PDA

View Full Version : Why do you stay at shelters?



modiyooch
08-20-2008, 21:47
I don't stay at the shelters and I feel like I am in the minority. I know the most logical reason for staying at a shelter, but I was curious why so many people schedule their daily hikes from shelter to shelter.

Do you stay at shelters? Why or why not?

Lone Wolf
08-20-2008, 21:51
Do you stay at shelters? Why or why not?

hell no! why would anyone?

Bearpaw88
08-20-2008, 21:52
I used to...
Not anymore. They are full of mice and worse smelly dirty hikers :D

Only if the weather is reallllly bad do I stay at a shelter.

Tin Man
08-20-2008, 21:52
shelters suck

Sidewinder
08-20-2008, 21:58
I don't! They are nasty, noisy, rodent infested and smells of dirty hikers.

Flush2wice
08-20-2008, 22:18
I have a shelter in my backyard. Film at eleven.

Fat Man Walking
08-20-2008, 22:21
I don't stay IN shelters. I hang a hammock.

Due to job responsibilities, the only time I get on the trail is the last week of July, first week of August. My experience and where I am currently on the trail has been that springs are most unreliable. And, I am the type that likes a fair amount of water at the end of the day and to start the next. Shelters typically have water close by and are more reliable.

That said, I would really rather stealth camp more but, until I can find a more reliable way to determine what springs are flowing and which are dry, I am going to err on the side of caution.

Oh and I have tried to get that information here but, it usually results in the thread getting hijacked to discuss the controversy du jour.

Oh Well.........

Slo-go'en
08-20-2008, 22:25
I suppose mostly because their there. They just happen to be conveniantly located and are a natrual goal. They usually have a reliable water source and a picnic table to sit and cook at and a fire ring. Most of the social mingling on the trail happens at shelters. That doesn't mean you actually have to stay in one, tenting near-by is always an option. Which is what I often do, just to have a good nights sleep!

modiyooch
08-20-2008, 22:28
I don't stay IN shelters. I hang a hammock.

Due to job responsibilities, the only time I get on the trail is the last week of July, first week of August. My experience and where I am currently on the trail has been that springs are most unreliable. And, I am the type that likes a fair amount of water at the end of the day and to start the next. Shelters typically have water close by and are more reliable.

That said, I would really rather stealth camp more but, until I can find a more reliable way to determine what springs are flowing and which are dry, I am going to err on the side of caution.

Oh and I have tried to get that information here but, it usually results in the thread getting hijacked to discuss the controversy du jour.

Oh Well......... Personally, I'm picky about my water and research the water before I go. There is a document somewhere that lists water and its source. I tend to want to fillup at springs and taps only. I carry a filter but rarely use it. I also cross check that document with the companion.

Marta
08-20-2008, 22:32
Shelters are easy, especially if it's raining. They usually have water nearby, and privies, and flat places to set up a stove, and a bench to sit on, and a roof over the cooking area. If I've been walking by myself all day, it's fun to have people to talk to in the evening.

Tin Man
08-20-2008, 22:36
Shelters are easy, especially if it's raining. They usually have water nearby, and privies, and flat places to set up a stove, and a bench to sit on, and a roof over the cooking area. If I've been walking by myself all day, it's fun to have people to talk to in the evening.

I do all those things, except I tent a little way away so I can sleep without the nonsense of the banjo-playing mice staying up late and the gotta do the miles, early-rising smilie mice stomping all around.

Summit
08-20-2008, 22:42
I often camp near a shelter for the same reasons already given: reliable water, privy, social aspects, nice location (Tray Mtn comes to mind). But I only sleep in them if it has been an all day nasty rain and tent spots are mud puddles. Bottom line: if I'm in the mood for social interaction, tenting near a shelter is generally the place to be. If I'm in the mood for solitude, I avoid them.

ed bell
08-20-2008, 23:17
I grew up backpacking everywhere down here but the AT. Shelters are rare in the S.E. when one backpacks on trails other than the AT. Much more freedom to be had and self reliance needed when you don't consider shelters as the destination when you go backpacking.

Tin Man
08-20-2008, 23:31
I grew up backpacking everywhere down here but the AT. Shelters are rare in the S.E. when one backpacks on trails other than the AT. Much more freedom to be had and self reliance needed when you don't consider shelters as the destination when you go backpacking.

