-19-2018, 23:29
It's the elevation loss/gain, as much as the distance off trail that keeps me away. I carried a kg (1 liter) of extra water up Sinking Creek Mountain so I could dry camp on the ridge rather than hike 400 ft down to Sarver Hollow Shelter (I knew I wouldn't have time to get down the ridge before sunset). While 1 kg of water may seem like a lot, considering that me and my pack weigh at least 100 kg, hauling 1 kg of water to save that much elevation gain and loss is not such a bad deal.
I have been watching quite a few AT vlogs, learning and living vicariously....
One thing I'm noticing is a few shelters are famous...in the it seems everyone goes in for a look see and 'tour', but I have yet to see a video about anyone staying in them. Maybe it's just location and the way most people's schedule land. I don't know, just stuck me as odd....
The two that come to mind are
Blood Mountain ... I understand this one is cold and not great
The Fontanna Hilton... is it becasue it's close to a real hotel?
I am guessing you are only getting one perspective. I have heard of these shelters being used by many. When I was at Fontana Dam Shelter, it had many hikers staying - Do note that the "partier" people went into town - so maybe you are reading/watching their posts???
Fontana Dam is one of my favorites along the trail. If I lived local to there, I would be there at least once a month. It is awesome!!!