PDA

View Full Version : Riga Lean-to



Former Admin
10-19-2002, 11:10
Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Riga Lean-to

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

Dan Bowen
10-21-2002, 17:19
AWSOME sunrises!:D

DebW
11-10-2002, 19:55
I just spent a night at the Riga Lean-to based on Dan Bowen's description. I was not disappointed. Even the 26 boy scouts camped behind the shelter did not dampen my enthusiasm. This place is incredible. Just roll over in your sleeping bag, open your eyes, and enjoy the sunrise.

Dan Bowen
11-13-2002, 17:19
Thats one of my favorate places to be in the world.My very first backpacking trip was in that area.I was 14. MT Everett to Salisbury.I try to hike that spot every year .It brings back great memories.Glad you enjoyed your time there.

poison_ivy
05-01-2003, 13:47
Slept at Riga on Sunday night... the sunrises are just incredible. I definitely will be heading back there again. Lean-to was in great shape and a trail maintenance crew came in while I was there and spruced up the campsites.

This was my favorite lean-to ... definitely worth stopping here!

-- Ivy

2XL
04-20-2004, 22:03
Stopped by to check out this lean-to on a day hike, found it in great shape, nearby stream running fine, great tent sites and a pivy. I thought the privy is a little too close to the tent sites, but otherwise a nice destination. The view must be spectacular at sunrise.

retread
04-22-2004, 20:52
The A.T. Companion used to call this shelter , "the only shelter in Conn. with a view." It should not be missed. There is a brook that runs directly behind the shelter. I woke up to a bright sun and a valley full of fog and clouds. I LOVE being above the clouds! I also "yogi-ed" some oatmeal, some cereal, and a couple of those expensive freeze-dried meals off of two college girls. Hey, hey, hey Boo-boo!

slatchley
06-04-2004, 10:12
Bears have been reported starting last Fall and as recently as this past weekend.

Po Campo
06-28-2004, 09:06
Excellent shelter, good water, and plenty of campsites if you're looking to spend the night in your tent. Interesting observation: People expect this shelter to be full, and many hikers pass it for this reason.

dje97001
09-06-2005, 10:11
Labor Day Weekend--very poor water here. Stream was dry. Spring was barely a trickle. less than 1 mile north two other campsites with good water--Brassie Brook and Ball brook. But, it was indeed a beautiful sunrise.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/8464/size/big/sort/1/cat/500


Bears have been seen recently, but we didn't see any. Bugs weren't bad--except for the underground white-faced hornets nest just under the right-front corner posts (when facing the shelter).

stupe
09-06-2005, 16:08
In addition to the sunrises, spectacular moon rises.

Captain K-man
11-18-2006, 01:04
There is now a bear box on the approach trail to the shelter. I have no clue how long it has been there.

gsingjane
11-18-2006, 08:47
They put in the bear boxes on the northern end of the CT-AT over the spring-summer of 2006. There have been increasing numbers of sightings over the 2005-6 year on the northern end.

Jane in CT

canoehead
11-18-2006, 09:06
It's nice to hear positive feed back on the Riga Shelter and really the whole Sages/Bear Mt. area. Its also a great place durring storms. It's a busy place with lots of folks young and old. We work hard here trying to improve the trail so all trail users have great experiences. As far as the bears go just use LNT ethics and boxes or hang you're stuff, make some trail noise when you walk thru the thick Mt, Laurals and should be good

Footslogger
11-18-2006, 11:34
Anybody have a photo of the shelter to share ?? I remember it from my 2003 thru but can't form a picture in my mind. Good old Mt Everest (Everett) had me huffin and a puffin.

'Slogger

Jester2000
11-18-2006, 18:13
In 2000 I spent 2 hours watching the moon rise while sitting in Riga Shelter. I was severely injured and thought it was my last night on the trail. At the time, I wrote in my journal that maybe it would be okay if my hike ended at Riga. It was that amazing.

Blue Jay
11-18-2006, 20:56
Anybody have a photo of the shelter to share ?? I remember it from my 2003 thru but can't form a picture in my mind. Good old Mt Everest (Everett) had me huffin and a puffin.

'Slogger

No picture but just imagine an old style shelter on an overlook to forever.

K-Man
11-18-2006, 21:05
No picture of the shelter, but here is a picture of a moon rise from there taken two weeks ago.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2869167020059080059ZfKzPh

The pic b4 it in my Webshots is of the inside of the shelter.

P.S. Captain, nice name...

Jester2000
11-23-2006, 03:28
No picture of the shelter, but here is a picture of a moon rise from there taken two weeks ago.