Yeah, I saw my first shelters in the Adirondacks and wondered ***? Checked it out and backed away quietly when I saw the voodoo little warning signs that look like an upside-down tuna can with a line run through them.

Lyle
08-20-2008, 23:34
What Marta said, exactly.

trippclark
08-20-2008, 23:42
Shelters are easy, especially if it's raining. They usually have water nearby, and privies, and flat places to set up a stove, and a bench to sit on, and a roof over the cooking area. If I've been walking by myself all day, it's fun to have people to talk to in the evening.

I agree with all of the reasons that Marta states. I only stay inside the shelter when it is mandated (e.g. Smokies). Instead, I choose to hang my hammock nearby the shelter. This affords me comfort, relative privacy, and seclusion from shelter noise and mice. It also allows me to use what I see as the positives of many (not all) shelter sites (table, privy, reliable water source, etc.).

rafe
08-20-2008, 23:47
What Marta said, exactly.

And I'll second (or third) that emotion.

But I have a question for the OP (modiyooch): Why solicit other people's opinions on this subject? Would the responses affect your own behavior or decisions on the trail?

ed bell
08-21-2008, 00:05
I have a shelter in my backyard. Film at eleven.
I'd like to see that pic!:cool:

Tennessee Viking
08-21-2008, 00:06
I am going to start camping more. But I loved Mountaineer Falls & Bald Mountain Shelters on my last section hikes.

The mice were too smart to come out of their holes into the freezing cold wind to bug me.

ed bell
08-21-2008, 00:07
Shelters are easy, especially if it's raining. They usually have water nearby, and privies, and flat places to set up a stove, and a bench to sit on, and a roof over the cooking area. If I've been walking by myself all day, it's fun to have people to talk to in the evening.Save the bench and the alone parts, I got all that covered.:D I can understand the folks getting lonely.

Erin
08-21-2008, 00:17
I agree with Ed Bell. We don't have shelters out here or out west. We tented on our section because we planned to do that. We tented near shelters because of the water. It was so dry last year. We stealthed one night and had to really trek for water. But if I got cold and wet or was alone, I would use a shelter if I had a gear problem or if there was bear activity. I am small and don't want to be a snack even though I know the odds are small.

ed bell
08-21-2008, 00:39
<snip>

But I have a question for the OP (modiyooch): Why solicit other people's opinions on this subject? Would the responses affect your own behavior or decisions on the trail?Since he said us non-shelter using folk are in the minority when it comes to the AT, he was looking for an alternate opinion from the shelter-set. (as opposed to the jet-set);)

The Weasel
08-21-2008, 01:15
When I hike by myself, particularly for several days in a remote area, there is a certain enjoyment to being able to visit peaceably with others who you don't know well about the trail and such at the end of a day. Not necessarily every day, or even most, but there are times when several days of solitude is enough, and a bit of contact is satisfying, too. In the East, and in some parks, that occurs at shelters or the organized campgrounds that you can (and sometimes must) stay at and which are often the only places one can have open fires. In the west, which has fewer shelters, the social aspect of hiking occurs more at established campsites, which are usually close to a water source, a hot spring, or something else desireable.

It's an optional thing, but one of the real under-considered aspects of backpacking is the chance to meet people and make new friends. Shelters and such can add to that.

Rusty

Monkeywrench
08-21-2008, 07:52
Shelters also concentrate use, and thus impacts. I think everyone but me should always use shelters! ;-)

modiyooch
08-21-2008, 07:55
And I'll second (or third) that emotion.

But I have a question for the OP (modiyooch): Why solicit other people's opinions on this subject? Would the responses affect your own behavior or decisions on the trail?No. I cannot tolerate mice and I love the seclusion while camping. I have found some beautiful places to pitch along the way. I was beginning to wonder if people thought that they were required to stay at shelters, GSNP and MD excluded. Also, I hiked with a friend this Spring and we had short days because we stopped at shelters. We would bypass a beautiful area just to get to a shelter and then it be too crowded and we had to tent at a distance. I also tend to walk until just before dusk. I don't think that I could stop at 5 in the evening, just because there was a shelter. Keep in mind, I am not anti social. I am very sociable. The friend that I hiked 140 miles with last Spring, I met the year before on the trail in PA. I am female and you should hear my coworkers. "you are hiking with a man you met for one day on the trail?" and my reply is "well you don't like it when I hike alone..." They just don't understand.

