PDA

View Full Version : Windsor Furnace Shelter



DebW
11-24-2002, 20:55
Just stopped by this place on a day hike. The shelter was nice. Room for 6-8. Plywood floor. Privy lacks a toilet seat and people
had been missing the hole. No water by the shelter, but there was a flowing stream a short distance down the trail. Note from a volunteer ridgerunner said there was no more water southbound for 14 miles.

roy_hiking
01-03-2006, 17:17
Port Clinton is just 6 miles south of the Windson Furnace Shelter, so how could the next water source be 14 miles south.

:-? :-?

Cheesewhiz
01-03-2006, 17:38
the water at the Port clinton pavilion pump is not drinkable. the locals put out water in jugs during hiker season. But what about the pocahontus spring just before P.C.

roy_hiking
01-03-2006, 18:59
The 2005 Companion list the spigot at the Clinton Hotel as the water source. Do they not allow it anymore? And can you still camp at the Pavilion?


Bayou

Cheesewhiz
01-03-2006, 20:47
You can get water from the spigot at the hotel, your right. However they turn the outside water off in the winter, but you could probably get water from inside at the bar if they are open.

mweinstone
01-04-2006, 21:59
head to the pump..now turn your back to the pavillion while standind at the pump and look at the pine tree 20 yards away.walk to the tree and crawl under the bows and you will find a 4 foot circle of steal drum lid. lift the lid.now you have access to the sourse of the pumps water. somtimes it is possible to prime the well with about 3 gallons and get it working but the seals may have deterioratred to far since my last try.it would be nothing to fix or replace this pump as the water is pure and has been for the 30 years ive drank it.it just needs a new pump cup.i would be proud to pay if anyone wants to donate the labor and skill.this would have to be done thru the church witch owns it

HIKER7s
03-27-2007, 10:43
Windsor Furnace Shelter..

What about the Hamburg Resivour, its right there? or at least the creek that flows out of it?

HIKER7s
03-27-2007, 10:53
Stayed here 3/24-25 2007. Mathewski was there preping for a trail crew day on the 25th. I had about 15 other campers with me and despite the rain we gave the site a good breakin for the season.

I found the privy still without the seat & in need of a major (dead) bug and web out. however its still solid and reliable. Bears must be out, saw track sign by the Hamburg resivour.

Hey Matthewski, get in touch with me OK

HIKER7s

shelterbuilder
04-01-2007, 20:19
Stayed here 3/24-25 2007. Mathewski was there preping for a trail crew day on the 25th. I had about 15 other campers with me and despite the rain we gave the site a good breakin for the season.

I found the privy still without the seat & in need of a major (dead) bug and web out. however its still solid and reliable. Bears must be out, saw track sign by the Hamburg resivour.

Hey Matthewski, get in touch with me OK

HIKER7s

Thanks to a recent land swap between Hamburg and the National Park Service, the shelter and the adjacent campsite are now on NPS land. However, since the general area is a watershed property for Hamburg and is SO accessable to everyone, Hamburg STILL REQUIRES folks who will be parking overnight in the Watershed parking lot to call the Borough Secretary several days in advance to notify them that your car will be there (make, model, license, etc.). Otherwise, expect a ticket for illegal parking. Also, since the majority of the Pulpit Rocks/Pinnacle area is watershed property, there is "no camping" up there due to concerns about pollution and wildfires.

Strategic
08-26-2009, 18:08
I was just up at Windsor Furnace shelter on a section and ran across a rather problematic situation. Here's the story.

I was coming down into Windsor Furnace a bit late (I made the mistake of stopping in the Port Clinton Hotel for lunch, from which I only extracted myself after two beers and two and a half hours (but that's another story.) Thus I was a bit late getting down to the shelter, rolling in just before 8:00. As I was hiking up to the bridge over Furnace Creek I meet three other hikers going south, headed toward the blue blaze to the Hamburg lot. One said "going to the shelter?" I replied yes and they said what I thought was "we'll be back" but on later reflection might well have been "you'll be back", the meaning of which will rapidly become apparent.

