View Full Version : Secret Shelter in VT?
The AT Database reports in 2004 a secret shelter just south of Gov Clement Shelter (a place where I do not want to stop). Any info on the current status of this shelter and how to find it?
Thanks,
Cosmo
saimyoji
07-15-2008, 08:27
ssssshhhhhhh......its a secret. :rolleyes:
as of 2006, that secret shelter looked new, very nice, and there were free cookies there to hikers!
DavidNH
PS the clement shelter is a pit! You are right not to stop there.
minnesotasmith
07-15-2008, 08:39
The AT Database reports in 2004 a secret shelter just south of Gov Clement Shelter (a place where I do not want to stop). Any info on the current status of this shelter and how to find it?
Thanks,
Cosmo
In an area with multiple dirt roads close together, where you hung a left at a sign that read "Water", and it was a farm with a shelter? The SS I remember had 2 levels with a smooth wooden upstairs, POWER and a large box fan, a huge double stainless steel sink with RUNNING WATER (couldn't resist the temptation to handwash all my dirty clothes), and a hilarious pair of loud, constantly-protesting donkeys in the distance. Is it this place we're talking about?
If you are NOBO About 1.6 miles south of Gov. Clement, upon reaching Upper Cold River Road, make a left. Go about 1/4 mile and look for the rock cairn marking the path to the Secret Shelter (don't take the dirt track to the right before that). If it's still there, about 1/4 mile or so before reaching the road, you may see a notice on a tree to your left telling you how to get there.
hopefulhiker
07-15-2008, 10:25
I checked it out. It has a shower!
So a SOBO would not see the notice on the tree, and wold turn right onto Upper Cold River Rd? How far off the road is the shelter? I'm thinking of making it my first stop, leaving from Rt 4.
Cosmo
So a SOBO would not see the notice on the tree, and wold turn right onto Upper Cold River Rd? How far off the road is the shelter? I'm thinking of making it my first stop, leaving from Rt 4.
Cosmo
Yes, right turn at the road. The shelter is not very far off the road and is usually visible early on (if you look closely) once you're on the path toward it.
LIhikers
07-15-2008, 17:12
My wife and I will be hiking southbound through there this coming August. Do we need a special invitation or do we need to know the special pass word or is keeping our eyes peeled enough?
wilconow
07-15-2008, 18:05
My wife and I will be hiking southbound through there this coming August. Do we need a special invitation or do we need to know the special pass word or is keeping our eyes peeled enough?
don't need anything.. hosts are very nice folks
mark schofield
09-21-2008, 15:49
I stayed there on 9/18 while doing Williamstown to Rt.4. A beautiful quiet place built with love and a bit of a sence of humor. I hope the sponsors/owners read my thankyou note. It was 35.6 deg that night. Mark S.
camojack
09-21-2008, 17:48
In an area with multiple dirt roads close together, where you hung a left at a sign that read "Water", and it was a farm with a shelter? The SS I remember had 2 levels with a smooth wooden upstairs, POWER and a large box fan, a huge double stainless steel sink with RUNNING WATER (couldn't resist the temptation to handwash all my dirty clothes), and a hilarious pair of loud, constantly-protesting donkeys in the distance. Is it this place we're talking about?
The place you're describing sounds like the Secret Shelter in NY...not VT.
DuctTape
09-21-2008, 18:45
http://www.jamiecompos.com/swansong.html
Gov Clement is the worst excuse for a shelter there is on the LT - but at least now they've gated the road that made it such a party spot. It's still a hole in the ground, but a quiet one.
Lone Wolf
09-21-2008, 19:57
Gov Clement is the worst excuse for a shelter there is on the LT - but at least now they've gated the road that made it such a party spot. It's still a hole in the ground, but a quiet one.
you know and i know the local boys will just break out the bolt cutters and gain access. i really question the intelligence of the ATC, GMC and U.S. Forest for keeping that dump open. common sense says tear it down :rolleyes:
you know and i know the local boys will just break out the bolt cutters and gain access. i really question the intelligence of the ATC, GMC and U.S. Forest for keeping that dump open. common sense says tear it down :rolleyes:
I don't think anyone would pursue those who acted on their own to solve that particular problem
I stayed there this summer. It's a beautifully designed shelter with a lot of whimsical touches. And two well-placed trees for hammocking as well.
LIhikers
09-22-2008, 11:27
As nice as Vermont's secret shelter is I was even more impressed by the privey.
And to top it off the reading material in there is a couple of coffee table books about outhouses...lol
you know and i know the local boys will just break out the bolt cutters and gain access. i really question the intelligence of the ATC, GMC and U.S. Forest for keeping that dump open. common sense says tear it down :rolleyes:
Indeed. In 03' I put in a long azz day to get up to Killington for the night. My buddies all slept at the Gov and twice were woken up by groups of kids, one group which was shooting off guns.
In 04' I was carrying a hammock and set up alongside that lovely creek a mile or 2 south of the shelter.
I;ll check out the Secret place if I'm ever back.
When I went through there is '04, a group came through in ATVs, no bolt-cutters needed, and proceeded to shoot up the area around 1am. The shelter and the road need to be completely erased.
When I went through there is '04, a group came through in ATVs, no bolt-cutters needed, and proceeded to shoot up the area around 1am. The shelter and the road need to be completely erased.
Gov. Clements shelter was known to be a problem well before 2004. A bunch of us congregated there mid-day, but then everyone moved on. I continued on to Clarendon shelter and tented. Had a great time at Clarendon -- some local had hauled in at least a cord or two of firewood, so we had quite the bonfire. It was mid-August 2002.