Mrs Baggins
08-21-2008, 08:09
I have no real problem with them. I do carry a tent and usually use it. But I've slept in the shelters on nights when I was just too tired to be bothered putting up the tent. I've had little problems with mice. They've run over me a couple of times but never got into my stuff or chewed anything. I wear excellent ear plugs so I don't hear the snorers and talkers. I always stay next to a shelter - never stealth camp - because I like having the water nearby, the companionship, the benches, and tables, the bear cables, etc.

rafe
08-21-2008, 08:29
No. I cannot tolerate mice and I love the seclusion while camping. I have found some beautiful places to pitch along the way. I was beginning to wonder if people thought that they were required to stay at shelters, GSNP and MD excluded. Also, I hiked with a friend this Spring and we had short days because we stopped at shelters. We would bypass a beautiful area just to get to a shelter and then it be too crowded and we had to tent at a distance. I also tend to walk until just before dusk. I don't think that I could stop at 5 in the evening, just because there was a shelter. Keep in mind, I am not anti social. I am very sociable. The friend that I hiked 140 miles with last Spring, I met the year before on the trail in PA. I am female and you should hear my coworkers. "you are hiking with a man you met for one day on the trail?" and my reply is "well you don't like it when I hike alone..." They just don't understand.

OK, you've explained your own reasoning but it's still not clear why other people's shelter preferences would matter to you.

It's true that shelters can function as arbitrary goals and mileposts on a hike, but in that regard, just finding a decent campsite often has the same effect. And if it's company or companionship you're after, while camping for the night -- well, even more so. You hiked with a partner, so your need for companionship was satisfied that way.

skinny minnie
08-21-2008, 09:09
Maybe they're just curious?

I hate ear plugs and can't sleep with other people around. Plus, they kind of creep me out (shelters, not people). Not gonna lie.

Lone Wolf
08-21-2008, 09:16
I hate ear plugs and can't sleep with other people around. Plus, they kind of creep me out (shelters, not people).

that's cuz shelters are unnatural in the woods. shelter areas are mini urban areas. disgusting

Tin Man
08-21-2008, 09:18
that's cuz shelters are unnatural in the woods. shelter areas are mini urban areas. disgusting

reminds me of crate/cardboard shelters where the homeless stay

rafe
08-21-2008, 09:23
Maybe they're just curious?

Maybe, but the OP has been around long enough to know that this is a very contentious topic. The thing is, it's not like a piece of gear; you can make up your mind (to use the shelter, or not) when the moment arrives. There's no need to commit or decide in advance. Heck, you can even choose differently from one day to the next. Just wing it. (That's what I do.)


I hate ear plugs and can't sleep with other people around. Plus, they kind of creep me out (shelters, not people). Not gonna lie.

I've seen creepy, ugly shelters, and I've seen some beautiful ones. I wouldn't generalize.

Flush2wice
08-21-2008, 09:25
shelter areas are mini urban areas. disgusting
They are also prime mudsnake habitat. This is at the Roan High Knob shelter.
4664

NICKTHEGREEK
08-21-2008, 09:53
When I was a kid in the 50's and 60's I imagined hobo life as an adventure and read a few books devoted to the subject. Seemed a cool thing to do.
The seasonal migration up and down the AT and the "community of AT-only hikers" kinda reminded me of the hobo culture and I found this link: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA01/white/hobo/thejungle.html There are some very interesting parallels

Lone Wolf
08-21-2008, 09:58
someone say Hobos? :eek:

MOWGLI
08-21-2008, 10:04
They are also prime mudsnake habitat. This is at the Roan High Knob shelter.
4664

Why would you take that photo, much less post it here?

skinny minnie
08-21-2008, 10:34
Maybe, but the OP has been around long enough to know that this is a very contentious topic. The thing is, it's not like a piece of gear; you can make up your mind (to use the shelter, or not) when the moment arrives. There's no need to commit or decide in advance. Heck, you can even choose differently from one day to the next. Just wing it. (That's what I do.)



I've seen creepy, ugly shelters, and I've seen some beautiful ones. I wouldn't generalize.

Yeah, well it's an interesting topic to debate, to be sure...

I'm not generalizing. I know there are some neat ones out there, and in beautiful locations. But they actually creep me out on several levels.