When I walked up the the shelter, it was occupied by two couples with an enormous amount of non-hiking gear spread around and two large tents pitched directly next to the shelter. They had a roaring fire going in the pit and were cooking a lot of stuff over it (ribs and corn as it turned out). I said hello, but it seemed obvious that they had basically scared off or refused to share with the three hikers I'd passed, though they weren't unfriendly or directly rude to me. I'm a hanger, so I just went to one of the campsites across from the shelter and set up. I'd already eaten (boy, had I eaten) so I could basically just let them do what they wanted, do my other camp chores in my own site and get to bed. One guy did actually come over and offer me some dinner, but as I said I was not interested anyway.

Problem was, I ended up overhearing a lot in the night due to a yelling-and-crying fight between one of the couples. From what I gathered, they were there on some kind of vacation or extended campout and weren't homeless (the woman involved kept demanding to go home; apparently her partner had the car keys.) I didn't know who to report this to at the time (does BMECC maintain Windsor Furnace?) and I had a long day the next day, so I left it at that and didn't report it at the time. I suppose I could have called 911, but that seemed rather extreme for the circumstance. Unfortunately, I also didn't feel it advisable to confront these folks by myself.

I'm hoping that Shelterbuilder or one of the other folks here know who to contact about this. It's not that they were bad people, just ignorant and in the wrong place. But still, shelters are for hikers, not for those seeking a free vacation for a few days and thus taking over services that hikers need and are intended for them.

emerald
08-26-2009, 21:46
I'm hoping that Shelterbuilder or one of the other folks here know who to contact about this. It's not that they were bad people, just ignorant and in the wrong place. But still, shelters are for hikers, not for those seeking a free vacation for a few days and thus taking over services that hikers need and are intended for them.

NPS recently acquired a small tract of land on which the shelter rests (post #9 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=347787&postcount=9)). Their rules concerning A.T. corridor lands stipulate "overnight stays at camping and/or shelter sites shall be limited to the maximum number of nights specified by local authorities or to two nights where no local policies have been adopted." I don't believe BMECC has set a maximum there.

NPS may not wish to respond, but I believe either Pennsylvania State Police or Borough of Hamburg could enforce the NPS rule. There may be other issues.

They may have parked overnight without having first obtained permission from Borough of Hamburg. I see their phone number has not been provided in this thread. It's (610) 562-7821.

Shelterbuilder is subscribed to all threads related to BMECC's shelters. He'll see what's posted.

shelterbuilder
08-26-2009, 21:49
I was just up at Windsor Furnace shelter on a section and ran across a rather problematic situation. Here's the story.

I was coming down into Windsor Furnace a bit late (I made the mistake of stopping in the Port Clinton Hotel for lunch, from which I only extracted myself after two beers and two and a half hours (but that's another story.) Thus I was a bit late getting down to the shelter, rolling in just before 8:00. As I was hiking up to the bridge over Furnace Creek I meet three other hikers going south, headed toward the blue blaze to the Hamburg lot. One said "going to the shelter?" I replied yes and they said what I thought was "we'll be back" but on later reflection might well have been "you'll be back", the meaning of which will rapidly become apparent.

When I walked up the the shelter, it was occupied by two couples with an enormous amount of non-hiking gear spread around and two large tents pitched directly next to the shelter. They had a roaring fire going in the pit and were cooking a lot of stuff over it (ribs and corn as it turned out). I said hello, but it seemed obvious that they had basically scared off or refused to share with the three hikers I'd passed, though they weren't unfriendly or directly rude to me. I'm a hanger, so I just went to one of the campsites across from the shelter and set up. I'd already eaten (boy, had I eaten) so I could basically just let them do what they wanted, do my other camp chores in my own site and get to bed. One guy did actually come over and offer my some dinner, but as I said I was not interested anyway.

Problem was, I ended up overhearing a lot in the night due to a yelling-and-crying fight between one of the couples. From what I gathered, they were there on some kind of vacation or extended campout and weren't homeless (the woman involved kept demanding to go home; apparently her partner had the car keys.) I didn't know who to report this to at the time (does BMECC maintain Windsor Furnace?) and I had a long day the next day, so I left it at that and didn't report it at the time. I suppose I could have called 911, but that seemed rather extreme for the circumstance. Unfortunately, I also didn't feel it advisable to confront these folks by myself.

