PDA

View Full Version : Jerry Cabin is a nasty little shelter....



10-K
12-16-2011, 09:35
Hiked up to Jerry Cabin with the intention of spending the night last night and the place was so trashy I turned around and hiked back down the mountain and camped at Shelton Graves. Hated to leave it in that condition but it was raining and I just wasn't feeling janitorial.....

I don't know what it is about that particular shelter but more often than not it looks like a "crack house on the hill".

Pedaling Fool
12-16-2011, 10:01
It was raining also when I got their, but I opted for my tent and had a little visitor at 3am trying to keep relatively dry under my rainfly.



http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/9/3/6/4-22-06024601_713902.jpg (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showimage.php?i=17965&original=1&catid=member&imageuser=6936)

max patch
12-16-2011, 10:20
I don't know what it is about that particular shelter but more often than not it looks like a "crack house on the hill".

I guess the electricity there attracts squatters.

Tennessee Viking
12-16-2011, 10:34
10-K,
I bet it was local hunters and Horse Creek ATVer's. The same thing would happen with Watauga Lake Shelter, Apple House Shelter, and the Barn.

I would just contact Carolina Mtn Club, and let them know it needs a major haul out of trash.

LDog
12-16-2011, 11:01
That's a shame. The Companion talks about how the former caretaker, Sam Waddle, turned it from "the dirtiest shelter on the entire trail, to one of the cleanest."

max patch
12-16-2011, 11:10
That's a shame. The Companion talks about how the former caretaker, Sam Waddle, turned it from "the dirtiest shelter on the entire trail, to one of the cleanest."

On my thru there was a typed letter from Sam Waddle in the shelter saying that he and a friend were on the trail to scatter the ashes of Howard Bassett (one of the early thru hikers) on the trail. It was a nice shelter back then.

LDog
12-16-2011, 11:25
I guess the electricity there attracts squatters.

Does it still have power? The Companion suggests not.

max patch
12-16-2011, 11:40
Oh it never did, it was just a joke. But I bet every hiker who ever stayed there flipped the light switch just to "make sure".

BobTheBuilder
12-16-2011, 12:37
That shelter saved me one windy, cold, wet day. I was soaked through from the hike on the ridgeline where the wind was about 40 mph and the rain was sideways and the temperature was falling fast. That shelter was about the most beautiful sight in the woods that day. I jumped inside, put on dry clothes and dove into my bag where it took about an hour to warm up. That night the temp dropped to about 20 and all my stuff was frozen solid in the morning.

I guess its just a matter of perspective, but I loved the place.

10-K
12-16-2011, 13:12
That shelter saved me one windy, cold, wet day. I was soaked through from the hike on the ridgeline where the wind was about 40 mph and the rain was sideways and the temperature was falling fast. That shelter was about the most beautiful sight in the woods that day. I jumped inside, put on dry clothes and dove into my bag where it took about an hour to warm up. That night the temp dropped to about 20 and all my stuff was frozen solid in the morning.

I guess its just a matter of perspective, but I loved the place.

The fireplace does work pretty good.... :)

Tinker
12-16-2011, 17:06
It was raining also when I got their, but I opted for my tent and had a little visitor at 3am trying to keep relatively dry under my rainfly.



http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/9/3/6/4-22-06024601_713902.jpg (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showimage.php?i=17965&original=1&catid=member&imageuser=6936)



Are those Limmer boots? I notice the lack of a heel seam.

I'll make an allowance for camp shoes if you hike in anything as heavy as custom Limmers. I hear the newer lighter models are nice, though.

Pedaling Fool
12-16-2011, 17:10
Are those Limmer boots? I notice the lack of a heel seam.

I'll make an allowance for camp shoes if you hike in anything as heavy as custom Limmers. I hear the newer lighter models are nice, though. Yes thos are limmers and my camp shoes, also pictured, were walmart sandals probably nearly as heavy. I wanted to hike with a lot of weight, and I did, just for the exercise and complete body overhaul.

It was torture in the beginning, but I got use to it and I've kept it up since the trail and I feel stonger than ever, even today.

The Cleaner
12-16-2011, 17:20
10-K,
I bet it was local hunters and Horse Creek ATVer's. The same thing would happen with Watauga Lake Shelter, Apple House Shelter, and the Barn.

