View Full Version : Tom Leonard Lean-to
poison_ivy
05-26-2003, 15:21
Shelter is the four-bunk style with loft overhanging a picnic table. It is in great shape. Water was located to the left of the shelter this weekend. I imagine that source goes dry during the summer -- then you can find water about 1/4 mile down the path on the right side of the shelter (which is also the way to the privy.)
The shelter has one tent platform on a hillside with a beatiful view as well.
-- Ivy
Blue Jay
05-27-2003, 12:35
A very beautiful and majic place. The chipmonks have overthrown the mice. A sweet camping spot overlooking a clean revine just past it heading north.
As of June 21 the intermittent stream very near the shelter is flowing well, so no need to make the 1/2 mile downhill hike to the more reliable water supply. Southbounders need to watch carefully for this shelter, as the sign is 30 yards left of the trail.
According to 'Exploring the Appalachian Trail' parking is available on Lake Buel Road - does anyone know if that is overnight parking, so that we could leave our car for a few days? Thanks....
Tor
I have friends that left a car there for four nights last August when I was out on a NY-VT section hike. They got on at US 7 in Connecticut and hiked to their car near Great Barrington. Their car was there for four-five days I think. They had no problems @ all.
Jack Tarlin
06-09-2004, 19:01
Nice spot...but if you're going to be there in the summer, bring maximum strength Deet or you will pray for death; over the past few years, this section of the Trail in July/August has been one of the most bug-ridden places on the Trail. Do NOT plan on sleeping in the shelter without netting.
The parking on Lake Buell Rd. is an official AT parking area with kiosk. Cars should be fine there (barring random acts of vandalism) . The Tom Leonard shelter is in need of roof replacement this year due to a large branch puncture over the winter. It has been patched and will keep you dry in the meantime, but look for a work crew there sometime this summer.
eyahiker
08-06-2004, 19:09
Was just here 9 days ago, lots of skeeters, and now you must go down the long down hill climb for water, upper area dried up and not running. Nicely built, and several 'tent' sites out front on the ledge in front of shelter over the "hump".
We almost missed this shelter, it is not well marked! Blue blaze was our clue, otherwise, it is beautiful and quiet and still, nicely tucked down "below" in a nice grove of trees, but doesn't jump out at you! No signs of bears.
Some notes:
Hiking with a NOBO couple, she went ahead and passed us, said she'd see us at this shelter, He passed us a half hour later and we passed the message along, he would also stay there for the night as well ( these are folks we stayed with the night before) She was there when we arrived an hour later, he never saw it missed it, she had to get down the Mtn before dark to try to find him.
ALSO passed several SOBOS that said they never saw the shelter & asked about it, they were already passed it by four miles.
the camping "platform" is falling in and rotten
Blue Jay
08-07-2004, 10:23
ALSO passed several SOBOS that said they never saw the shelter & asked about it, they were already passed it by four miles.
the camping "platform" is falling in and rotten
Are you sure you were at the right place. You can see the shelter clearly from the trail as a SOBO, very hard to miss and I slept on the platform a few days ago. I may be heavy but I am sure I would have noticed if it had fallen in.
eyahiker
08-07-2004, 10:40
Positive. This guy was heading SOBO and said he never saw it, but you know - he WAS going the wrong way:-? HE HEE HEE HEE.
That might explain it ;)
NOBO it was easier to see down below on the right, but it was almost dusk, and the sound of talking was muffled since the few folks there were sitting in the shelter, we almost walked by, but may have seen it as we went around the bend up ahead before the decent....beautiful, quiet place to sleep!
As for the "Platform" over by the privy, the dark brown 'deck' looking thing, was not level and not able to be camped upon, the upper right corner was sagging and rotten underneath, perhaps there was a big trail frolic to fix it since I was there, we set up next to the shelter.
mooseboy
07-26-2005, 09:47
Buggy and mouse-ridden. Water quite steeply downhill a good 1/4 mile.
A thru-hiker's food bag got gnawed into by mice while I stayed there, even though he had hung it properly. The mice were so loud and numerous at night I had to put in earplugs. And the mosquitoes were out in force (this was mid-July). I used the shelter, but had to sleep in my raingear and a mosquito head-net.