I'm hoping that Shelterbuilder or one of the other folks here know who to contact about this. It's not that they were bad people, just ignorant and in the wrong place. But still, shelters are for hikers, not for those seeking a free vacation for a few days and thus taking over services that hikers need and are intended for them.

Um, yeah...where do I start with this one?:-?

As much as it sounds like there may have been a legitimate problem here, NEVER NEVER NEVER become "aggressively confrontational" with folks like this. You don't know them, they don't know you, neither of you knows if the other one is armed, etc. Good call on your part. :)

I've often tried engaging folks like this in the least threatening way possible - a proffered dinner (or at least a small taste) could have opened the door for some small talk: "where are you from, what's the weather forecast, you folks look like you're ready for just about anything, how'd you manage to get all of this stuff up here", and once you've had the chance to figure out where these folks are coming from, you can shift the conversation around to some "information" about the trail, the shelters and the proper use of the shelters. Sometimes, you'll get blown off, sometimes not. I always stress to folks that "I'm NOT an LEO... but I know that (insert your favorite LEO agency here) patrols up here, and I'd hate to see anyone get a fine for doing certain things". At that point, you can usually tell if it's time to leave, hike down the trail a ways, and call your favorite LEO!

The shelter and the immediate area are now NPS property, so a call to either NPS or ATC would probably have been the next step, if necessary. The Hamburg Police have jurisdiction over the parking lot and the watershed property, but they usually don't come back unless they KNOW that there's a real problem (that's their call, not ours). The State Police also have jurisdiction on the trail (courtesy of an MOU between them and NPS/ATC), but they rarely use it in a timely manner (unless there's a real problem). Perhaps a call to the Hamburg Borough Secretary's Office might be in order - if these folks had a "roaring fire" going, it would be very easy for it to become a wildfire and destroy Watershed property, and they would almost definitely respond to THAT.:eek:

And now - the part of my response that's going to get me BLASTED by some folks on WB: we all need to remember that both the trail and the facilities along the trail are not just for "rabid hikers" like you and me. Even though we maintain the trail and build the shelters/privies with the thought that thru-hikers and section hikers will use them, it is most often local folks out for a day-hike (or a quick, low-mileage overnight trip) who use things the most. No, I'm not advocating that we turn the trail into a "free campground" for car-campers, and it IS true that the shelters that are closest to roads and parking lots are subject to more than their fair share of abuse, BUT... we have to be careful not to "sound the alarm" until after we have tried to gently educate the culprits: "Hey, there might be a better, more enjoyable way to do this!". Then, if it's obvious that they intend to be @$$holes, let Larry the LEO have a turn at them!:D

Jester2000
08-26-2009, 22:14
I've read Strategic's post a couple of times and I can't figure out what illegal activity the couples were engaging in that would necessitate notifying anyone about anything.

Unless Strategic heard something in that conversation that he didn't post, seems like much ado about nothing. They weren't even staying in the shelter.

emerald
08-26-2009, 22:27
It's good to know the AT is being watched and there is the capacity to act should action be required.

See ATC's Reporting an Incident on the A.T. (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.5129395/k.18A4/Reporting_an_Incident_on_the_AT.htm) for relevant information.

Jester2000
08-26-2009, 22:56
Still it's good to know that the AT is being watched and there is the capacity to act should action be required.

I suppose. I guess I just don't understand what he would have liked to have reported, or confronted the people about, or what he would have told a 911 dispatcher.

Strategic: "Yeah, there are some folks camped up here with heavy gear who built a fire, offerred me some food, and were really loud. At least one of them isn't having a good time and wants to go home."

Dispatcher: "Are they Boy Scouts?"

It doesn't sound like he was threatened or that the property was being damaged, and there's no way for him to know that they were there longer than two days.