Gov. Clements shelter was known to be a problem well before 2004.
I was aware of that and was glad of it. Our stealth site by the river went unnoticed, but the gunfire at night was a little unnerving.
DuctTape
09-22-2008, 15:49
Gov. Clements shelter was known to be a problem well before 2004. A bunch of us congregated there mid-day, but then everyone moved on. I continued on to Clarendon shelter and tented. Had a great time at Clarendon -- some local had hauled in at least a cord or two of firewood, so we had quite the bonfire. It was mid-August 2002.
2002? Terrapin I think I met you on Bromley Mountain.
2002? Terrapin I think I met you on Bromley Mountain.
Could be. I was there around mid-day, a sunny day. I recall crowds of thru hikers gathered at the summit; they were planning to stay the night and watch the meteor shower. I hiked down and spent the next couple of nights at Frank Sutton's place in Manchester (waiting on a maildrop...)
Stayed there in '08. It was beautiful. Thought the big red "Staples" button was kinda cool too. In the morning, the folks gave us sodas and fresh cut melon!
Yes, right turn at the road. The shelter is not very far off the road and is usually visible early on (if you look closely) once you're on the path toward it.
So, finally getting back to finish up VT from my 2008 visit. At present GMC reports that the AT/LT is on the roads due to storm damage between Gov Clement and [Lower] Cold River Rd. Is the path to the shelter off of Upper Cold River Rd between Gillman Rd and the AT/LT? Is it to the north or south of the road?
Or I'll find out on Sunday,
Cosmo
No one is taking the road walk detour unless there have been hard rains. The only reason the detour exists this year is because a bridge was washed away. Put on your Crocs and ford !!!!
Since the Gov Clement Shelter has been renovated and the access road gated, most hikers do not stop at the Secret Shelter
HikerMom58
08-08-2013, 19:28
Since the Gov Clement Shelter has been renovated and the access road gated, most hikers do not stop at the Secret Shelter
I read a lot about the Secret Shelter in hikers journals, in 2008. I'm thrilled to hear that the access road has been gated and the shelter there has been renovated. :)
The Secret Shelter is great. Highly recommended.
ChinMusic
10-13-2013, 16:52
I wasn't even thinking about it until I was way passed it.
LIhikers
10-13-2013, 17:03
Since the Gov Clement Shelter has been renovated and the access road gated, most hikers do not stop at the Secret Shelter
That's too bad. I thought Vermont's secret shelter was quite nice when we went there, a number of years ago now.
In fact, even the privy was nice and unique. When we were there, there was a coffee table book about outhouses in the outhouse.
further north near Madonna Peak, there's a couple nice "secret" warming huts on some side trails off the Long Trail.... hikers can use them.....a GMC trail worker was telling me about them last month
I've heard a rumor that Swan Song is no longer available? I have not seen any recent posts about it. I didn't know about it during my '12 Sobo section. I'm planning an LT E2E and would love to stay there.
cliffordbarnabus
09-16-2018, 23:47
I've heard a rumor that Swan Song is no longer available? I have not seen any recent posts about it. I didn't know about it during my '12 Sobo section. I'm planning an LT E2E and would love tasty there.
"tasty there"?
"tasty there"?
"To Stay". (friggin auto-speel)
Gambit McCrae
09-17-2018, 15:20
I just went thru this area nobo and saw no sings of this place. However I did tent at gov shelter and it was a pleasant stay right before walking over killington the next morning. The water source at Gov clem shelter is flowing like a river
Funkmeister
09-17-2018, 16:37
Here is what the Secret Shelter looked like during my section hike in 2005. Was fairly new then. I don't remember the privy.
The guy who built it was cool. He stopped by the Clement shelter where I was resting. Invited me to his 'secret shelter.' Glad I tood him up on his offer. There was beer in the creek.
43662
capt. photon
02-24-2019, 16:37
Since the Gov Clement Shelter has been renovated and the access road gated, most hikers do not stop at the Secret Shelter
AFAIK, the gate is seasonal as the road leads to private property and cannot be permanently closed.
Slo-go'en
02-24-2019, 17:11
AFAIK, the gate is seasonal as the road leads to private property and cannot be permanently closed.
Unless maybe the property owner doesn't want it open? Or they have a key to open it when they want to access their property. The gate was closed to keep the local rift raft from driving in and partying.
Gov Clement is the worst excuse for a shelter there is on the LT - but at least now they've gated the road that made it such a party spot. It's still a hole in the ground, but a quiet one.
Then you probably have not visited Cooper Lodge. In my opinion that one hold the number one spot for worst LT shelter, though there are a couple others in the running. Cooley Glenn has heaved and twisted badly. The roof leaked so badly when we were there one hiker set up her tent in the shelter to stay dry. Overall the GMC does an admirable job keeping up the shelters.
ldsailor
02-25-2019, 11:53
The place you're describing sounds like the Secret Shelter in NY...not VT.
Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But then someone said the privy is nice with reading material. That's not the Secret Shelter I stayed at in NJ (I believe - mile 1,344). That privy is not in good shape at all; however the shelter itself was awesome. It even has heat and electricity for charging electronics, potable water and a shower across the field from the shelter. The owner is an great guy by the name of Jim Murray with whom I had a nice chat when I was there in May 2018.
I just realized I got sucked into a thread that was started more than 10 years ago. Oh well. Sorry I missed the Vermont Secret Shelter last year.