shelter,stealth,crowds,alone,understars

[neo]

i just wanted to see what most people prefer,as far as how you spend your nights on the trail,i prefer stealth camping,in my henn.hammock or dancing light gear tarp,i rarely stay in or near shelter,i am not antisocial,just like being alone
i cannot understand why so many hikers prefer mouse infested,over crowed shelters,i stay in shelters occasionally,why do most hikers prefer shelters and crowds:cool: neo

[hauptman]

i do not get it either. i like the solitude and the quiet. it sucks when the shelters are over crowded. i do not mind the mice though.

[neo]

i do not get it either. i like the solitude and the quiet. it sucks when the shelters are over crowded. i do not mind the mice though.yeah i will take the mice over the crowd any day:cool: neo

[Mountain Hippie]

I like to eat my supper at a shelter and maybe visit a while with others but I always sleep away from the shelter. I prefer the sounds of nature to the sounds that escape from various areas of the human anatomy. I also find that I get fewer critter visitors during the night if I sleep in an area that is not as heavily used by humans.
I use a hammock also and I enjoy it to much to go back to sleeping in a shelter. To each his own. :)

[Blue Jay]

i cannot understand why so many hikers prefer mouse infested,over crowed shelters,i stay in shelters occasionally,why do most hikers prefer shelters and crowds:cool: neo

Because most of us are not afraid of mice or humans, it's as simple as that. Don't like shelters, don't go there, again it's very siimple.

[Nean]

When the weather is bad or the shelter is empty I'll use the shelter. Got many more good shelter memories than bad. Enjoy sleeping under the stars but like to find a tree to get under to avoid the dew. Since I started hiking with my dog(s) we stay in the tent.

[C-Stepper]

As a person who hasn't hiked as much as most of you here (family obligations limit me to shorter hikes), I haven't understood the "shelter rat" set either. Yet, in nearly every journal or book I've read, nearly everyone stays in them...or, maybe staying in shelters make you more likely to write books?

But, like you, neo, I assumed they are the more social, or community-oriented sort.

Before now, I've never even camped near anyone else...and as a woman alone, I much prefer it this way. I'm preparing for my first trek on the AT, and, alas, it will be in the Smokies where you are required to stay in shelters. I'm dreading the evenings, to be honest, and it's likely that I may risk staying in the woods anyway--and, just for the record, I'm fairly non-social, but I think I'm a nice person (I prefer the designation "non-social" to "anti-social"...I'm pretty sure I don't have Unibomber tendencies!) :)

[Peaks]

The choice of where to spend the night depends on several factors:


Who else is there at the shelter
Weather
Condition of shelter
How much energy I have

Frankly, I frequently stay at shelters in good weather because it's easier than putting up my tent, and taking it down again.

[Alligator]

...
Before now, I've never even camped near anyone else...and as a woman alone, I much prefer it this way. I'm preparing for my first trek on the AT, and, alas, it will be in the Smokies where you are required to stay in shelters. ...
There are several options in the Smokies to get off the ridgeline and camp at non-shelter sites. Look carefully for the numbered sites on the park map. Plus, planning on hiking outside of the the thruhiker pack helps to avoid shelter crowds.

[C-Stepper]

Yep, you are right...when I blue-blaze my return back to my starting point (Fontana), I plan to stay in a non-rationed campsite or stealth camp, if there are people about. There really aren't campsites near enough to the AT for me to spend my time hiking to and from them, as the main point of the hike is to get as many AT miles as possible under my belt w/o shuttling...I don't want to shuttle as it's a very short section, but I'll shuttle at a later time if I can drum up at least a week's worth of hiking--this working to pay the bills thing sucks!:mad:

[Chip]

Depends on several things. My wife & I tent if we have our dogs with us. We don't take them into the shelters. Sometimes tent if the shelters look really dirty and show signs of a large mice colony. On the other hand if it is a rainy day (night), not crowded and somewhat clean, we will stay in a shelter. If it has been a long day staying in a shelter is nice, don't have to pitch the tent that evening.

Happy Trails,
Chip :)

[neo]

Because most of us are not afraid of mice or humans, it's as simple as that. Don't like shelters, don't go there, again it's very siimple.
i am not afraid of mice or humans,i just prefer solitude,shelters are great when i am the only occupant.i plan my section during non thru hike season.i like people
just cant handle crowds:cool: neo

[gr8fulyankee]

I like visting the shelters to see who is around, but prefer to go tent city. I snore loudly and I know this, plus usually some moron will have their dog with them in the shelter and my allergies will kick in. As far as the mouse problem, I have no problem with them, I find they are best on a stick over an open fire with a little celery salt, The tail is a little chemy though.

[Mags]

There are several options in the Smokies to get off the ridgeline and camp at non-shelter sites. Look carefully for the numbered sites on the park map. Plus, planning on hiking outside of the the thruhiker pack helps to avoid shelter crowds.


Another way to get around the shelter rule in the Smokies for long distance hikers:

If you are hiking fifty miles on any side of the park the via the AT, you are allowed to tent near the shelters.

To my knowledge this rule is still in effect.

Obviously, if you are out for weekend or doing the 70 mile AT stretch, this type of camping will not work on a legal level.