It's a shame, really, since this shelter is in good shape otherwise. There are tent platforms also.
Blue Jay
07-28-2005, 18:55
Buggy and mouse-ridden. Water quite steeply downhill a good 1/4 mile.
A thru-hiker's food bag got gnawed into by mice while I stayed there, even though he had hung it properly. The mice were so loud and numerous at night I had to put in earplugs. And the mosquitoes were out in force (this was mid-July). I used the shelter, but had to sleep in my raingear and a mosquito head-net.
OK, I've had enough of you. Go back to Astoria. How many shelters have you built? Ever heard of a Tent?
mooseboy
07-29-2005, 12:02
What's the deal? I said the shelter was in good shape and said nothing negative about the trail maintainers. You were derogatory towards my other observations about Mass. shelters, too, which were mostly positive.
Lest you think I am some day-hiker who doesn't like "icky outdoors" stuff, this was the first night of my week-long MA section hike. It happened to be my worst night. I've completed DWG-Williamstown, MA now, and while I know my 270 miles doesn't hold a candle to those who have thru-hiked the entire 2,100+ miles, I think it counts for something. I'm not "going back to Astoria"; in fact, I'm currently planning my Vermont section.
I thought these forums were here to inform hikers about the condition of the shelters. Since nobody had posted to some of these threads for over a year, I saw nothing wrong with offering a recent update. I'm sorry if they were not helpful to you. :confused:
Mooseboy,
You should be proud of your section-hiking accomplishments! Thank you for posting trail & shelter conditions.
Blue Jay
07-29-2005, 22:41
I've completed DWG-Williamstown, MA now, and while I know my 270 miles doesn't hold a candle to those who have thru-hiked the entire 2,100+ miles, I think it counts for something. I'm not "going back to Astoria"; in fact, I'm currently planning my Vermont section.
2.7 or 270 miles or 270,000 miles, that has nothing to do with it. I can hardly wait until you get to the "Buggy and mouseridden" shelters in Vermont. Again, bring a tent. Oh, and sorry we can't have the water closer for you. We'll try to budget in an aqueduct next time.
saimyoji
07-29-2005, 23:01
Mooseboy: Welcome to WB :welcome
mooseboy
07-30-2005, 11:57
Again, bring a tent. Oh, and sorry we can't have the water closer for you. We'll try to budget in an aqueduct next time.
Please, only Evian or Aquafina. My sensitive tastes can't handle that nasty "stream water". :p
Whatever, Blue Jay. I've had enough of your sarcasm. If you're a maintainer or volunteer for the Berkshire AMC Chapter, be assured that I have only the highest respect for the great work they do. Mass. was one of the best-maintained sections of trail I've seen. But don't get bent out of shape because I (and other hikers) didn't have our best experience at Tom Leonard. Read the thread-- I don't believe I'm the first one here to mention its couple negative aspects... which shouldn't be enough to deter long-distance hikers from staying there anyway. We're all just giving friendly warnings about what to expect.
I know that most shelters are mouse-ridden and buggy (in summer); I've stayed in them. By comparison to others, this one was more so. That's all. Sure I could've tented in the pouring rain; in fact, I did so the next night. That night at Tom Leonard, I weighed my options and traded dampness and a wet tent for bugs & mice. But if I had tented, my comments wouldn't reflect the sleeping conditions of the shelter, would they?--just the site itself.
I've gotten plenty of useful info from this site regarding the Trail. Now I'm just trying to give back a little. When I say something negative, you seem to imply that I'm whining about minor inconveniences; when I say something positive (as on other threads), you imply that it was unnecessary info.
Fortunately others here seem fairly positive (like most hikers I meet), so I'd like to end this little flame war if you don't mind.
Stayed at this shelter during a MA section hike in Sept 2001.
I'll second that it was very buggy when I had been there in August of that year. This time there weren't any bugs, but there was a porcupine chewing on the shelter all night long. We shooed him away, but he kept coming back... so we just assumed it as inevitable and went to sleep.
That summer had been very dry and the 1/4 mile hike down to a very shallow pool of water was not too much fun.
wystiria
12-18-2007, 16:32
Stayed at Tom Lenaord Columbus day weekendin Oct of this year. The shelter its self is in good condition although very smoky as the fire ring out front is not quite far enough away and when the wind is rigt the smoke billows back in to the shelter.
