PDA

View Full Version : Mollies Ridge



chris
10-27-2003, 11:19
This shelter in the Smokys was renovated in June 2003 and is now really quite nice. The bear fence has been taken down and there is a side porch/cooking area. With the location (albeit windy) on a ridge with nice views (atleast when the leaves are not heavy), this is now my favorite shelter in the Smokys. As of October 24, the spring was flowing, but barely. Approximately 5 minutes per liter.

smokymtnsteve
10-27-2003, 11:26
litre every 5 mins..not bad for mollies in late fall..when I was there oct 99..we got 6 litres all night...was barely dripping...

Saluki Dave
10-27-2003, 11:43
Great. Now we need a new pic. ;)

chris
10-27-2003, 11:45
Coming soon. The film goes to the developer today.

Uncle Wayne
10-28-2003, 02:28
We were there October 6, 2002 and the spring was flowing great. We caught enough water in a gallon zip lock bag in no time at all to bathe. It had just rained for 3 days prior though so that would make a difference.
I imagine the remodeled shelter is along the same lines as the others in the Smokies?

chris
10-28-2003, 08:46
Yes, but the overhang is on the side,rather than in front.

Repeat
10-31-2003, 10:08
The following is link to a picture of the renovated Mollies Ridge shelter----http://www.trailjournals.com/picview.cfm?sort=Title&from=trail&with=Appalachian%20Trail&id=31295

chris
10-31-2003, 15:08
A pic of the remodelled Mollies Ridge shelter is on this site now:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1712&papass=&sort=1

Uncle Wayne
11-05-2003, 08:55
Chris, (Or anyone)

Do you know how they get the material to the shelter site to do a major renovation like at Mollie's Ridge? Pack animals, helicopters or what?? It takes a lot of man hours to do shelter renovation like is going on through the Smokies.

chris
11-05-2003, 09:05
I do not know, not having been to the park during any of the summer months. I'd be interested to know how much the park puts into the renovations. I know the design is done gratis, but who does the labor, and who provides the material?

deeddawg
11-05-2003, 09:50
I think the organization is The Friends of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Here's their website: Friends of the Smokies (http://www.friendsofthesmokies.org/)

Looking at their "needs" list they appear to have needed/put $14,000 towards the Mollies Ridge shelter renov. I bet if you emailed them they could tell you the rest of what you'd like to know.

Tn Bandit
05-27-2004, 16:23
Stayed there on May 18th (birthday hike). Phillip Royer designed this shelter and will be doing his magic on the Tricorner Knob shelter this June!

Stuart
06-23-2004, 09:05
Could not find water source June 11, 2004. We followed the trail marked "water" about .3 mi and gave up. Everything was bone dry. Maybe we overlooked it, but I doubt it.

smokymtnsteve
06-23-2004, 09:07
Could not find water source June 11, 2004. We followed the trail marked "water" about .3 mi and gave up. Everything was bone dry. Maybe we overlooked it, but I doubt it.

not very surprising..the water source at Mollies is not very reliable in summer

Tn Bandit
07-08-2004, 20:18
It is the nicest shelter in the park (but I haven't been to TriCorner Knob yet, it's getting a makeover as well). And a welcome site for those traveling south. I stayed there in May and two pair of hikers made reservations at Birch Spring Shelter except they weren't told it was now a campsite. They were forced to hold up there from Spence Field the previous night.

NINpigNIN
06-13-2006, 09:21
Stayed there on the last night of a 3-nighter going south to Fontana from Clingmans. Shelter was really nice, and holds 14 which was good since we had 6 thru-hikers with us, including 2 who had to hole up instead of pushing on to Spence due to dehydration. The site was really nice, plenty of grassy areas to hang out. No fence, two different sets of bear cables (6 cables total I think), but no privy and a bit of a hike to water. A very welcome sight coming in from Derricks Knob Shelter the night before.

NINpigNIN
06-13-2006, 09:29
Stayed there on the last night of a 3-nighter going south to Fontana from Clingmans. Shelter was really nice, and holds 14 which was good since we had 6 thru-hikers with us, including 2 who had to hole up instead of pushing on to Spence due to dehydration. The site was really nice, plenty of grassy areas to hang out. No fence, two different sets of bear cables (6 cables total I think), but no privy and a bit of a hike to water. A very welcome sight coming in from Derricks Knob Shelter the night before.

Oops. Should have noted that we stayed there last Saturday night (6-10-2006), and that at that time there were warnings of bear activity in the area of the park (but we didn't see any bears that night or really for the whole trip).

captike
09-13-2015, 19:58
I'll be staying here in a few weeks and I was wondering about the water supply. Has anyone been here lately and can advise on the water availability? From what I've read (granted it's VERY old info) the water source is not reliable.

HooKooDooKu
09-14-2015, 00:21
Holy thread resurrection Batman, this thread is over a decade old...

In any case, if water sources are drying up in GSMNP, their temporary closures page will usually list it. Most water sources (near shelters and campsites) usually need weeks of no rain to dry up. This past week has been the first dry week of the year I think we've had.http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm

LesterC
09-19-2015, 09:30
Can anyone tell me estimated time from Fontana Dam to Mollies Ridge.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

chiefiepoo
09-19-2015, 10:53
For me, at age 65, it was 9 hours from the start of crossing the dam to Mollies Ridge. 10.7 miles I think. That included a leisurely lunch and a short trip and 30 minute stay at Birch where I had contemplated staying. Too many flies there so I opted to continue to Mollies. I did the 5.3 from Birch to Mollies in about 3.5 hours.

MuddyWaters
09-19-2015, 11:09
Can anyone tell me estimated time from Fontana Dam to Mollies Ridge.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Anywhere from 4-10 hrs depending on person, load, breaks, sidetrip to shuckstack, etc.

In shape, reasonably light (25 lb) pack, and 6 hrs is not hard. If not accustomed to hiking, or carrying heavy pack, plan a full day.

Kerosene
09-19-2015, 12:29
I did that section in early October 2011 at age 54 carrying a 25-pound pack. There was wet snow at high elevations the night before but it dawned clear and cold (35F!) which forced me to start across the dam in my lightweight fleece, which is very unusual for me. It took me 5.5 hours to cover the 11 miles to Mollie's Ridge Shelter, including a detour to climb the firetower and a lunch behind a boulder somewhat out of the breeze until I got too cold and had to move on.

While I have osteoarthritis in my knees from decades of playing soccer and basketball, that foundational fitness level also makes it a lot easier for me to climb than most people. I actually enjoyed the climb to the firetower and never had to pause for a rest. YMMV. It's also a lot easier in cooler, less humid temps than it would be in mid-summer.

My daily mileage through the Park was limited by shelter reservations. I stayed a Mollies Ridge (11.0 miles), Derrick Knob (12.5), Mt. Collins (13.5), re-supplied at Newfound Gap through Hike Inn and moved on to Peck's Corner (14.9), Cosby Knob (12.9), Standing Bear Farm (11.0), then out at Max Patch (12.1) to complete my southern AT mileage. I had glorious weather after that brisk first day and night.

Bronk
09-19-2015, 15:26
I want to say I left the Fontana Hilton at 7 or 8am and got up there by early afternoon...no later than 2pm. But keep in mind that thruhikers will have walked 160+ miles to get to that point so they will be in good shape by the time they get there. It is a climb.

LoneRidgeRunner
10-27-2016, 17:07
Anyone ever see "Molly"?

LoneRidgeRunner
10-27-2016, 17:08
Anyone ever see "Mollie"?

-Rush-
10-27-2016, 22:56
No, and I've never seen Spiderfoot either.