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From my few section hikes, I've noted very little info of value in the shelter logbooks. On my last hike, this past July, I never looked at one. I can see a thru hiker maybe gleaning some info about a trail friend that's a short ways ahead of them. But with email, online journals, cell phones, and you name it... are the shelter registers found to be useful any more? Personally, I saw a lot of garbage written in them, which is in part what turned me off even looking at one.
Just bored and thinking too much, as usual. 21 days until I ride the midnight train to GA!
Lone Wolf
02-13-2010, 09:22
From my few section hikes, I've noted very little info of value in the shelter logbooks. On my last hike, this past July, I never looked at one. I can see a thru hiker maybe gleaning some info about a trail friend that's a short ways ahead of them. But with email, online journals, cell phones, and you name it... are the shelter registers found to be useful any more? Personally, I saw a lot of garbage written in them, which is in part what turned me off even looking at one.
Just bored and thinking too much, as usual. 21 days until I ride the midnight train to GA!
they're just for gossip and people who think they're witty writers. they serve no purpose
Bama Jack & Sadie
02-13-2010, 09:39
As someone who section hiked solo, I found it interesting to read some of the actual log book entries of people I followed on TJ and WB in my preparation. Some of the mundane writings/ramblings were amusing read when kicking back for a break. (my dog is not the best conversationalist) It's sort of like the morning newspaper. I read that everyday and most of that is crap but I still get enjoyment from it. If you don't like them ignore them, no big deal.
Mostly crap, but sometimes there's good information, like current status of water supplies
Mostly for entertainment.
The Hannah Montana entries this year were more than entertaining !!!! Stewball outdid himself as he proceeded north.
Just there to perpetuate the sub-culture.
I checked one log in Maine and it keep me from swimming in a stream that had leaches in it.Thank goodness the girls the night before were kind enough to write it down and I happened to stop and check the journal. They do help if someone needs to find you in an emergency. Your progress can be tracked and easier to be spoted
They sometimes let you know of a resident snake at the shelter. Or lots of bear activity in the area. The water info is also good. But its kinda like forum sites. You have to keep reading to find the info you want.
I thought as you do, at least till a few years ago: the feds took all the Smokies registers "trying to find Erick Rudolph" so no shelter logs for nearly a week.
No info on who was where, no water situation updates, etc.
I still don't read them very often, but when they are not available it is noticeable. I have also been to areas where the log hasn't been updated (Ie a new book put in) for a year or more & reading the last entry from 5 months ago with no room to add anything, was a hindrance.
I now (& forever) do not stay in shelters, so actually depend on the notes in the trail-side registers like in Grayson Highlands as being much more informative & useful. Most of them are written in a hurry so only important info is put in them: "08/08/08 10:45. I hear water is short the next few miles, I'm going to XYZ shelter for lunch, then play it by ear from there. Trail hugger"
So, IMHO: some sort of log is important, but I also wish there wasn't so much "Poetry" & long winded rants & raves that only serve to hide the important stuff, like: "A SOBO hiker told me the next shelter north has been burned down, & the Grocery at Low gap is now closed." or similar. The shelter buring down doesn't affect me, but the grocery being closed would.
There was also alot of people taking the logs for Earl's signature. After hearing of this he quit signing the logs. I don't know if he kept to that on the whole trail.
There was also alot of people taking the logs for Earl's signature. After hearing of this he quit signing the logs. I don't know if he kept to that on the whole trail.
I believe that happened in 2005
Lone Wolf
02-13-2010, 13:39
i believe that happened in 2005
98.........
CrumbSnatcher
02-13-2010, 13:40
the registers can help the maintaineers with blowdowns and trail related problems
and on one of my hikes the registers helped the rangers locate a hiker to let him know his brother had been killed back home. the registers can help find lost hikers too. i seldom write in them or read them but they can be useful and fun i suppose
I try to apply the Six Sentences Blog (http://sixsentences.blogspot.com/) concept to shelter registers.
What can you say in only six sentences?
The Old Fhart
02-13-2010, 14:19
dmax-"There was also alot of people taking the logs for Earl's signature. After hearing of this he quit signing the logs. I don't know if he kept to that on the whole trail."
I had left registers at Blue Mountain (GA) and William Penn (PA) shelters, both were returned to me at the end of the '98 season. Earl had signed the Blue Mountain register on 5/6/98 and the William Penn register on 7/27/98 so he may have signed registers for at least half the trail.
wcgornto
02-13-2010, 14:21
In addition to the aforementioned, shelter registers could possibly be of benefit for search & rescue if a hiker goes missing.
Most importantly, if someone writes self serving nonsense in a shelter register, perhaps they risk the temptation to write the same nonsense on the shelter itself, causing years of hikers to be exposed to their drivel.
I had left registers at Blue Mountain (GA) and William Penn (PA) shelters, both were returned to me at the end of the '98 season. Earl had signed the Blue Mountain register on 5/6/98 and the William Penn register on 7/27/98 so he may have signed registers for at least half the trail.