We pitched our tent on the AMAYZING tent platform! GORGEOUS! get there early and stake it out!
Stayed here this past weekend and wasprepared for a full house but when nobody else showed up my wife and I
had the run of the place and acted like kids.
It was a perfect night and the morning sunrise from the tent platform was simply magic. Better than any 5 star hotel..
Slept here Saturday night. No mice or turds. Looks like the (years) aforementioned leaks in the ceiling have been fixed. Fire Ring and Picnic Table in good condition. Privy Okay.
Emperor Near-0
05-22-2010, 11:26
Crashed here two nights ago. At about midnight "The Kidd" and I were woken up by a constant scraping sound. We looked down from the loft where we were laid out and saw a nice sized porcupine going to town on the floor. We noticed that the floor and bunks looked whittled and chipped, but were too tired to even care. In the morning, I noticed the privy had taken similar damage. We passed someone the day after who had said that the resident porcupine had been there for two+ years, but saw no mention of it in the register or on the forum here. If you stop and the shelter is empty, I suggest using the loft to avoid pissing off the resident or rolling over into 1000 quills in the gut.
There are a couple pictures of Tom Leonard in my gallery. Think I've only actually slept there once years back as I perfer going farther to North Wilcox or slething to the South. Always like the view from the tenting area.
Yup, we've been trying to discourage this guy and his progeny for years. We've sprayed the shelter with bitter apple, and put salt blocks in the woods away from the shelter. The rocky terrain is ideal for denning, and plenty of hiker sweat to provide a tasty midnight snack. I'd be a shame if he should have some sort of tragic accident...
Cosmo
Crashed here two nights ago. At about midnight "The Kidd" and I were woken up by a constant scraping sound. We looked down from the loft where we were laid out and saw a nice sized porcupine going to town on the floor. We noticed that the floor and bunks looked whittled and chipped, but were too tired to even care. In the morning, I noticed the privy had taken similar damage. We passed someone the day after who had said that the resident porcupine had been there for two+ years, but saw no mention of it in the register or on the forum here. If you stop and the shelter is empty, I suggest using the loft to avoid pissing off the resident or rolling over into 1000 quills in the gut.
Update, June 23rd, 2012. 5 Volunteers hauled a bear box into Leonard on the 23rd. Got help from a group of international students from Eisner Camp who were out for a training hike. Also shifted the privy to start the mouldering cycle on the full side of the crib and cleared the brush from the view from the tent platform. Register had two reports of a persistent bear at the site the week of June 16th.
For photos and more: http://massatprojects2012.blogspot.com/.
Cosmo
Sarcasm the elf
06-26-2012, 20:18
Very cool Cosmo. I thank all of you for keeping that area in great shape. One of my favorite times on the trail was taking a nero day at Tom Leonard a couple of years back, our morning consisted of lounging around at the tent platform and enjoying the view.
coach lou
06-26-2012, 20:38
Very cool Cosmo. I thank all of you for keeping that area in great shape. One of my favorite times on the trail was taking a nero day at Tom Leonard a couple of years back, our morning consisted of lounging around at the tent platform and enjoying the view.
I'm not telling Sherrie about the Porky or the Bear!
I'm not telling Sherrie about the Porky or the Bear!
There is a baseball bat at the shelter, if Mr/Ms Porky got a sharp lesson it would do a world of good. I think the bear is a pretty rare visitor. The easy water source is pretty dried up at this point, follow the blue blazes past the privy (not as bad as it sounds) all the way down to some really great water.
Cosmo
mark schofield
06-28-2012, 16:03
A few years ago I found the easy water source dried up and hiked down the hill to the stream. One of the first things I bought when I got home was a platypus 4L water bag. Open top, two handles, and a screw on cap. weighs about 2 oz.
Wildewoman
06-30-2012, 22:39
We'll be staying at the Tom Leonard shelter sometime this month. Thanks for making one aspect of our stop much, much easier!
