Randolph Mountain Club Increasing their fees for overnight use of their facilties

[peakbagger]

RMC is increasing the non member overnight fees for their facilities on the slopes of Mt Adams in the Whites. The Perch is popular legal overnight site used by AT thru hikers when doing the long above treeline stretch. The new price for the Perch is $15 a night for non members. I do not know if there is work for stay option. Do note its cash only. Recent club comments is they are having a large number of folks showing up claiming to have no cash and stiffing the club by not sending the cash owed afterwards. RMC is run by volunteers with the only paid folks are the seasonal caretakers and the trail crew. The management are all volunteers and the club doesn't have deep pockets.

http://www.randolphmountainclub.org/sheltersinfo/aboutourshelters.html

The woods along the treeline are dense spruce/fir with no real option but to stay at the shelter site.

[Starchild]

What was the old price? Thinking $9.

[peakbagger]

Its in the link, it was $10 now $15. I remember at one point it was $8.

[Captain Blue]

I've always wondered how much of the shelter/camping fee one pays in the backcountry actually reaches the bank account of the organization. It's a cash transaction that passes through several hands before it gets deposited. No real paper trail. I'd rather the caretaker accept credit cards with a Square reader in offline mode. At least I'd know my money made it to where it was supposed to go and not into someone's beer fund.

[gpburdelljr]

I've always wondered how much of the shelter/camping fee one pays in the backcountry actually reaches the bank account of the organization. It's a cash transaction that passes through several hands before it gets deposited. No real paper trail. I'd rather the caretaker accept credit cards with a Square reader in offline mode. At least I'd know my money made it to where it was supposed to go and not into someone's beer fund.
That’s a pretty cynical view of people volunteering their time. I think most people are basically honest.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Still a bargain compared to the $495 plus tip I paid last time I stayed up there. :D

http://www.ime-usa.com/imcs/portfolio-item/mount-washington-observatory-overnight/

42733

[Deadeye]

I've always wondered how much of the shelter/camping fee one pays in the backcountry actually reaches the bank account of the organization. It's a cash transaction that passes through several hands before it gets deposited. No real paper trail. I'd rather the caretaker accept credit cards with a Square reader in offline mode. At least I'd know my money made it to where it was supposed to go and not into someone's beer fund.

When I was a caretaker, the cash went exactly where it was supposed to go - in my pocket. That was my pay, period. I was paid exactly what hikers gave, if they had no cash, I got paid nothing.

[egilbe]

When I was a caretaker, the cash went exactly where it was supposed to go - in my pocket. That was my pay, period. I was paid exactly what hikers gave, if they had no cash, I got paid nothing.

Haha, RMC doesn't operate that way. Caretakers are paid.

[Don H]

gpburdelljr says they're all volunteers (not paid),
Deadeye says the campsite payments all went to him as pay being the caretaker,
egilbe says caretakers are paid (presumably a straight salary).

So which is it?

[Old Hillwalker]

Jeez, can't people look stuff up and just read? http://www.randolphmountainclub.org/sheltersinfo/aboutourshelters.html

[Another Kevin]

I've always wondered how much of the shelter/camping fee one pays in the backcountry actually reaches the bank account of the organization. It's a cash transaction that passes through several hands before it gets deposited. No real paper trail. I'd rather the caretaker accept credit cards with a Square reader in offline mode. At least I'd know my money made it to where it was supposed to go and not into someone's beer fund.

RMC caretakers can accept credit cards, according to the web site. The way it's phrased, it's not 100% clear whether the credit card acceptance is just at The Log Cabin, or whether The Perch, Crag Camp and Gray Knob can take them as well. They do give receipts in any case, so there is some paper trail.

I surely wouldn't begrudge them the fifteen bucks, and wouldn't worry about it any more than I worry about whether a shop clerk has his hand in the till.

[Deadeye]

gpburdelljr says they're all volunteers (not paid),
Deadeye says the campsite payments all went to him as pay being the caretaker,
egilbe says caretakers are paid (presumably a straight salary).

So which is it?

To clarify - I was a caretaker for the GMC - not RMC - in 1975, not an apples to apples comparison! I was reacting to the poster questioning the application of the funds.

[Slo-go'en]

I have worked as a caretaker for both the GMC and the RMC.

RMC caretakers are paid a decent salary. The number of visitors and amount of money collected is recorded. Caretakers turn in all the overnight fees collected to the club treasure. Overnight fees pay most of the caretakers salary, but not all of it. The rest is made up from club member fees, donations and endowments from Randolph residents.

At the time I worked for the GMC, caretakers got to keep the overnight fees (I got $2 pre person) and in some cases a small stipend (I got an extra $20 a week from the club). Basically made just enough to buy food. This was way back in 1989 and 1990.

[Slo-go'en]

RMC caretakers can accept credit cards, according to the web site. The way it's phrased, it's not 100% clear whether the credit card acceptance is just at The Log Cabin, or whether The Perch, Crag Camp and Gray Knob can take them as well. They do give receipts in any case, so there is some paper trail.
A caretaker is only in residence at Crag Camp and Gray Knob. The Perch is visited every evening by the Gray Knob caretaker to collect fees. Late arrivals usually skip out without paying. The Log Cabin is rarely visited by the caretakers since it's 3/4 of a mile and 1500 feet down from Crag and the Knob. Most people who end up staying at the Log cabin also skip out without paying.