1. I like pristine places. A shelter gets a whole lotta use. Some have mice and pests. Just like public bathrooms creep me out, shelters creep me out. Because I'm laying in an area where many other people have been.

2. I can't stress enough that the people I encounter don't creep me out. BUT, the potential for a predator to find me is a lot higher if I am at a known shelter, than if I am out camping somewhere a little more stealth. I don't think predators are stalking me down the AT, but the fact remains that this is a marked location on a map where people know to go, and where they know they will encounter other people.

3. It is like a mini urban area, in that people congregate there. Large amounts of people, over time. Litter can accumulate. People can be careless. People can be wasteful. People go there to get drunk, on occasion. None of which particularly tickles my fancy.

4. Also, I find it really interesting how people feel better with a few walls up around them. Especially when bears are often smart enough to realize that shelters = people with packs of food.

So I'm not saying I automatically assume a shelter is going to suck. And I'm not discounting the positives - the potential for meeting great people/socializing at the end of a long day, water source, privies, etc... But I am saying that because of all of the reasons I listed, they creep me out.

skinny minnie
08-21-2008, 10:36
And I would like to say that that picture completely validates my feelings. UGH. Thanks.

max patch
08-21-2008, 10:36
Why would you take that photo, much less post it here?

Thats what I thought too when I saw it....why did you take the picture in the first place?

Footslogger
08-21-2008, 10:36
someone say Hobos? :eek:

========================

Yeah ...I thought I heard the "H" word my own self !!

'Slogger

dessertrat
08-21-2008, 10:40
I usually camp in my tent or cowboy style (when there are no bugs and it doesn't look like rain) near shelters, but not in them. Once in a while I will sleep in a shelter, if it is windy or looks like rain, and if there is no good flat place without dead trees around to pitch a tent.

Camping near a shelter has the following advantages, usually: 1) near water source, and 2) a privy, which, while one must be careful to wash hands, is less trouble than digging a cathole, and has less environmental impact. Also, 3) an established fire ring, in most places, if one wants a campfire while still minimizing environmental impact.

Sleeping in shelters becomes far less objectionable in the winter, when the rodents and bugs are hibernating and you are likely to have the place to yourself.

Flush2wice
08-21-2008, 12:01
Why would you take that photo, much less post it here?


Thats what I thought too when I saw it....why did you take the picture in the first place?
Because it was disgusting and all over the tenting area near that shelter. The shelter dwellers use the tent area as a toilet.

modiyooch
08-21-2008, 17:52
OK, you've explained your own reasoning but it's still not clear why other people's shelter preferences would matter to you.

actually, I was wondering if other people thought they were required to stay at the shelters. I ran into a Nobo in Maine who commented as such.

contentious topic?? I think that you read too much into my question. There is no hidden agenda. Keep in mind, I only have 10% of the posts that you have.

Tin Man
08-21-2008, 18:12
shelters are very beneficial to smart hikers. it keeps the riff-raff out of your stealth camp.

rafe
08-21-2008, 19:19
actually, I was wondering if other people thought they were required to stay at the shelters. I ran into a Nobo in Maine who commented as such.

Ah, OK. Well, shelters are "required" in GSMNP, and they become a de-facto requirement in other places like the Whites, unless you're skilled at stealth camping or are willing to bend the rules. There are occasional stretches of trail here and there where camping is verboten (eg. just north of Boiling Springs, PA, or in the WMNF above treeline, etc...)


contentious topic?? I think that you read too much into my question. There is no hidden agenda. Keep in mind, I only have 10% of the posts that you have.I haven't checked your join date, but it seems that here on WhiteBlaze, there's almost always a "shelter" thread going.

The Weasel
08-21-2008, 19:19
Tin has a good point. I would think it a bit more secure to be at a shelter, where people are likely to see you, making "problem people" nervous, than stealthing where no one is nearby if you need some assistance.

Rusty

Homer&Marje
08-21-2008, 19:27
For Shelter. I thought I'd be simple.

Lone Wolf
08-21-2008, 19:35
Tin has a good point. I would think it a bit more secure to be at a shelter, where people are likely to see you, making "problem people" nervous, than stealthing where no one is nearby if you need some assistance.