Forget illegal. What makes them "ignorant and in the wrong place"?

emerald
08-26-2009, 23:17
This discussion is a good example of why it's important to know who owns the land and whose rules apply. The same campout wouldn't have been legal on SGL, but they were camped on a NPS A.T. corridor tract where different rules apply for now. Maybe the rules concerning who may camp at Windsor Furnace Shelter will be modified at some point.

Jester2000
08-27-2009, 00:01
This discussion is a good example of why it's important to know who owns the land and whose rules apply. The same campout wouldn't have been legal on SGL, but they were camped on a NPS A.T. corridor tract where different rules apply.

. . .and I bet you they themselves were completely unaware of that. Good point, especially in PA, where you seem to pass through a lot of different zones.

HIKER7s
08-27-2009, 07:16
Guess it was just your day to babysit. Though you did the right thing NOT getting involved...at times- unfortunately ..we have to put up with this. If they are using a shelter for "family camping" of sorts they either dont know the trail edicutte or they are just plain arragant.

Either way, IF it had of been a no-brainer that something was amiss (and I dont think by what your telling us it was).....I would of got down the trail a bit and called it in probably and waited to guide whoever showed up to where they were.

These days, you just cant know what potential can erupt in situations like this. Was there alcohol involved?????

Jester2000
08-27-2009, 11:43
. . .If they are using a shelter for "family camping" of sorts they either dont know the trail edicutte or they are just plain arragant. . .

They were camped NEXT to a shelter weeks after it would have been crowded with thru-hikers. Etiquette and arrogance have nothing to do with it as far as I'm concerned, barring additional info from Strategic. What leads you to believe they were arrogant or breaking etiquette rules?

As far as the demon alcohol, I'm not aware of anything illegal about it, as this wasn't on State Game Lands, but I could be wrong. Shelterbuilder or Emerald would be able to answer that better than I. But, my god, could you imagine the chaos if they were (heavens to Betsy!) having a beer?!?

Everyone needs to get over themselves. You don't own the shelters. You don't get to decide who deserves to use them and who doesn't.

HIKER7s
08-27-2009, 11:46
:bananalol

I baited that to get your response, actually beer is a requirement for a good hike for some people

Lone Wolf
08-27-2009, 11:48
I was just up at Windsor Furnace shelter on a section and ran across a rather problematic situation. Here's the story.

I was coming down into Windsor Furnace a bit late (I made the mistake of stopping in the Port Clinton Hotel for lunch, from which I only extracted myself after two beers and two and a half hours (but that's another story.) Thus I was a bit late getting down to the shelter, rolling in just before 8:00. As I was hiking up to the bridge over Furnace Creek I meet three other hikers going south, headed toward the blue blaze to the Hamburg lot. One said "going to the shelter?" I replied yes and they said what I thought was "we'll be back" but on later reflection might well have been "you'll be back", the meaning of which will rapidly become apparent.

When I walked up the the shelter, it was occupied by two couples with an enormous amount of non-hiking gear spread around and two large tents pitched directly next to the shelter. They had a roaring fire going in the pit and were cooking a lot of stuff over it (ribs and corn as it turned out). I said hello, but it seemed obvious that they had basically scared off or refused to share with the three hikers I'd passed, though they weren't unfriendly or directly rude to me. I'm a hanger, so I just went to one of the campsites across from the shelter and set up. I'd already eaten (boy, had I eaten) so I could basically just let them do what they wanted, do my other camp chores in my own site and get to bed. One guy did actually come over and offer my some dinner, but as I said I was not interested anyway.

Problem was, I ended up overhearing a lot in the night due to a yelling-and-crying fight between one of the couples. From what I gathered, they were there on some kind of vacation or extended campout and weren't homeless (the woman involved kept demanding to go home; apparently her partner had the car keys.) I didn't know who to report this to at the time (does BMECC maintain Windsor Furnace?) and I had a long day the next day, so I left it at that and didn't report it at the time. I suppose I could have called 911, but that seemed rather extreme for the circumstance. Unfortunately, I also didn't feel it advisable to confront these folks by myself.