[Deadeye]

At the time I worked for the GMC, caretakers got to keep the overnight fees (I got $2 pre person) and in some cases a small stipend (I got an extra $20 a week from the club). This was way back in 1989 and 1990.

Twenty bucks a week!!! That was the golden age of caretaking. Two bucks a night sounds right - I barely kept myself fed and supplied with smokes.

[The Solemates]

Do you have to have reservations to stay at Garfield or guyot campsites? Is there a fee?

[rickb]

Do you have to have reservations to stay at Garfield or guyot campsites? Is there a fee?

No reservations.

Ten dollars each I think.

Guyot might be most crowded caretaker site on the AT in the Whites.

Especially on the weekends.

Arrive with good humor. Everything works out.

[Starchild]

A caretaker is only in residence at Crag Camp and Gray Knob. The Perch is visited every evening by the Gray Knob caretaker to collect fees. Late arrivals usually skip out without paying. The Log Cabin is rarely visited by the caretakers since it's 3/4 of a mile and 1500 feet down from Crag and the Knob. Most people who end up staying at the Log cabin also skip out without paying.
Re: skipping out without paying, how is one suppose to pay if there is no caretaker?

[somers515]

Re: skipping out without paying, how is one suppose to pay if there is no caretaker?
When I stayed on the Perch tent platform a couple of years ago no caretaker showed up but there were clear instructions to either leave the money or mail it in. I mailed a check when I got home.

[Slo-go'en]

Re: skipping out without paying, how is one suppose to pay if there is no caretaker?

The shelters are stocked with pre-addressed envelopes you can use to mail in the fee. Most hikers who stay at the Log Cabin continue on towards the summit in the morning and they could stop by Gray Knob and pay the caretaker there. I used to look out for people coming by Gray Knob early in the morning and ask if they stayed at the Log Cabin.

[Tundracamper]

That’s a pretty cynical view of people volunteering their time. I think most people are basically honest.

If they are volunteering, then what’s the $15 for?

[peakbagger]

If they are volunteering, then what’s the $15 for?

Read my original post. The caretaker at Grey Knob does get paid but the rest of the club doesn't except for the trail crew which is definitely not a moneymaker. During the busy season volunteers will help out at Crag Camp. The camps are all in alpine terrain and the high usage requires special handling of human waste. The caretaker gets paid to work to shovel and process crap which tends to limit the number of folk interested in volunteering. Gray Knob is operated year round and kept minimally heated in winter. The wood is flown up via helicopter. Short term and long term maintenance to the facilities are also high and that needs to be funded somehow.

[Slo-go'en]

While the RMC has a paid trail crew to do the heavy lifting, we also have volunteer work parties, primarily for brushing and blazing of trails. Mostly its just a few of us who live in town, but anyone is welcome if you want to help out and meet some nice folks.

[Ear Drum]

Now in 2023, current rates as per https://randolphmountainclub.org/camps/the-perch/ are:



SHELTER
MEMBERS
NON-MEMBERS


Gray Knob (https://randolphmountainclub.org/camps/gray-knob/)
$ 30.00
$ 50.00


Crag Camp (https://randolphmountainclub.org/camps/crag-camp/)
$ 30.00
$ 50.00


The Perch (https://randolphmountainclub.org/camps/the-perch/)
$ 15.00
$ 20.00


Log Cabin (https://randolphmountainclub.org/camps/the-log-cabin/)
$ 15.00
$ 20.00


Day-Use at All Shelters
Free
Free




And since they were mentioned in this thread, the rates for Liberty Springs Tentsite, Garfield Shelter, Guyot Shelter are all $15 -- cash is best (it's very difficult for them to process a card).

[Ear Drum]

Well, unfortunately that post didn't work as planned -- I swear, I could read all the numbers before I hit "post".

Here are the rates for RMC facilities:

Fee TableSHELTER MEMBERS NON-MEMBERSGray Knob $30.00 $50.00Crag Camp $30.00 $50.00The Perch $15.00 $20.00Log Cabin $15.00 $20.00Day-Use at All Shelters Free Free

[Ear Drum]

(These posts looking nothing like how I wrote them is just about enough to make me become a contributing member here, so as to be able to edit them, which I can't at the moment. Sorry!).

[gpburdelljr]

(These posts looking nothing like how I wrote them is just about enough to make me become a contributing member here, so as to be able to edit them, which I can't at the moment. Sorry!).

The link in post #24 shows the table properly.

[BillyGr]

The link in post #24 shows the table properly.

Except that it has a bunch of words that make it tough to read (they are supposed to make things show in colors but instead the words are seen).

[gpburdelljr]

Except that it has a bunch of words that make it tough to read (they are supposed to make things show in colors but instead the words are seen).
When I go to

https://randolphmountainclub.org/camps/the-perch/

the table is clearly shown and not difficult to read at all.

[BillyGr]

When I go to

https://randolphmountainclub.org/camps/the-perch/

the table is clearly shown and not difficult to read at all.

I meant the table shown in the post number you mentioned looks odd, not looking at the actual site. Figuring you meant that it was linked to that reply.

[Ear Drum]

Again, sorry about those posts (#24 an #25). In both cases, they looked great in my post composition window; then I clicked "Post Quick Reply" and the results were very different and not too readable. And I can't edit my posts.