Rusty

wrong. a gal was nearly raped in 93 in tn. cuz when she arrived at a shelter there was a dude there that made her nervous. she moved on a mile or so. she tented. the dude some hours later showed up, entered her tent and attempted rape, she fought and stabbed him in the shoulder. he fled. long story short, he was tented close by. after a few days cops caught him. he had been recently let go from prison for a rape he commited 6 years prior. i wish the young lady had a gun and not a knife

saimyoji
08-21-2008, 19:38
i took my brother on his first backpacking trip a week ago in Va. I asked him if he wanted to try sleeping in the shelter. he took one look at the shelter and said: "**** that. i brought this tent along for a reason. why would i want to stay in a dirty shelter? let's camp." i was so proud. he even suggested bringing some Jack. :cool:

Wise Old Owl
08-21-2008, 19:40
Asking why some people enjoy sleeping in shelters is like asking why Scottish men like wearing skirts.....


yes I am Scottish, I just haven't converted yet.

modiyooch
08-21-2008, 19:42
Ah, OK. Well, shelters are "required" in GSMNP, and they become a de-facto requirement in other places like the Whites, unless you're skilled at stealth camping or are willing to bend the rules. There are occasional stretches of trail here and there where camping is verboten (eg. just north of Boiling Springs, PA, or in the WMNF above treeline, etc...)
.
I camped in the Whites in July and was perfectly legal. Below treeline, away from the trail and away from the huts. It was either Carter Mt or Moriah. I can't remember. It was too early in the day to stop at Imp.

Cookerhiker
08-21-2008, 19:58
The best part about shelters is providing a haven on rainy days & nights. I've lost count of how many times I've arrived late afternoon at a shelter minutes before a drenching thunderstorm - twice on last years Long Trail hike (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=203585). Generally while hiking when lots of other hikers are out there, I tent in the shelter areas even if there's space; in addition to reasons cited by others, I snore (so I've been told) and don't want to disrupt others' sleep.

I like a lot of off-season hiking and use the shelters then.

rafe
08-21-2008, 19:59
I camped in the Whites in July and was perfectly legal. Below treeline, away from the trail and away from the huts. It was either Carter Mt or Moriah. I can't remember. It was too early in the day to stop at Imp.

That's pretty near the north end of the what I'd call "The Whites." The sections that are tricky for camping are from Rte. 93 to Rte. 16, more or less. Beautiful views from Imp Shelter, as I recall. Rattle River shelter is nice also -- at least, the location.

Sidewinder
08-21-2008, 20:10
they Are Also Prime Mudsnake Habitat. This Is At The Roan High Knob Shelter.
4664

Exactly!

The Weasel
08-21-2008, 20:51
wrong. a gal was nearly raped in 93 in tn. cuz when she arrived at a shelter there was a dude there that made her nervous. she moved on a mile or so. she tented. the dude some hours later showed up, entered her tent and attempted rape, she fought and stabbed him in the shoulder. he fled. long story short, he was tented close by. after a few days cops caught him. he had been recently let go from prison for a rape he commited 6 years prior. i wish the young lady had a gun and not a knife

It could easily be the other way around; perhaps he didn't stay at the shelter because other people arrived and he moved on to near where she was, and if she had stayed at the shelter, she would not have been assaulted. No one can no for sure. But she was hardly safer for not having been at the shelter. And one event - however tragic - 15 years ago doesn't prove shelters unsafe.

People should just be their own judge of what feels safe to themselves.

TW

Lone Wolf
08-21-2008, 21:03
It could easily be the other way around; perhaps he didn't stay at the shelter because other people arrived and he moved on to near where she was, and if she had stayed at the shelter, she would not have been assaulted. No one can no for sure. But she was hardly safer for not having been at the shelter. And one event - however tragic - 15 years ago doesn't prove shelters unsafe.

People should just be their own judge of what feels safe to themselves.

TW

whatever. you can simplify anything. too many women have been raped and murdered walking the AT. all thistalk about" you're better off on the AT than in a city" is BS. my opinion :)

Erin
08-21-2008, 21:04
That picture demonstrates lazy disgusting behavior by the mud snakes makers. When when we tented we found ourselves in a nest of doggie do near Jerry Cabin where we tried to cook dinner just across from the shelter.
There are always going to be people that are inconsidereate and too lazy to go do their business in the woods or take a pet to do the same. The same folks who thow their trash out of their car window. Sef centered kids or total idiots. Ugh, I just crossed that shelter off. Well...unless I was freezing to death.