I'm hoping that Shelterbuilder or one of the other folks here know who to contact about this. It's not that they were bad people, just ignorant and in the wrong place. But still, shelters are for hikers, not for those seeking a free vacation for a few days and thus taking over services that hikers need and are intended for them.
what exactly is there to "report"?

HIKER7s
08-27-2009, 11:51
Strat..are you a lawman in your job?

emerald
08-27-2009, 12:48
As far as the demon alcohol, I'm not aware of anything illegal about it, as this wasn't on State Game Lands, but I could be wrong. Shelterbuilder or Emerald would be able to answer that better than I.

I spoke with someone who works in Hamburg's borough office to refresh and/or update my memory moments ago. It's a local call for me.

Alcohol is not specifically prohibited although 4 individuals were recently arrested for swimming in the reservoir. Alcohol was likely involved and a contributing factor. I believe they were charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct. People considerate of others who use common sense and respect what's posted are not apt to prompt enforcement action.

Please be advised camping and fires are permitted on the watershed only at Windsor Furnace Shelter and the camping area provided by Hamburg near the reservoir parking lot. As pointed out several times in this thread, permission is required for overnight parking. When someone calls to secure permission, they will be expected to provide information about their vehicle, someone will go over the terms of watershed use and answer any questions.

Midway Sam
08-27-2009, 12:59
Strategic: "Yeah, there are some folks camped up here with heavy gear who built a fire, offerred me some food, and were really loud. At least one of them isn't having a good time and wants to go home."

Dispatcher: "Are they Boy Scouts?"

Ok, that made me laugh out loud here at my desk. I don't care what side of the Boy Scout debate you're on, that's funny stuff right there.

Thanks for the chuckle.

HIKER7s
08-27-2009, 13:07
I know...the laws right in around there are tricky depending where you stand. AND trust me, if you dont call ahead and let them know your going to be parking in the resivour pkg lot. they are quick to get a ticket on ya.

saimyoji
08-27-2009, 13:07
Please be advised camping and fires are permitted on the watershed only at Windsor Furnace Shelter and the camping area provided by Hamburg near the reservoir parking lot. As pointed out several times in this thread, permission is required for overnight parking. When someone calls to secure permission, they will be expected to provide information about their vehicle and someone will review the terms of watershed use at that time.

does this include if you hike up along the creek? there are several campsites along that trail (blue blazed, not the AT)...i'm assuming these are illegal to camp and have fires at? they've been there as long as i've been hiking the area.

Jester2000
08-27-2009, 13:17
what exactly is there to "report"?

As usual, Lone Wolf says in six words what takes me, what, three or four posts?


Ok, that made me laugh out loud here at my desk. I don't care what side of the Boy Scout debate you're on, that's funny stuff right there.

Thanks for the chuckle.

Glad somebody enjoyed that . . .

emerald
08-27-2009, 13:19
"Only at the shelter" was the language used by the borough employee with whom I spoke. A more precise explanation may be needed. I expect whether the campsites you mentioned are on the NPS tract or not would determine their legality. I'm not certain of its boundaries and should walk them.

In post #9, shelterbuilder refers to the "shelter and adjacent campsite." I expect he will respond later today and you could follow up on your question with him then.

shelterbuilder
08-27-2009, 21:14
"Only at the shelter" was the language used by the borough employee with whom I spoke. A more precise explanation may be needed. I expect whether the campsites you mentioned are on the NPS tract or not would determine their legality. I'm not certain of its boundaries and should walk them.

In post #9, shelterbuilder refers to the "shelter and adjacent campsite." I expect he will respond later today and you could follow up on your question with him then.

Since the shelter and the "adjacent" campsite (the one in front of the shelter on the other side of the old woods road) are now NPS land, Hamburg has no legal jurisdiction at this location, even though it "has a vested interest" in what goes on here. However, the parcel is quite small, and if you don't see the yellow boundary blazes and go outside of the NPS parcel, you are once again under Hamburg's jurisdiction.