Yeah, it was like that, only longer and about six more colors-worth. Riga rocks.

No, seriously.

refreeman
11-23-2006, 06:38
K-Man your webshots photos of your Appalachian Trail Hike NY/CT Border to Lee, Mass are excellent. Thanks for sharing them.

What camera did you use?

K-Man
11-23-2006, 21:13
K-Man your webshots photos of your Appalachian Trail Hike NY/CT Border to Lee, Mass are excellent. Thanks for sharing them.

What camera did you use?

Thanks!! On that trip I used a Kodak Z650. I usually use a Canon A95, but it recently broke so I borrowed this from my parents. It took a little getting used to, but I was pleased with the results. I didn't like the lens cap which kept falling off in my fanny pack and the auto mode tended to overexpose my pics. For that moon picture I used a mini tri-pod and set the exposure to about 3 seconds.

Eureka
04-25-2007, 14:55
Anybody have a photo of the shelter to share ?? I remember it from my 2003 thru but can't form a picture in my mind. Good old Mt Everest (Everett) had me huffin and a puffin.

'Slogger
I stayed here in early Sept. 2006. It's worth planning your mileage to stay here.

Undershaft
08-05-2007, 16:02
The maps are wrong. According to the AT map, Riga lean-to is about 200 feet down from the AT and maybe .3 or .4 off the trail. This is a bold faced lie! The shelter is at the same elevation as the AT and only .1 off the trail. Great sunrise views too.

srestrepo
01-21-2010, 18:16
anyone know what the fastest trail up to this is at or blue blaze and where to park. i just want to go watch the sunrise real fast up there and get away...

2XL
01-21-2010, 18:27
It could be reached by going up the Undermountain to Riga Junction and south to Riga Shelter, about ~4 miles. Or you can start at Undermountain Rd. just below Platuea campsites and head north ~3.5. Good parking at either.

johnnyblisters
01-21-2010, 18:46
Or you can take Lions Head trail from Salisbury and go north about a mile.
The best shelter in CT for sure, especially with the new privy!

xokie
10-14-2010, 16:11
I stayed at Riga 10-13-10. Watched the sunrise and dawdled drinking coffee and eating grits for two hours while the valley came awake. Great place to waste time. I was the only person in the area but some creature woke me up twice in the night shaking the bear box.

dthompson451
05-08-2012, 19:36
Stayed overnight here 4/21/12. I will echo what others have said in that it is an amazing place to sleep/wake up to. It rained hard overnight but we stayed dry in the shelter. There is a spring advertised but we found it to be nearly impossible to fill a water bottle with, so instead just got water from the stream and purified it. Bear box and privy are nice - bear box had claw marks on it.

jakedatc
05-09-2012, 10:38
Stayed overnight here 4/21/12. I will echo what others have said in that it is an amazing place to sleep/wake up to. It rained hard overnight but we stayed dry in the shelter. There is a spring advertised but we found it to be nearly impossible to fill a water bottle with, so instead just got water from the stream and purified it. Bear box and privy are nice - bear box had claw marks on it.

i am skeptical that those are bear claws and not someone funny with a rock..

coach lou
05-10-2012, 08:21
The Mrs. and I stayed here new years nite. The day was muggy and warm as if was April. Beautiful sunrise, we were not the only folks there.

jakedatc
05-10-2012, 16:48
Yea Lou, my sunrise a few weeks ago. I was the only one there though. Brassie was rockin' when I went by though.
15912

coach lou
05-10-2012, 19:51
Yea Lou, my sunrise a few weeks ago. I was the only one there though. Brassie was rockin' when I went by though.
15912
Boy Jake, that must have woke you up! I'm afraid though, I'll have to go on a weekday to be there solo!

Driver8
05-11-2012, 12:41
Yea Lou, my sunrise a few weeks ago. I was the only one there though. Brassie was rockin' when I went by though.

Jake:

Did you see the fire-damaged area north of the privy at Riga? Is it recovering well? I toured it and took a lot of pictures last June - it was pretty bad then. I hope the autumn leaves and the green shoots of springtime are working their healing magic.

jakedatc
05-11-2012, 16:52
Didn't notice. but i got there fairly late and wasn't really looking around much in the AM. From other fire areas i've been to it'll be fine. it actually needs it sometimes.

FarmerChef
08-23-2012, 14:46
Just spent a night at Riga last week and boy we weren't disappointed. Beautiful sunrise in the valley with a ground fog about halfway up the mountains. Made you feel as though you were up around 10,000 feet but at a much more comfy altitude ;) We had the shelter to ourselves save for one other section hiker and a small handful of guys in the camping area. Only one turned up to watch the sunrise with me. Definitely a shelter not to be missed.