I would just contact Carolina Mtn Club, and let them know it needs a major haul out of trash.FWIW The TN Bear hunt was 12-1 to 12-14.Last year the local hunters did about the same thing.The Cleaner will be going up this weekend to do what I can....

Tenderheart
12-16-2011, 19:05
and camped at Shelton Graves. .

10K, is this where the victims of the Shelton Laurel massacre are buried? Is it on the trail? It's not in my Data Book and I don't remember seeing it.

10-K
12-16-2011, 19:11
FWIW The TN Bear hunt was 12-1 to 12-14.Last year the local hunters did about the same thing.The Cleaner will be going up this weekend to do what I can....

I wondered if you'd see this. :)


10K, is this where the victims of the Shelton Laurel massacre are buried? Is it on the trail? It's not in my Data Book and I don't remember seeing it.

The graves are right on the trail. It's about a 1.5 hour hike north from Jerry Cabin Shelter. Can't miss them, the trail goes right by the headstones. Right now they're decorated like it's the 4th of July.

Tenderheart
12-16-2011, 19:16
Have the graves always been on the trail?

The Cleaner
12-16-2011, 19:18
I wondered if you'd see this. :)



The graves are right on the trail. It's about a 1.5 hour hike north from Jerry Cabin Shelter. Can't miss them, the trail goes right by the headstones. Right now they're decorated like it's the 4th of July. These are Civil War graves of 2 soldiers&1 younger person.Massacre?There was a Cherokee Massacre over in the Rocky Fork area on Flint creek around 1780....

Tenderheart
12-16-2011, 19:25
These are Civil War graves of 2 soldiers&1 younger person.Massacre?There was a Cherokee Massacre over in the Rocky Fork area on Flint creek around 1780....

There was a massacre of members of the Shelton family in Madison County by Southern troops during the Civil War. The victims were thought to be Union sympathizers. I think some 14 people were murdered in cold blood.

Marta
12-17-2011, 07:50
It was raining also when I got their, but I opted for my tent and had a little visitor at 3am trying to keep relatively dry under my rainfly.http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/9/3/6/4-22-06024601_713902.jpg (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showimage.php?i=17965&original=1&catid=member&imageuser=6936)One of those babies is what came into my floorless tent and joined me in my sleeping quilt one fall. I found him the following weekend curled up and dried in the foot of the quilt. Thus ended my experimentation with floorless tents and tarps. I love salamanders and don't want to lure them to their deaths...

Papa D
12-17-2011, 09:33
I remember a beautiful late fall snowy night at Jerry Cabin with some southbound thru hiker friends (Stretch, Ozzie, Godzilla, and Chevy) in '08 fondly -- I hiked in from the south and waited on them - I kept warm for a couple of hours collecting a nice pile of firewood and tidying up the shelter (it wasn't too messy at all). We had a nice fire and a big meal when they arrived. Godzilla (who I met that night) was hiking with a homemade Ray-Way backpack and he was freezing -- it had worked fine for most of his summer / fall thru-hike but with temps in the 20s it was no go and his pals all had good down bags. I had a spare 20 deg. western bag in my car (I was using the zero - obviously) and lent it to him to use as a "bag liner" -- as it turns out, the smokies would have been very rough on him without it -- he sent it back to me a few weeks. later. I think that a pile of firewood and maybe a couple of old quilts were stashed in the shelter but I don't recall a big mess. I'm sorry to hear about this. If anyone wants to go there (maybe just after the holidays) - 10K? - I'll haul in some garbage bags and whatnot and help with a clean-up.

The Cleaner
12-17-2011, 11:44
FWIW....I just confirmed shuttle to Round Knob Picnic area Sunday @ noon.From RK it's 1.75miles up to the AT and then 1 mile over to the shelter.I should be able to get there and do some clean-up before too late in the day.At 4pm I'll be having tea and listening to NPR's "This American Life".Will be taking extra Coleman fuel to burn trash and can pack out the fire leftovers.Doesn't get much better than that for a short winter hike.Monday's plan is to hike to Little Laurel and check things there and spend the night.Anyone who wants to come up is welcome,I should have a nice fire going to warm up by....

Sly
12-17-2011, 13:33
Thanks for your efforts.