Edwardo Rodriguez
03-12-2012, 18:46
Well am glad I can across this tread, I live in CA and I the John Muir Trail and planing to hike the AT in 2013 was wondering about if we had to stay in the shelters, I would rather go as far as I can each day. So from what I pick found am just planing to get my water and eat my meals then find my place to spend the night

SGT Rock
03-12-2012, 19:06
Go to shelters to watch the people. It is like a trail zoo.

jeffmeh
03-12-2012, 19:25
If one has started before life gets too crowded on the trail, sometimes a shelter can be the only time you see people in a given day. Some of us require more human contact than others, lol.

weary
03-12-2012, 20:43
As Marta said. Shelters are convenient. And also fun. It's nice to chat with new people, while thru hiking -- especially section hikers. I meet thru hikers again and again. The interesting new folks I meet tend to be those who are out for a week or two -- the construction worker between jobs. The school teacher who wants to get into social work, the social worker who wants to get into teaching ....

earlyriser26
03-12-2012, 21:22
While I once used shelters 90% of the time in the 70's and early 80's I no longer use them. All the reasons others have listed. But the question was why would someone use them. The two reasons are to avoid carrying a tent and to avoid tenting in the rain. I don't mind carrying a tent and don't even mind tenting in the rain. I do hate packing up a wet tent and putting up a wet tent in the rain. Shelters are great for breaks in bad weather and good for emergencies.

Hawkwind61
03-12-2012, 21:40
My hiking buddy (also a 'hammocker') and I did the Tulley Loop Trail a couple years back. Going out we were only supposed to have sporadic showers...well the rain kicked in about mid-day and a few hours later we found ourselves in some wild winds on our way to our destination for the night. A shelter on the MM just shy of the NH border. Our plan was to hammock per usual. Well...we got there after dark (it fell early due to torrential rain and unmerciful winds)...the place was brand-spankin' new and completety unoccupied...and the rain was still coming down in torrents so for the first time ever we stayed in a shelter. We found out the next day that we had been hiking through tornado winds and warnings...trust me - we were so darn happy to find an unoccupied shelter in the midst of that storm that we promised to never be snarky about shelters again ;)

Spokes
03-12-2012, 22:00
Go to shelters to watch the people. It is like a trail zoo.


I always said thru hiking the trail is sorta like traveling with the circus.

rocketsocks
03-12-2012, 22:13
I always said thru hiking the trail is sorta like traveling with the circus.I love the circus,and I hear good things about the first couple of weeks in spring at any boat ramp too.;)

SCRUB HIKER
03-13-2012, 03:08
Reasons I stayed in shelters:

1) In bad weather, packing up a wet tent in the morning is not fun and adds a little weight. When it's been raining it feels very nice to have everything mostly dry in the morning, especially if you're starting to wonder if it's ever going to be sunny again.
2) Less time breaking camp in the morning. Easier to lay out gear for organization/packing.
3) Can be a blessing or a curse, but I had an easier time getting up early in shelters. In my tent, especially not near a shelter, sometimes I'd open my eyes and it would be something ridiculous like 9am already. But if people are up and moving early in a shelter it can inspire you to do the same and get on with your day. The problem is when it's too early and two jackasses are striking up a full-volume conversation at 5am, but that's the exception rather than the rule.
4) Reading the shelter logs. You can do this anytime regardless of whether you're staying at the shelters, but it was part of my evening routine.
5) The social aspect. I think a little community in the evening is nice, but that's personal preference. It's easy to be alone when you want to.

I'd say I stayed in shelters about half the time on the trail. For the first few weeks, I didn't do it at all because they were always packed. I stayed in them more often the farther north I went because they were emptier. Nothing beats walking up to a shelter at dusk and seeing that you and a buddy or two have it all to yourselves for the night.

lemon b
03-13-2012, 08:03
Bad weather, or being real tired and finding an empty or close to empty one, and as much as I hate to admit this. To watch the circus once in awhile, that can be a hoot. Usually I avoid em.

Tinker
03-13-2012, 08:48
I rarely use shelters. Used to use them all the time early on. Most of my hiking was solo, and if a shelter was empty, or nearly so, I would usually choose to use it.

I like the convenience of cooking out of the rain, and that's what I use them for now, mostly.

