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Former Admin
10-19-2002, 11:12
Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to

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

Future hikers - any questions?

DebW
10-21-2002, 09:09
When we went through this June, the shelter was in good shape. Mosquitoes buzzed in our ears all night. There are about 5 side trails leaving the shelter for campsites, water, and privy with no signs (except the one where you leave the AT to head down to the shelter, but by the time you get there you've forgotten what's what). Water is a stream between 2 beaver ponds. The privy is uphill of the water source.

poison_ivy
04-19-2003, 08:44
I stayed at the shelter last weekend. It weathered the winter very well and is in pretty good shape. Only saw one or two skeeters -- though the shelter will probably be swamped with them pretty soon.

The sign situation has improved. All the of the tent sites (in front of the shelter) were marked and I believe there was a sign on the ground lying against a tree pointing the direction to water. You'll notice the privy as you head down to the beaver ponds for water.

If you're looking for something that may be less buggy -- it's worth trying the Sharon Mountain campsite, which is about two miles up the trail. It looked like a nice wooded spot and had a pretty good stream running nearby.

-- Ivy

gsingjane
08-18-2005, 20:01
Stayed here two nights ago (8/15/05). Well, the bugs (or their great-grandchildren) are still there all right! The shelter itself is in good shape and the privy and water source are now fully marked. The campsites were fine. I would NOT recommend hiking on and planning to stay at Sharon Mtn. during the summer during the week or on a Saturday. Really, really loud racket from Lime Rock Speedway makes Sharon Mtn. a truly unpleasant place to be.

Jane in CT

p.s. This is a real flyer but... if anybody came through this site this month and happened to pick up a pair of child's glasses sitting on a rock at one of the two campsites in front of the shelter, would you please PM me?

Cookerhiker
01-18-2006, 21:04
Just finished a winter section hike in CT and stayed here. Water source was a pain to get to (going downhill in the snow) but otherwise, I enjoyed it. The metal roof was put to the test with a hard rain for several hours. The roof "sweated" on the inside but no dripping and no leaks.

longshank
01-19-2006, 14:04
Did a section hike last July, stopped at pine brook in the afternoon for lunch. Bugs, bugs, bugs. And make sure you have a good water filter.

dje97001
01-19-2006, 20:09
I second the comment about the bugs.

Cookerhiker
01-20-2006, 21:03
Did a section hike last July, stopped at pine brook in the afternoon for lunch. Bugs, bugs, bugs. And make sure you have a good water filter.

And the lesson is..if you're a section hiker... is to hike it in non-bug season. Our winter hike was great!:o

I had the same experience as you with the water.

astrogirl
01-21-2006, 15:31
The bugs there are unbelievable, though the campsite I used was pretty nice.

I was there in late July, and it was so bad, I waiting for water to boil in my tent and then ate dinner in there too!

cascader
05-09-2006, 18:55
Stayed at Pine Swamp lean-to Sunday night (5/7). No skeeters yet, no blackflies (which were out and biting at Mt Algo the night before) but a good-sized BEAR came at dinner time. I was talking w/ section hiker Mountain Dog, we were the only ones there (I was alone at Algo and he had been alone in shelters all week up from NY state). But the bear didn't mind the lingering daylight or our talking--stood fifteen feet off smelling our food. So, hang that food! not in the shelter, but a ways off high up--that bear is losing his fear of us bipeds and may not stop at fifteen feet if we make it too easy for him. Loved the bear--just didn't want him any closer!

Askus3
05-12-2006, 20:01
I was the leader of our group of 5 you met as we were going southbound Sunday. Mountain Dog informed us of a scary encounter with a bear back at Morgan Stewart Shelter in NY, now he has two encounters with bears in one short section hike. WOW, maybe he is attracting them??? By the way, just beyond and below the shelter is a pond with a humongous beaver lodge right in the middle. My question is if anyone has seen any beavers here?

Askus3
05-13-2006, 13:01
Now to get this thread back on track and my question answered. I link you to my photo (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=10944&c=569) I just uploaded on whiteblaze photos of the beaver lodge in Pine Swamp Pond near the lean-to. As you can see it is quite impressive, so there should be some beaver activity here.

landcruzr
09-09-2006, 20:48
Does anyone have more current info on this shelter- Planning on spending a night here sometime during the last week of sept-
Thanks
Landcruzr

atmooney
03-24-2007, 07:33
This shelter is very near where I live. The black bears here do enjoy some nice people food (nice stinky garbage in particular..) I've seen a 4-500 lb.er crossing the road right before dusk near there. So cool. Only time they were a little scary was when they already where in the garbage, then wouldn't leave. Both in early spring. Yelling at them made them hunker down. Car horn honking also brought no reaction. 12 ga. fired at the ground seemed to do the trick rather nicely.
Whoa, tangent! Since they climb very well, aren't backpacker cache the thing to use?Leave it on the ground away from camp, etc. Hard plastic, bear can't open, or chew it really. Bear gives up.

refreeman
06-04-2007, 17:48
Atmooney, a hypocrite is someone who say one thing and does something else. That person could also be call a brown noser. So, you use shelters but want them gone, not to hard to figure you out.