One time I was day hiking over Three Ridges, got to the Harpers Creek Shelter and planned on chilling for a few minutes when I noticed a large plastic trash bag filled with, um... trash. I suppose the people that left it thought the trash collectors came by later in the season. In this case they did. Super pissed, I immediately grabbed the bag an headed down the Tye River trailhead where my girlfriend was waiting.

Sailing_Faith
12-17-2011, 13:58
Thanks for your efforts......

Absolutely! http://yampotw.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/clap-copy_011.jpg

10-K
12-17-2011, 20:25
You know, speaking ATV trails, I followed an ATV trail from Big Butt almost all the way to Jerry Cabin shelter and only got on the AT to go over the bald just south of Sarvis Cove trail.

I've always wondered if that was possible and had time to give it a shot to see where it went. The ATV trail goes right by the Horse Creek Trail (really a jeep road) and then right up to the bald.

So basically, you can almost go from the Shelton Graves all the way to Jerry Cabin shelter on the ATV trail instead of the AT....except for that little stretch over the bald that may be .3 of a mile....

Tennessee Viking
12-17-2011, 21:07
Have the graves always been on the trail?Within the next year or so, the trail will be relocated into the Rocky Fork valley. When it does...unfortunately, the trail will split off just south of the graves.

Lugnut
12-17-2011, 21:27
Within the next year or so, the trail will be relocated into the Rocky Fork valley. When it does...unfortunately, the trail will split off just south of the graves.

Why is that being done?

Chaco Taco
12-18-2011, 00:09
Every time I have been through the JC area it has always been trashed. Its not just the hunters. I have hiked out of that shelter with useless hiking gear, bags of trash. I used to frequent the area when I was living in Asheville. Piles of hiker dinners in the fire pit. Not trying to start anything but placing blame on other groups besides hikers is a little silly. Hikers are some the worst when it comes to littering. I will say that there are some really nice areas to tent before and after JC with in a mile or so.

Rain Man
12-18-2011, 00:46
Every time I have been through the JC area it has always been trashed. Its not just the hunters. I have hiked out of that shelter with useless hiking gear, bags of trash. I used to frequent the area when I was living in Asheville. Piles of hiker dinners in the fire pit. Not trying to start anything but placing blame on other groups besides hikers is a little silly. Hikers are some the worst when it comes to littering. I will say that there are some really nice areas to tent before and after JC with in a mile or so.

I'm going to disagree with this (assuming by "hikers" you mean actual AT backpackers). In all my hiking days, with one exception, I don't think I've ever run across a truly backpacking campsite or shelter (one without easy access to hunters, ATVers, horse-riders, mountain bikers, day-hikers, or plain "locals") that was trashed. The reverse certainly has not been my experience, though. That one exception was college boys with booze on a spring break hike at Overmountain Shelter, and a thru-hiker read them the riot act, and I added my two cents about dumping beer cans and whiskey bottles in the privy. Listening to their conversations for an evening and morning, it seemed their experience was more about booze than hiking, but booze often seems involved with a lot of AT problems.

In my estimation, about .1% of backpackers are jerks when it comes to leaving their trash behind, but perhaps 10% of those in the woods for other reasons are jerks about it. That's one hundred times as much, in my unscientific, rough estimation, but ten times would still be too much, and worthy of being singled out for blame. IMHO.

Rain Man

Papa D
12-18-2011, 03:52
+1 to what Rain Man says - I believe that most bona-fide backpackers (for the most part) do a pretty fair job of keeping things clean -- obviously the ATV folks, party people, and locals are easy to blame and are a problem, but I am going to (cautiously) add the un-experienced boy scouts, church group, and over zealous Dad crowd -- far too often I see these amateur groups with their Bowie knives stuck in trees, messy cooking practices, big ol' bon fire, and "survivalist mentalities" -- they tend to camp with things like foil burgers and things in cans -- they also tend to bring a ton of expensive Mountain House stuff (which is fine) but they try to burn their foil lined food containers -- these folks leave an awful mess and mostly just need a little education.

10-K
12-18-2011, 09:21
I cannot even imagine sitting at a shelter throwing trash on the ground. I mean, who would that?