Sarcasm the elf
02-01-2015, 20:20
Spent the night there last night, first log book entry in four weeks.


It appears that some Jackwagons did their best to burn down part of the shelter a while back, which was very sad to see. Luckily the fire didn't appear to damage the structural soundness of the shelter.

xokie
02-01-2015, 21:29
Been there twice. Worth it for all the reasons cited above. And I saw a bear in the middle of a moonlit night trying to figure out how to open the bear box. (She didn't)

Traveler
02-02-2015, 07:41
Spent the night there last night, first log book entry in four weeks.


It appears that some Jackwagons did their best to burn down part of the shelter a while back, which was very sad to see. Luckily the fire didn't appear to damage the structural soundness of the shelter.

One of the more visible reasons why CT has an open fire ban along the AT. That the genius who perpetrated this event survived it is a shame.

Sarcasm the elf
02-02-2015, 09:30
One of the more visible reasons why CT has an open fire ban along the AT. That the genius who perpetrated this event survived it is a shame.

I'm glad they survived. I just wish they'd been caught and made an example of.

I can remember at least three forest fires in that area in the last five years and at least two of them were traced back to campfires.

Traveler
02-02-2015, 10:32
I'm glad they survived. I just wish they'd been caught and made an example of.

I can remember at least three forest fires in that area in the last five years and at least two of them were traced back to campfires.

Begrudgingly agreed on surviving <kicking dirt>.

Nasty history of irresponsible open fires up there, a few of them have gotten the owners close to closing the AT.

Just Tom
02-02-2015, 11:28
Spent the night there last night, first log book entry in four weeks.


It appears that some Jackwagons did their best to burn down part of the shelter a while back, which was very sad to see. Luckily the fire didn't appear to damage the structural soundness of the shelter.

Wow, that's terrible. What the hell is wrong with people?

Another Kevin
02-02-2015, 16:46
Brassie and Riga are also both on private land (with a conservation easement). I'm amazed that the landowners (Mount Riga, Inc.) haven't been more assertive about their rights. Or perhaps they're afraid that the government will just condemn the land outright if they're too vocal, that's what happened elsewhere on the Trail corridor.

It's no wonder that so many townies along the Trail feel like this:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/8/10605220_2766ddbd6a.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/66934423@N00/10605220/)
0501300045 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/66934423@N00/10605220/) by steelmf (https://www.flickr.com/people/66934423@N00/), on Flickr

Traveler
02-03-2015, 09:02
anyone know what the fastest trail up to this is at or blue blaze and where to park. i just want to go watch the sunrise real fast up there and get away...

Probably the fastest and easiest way is to use East Street in the town of Mt Washington. Travel down East Street past the Ranger station and park at the South Bear Mountain parking access (the road past the North parking access is closed in winter). Walk towards the AT from the parking area, then south on the AT to Riga Shelter. Minimal altitude gain and mileage, but it will be the fastest way there.

liptackj
02-16-2015, 16:29
Gentlemen, I can see you guys are regular uses of the trail. Anytime you come across anything like this, please let me know so the CT-AMC AT Committee can deal with the problem quickly. I have forwarded the posting and photo (Thank you. Photos are so helpful) to the overseer of shelters. We have a workparty already planned for that area on May 16th. If we haven't already fixed the problem by then we will be working on it then. If anyone is willing to help, your efforts would be most appreciated.
Jim Liptack CT-AMC Overseer of Trails
[email protected]/trails

liptackj
02-16-2015, 16:34
The Mt. Riga Corporation, the AMC and the Appalachian Trail have had a long and cooperative relationship well before the NPS got involved. They are not afraid of the government and the NPS has NO intention of taking on any more land easements or purchases in that area.
Jim Liptack
CT-AMC Overseer of Trails

Another Kevin
02-16-2015, 21:44
The Mt. Riga Corporation, the AMC and the Appalachian Trail have had a long and cooperative relationship well before the NPS got involved. They are not afraid of the government and the NPS has NO intention of taking on any more land easements or purchases in that area.
Jim Liptack
CT-AMC Overseer of Trails

This. I'm just amazed that the relationship remains as cordial as it is, the way some hikers treat the place.

liptackj
06-07-2015, 20:07
NOTICE: There will be a CT-AMC workparty on Saturday, June 20th to begin repairs to the fire damage at Riga Shelter. Here are the details:

Help repair fire damage to this scenic shelter. Carpentry skills needed. Bring water, lunch, and work gloves. All other tools will be provided. Meet 9 am at the west side of the Salisbury Town Hall on the Route 44

Jim Liptack
CT-AMC Overseer of Trails

linus72
06-08-2015, 12:04
Planning on this section Nobo starting thursday and was planning to stay at Riga thursday night. We will be tenting for the night, but hoping to take shelter for a few hrs if needed in the shelter if the weather does become stormy. Is it in safe condition, or should we move on to Brassie Brook instead? I'd hate to miss the famous sunrise but obviously if its unsafe, Brassie Brook will do. I have not seen photos of the extent of damage. Your advice is appreciated. Also, how are the water sources running at Riga and Brassie Brook? Can't wait to finally finish CT, rain or shine!

Sarcasm the elf
06-08-2015, 12:15
Planning on this section Nobo starting thursday and was planning to stay at Riga thursday night. We will be tenting for the night, but hoping to take shelter for a few hrs if needed in the shelter if the weather does become stormy. Is it in safe condition, or should we move on to Brassie Brook instead? I'd hate to miss the famous sunrise but obviously if its unsafe, Brassie Brook will do. I have not seen photos of the extent of damage. Your advice is appreciated. Also, how are the water sources running at Riga and Brassie Brook? Can't w to finally finish CT, rain or shine!

I stayed in Riga shelter in January which is when I took the photo of the fire damage. From what I saw the shelter looked structurally sound, but of course when you get to it take a look and decide for yourself. Brassie brook isn't much farther down the trail so you can always adjust your plans once you get to the shelter.

linus72
06-08-2015, 12:43
oh wow just saw that photo! i can't believe people... but hopefully they weren't hurt. yeah i'll asses when we arrive. not sleeping in the shelter anyway. thanks!

linus72
06-08-2015, 12:44
any feedback on water sources also welcome since Its quite a climb from salisbury to sages, would hate to carry full camels if not necessary. cheers

pnyberg
06-08-2015, 16:24
I recently finished a section hike through this area. There was quite a bit of rain about a week ago. All water sources had plenty of water at that time. There's more rain in the forecast, so I doubt water will be scarce for at least the next few weeks.

--Peter

linus72
06-10-2015, 14:06
excellent thanks, counting the hours now!

Berserker
09-18-2015, 12:33
Neat area, and had a nice night here. I hate to complain about anything, but I ended up on one of the 2 tent pads and they both suck (for lack of a better term). They are shaped like a dome, and there is no way to set up on them without having to lay at a weird angle. About 10 minutes with a flat shovel would probably fix the issue as the top of the dome just needs to be taken off.

linus72
09-24-2015, 10:57
yeah we really enjoyed our stay there this summer. great views for sure. sad about the fire damage to the shelter. glad they're workin on it

Mouser999
09-28-2015, 10:55
A few of use spent the night (9/26 & 27) at Riga. Someone managed to burn part of the shelter by the steps, nice new table with a metal sheet nailed in to put your stove on. Bear box in good shape. Some signs for reforestation, but still places to rent. Privy OK,
Water in 2 small pools, needed cup to get water into bottles for filtering,

Mouser999
09-28-2015, 11:36
I meant places to "tent". I got fat fingers

MattJB7480
10-21-2015, 17:27
Spent a night with my buddy Brian, and some new friends Emily, "Big Jim", Eric, Matt and another guy (forgot name) this past weekend at Riga. Great group of folks, had a great time. Great great great. The idiot who obviously didn't pay attention to his stove/burned part of the shelter should be stoned. New picnic table w/ the metal portion for stoves was nice. Stream was a bit dry w/ only a couple puddles. Sunrises were beautiful as always although it got pretty cold (low 20's). Got caught in what I thought was going to be fog on Race Mtn but ended up being a snow squall which was actually pretty cool. Will be back again next year for sure!

liptackj
09-04-2016, 19:52
On Saturday September 17th, there will be a workparty to repair the fire damage to the Riga Shelter. A replacement log was cut, prepared and flown in by helicopter last month. This will be a big job. All are welcome to come and help. Here is a link to the workparty listing.
Hope to see you there.
Jim Liptack
CT-AMC Overseer of Trails

http://activities.outdoors.org/search/index.cfm/action/details/id/92379&act=26

srestrepo
09-04-2018, 13:28
Mount Riga Shelter was nice this weekend. There was a massive group there from a college but they cleaned up well enough. despite the clouds later on in the morning, the sunrise there was beautiful. water was running too.