Shelters serve a purpose and anyone ignoring that is stupid or irrational.

Lone Wolf
06-04-2007, 19:18
Atmooney, a hypocrite is someone who say one thing and does something else. That person could also be call a brown noser. So, you use shelters but want them gone, not to hard to figure you out.

Shelters serve a purpose and anyone ignoring that is stupid or irrational.

shelters are for weenies

Askus3
06-04-2007, 19:27
and I thought shelters were for mice! :rolleyes:

refreeman
06-04-2007, 20:46
L. Wolf,

A quick glance through your post history has revealed what you are.

Lone Wolf
06-04-2007, 20:48
L. Wolf,

A quick glance through your post history has revealed what you are.

and what am i?

Drooldog
06-04-2007, 22:08
No need for a flame war take it over Pm...And is there any food cables here?

atmooney
07-02-2007, 19:30
Atmooney, a hypocriteis someone who say one thing and does something else. That person could also be call a brown noser. So, you use shelters but want them gone, not to hard to figure you out.

Shelters serve a purpose and anyone ignoring that is stupid or irrational.
What?!? I'm at a loss... I was talking about chasing away black bears from the garbage at my house, which happens to be about 3 miles from the Pine Swamp Shelter... Brown noser? At the risk of flaunting my stupidity or irrationality, your reply to my post makes no sense at all. Are you this friendly on the trail?

refreeman
07-02-2007, 20:23
You are right Atmooney. My apologies Atmooney, that comment was not intended for you. I accidentally copied your screen name. If could edit the post I’d fix it.

Dingus Khan
05-20-2008, 16:43
stayed there last night, no bugs, no bears, the beaver lodge looks bigger than ever.
again, privy is nasty.... expected
water was orange, flowed from one smaller swamp area into the beaver pond. aqua mira= so far so good after 24 hours....
the trail to the water was hard to spot in the dusk, there is a blow down right as it leaves the main area.

wystiria
04-30-2009, 11:06
stopped in to fix my feet Sunday 4/26/09 shelter was clean and in good condition. Privy was in good shape. Didn't get water so can't report.

Joker4ink
09-10-2010, 12:39
I was there this past weekend and it was clean and bug free but there were quite a few mice in the shelter. None made it into my pack or where I slept but they were clearly visable on the wood inside the shelter. With regards to the water, I filled up before hand so I cant personally speak on that. However, I heard the water at the swamp (where another hiker filled up), was very nasty.

DBCFlash
03-20-2011, 19:51
I was there last night. Water was flowing clean and plentiful, but the rocks were covered in ice. Amazing moonrise looked like a spotlight in the shelter.
There were a number of small blowdowns on the way to the privy and to the water, but nothing you couldn't get around.
Some critter was howling and screeching early in the morning. Sounded like a howler-monkey, but now I think it might have been a chupacabra.

Deb
03-20-2011, 20:26
I was there last night. Water was flowing clean and plentiful, but the rocks were covered in ice. Amazing moonrise looked like a spotlight in the shelter.


The huge moon was amazing, and what a cool place to see it from.

Papa D
03-20-2011, 20:54
Well - I happened to camp in Pine Swamp Lean To on Tuesday night which makes me (I'm pretty sure) the last person i this thread to camp there - I thought it was in fine shape compared to a couple of other CT shelters I stayed in - all of them could use a little spruce up esp. the privies - the privy at 10 mile shelter has been destroyed and needs work (vandals?)

Papa D
03-20-2011, 20:59
oops - missed Deb's post - last night eh? cool. I hiked from Race Brook Falls Tr. (MA) to NY (Hoyt Rd) this past week - didn't see ANY backpackers - glad you got out - I thought I was the only one that liked post-holeing through that soft snow and trudging along the flooded river

DBCFlash
03-20-2011, 21:10
Didn't see a soul but two day hikers just off 41 in Salisbury. Solitude is the best reason for hiking off season. I did see some trash and evidence of a campfire at Limestone Spring, but I was packed too heavy to haul out much more than a beer bottle. The shelter book said someone had celebrated a birthday a few days earlier.

johnnyblisters
03-20-2011, 23:33
Didn't see a soul but two day hikers just off 41 in Salisbury. Solitude is the best reason for hiking off season. I did see some trash and evidence of a campfire at Limestone Spring, but I was packed too heavy to haul out much more than a beer bottle. The shelter book said someone had celebrated a birthday a few days earlier.

Thanks for doing what you can. I know the Maintainers and Ridgerunners appreciate it, this area sees ALOT of use.

pnyberg
05-19-2015, 16:42
I spent the night in a hammock behind the shelter on May 6/7. No issues to report. I'd guess that there are no longer beavers in residence in the pond, as the water level looked pretty low.

I shot some video of the area:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfJwPJZebcY

--Peter