The Cleaner
12-18-2011, 09:27
Every time I have been through the JC area it has always been trashed. Its not just the hunters. I have hiked out of that shelter with useless hiking gear, bags of trash. I used to frequent the area when I was living in Asheville. Piles of hiker dinners in the fire pit. Not trying to start anything but placing blame on other groups besides hikers is a little silly. Hikers are some the worst when it comes to littering. I will say that there are some really nice areas to tent before and after JC with in a mile or so. You hit the nail on the head with your post.After working in this area for almost 30 years I've found that this area recieves little use other than hikers& backpackers.After cleaning up after the bear hunters the stuff I find seems to be from hikers.From now till the spring thru season starts there won't be a lot of stuff left.Then in March&April the trash starts showing up again.Kinda strange but its true.Some hikers are so lazy&stupid as to how to properly dispose of their trash.Lots of hikers just throw all kinds of stuff in the fireplace/pit and expect someone else will burn it.Also as of the last few years lots of gear (dirty clothes&you name it) gets left behind,for what reason I don't know.Last May someone left a pair of Wally World boots at the shelter.Burned them.If it gets left behind then it soon is trash.20 years ago I didn't find as much stuff.Well now hikers can get to a resupply about every 3-5 days so I guess they just chunck stuff and figure they can get a new one just up the trail....

The Cleaner
12-18-2011, 09:37
You know, speaking ATV trails, I followed an ATV trail from Big Butt almost all the way to Jerry Cabin shelter and only got on the AT to go over the bald just south of Sarvis Cove trail.

I've always wondered if that was possible and had time to give it a shot to see where it went. The ATV trail goes right by the Horse Creek Trail (really a jeep road) and then right up to the bald.

So basically, you can almost go from the Shelton Graves all the way to Jerry Cabin shelter on the ATV trail instead of the AT....except for that little stretch over the bald that may be .3 of a mile.... This jeep road was the original route of the AT till the mid 80's when the USFS aquired the land from Duke Power Co.Till then The CMC didn't want to work the area.This is what got Sam Waddle started because he could drive his small jeep right to the shelter.For a while he tried to maintain a trashcan at the shelter which was always a mess...

The Cleaner
12-18-2011, 10:29
FWIW there will someday be the need for Ridgerunners for every inch of the AT ....just my 2 cents worth...Hey I gotta pack&hit the trail....

Chaco Taco
12-18-2011, 23:28
I'm going to disagree with this (assuming by "hikers" you mean actual AT backpackers). In all my hiking days, with one exception, I don't think I've ever run across a truly backpacking campsite or shelter (one without easy access to hunters, ATVers, horse-riders, mountain bikers, day-hikers, or plain "locals") that was trashed. The reverse certainly has not been my experience, though. That one exception was college boys with booze on a spring break hike at Overmountain Shelter, and a thru-hiker read them the riot act, and I added my two cents about dumping beer cans and whiskey bottles in the privy. Listening to their conversations for an evening and morning, it seemed their experience was more about booze than hiking, but booze often seems involved with a lot of AT problems.

In my estimation, about .1% of backpackers are jerks when it comes to leaving their trash behind, but perhaps 10% of those in the woods for other reasons are jerks about it. That's one hundred times as much, in my unscientific, rough estimation, but ten times would still be too much, and worthy of being singled out for blame. IMHO.

Rain Man

Well I am going based on my own experiences with some of the day hikes and the countless overnights I used to take up out of Sams Gap and Jerry Cabin when i was living in Asheville. Frequented both pretty often, 9 out 10 times, trashed. And what makes one a "bonafide" backpacker? Sounds like you make it like an elite club or something. I have been around hikers/ Backpackers in Maine that have absolutely no regard for cleaning up after themselves. Id say about a quarter of the people that use these trails and shelters dont typically pay any mind to any leave no trace mentality. Thruhikers are even worse, can always spot a thruhiker trashbag at a shelter, over stuffed ziplocks and msr canisters left in the corners. So thats based on my experience Rain man and Papa D. The sectiosna round Hot Springs are typically the more trashed sections because of the many road crossings and FS roads. Its aint just the boy scouts,dad groups and college frat boys. I met a group that had driven up from Florida a couple of years. Best group of guys. Passed along free booze, food, enjoyed listening to stories and suggestions about places to go on their travels.

wornoutboots
12-18-2011, 23:37
I passed through there last December in about 6" of snow & it was still really coming down, the place looked beautiful! The person before me, stacked a ton of firewood up & it was clean as a whistle. That spring was flowing out of there at full force. I ended up moving on. I must have caught it on a good day.

