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View Full Version : Where exactly is the Spruce Peak Shelter? (VT)



JoeHiker
10-18-2004, 08:53
Went hiking this weekend with my brother. We left Lost Pond shelter in the morning heading south and planned to spend the night in Spruce Peak shelter. I've heard how great this shelter is. The problem is that we simply could not find it.

According to the trail guide, the shelter is on the same spur that leads away from the trail to Spruce Peak itself. Sure enough we came to the spur (about 2.5 miles from Route 11. There was a sign that said "Spruce Peak, 0.4 k" but no mention of the shelter. We followed the spur expecting to see the shelter right away. It led down for about 100 yards and then up a steep climb to the peak itself. Even THAT was tough to find as there were only 2 (very faded) blue blazes that we saw. But there was no shelter to be seen. Not leading up the peak and apparently not on the other side. Tried going down off the peak on the other side but it looked like it was barely used.

It was nearly dark when we got there so we were eventually forced to use a tarp in the rain.

Can someone who has been there describe to me where exactly the shelter is?

A-Train
10-18-2004, 09:18
What you wanted to do was not take the side trail, continuing south on the AT for .4 miles until you hit the sign and junction for the shelter. Take side trail 400 feet down to shelter.

I'd recommend picking up a data book from the ATC. You wouldn't have been confused otherwise

veteran
10-18-2004, 09:22
Try this link, the Red Dot is the location.


http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=43.1786&lon=-72.99567&s=50&u=6&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25&size=m

JoeHiker
10-18-2004, 09:25
Hi,

Thanks for the replies. We actually did continue south on the AT looking for another trail or sign. Never saw one. It was just about dark so perhaps we missed it (or didn't go far enough). After about 1/2 mile, we turned back. We had a couple of books (don't know if the ATC was one of them as they were my brother's) The only one that got at all specific about it said that the shelter was on the same spur that leads to the peak. He's hiked the LT for years but had never been on this section. What I know about hiking you could fit on the back of a postage stamp. Live and learn.

Anyway we had an interesting night camping up there under the tarp. If it hadn't rained so hard it would have been almost pleasant.

Flash Hand
10-18-2004, 09:43
You will EASILY get confused during dark or feel pressured of going there before it get dark. It happened to me once during my hike in the dark nearing Watuga Lake Shelter. I thought I missed it but in the morning, I discovered I was 1 mile behind that shelter.

Flash Hand :jump

A-Train
10-18-2004, 10:54
Sorry you had an unpleasant experience. When you kept heading south, the turnoff for shelter is on your right. There is a little junction with 2 wooden signs. Probbaly just couldn't see in the dark. I'd recommend going back, because the shelter is a beautiful calm place.
There is a shelter on the Long Trail that I've missed about 3 times, and it bugs me that I've never been able to find it for some reason. Theron Dean, near appalachian Gap.

Anyway, atleast you ventured off trail and got to check out a side trail. I've hiked this section of trail twice and never bothered to check out the peak itself.

Tramper Al
10-18-2004, 11:01
Joe,
Sorry you missed this one.
Spruce Peak 'shelter' is a ridiculously nice cabin with four walls, bunks, and a wood stove. We stumbled in there after dark one November night on a northbound section hike a couple of years ago, waking to 6-8 inches of new snow. Very nice place to be.

Peaks
10-18-2004, 17:03
Theron Dean shelter is on a beautiful site. It overlooks Mad River Glen ski area and the valley beyond it. You need to be on the lookout for it as you descend down towards the gap. It sits on a ledge off to the west of the Long Trail.

steve hiker
10-18-2004, 17:18
Theron Dean shelter is on a beautiful site. It overlooks Mad River Glen ski area and the valley beyond it. You need to be on the lookout for it as you descend down towards the gap. It sits on a ledge off to the west of the Long Trail.
Is Theron Dean Shelter the same as Spruce Peak Shelter?

Tramper Al
10-18-2004, 17:44
Is Theron Dean Shelter the same as Spruce Peak Shelter?
Negative. They are several days apart. Theron Dean is on (or just off) the LT, not the AT, while Spruce Peak is just off both.

Peaks
10-19-2004, 08:09
Is Theron Dean Shelter the same as Spruce Peak Shelter?

Spruce Peak is on the AT/LT south of Route 11 & 30 outside Manchester.

Theron Dean Shelter is on the LT south of Appalachian Gap, near Mad River Glen outside Waitsfield.

The shelters are over 100 miles apart.

Jaybird
10-19-2004, 08:24
Went hiking this weekend with my brother. We left Lost Pond shelter in the morning heading south and planned to spend the night in Spruce Peak shelter. I've heard how great this shelter is. The problem is that we simply could not find it......................................



i've done that before....hey, u think thats bad...on my recent section hike to Damascus VA...i was so intent on not tripping over the many roots on the trail....I MISSED the Nick Grindstaff monument! Darn!

JoeHiker
10-19-2004, 09:07
What I neglected to mention was that I managed to sprain my ankle in the final half mile of that 18 mile day. It wasn't too bad of a sprain but it did really slow me down and add to our urgency to find a shelter. It's also the reason why we never continued on the next day and so never really saw the shelter 1/2 mile down the trail. Sunday was going to be our last day anyway and if I'd re-sprained it things could have been a lot worse so we hiked out to route 11 and then down to a diner in Manchester.

Next year I'll try to stay there. Thanks for all the replies