I'm not exactly sure where the "campsites" are along the blue-blazed trail, but they would be illegal, since the remainder of the property in this area is Watershed property. (The fact that they've been there forever doesn't make them any less illegal!;))

Hamburg is and always has been "justifiably paranoid" about the possibility of a wildfire on its watershed property, since this could seriously affect water quality and supply for the entire town! Anyone who has ever hiked extensively in this area knows how difficult it would be to get enough fire supression equipment up into the mountains - there are only 3 roads that go to the top, and there's a LOT of land up there. Once the land is burned, the soil will not hold much water, and when the water washes downhill, it will take hundreds of years' worth of soil with it...not a pretty picture.:(

saimyoji
08-27-2009, 21:19
and yet everytime i hike up to the pinnacle i see evidence of small fires all along the way....even amongst the rocks on top of pinnacle.

shelterbuilder
08-27-2009, 21:29
and yet everytime i hike up to the pinnacle i see evidence of small fires all along the way....even amongst the rocks on top of pinnacle.

...and some that are not-so-small! Some folks are a little slow on the uptake.

That last large clearing coming up from the Eckville side is a favorite spot for this (and is also the turn-around for Hamburg's motorized patrols) - I don't know how many times I've come across the smoldering remains of what was obviously a large campfire.

For some folks, camping isn't camping without a bonfire - oops, I mean campfire. LNT is a completely foreign concept to these people.

slugger
08-23-2010, 15:24
Just wanted to leave an update on this shelter....



Shelter is in good condition with no leaks. Privy still looks good but is getting full. Register is full and looks like it has been since mid July. Picnic table is still in good condition. Stream on blue blaze was dry but the one a 1/4 mile up the AT was flowing.

Wags
09-04-2010, 13:00
the minihaha spring just south of here is bone dry and the pocahontas spring a mile south of that was basically a little puddle.

the blue blaze stream was dry as slugger said...

IronGutsTommy
09-04-2010, 13:17
agreed jester.. you sometimes hear a sense of elitism or entitlement from some hikers.. the EXACT things that frustrate us and send us to the trails to brgin with. i wouldnt have even camped nearby, i always arrive at]elters with a few hours topare in case theyre crowded or theres weirdos hanging about. i just keep moving. if i decide im not going to use a shelter i dont like to camp nearby. that only leaves one open to the problems of a shelter without being able to reap the benefits. seems pointless to me. i figure im already outdoors, whats another night in a quiet, cozy tent?

Wags
09-05-2010, 01:34
well, technically i don't think it's 'legal' to camp anywhere but the shelter and surrounding campsites at this location.

emerald
09-05-2010, 08:13
Nothing technical about it. It's a plain and simple condition of use explained earlier.

Hamburg residents and/or their guests who don't want to make use of the shelter or designated area are expected to camp somewhere other than on the watershed. For northbound A.T. through hikers that might be Blue Rocks Family Campground, State Game Lands 106 or Eckville, all 2 or more miles distant where conditions also apply.

Detailed information is available in Guide to the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania, 11th ed. available from ATC or KTA. Pennsylvania A.T. hikers are advised to carry and refer to it or at least KTA's map for sections 1-6.

emerald
09-05-2010, 08:28
Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club will begin reroofing WFS next weekend. More information is available at www.bmecc.org (http://www.bmecc.org).

CowHead
09-05-2010, 10:07
I hike there this summer on my ten year quest to through hike the AT very trashy to say the least I pick up allot of it and toss it out at the park down the trail. Unfortunately most of the stuff look like someone attempt to be a trail angel

Wags
09-05-2010, 14:03
i was responding to iron guts tommy, emerald. no need to sass me

shelterbuilder
09-06-2010, 09:44
Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club will begin reroofing WFS next weekend. More information is available at www.bmecc.org. (http://www.bmecc.org.)

AH, YES, ROOFING PROJECT # 3 FOR 2010 !!! I wasn't going to mention it (yeah, right), but since emerald brought it up...

BMECC will be starting on this project on Saturday Sept. 11. We'll be meeting in the Hamburg reservior parking lot around 8:30 AM. Hopefully, we will have permission to drive our materials and volunteers directly to the shelter site. Our plans call for the re-roofing of both the shelter and the toilet, and we have time blocked out until Oct. 9th/10th.