10-K
12-18-2011, 23:39
I passed through there last December in about 6" of snow & it was still really coming down, the place looked beautiful! The person before me, stacked a ton of firewood up & it was clean as a whistle. That spring was flowing out of there at full force. I ended up moving on. I must have caught it on a good day.

Sounds like you just missed The Cleaner... :)

Chaco Taco
12-18-2011, 23:40
Sounds like you just missed The Cleaner... :)

Hey 10-K, hows the hiking going down there? Miss it like crazy. I do have The Whites and Vermont within and hour but I miss those rolling NC hills

10-K
12-18-2011, 23:45
Hey 10-K, hows the hiking going down there? Miss it like crazy. I do have The Whites and Vermont within and hour but I miss those rolling NC hills

All good. I've had some health issues keeping me from going on longer backpacking trips but I've hiked the sections between Unaka Mountain and Allen's Gap 3-4 times since August.

I've also been exploring trails in Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests and am really liking that.

Soon as I'm feeling better I plan on getting down towards your old stomping grounds and hiking the Art Loeb. Did you ever hike that?

Love living in Erwin!

wornoutboots
12-18-2011, 23:53
Sounds like you just missed The Cleaner... :)

No Doubt!! Thanks Cleaner!! Actually, 10-K that was the same hike that I ran into you near Spivey Gap

Chaco Taco
12-19-2011, 06:38
All good. I've had some health issues keeping me from going on longer backpacking trips but I've hiked the sections between Unaka Mountain and Allen's Gap 3-4 times since August.

I've also been exploring trails in Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests and am really liking that.

Soon as I'm feeling better I plan on getting down towards your old stomping grounds and hiking the Art Loeb. Did you ever hike that?

Love living in Erwin!

Did the good parts of it. The Beginning at the scout camp is pretty cool but after the balsams it flattens out. Its worth doing though. SOme really cool spots to camp before Black Balsam.

Johnny Thunder
12-19-2011, 07:34
yeah. yeah. yeah. scout camp to the balds. bang a right at the mst and another right at the green ridge trail (i forget the name exactly, was highly safe that day). camping ON black balsam and ON the highest point of the green ridge. then swim in the swimming hole at the bottom b/c that's what you do.

Chaco Taco
12-19-2011, 07:48
yeah. yeah. yeah. scout camp to the balds. bang a right at the mst and another right at the green ridge trail (i forget the name exactly, was highly safe that day). camping ON black balsam and ON the highest point of the green ridge. then swim in the swimming hole at the bottom b/c that's what you do.

Still rornery?

Johnny Thunder
12-19-2011, 08:01
Still rornery?

nope. just got a christmas package from home. it's full of chocolate and firearms. god bless 'merica.

Tennessee Viking
12-19-2011, 11:53
FWIW....I just confirmed shuttle to Round Knob Picnic area Sunday @ noon.From RK it's 1.75miles up to the AT and then 1 mile over to the shelter.I should be able to get there and do some clean-up before too late in the day.At 4pm I'll be having tea and listening to NPR's "This American Life".Will be taking extra Coleman fuel to burn trash and can pack out the fire leftovers.Doesn't get much better than that for a short winter hike.Monday's plan is to hike to Little Laurel and check things there and spend the night.Anyone who wants to come up is welcome,I should have a nice fire going to warm up by....How far is Round Knob trail from the northern end of Exposed Trail blue blaze?

Tennessee Viking
12-19-2011, 12:09
Why is that being done?Its mainly to get the trail to a better grade from the top of Coldspring Mtn to Flint Gap. The current grade is an ankle breaker. But its also to help bring attention and the conservation of the Rocky Fork area.

Right now, the CMC and Konnarock Crews have been working on the relo for the last couple years. Instead of switch backs down the NC side, its going to go around the Snakeden Ridge and over look Rocky Fork on the Tenn. side.
http://www.atconf.org/docs/lwcf/2011/04/15/rocky-fork.PDF

10-K
12-19-2011, 12:49
Its mainly to get the trail to a better grade from the top of Coldspring Mtn to Flint Gap. The current grade is an ankle breaker. But its also to help bring attention and the conservation of the Rocky Fork area.