As you can see from my avatar, I still occasionally stay in one, 1) If the weather is extremely bad (and then, only if the shelter is reasonably clean - I tented outside the Wm. Brien Shelter 2 weeks ago in near-hurricane force winds because I have a sturdy tent and the shelter was such a pit). and 2) If I am with friends who prefer to sleep in a (clean) shelter (even then, I'd rather hammock inside to keep the mice, spiders, and deer ticks out of my sleeping bag and hair).

JAK
03-13-2012, 14:19
I would stay in a shelter in the off-season if it was empty. I like to admire the architecture of small human scale shelters and such. Also would like to watch shelter mice and fall leaves and snow drifts and whatever other critters might occupy shelters in the off season.

'Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood
When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

And if I pass this way again, you can rest assured
I'll always do my best for her, on that I give my word
In a world of steel-eyed death, and men who are fighting to be warm.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved
Everything up to that point had been left unresolved.
Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail,
Poisoned in the bushes an' blown out on the trail,
Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Suddenly I turned around and she was standin' there
With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair.
She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Now there's a wall between us, somethin' there's been lost
I took too much for granted, got my signals crossed.
Just to think that it all began on a long-forgotten morn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Well, the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount
But nothing really matters much, it's doom alone that counts
And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

I've heard newborn babies wailin' like a mournin' dove
And old men with broken teeth stranded without love.
Do I understand your question, man, is it hopeless and forlorn?
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

In a little hilltop village, they gambled for my clothes
I bargained for salvation an' they gave me a lethal dose.
I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Well, I'm livin' in a foreign country but I'm bound to cross the line
Beauty walks a razor's edge, someday I'll make it mine.
If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born.
"Come in," she said,
"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

Hey Sarge
09-20-2015, 21:13
I normally don't sleep in shelters unless the weather is really bad. I used one last night in Massachusetts because I was too exhausted to set up after a very long day, and secondly it was empty at 8pm. About 11pm 3 people pulled in and they were not very worried about how much noise they were making. I even heard the girl mention something about how much noise they were making, and one of her male counterparts used an expletive as to how much he cared about the noise he was making. So from now on, I will camp at a shelter, but I won't sleep in the shelter unless there is a hurricane.

Dogwood
09-21-2015, 01:15
Plenty of mice protein to cook on the campfire.

Gambit McCrae
09-21-2015, 08:30
It is hit or miss for me, I believe I try and make shelters a goal for a destination but also enjoy tenting. I like talking with others on the trail and shelters are good gathering spots. It also helps minimize the impact elsewhere, shelters are usually at strong water sources and have a privy so that potty impact is less as well.

People always complain about mice, I have stayed in shelters probably 20-30 nights and have never had issues with mice

Cobble
09-21-2015, 15:42
I always hiked ahead or behind the main pack of thru hikers....and so it made sense for me to carry a small tarp for emergencies and ditch the tent for Erwin --->Hanover

people rolling in after hiker midnight is annoying for sure but they are almost exclusively thru-hikers.

Different Socks
09-21-2015, 15:52
Unless it is full, I always stay in shelters.

Stubby
09-21-2015, 16:24
I like shelters when the weather is really bad. Thunderstorms, ice storms, high winds...

I section hike. Part of the attraction of the trail is getting either A) some solitude when hiking alone or B) some quality with my son when the two of us go. A shelter impinges on that. So I generally avoid them unless the weather makes it the wise choice.

Now, if I were solo thru-hiking, I'm sure I'd use the shelters some, just for the company.

Gambit McCrae
09-21-2015, 18:14
I like trail company and shelters offer that but when i want to sleep i like goin to my tent

Another Kevin
09-21-2015, 19:55
I have a mild distaste for shelters. I quickly checked my journals for the last dozen nights that I spent on multi-day trips, and found that the count was 7 tent, 4 shelter and 1 motel.

3 of the 4 shelter nights, I had the place to myself, and on one of those, I was glad of the raised floor because I was nursing a bad knee injury. The fourth was a bitterly cold night. I had my tent all pitched, and was lounging around the shelter listening to the conversation, huddled in my sleeping bag for warmth. I woke up in the shelter, and I had it to myself. Two of the other guys were tenting or hammocking, and a third had decamped in the night.

Chris10
09-21-2015, 20:40
I've stayed in shelters outside of the thru hiking season, and for the most part have found them mice free and clean. Pretty sure the mice migrate north with the bubble, so we've always missed them!