I'm glad to hear that he went back to signing the registers. I know in Georgia, this is where it started happenening. He told me he was going to stop so people would quit taking them. Then he signed everybodys book who had one....I don't know if he signed any in NC/TN. [I hope he did]
Lone Wolf
02-13-2010, 17:29
I try to apply the Six Sentences Blog (http://sixsentences.blogspot.com/) concept to shelter registers.
What can you say in only six sentences?
a lot. i'm the king of pithiness
max patch
02-13-2010, 17:36
I've got one that was signed by both LW and WF.
I don't know if they were hiking partners or not.
sasquatch2014
02-13-2010, 17:36
a lot. i'm the king of pithiness
Really please tell me more. Can you expound on this a bit?
98.........
Oh thanks. for some reason I've got 2005 and Earl put together. Is that the year he passed?
Rockhound
02-13-2010, 18:41
I've got one that was signed by both LW and WF.
I don't know if they were hiking partners or not.
Impossible. Lonewolf would not be seen at a shelter.
Lone Wolf
02-13-2010, 20:50
how on earth do PCT and CDT hike without shelters and gossip logs? unreal. they are tough
Hey, the PCT has shelters. Three of them. One per state.
There are, however, quite a number of trail registers, some permanent, some left by trail angels along with a cooler or the like. Gossip definitely does propagate.
So what happens to the old logbooks? When I was out hiking last month I was disappointed to see that the logbooks were 'fresh' and I didn't see any entries from people I knew who were thruhiking this year, because they had been at the shelters/trail section prior to the preceding two weeks. (so the first date in the logbook was from about two weeks before I got there)
berkshirebirder
10-04-2010, 10:40
Expound on "king of pithiness" --alwayth pithed?
warraghiyagey
10-04-2010, 10:50
No, just smells that way . . .
max patch
10-04-2010, 12:46
So what happens to the old logbooks? When I was out hiking last month I was disappointed to see that the logbooks were 'fresh' and I didn't see any entries from people I knew who were thruhiking this year, because they had been at the shelters/trail section prior to the preceding two weeks. (so the first date in the logbook was from about two weeks before I got there)
Historically, hikers left notebooks with their name and address in them at shelters with the request that the notebook, when full, be mailed back to them. Postage, sometimes along with some type of food, would be mailed back to the person who returned the notebook. I've got a couple logbooks that I've collected this way.
In recent years, however, notebooks in some states are being left by the local maintaining clubs with the notice that the notebooks are the "property" of the club.
GeneralLee10
10-04-2010, 21:40
I think they are a way for hikers to pass along trail info and such now days. To bad some of them are edited for silly words like here on WB.
harryfred
10-04-2010, 22:22
I like to read the logs and see people I know or have met. I am not witty or clever so I just leave water and major trail info as best as I can. I did enjoy the Hanna Montanna and Stewball entrys. I hope to meet Stewball some day.
most stuff in the logbooks seems like the original 'twitter'... people who want to feel important write things that they think other people should care about. Sometimes they're good for a laugh, but usually just a waste of time. I prefer carrying a real book for my entertainment.
4eyedbuzzard
10-05-2010, 07:34
From my few section hikes, I've noted very little info of value in the shelter logbooks.QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Lone Wolf;969619]they're just for gossip and people who think they're witty writers. they serve no purpose
most stuff in the logbooks seems like the original 'twitter'... people who want to feel important write things that they think other people should care about. Sometimes they're good for a laugh, but usually just a waste of time.
Years ago, pre-cell phone and pre-email, and when there were a lot less people hiking the trail, they were more important. Hikers were located and found based on log entries for everything from births and deaths in the family to impromptu weddings. Rangers and trail clubs would even figure out where a hiker was likely to be and leave a message in the log book for them. I think Ed Garvey wrote about being informed of a family situation on his 1970 hike. The trail culture was different too. The logbooks weren't as full of rantings - it was generally the more serious who, what, when, and where. Times have changed.
Blue Jay
10-05-2010, 12:31
I think they are a way for hikers to pass along trail info and such now days. To bad some of them are edited for silly words like here on WB.
Often there is great artwork in the Journals. I clearly remember a series of General Lee Portraits that were quite good. A few years a go there were a series of Bird Drawings that would have made Audubon proud. Granted most of the humor in the Journals suck when Mathewski is not hiking, however the same could be said here. Every once in awhile a series of long distance, ongoing, completely made up jokes between thrus are quite good. I remember one about a thru getting as town girl pregnant that started in Virginia and made it all the way to northern PA getting wilder and more hysterical each shelter. A nonthru, like many aspects of the trail, would not have understood it at all.
I find the log books good for knowing things like water levels and trail conditions. Nothing preps you to keep a keen eye when the log book is full of people bitching about poison ivy.
I also right in them one or two lines with a date and time in case I go missing or something.
If it weren't for trail registers at shelters, then how would everyone whine about how Warren Doyle and his group aren't hiking the right way?:D