Stayed there on July 1, 2012. The only water at that time was down the hill. Shelter was a bit smelly due to the animal repellent and floor board edges were well chewed up by porcupine. Otherwise, it was OK, but as mentioned earlier, mosquito netting is highly recommended and you will still be tormented by the constant buzzing. There is a new bear box there. Also, there is a tent platform right at the overlook and a very few good tent sites behind the rocks.
clarosee
09-23-2012, 20:05
Stayed for a night yesterday. It rained at night but there were no leaks. Stream is about 50ft from the shelter, so getting water is not a problem. Overall, a great shelter.
Wanderer0131
12-10-2012, 07:08
Stayed for a night yesterday. It rained at night but there were no leaks. Stream is about 50ft from the shelter, so getting water is not a problem. Overall, a great shelter.
Note, the water 50ft from this shelter is NOT the best water available at this site. There is a blue blazed trail past the privy down hill steeply to the small stream coming out of the ice glen. This source is by far a better source. The source near the shelter is typically colored with tanic acid from the swamp that it comes from and will often go dry in mid summer.
mark schofield
12-13-2012, 08:03
take enough water containers for a few meals down the hill with you. it's a long walk.
jeconiah
05-27-2013, 13:50
How windy does it get on that tent platform? I'm not 100% confident in my tent (different story) and so I just want to gauge how gusty it'll be if I use the platform. Are there more sheltered platforms around the site?
I don't think wind would be an issue any more than any other tentsite--unless the wind was exactly in the wrong direction. The platform faces southish and is surrounded on three sides by trees. It's not at the top of the mountain. There are other tent sites near the shelter as well. The shelter is 50yds away if things get really ugly.
Cosmo
How windy does it get on that tent platform? I'm not 100% confident in my tent (different story) and so I just want to gauge how gusty it'll be if I use the platform. Are there more sheltered platforms around the site?
Berserker
09-18-2015, 12:05
Note, the water 50ft from this shelter is NOT the best water available at this site. There is a blue blazed trail past the privy down hill steeply to the small stream coming out of the ice glen. This source is by far a better source. The source near the shelter is typically colored with tanic acid from the swamp that it comes from and will often go dry in mid summer.
To piggy back off of this the more reliable source is on the blue blazed trail past the privy. I had the pages from the Companion with me and it stated to that the water was "down a steep ravine". There's a trail going to the ravine to the left of the shelter (when facing away from the shelter), which is where I presume some are getting water when the flow is higher. That was dry when I went through there in early September of this year, but mistaken thought it was the source and ventured further down into the ravine, which is a rugged boulder field. So if it's dry at the top of that hit the trail that goes past the privy as stated above.
Gambit McCrae
09-18-2015, 12:51
I was there 2 weeks ago and got water in a small ravine that went under a wood bridge a few miles south of TL Lean-to.
Hikers at TL Lean-to had dammed up the very slow trickle to make a collection spot. this place was past the privy, but I did not go down to it.
There is no trail down into the ravine to the left--you might have been able to get there, but it's not blazed or maintained. Best just to follow the blue blaze past the privy (bear right going away from the shelter). Probably the coldest water south of Maine. Snow lingers in the secret places in that ravine (Ice Gulch) until well into the summer.
Cosmo
To piggy back off of this the more reliable source is on the blue blazed trail past the privy. I had the pages from the Companion with me and it stated to that the water was "down a steep ravine". There's a trail going to the ravine to the left of the shelter (when facing away from the shelter), which is where I presume some are getting water when the flow is higher. That was dry when I went through there in early September of this year, but mistaken thought it was the source and ventured further down into the ravine, which is a rugged boulder field. So if it's dry at the top of that hit the trail that goes past the privy as stated above.
Berserker
09-21-2015, 09:42
There is no trail down into the ravine to the left--you might have been able to get there, but it's not blazed or maintained. Best just to follow the blue blaze past the privy (bear right going away from the shelter). Probably the coldest water south of Maine. Snow lingers in the secret places in that ravine (Ice Gulch) until well into the summer.
Cosmo
You are right in that there is not a blue blazed trail into the ravine on the left side, but there is a heavy "use trail" there. When I rolled in I was not in a super clear state of mind due to the heat and being worn out. So I blindly followed this use trail into the ravine, and it's clear that many others have also. So that's why I thought I would report on it so others don't make the same mistake.
Oh yeah, and once in the ravine there was some really cold air coming up from under the rocks...it felt fantastic...kinda like air conditioning.