Feral Bill
09-21-2015, 21:30
When hiking in the east (not often) I generally stay in shelters.
1. They're convenient
2. I'm lazy

paule
09-21-2015, 21:40
I was forced to stay at shelters in connecticut,but always picked a tent site.The social partaking of a certain plant just doesn't do it for me like it used to.I did like the shelter protocol though.Four older gentlemen were in the hut and pretty much had their gear spread out and taken over,when a hiker would approach they would ignore the individual and make the hut look as full as possible,one hiker even asked if there was room and was answered with "well it's awful tight"well it loosened up pretty quickly when a mom and daughter approached,hell they didn't even ask if there was room,they were just told there was plenty of room there,,,LOL,,,,so yes I would go along with the entertainment value of them.I love to stay in the tent,,,,just my choice,,,,the mice were awful at one of the shelters and the reason being I noticed people eating in them.....crumbs to us is a full dinner to a mouse

Dogwood
09-21-2015, 22:10
Regardless of what anyone says, the #1 reason why folks stay at shelters is the ease and convenience. The conveniences of the AT are one of the major reasons why the AT has become so popular.

MuddyWaters
09-21-2015, 22:30
Shelters are good for resting, cooking, and meeting other hikers and chatting a bit. They also usually have reliable water.

They are pretty bad for sleeping, even w/o the micecapades. There is not much worse for a nights than a crowded shelter.

Cobble
09-22-2015, 00:19
What if I said to minimize ecological impact?

yeah its BS for me....its just easier. (But it does make me feel better about myself!)

BirdBrain
09-22-2015, 00:28
Unless it is full, I always stay in shelters.

Unless it is empty, I always stay away from shelters.

shelterbuilder
09-22-2015, 09:36
Since this is a 7 year-old thread, I'm sure that I won't be stirring the pot much by adding my $0.02's worth. (I know why I've built so many of them, but that's another thread.) I don't always stay in the shelters, especially if I'm on a longer section hike and the shelter is in the wrong location in relation to my hike schedule. Bad weather? Yep, I stay. Right place, right time? Ditto. The social aspect? Not so much. However, for me PERSONALLY, there's another aspect to shelters. As a shelterbuilder, I enjoy seeing HOW the shelter fits into the environment and I try to imagine what the original designers/builders were trying to accomplish WITHIN THE TIME-FRAME OF WHEN THE SHELTER WAS BUILT. Nothing exists in a vacuum, everything is connected, and if you look at a particular site with the eye of an historian, you can sometimes get an insight into what people were thinking when they built the place. This isn't as practical of an answer as the weather, but it's just as important to me. HYOH.

Another Kevin
09-22-2015, 16:10
However, for me PERSONALLY, there's another aspect to shelters. As a shelterbuilder, I enjoy seeing HOW the shelter fits into the environment and I try to imagine what the original designers/builders were trying to accomplish WITHIN THE TIME-FRAME OF WHEN THE SHELTER WAS BUILT. Nothing exists in a vacuum, everything is connected, and if you look at a particular site with the eye of an historian, you can sometimes get an insight into what people were thinking when they built the place. This isn't as practical of an answer as the weather, but it's just as important to me. HYOH.

I'm fully in agreement with you on this! I think that the only part I'd quibble with is that I don't think you need actually to sleep in the things in order to gain the appreciation of why they're there and what people were trying to accomplish. And I tip my hat to the builders as I use a shelter to cook a meal, socialize, visit the privy, read/sign the register, ... before hiking on to my tent site. :)

misterfloyd
09-22-2015, 21:01
They are what they are. when it is pouring rain or snowing like crazy they rock.

I will use them in the summer as well when I'm running out of tent options.

Floyd

Chris10
09-22-2015, 21:50
I agree with folks who posted about shelters being noisy... the last time I stayed in a shelter, it was packed, and the two hikers on either side of me were snoring up a storm, but it poured that night and was very thankful they made room for me and I didn't have to start the day off packing up a wet tent. Dryer pack for a little less sleep; I'll take the trade off every once in a while.

shelb
09-23-2015, 00:41
Shelters are good for resting, cooking, and meeting other hikers and chatting a bit. They also usually have reliable water.

They are pretty bad for sleeping, even w/o the micecapades. There is not much worse for a nights than a crowded shelter.

I agree with the resting, cooking, meeting, chatting, and water!

What makes the sleeping difficult is the person snoring! lol...