Right now, the CMC and Konnarock Crews have been working on the relo for the last couple years. Instead of switch backs down the NC side, its going to go around the Snakeden Ridge and over look Rocky Fork on the Tenn. side.
http://www.atconf.org/docs/lwcf/2011/04/15/rocky-fork.PDF

Interesting.... Looks like the big climb from the gap up to where it levels off around the Green Ridge Trail isn't going to be affected. Dangit. :)

waasj
12-19-2011, 14:10
Was through there in '10 and don't recall it being any better or worse than the average shelter.

bamboo bob
12-19-2011, 14:27
Look UNDER a shelter sometime. The trash there could only be dumped by thru-hikers. Liptons, various bar wrappers, but mainly odds and ends of blister treatment stuff, band aids, and yards of tangled and used duct tape. Unless some obsessive ridge runner goes under it will accumulate for a long time. I say if we each pick up ten pieces of litter each day the problem will be solved.

Rain Man
12-20-2011, 15:42
Look UNDER a shelter sometime. The trash there could only be dumped by thru-hikers.

No idea why you'd say that. I'm a section hiker. Couldn't I drop trash (on purpose or by accident) just like a thru-hiker? Seems a weird claim for you to make. Am I just missing something, perhaps?



I say if we each pick up ten pieces of litter each day the problem will be solved.

Right you are! Though some refuse is too large for a single ordinary hiker to haul out, 99% is small to tiny and if every hiker would pick up what he or she sees on the trail or at shelters, then the problem would be solved, yes.

Rain:sunMan

.

Chaco Taco
12-20-2011, 16:57
I think the original point I had made or meant is about all hikers.

The Cleaner
12-20-2011, 18:24
Just got back this afternoon after hiking up to Jerry's Cabin then over to Little Laurel.Both shelters now litter free and the trail has only 1 or 2 large blowdowns.The blowdown 1/2 mile north of Allen Gap,I trimmed up so you can pass but will need chainsaw to finish.

The Cleaner
12-20-2011, 18:30
How far is Round Knob trail from the northern end of Exposed Trail blue blaze? As one hikes south from Jerry's Cabin,at 1 mile Round Knob trail/jeep road turns right.1 mile further Phillip's Hollow trail heads right to the parking lot of Margarette Falls.The relocation starts about 200yds. before Phillip's Hollow trail....

10-K
12-20-2011, 19:13
As one hikes south from Jerry's Cabin,at 1 mile Round Knob trail/jeep road turns right.1 mile further Phillip's Hollow trail heads right to the parking lot of Margarette Falls.The relocation starts about 200yds. before Phillip's Hollow trail....

These trails intersect the AT?

10-K
12-20-2011, 19:14
Just got back this afternoon after hiking up to Jerry's Cabin then over to Little Laurel.Both shelters now litter free and the trail has only 1 or 2 large blowdowns.The blowdown 1/2 mile north of Allen Gap,I trimmed up so you can pass but will need chainsaw to finish.

Well done and thanks!

BTW, was there still a huge pile of orange peelings at JC? Right in front of the picnic table it looked like someone had sat down and ate a bag of oranges.

CrumbSnatcher
12-20-2011, 19:25
thanks cleaner :-)
and everyone else out there, that give's back to the trail

The Cleaner
12-20-2011, 19:30
These trails intersect the AT? On the TN side there are ,I think,5 trails leading up from the valley.They are,Bullen Hollow&Phillip's Hollow(these trails both start at the Margarette Falls parking lot) Round Knob,Horsecreek trail/jeep road,Sarvis Cove and Middle Spring Ridge(turn left at the footbridge on Horsecreek trail).All of these trails end at the AT with the exception of Bullen Hollow which ends near Low Gap on the road up to Camp Creek Bald firetower...

The Cleaner
12-20-2011, 19:34
Well done and thanks!

BTW, was there still a huge pile of orange peelings at JC? Right in front of the picnic table it looked like someone had sat down and ate a bag of oranges. Actually when I arrived at Jerry's at 2pm I could hardly find any tra*****he only problem was the picnic table was way out in front of the shelter.I cleaned out the fireplace,fired it up&made tea.I did move the table back into the shelter..