This might sound like a lot of time for a roof that's less than 400 sq. ft., but this month the weather will be changing over to a wetter weather pattern, and if we get a couple of days when no one shows up, well....

Anyone who is in the area and wants to help out on this project is welcome to join us. Bring water, lunch, work gloves, and any roofing tools that you might have (hammers, staplers, utility knives, etc.). Even if you don't want to get up on the roof, there's still plenty of ground-work to be done.

petunia
10-02-2010, 21:55
Minehaha Spring very small, but useable. Pocohontas Spring running really well. Cleared some branches from the storm on the trail between Port Clinton and Minehaha Spring. and picked up a lot of trash at the Pocohontas Camp area (where you're not supposed to camp because it's in the watershed area.

BTW: WARNING!! Both parking areas in Port Clinton off of Rte. 61 have had MANY problems w/ vandalism and theft. This was reported to me by the State Trooper that wrote the Police report for my vehicle which had the driver's window smashed. I also had my GPS and iPod taken out of the console.

DrL
10-11-2010, 22:41
I always thought the Pocohontas camp site was on State Game Lands.

DrL
10-13-2010, 19:01
I always thought the Pocohontas camp site was on State Game Lands.

I checked my maps. Low-and-behold, the Pocohontas campsite does indeed reside within the Hamburg watershed lands.

emerald
10-13-2010, 19:24
See how it pays to buy the official guides, carry maps and read signs even if it only saves one from correcting oneself on WhiteBlaze?

Notice I did not use the impersonal or indefinite you. When it doesn't cause immediate thread thread-lock, it sometimes elicits a post which does as it should.

capehiker
01-14-2016, 20:57
Possibly a stupid question, but is there a fire ring at the actual shelter?

HIKER7s
01-15-2016, 06:40
Possibly a stupid question, but is there a fire ring at the actual shelter?


I haven't been there since 2012, there was a fire pit there in from of the shelter

capehiker
01-15-2016, 09:16
I haven't been there since 2012, there was a fire pit there in from of the shelter

Thank you. I have hiked that area a few times but have never stayed at the shelter. The state game lands and the rules in that area tend to be a little stricter than other places along the trail so I did not want to assume.

Ktaadn
01-15-2016, 09:46
It was there in Oct 2014

hikerhobs
01-17-2016, 15:40
I camped there over the thanksgiving holiday, and the fire pit was there.

shelterbuilder
01-17-2016, 21:14
Yes, there is still a fire pit in front of the shelter. The shelter, toilet, and a few nearby campsites are actually located on NPS lands WITHIN the watershed property, so fires are allowed there (but nowhere else in the area). Please try to keep them small, since a wildfire in this area could cause MAJOR problems for the watershed (and therefore for the Borough of Hamburg). NOTE: anyone parking overnight at the reservoir parking lot MUST register with the Borough Secretary (61 North 3rd St., Hamburg) or they WILL be ticketed and fined. The parking lot is patrolled several times a night by the Hamburg Police. Registration is a small price (free) to pay for being allowed to park overnight (or longer).

Malto
01-17-2016, 21:26
Yes, there is still a fire pit in front of the shelter. The shelter, toilet, and a few nearby campsites are actually located on NPS lands WITHIN the watershed property, so fires are allowed there (but nowhere else in the area). Please try to keep them small, since a wildfire in this area could cause MAJOR problems for the watershed (and therefore for the Borough of Hamburg). NOTE: anyone parking overnight at the reservoir parking lot MUST register with the Borough Secretary (61 North 3rd St., Hamburg) or they WILL be ticketed and fined. The parking lot is patrolled several times a night by the Hamburg Police. Registration is a small price (free) to pay for being allowed to park overnight (or longer).

Hopefully the idiots that camped and had a fire up on the Pinnacle Friday night gets ticketed. not sure if the rules for that area are well publicized or rather people just ignore them.

capehiker
01-18-2016, 00:43
We tented at the shelter this past Friday (only ones there). We attempted a small fire but the wood was wet and there was very very little dead wood on the ground so we burnt some twigs before the rain came. We had lunch at The Pinnacle and only passed a few day hikers. Thanks to all who replied.