The Cleaner
12-20-2011, 19:36
Actually when I arrived at Jerry's at 2pm I could hardly find any tra*****he only problem was the picnic table was way out in front of the shelter.I cleaned out the fireplace,fired it up&made tea.I did move the table back into the shelter.. I didn't know TRASH was a prohibited word....

Alligator
12-20-2011, 23:16
Just got back this afternoon after hiking up to Jerry's Cabin then over to Little Laurel.Both shelters now litter free and the trail has only 1 or 2 large blowdowns.The blowdown 1/2 mile north of Allen Gap,I trimmed up so you can pass but will need chainsaw to finish.Thanks, good work.


I didn't know TRASH was a prohibited word....It's not, you hit a wildcard string match.

Seatbelt
12-21-2011, 16:05
FWIW The TN Bear hunt was 12-1 to 12-14.Last year the local hunters did about the same thing.The Cleaner will be going up this weekend to do what I can....

I hiked thru there in mid-October and ran into several hunters with dogs then. Was that bear season also or??

PS: Thanks for all the clean-up work!!:)

The Cleaner
12-21-2011, 17:17
I hiked thru there in mid-October and ran into several hunters with dogs then. Was that bear season also or??

PS: Thanks for all the clean-up work!!:) There is a dog "training" season at some point in the late summer/fall....also there is a time set aside for bow hunters.One other note the NC bear season is longer than TNs...

Seatbelt
12-21-2011, 18:29
Thanks, I knew they have a raccoon "running" season but didn't know about bears.

FarmerChef
12-02-2013, 14:18
Just had a stay here last week the night it began to rain. I want to give a big shout out to the Cleaner - this shelter looked awesome! It was neat and tidy and there was cut firewood (logs) under the shelter floor. We built a cozy fire in the fireplace that was enjoyed by the shelter full of hikers trying to get in before the rain came. Lows were in the 20s when we went to bed but warmed as the night went on so the fire really helped to pull things up and make it bearable.

One note: the bear cables here are missing the clips that snap the cable to the tree (into the eye bolts). We used a bit of rope to tie them down to the bolts but it would be much easier with the clips. Of course, our packs full to the brim with food got rained on but a trip the next day to Hemlock Hollow Inn took care of that next to the wood stove :D

Anyway, we did our best to leave it cleaner than we found it, Cleaner. Thanks again for all you do!

HikerMom58
12-02-2013, 14:29
Just had a stay here last week the night it began to rain. I want to give a big shout out to the Cleaner - this shelter looked awesome! It was neat and tidy and there was cut firewood (logs) under the shelter floor. We built a cozy fire in the fireplace that was enjoyed by the shelter full of hikers trying to get in before the rain came. Lows were in the 20s when we went to bed but warmed as the night went on so the fire really helped to pull things up and make it bearable.

One note: the bear cables here are missing the clips that snap the cable to the tree (into the eye bolts). We used a bit of rope to tie them down to the bolts but it would be much easier with the clips. Of course, our packs full to the brim with food got rained on but a trip the next day to Hemlock Hollow Inn took care of that next to the wood stove :D

Anyway, we did our best to leave it cleaner than we found it, Cleaner. Thanks again for all you do!

The Cleaner is da man! :D He is always going up there to cut firewood etc... he's great. I'm glad you enjoyed your stay there, FC.

I hope every other place you stayed was all you hoped it would be.... Please give us your opinion of places you stayed on your Thanksgiving hike. You are a trustworthy source (with first hand experiences) of places on the trail ... jus sayin. :cool:

GoldenBear
06-29-2019, 22:27
The shelter is old but functional. Not spotless, but definitely not trashed. The fireplace still works. As of late June, 2019, the spring is flowing great.

As noted, the bear cables lack hook on the nearby trees, but a work-around is not that difficult. I'll take less-than perfect bear-cables over bear boxes, inadequate bear hangs, or my own Ursack any day.

windlion
09-23-2019, 21:04
Stayed at Jerry's Cabin on 9/20, found it in great shape ... and contrary to reports on Guthook of flying squirrels attacking food bags on the bear cables, I saw none.

Pity, really. I use a allegedly varmint-proof bag, and thought it would have made a great video post, win or lose.

Thanks to the Cleaner, and joining in the voices pressing all backcountry visitors to clean up their own messes.

needlefish
12-17-2020, 17:54
was there mid Oct 2020, tented but the shelter was clean and in good shape