Ahem, there is also this type of campimg I've heard about (only heard about, mind you) called stealth camping. ;)

[Mags]

When I hiked back East (not too many shlters on Western trails!) on long hikes, I would usually eat at the shelters, then hike 100 meters or so into the woods and camp. This way I could have the communal experience hiking the AT, with the privacy/quiet I enjoy.
Would use a shelter if there was four people or less (my own personal rule) only.

On weekend hikes, would seldom (if ever) use a shelter. Think if my time doing the weekend thing back East, used the shelters MAYBE 5x.

If I was to hike out East again, my use of shelters would probably even be less.



Finally, a little quote about solitude from Abbey:

I wait. Now the night flows back, the mighty stillness embraces and includes me;
I can see the stars again and the world of starlight. I am twenty miles or more from
the nearest fellow human, but instead of lonliness I feel loveliness.
Loveliness and a quiet exultation. --Ed Abbey

[alanthealan]

I think the people who like shelters like to be around people. People are social animals and for the most part take comfort being apart of a group. Bivying out by yourself can be intimidating for some people. It also magnifies the loneliness one can sometimes feel.

[java]

The main reason most people stay in or near shelters is because water is there. And if there is a picnic table that makes meals much easier.
Whenever I hike I plan my day shelter to shelter (easy way to figure out mileage). Shelters are natural stopping points. You often can't look at a map or guidebook and know if there is going to be room to set up a tent or a reliable water source if you're not around a shelter. Obviously, there are exceptions....

[YerbaJon]

I think the people who like shelters like to be around people. People are social animals and for the most part take comfort being apart of a group. Bivying out by yourself can be intimidating for some people. It also magnifies the loneliness one can sometimes feel.

Eloquently put Madmantra.

I find this topic interesting because it seems to hit at the "heart" of many hikers' hiking concept; many hikers are looking to get out into the woods (i.e., into the wild) and away from people. As the saying goes: First we examine the woods, then examine our pack, finally we turn to examine ourselves (I am counting on someone posting the exact quote and source of this). I think what surprises many about the AT is that the woods, upon further examination, are full of people! Not just people, but an entire community of sorts.

Of course, there are other hiking concepts of import (e.g., TIME), but this thread is about people and the mice that follow them, and their dogs, and the occasional horse, and their fights or their lovemaking, and their lack of pot or the fact that they are smoking pot, and their alcohol (too much or not enough to share), and their surplus food or their lack of food, and their help or their lack of help, and all those things that many hikers were not expecting to find so much of in the woods.

[neo]

my daily average is 20 to 25 miles a day,i usaully stop around dark cook dinner

near a stream while cooking i filter 2 liters of water,eat clean my dishes the hike a couple miles further,out west there are very few trail amenities,picnic tables
trail shelters,pavillions with a view,i believe the AT experience would be better
without these luxery,s that so many hikers are dependent on.these luxery,s take away from the wilderness experience:cool: neo

[MileMonster]

After a long, hard day shelters are just so darned convenient.

[tlbj6142]

After a long, hard day shelters are just so darned convenient.This is the biggest reason why thru-hikers use shelters. They (many, most?) become very, very lazy. The issues with mice, people, snoring, etc. are no longer a problem to them as they have been on the trail for quite some time.

For those of us that weekend, week-long section hike, those "issues" are a real bother. Whereas the idea of setting up our tent/tarp/hammock isn't as much of an issue.

[YerbaJon]

these luxery,s take away from the wilderness experience:cool: neo
Neo, many do agree.
Here is a question to stir this up a bit:
Does thru-hiking/mile-counting conflict with the wilderness experience?
I will feed the fire a bit here with a few comments. It seems to me that a significant majority of long-distance hikers report spending less nights at shelters as they gained experience. Also, as they gained experience I notice that they strive less to count miles and hit all the white-blazes, rather they focus more on hiking their own hike. Of course, there are many ways to hike and live, but it seems that the experienced hikers seek out more wilderness experience.
Throwing one more log onto the fire, YerbaJon ponders the concept that one could be strong enough to hike up a mountain, yet too weakend and lazy to set up a tent.
Finally, I would like to add that some of the original founders of the AT envisioned a very busy trail with cooperative communities all along the trail. This vision was less about the wilderness experience and more about the creation of a culture within the wilderness.

[Mags]

After a long, hard day shelters are just so darned convenient.


Maybe..but that assumes you are hiking shelter to shelter. Sometimes the shelters (mileage wise) aren't always spaced conviently...and sometimes the best camp spot is not at a shelter. YMMV - literally. :)

[Lion King]

I prefer on a clear night to cowboy camp...just throw the stuff down and fall asleep listening to the wind and critters scurrying about.
I enjoy the social hour before and during dinner at shelters because you can usually count on a good laugh or two, I stay in shelters if I arrive and the weather is crap, or Im too tired to care about anything, or if it is empty...usually I leave if it is full as I cannot STAND snoring...hate it worse then mice any day of the week...hate it...sure hate is a strong word, but just last night in Roan MTN shelter had the worlds worst snorer ever...seriously...and I asked when I got there..."Do you snore?"...and the thing is....if you know you are a loud ass snorer you know...the guy said no, so I opted to stay in the shleter because of thunder coming in...mistake...anyway, I hate snoring.

Cowboy camping is the best by far...alone, on a bald, or a mountain top under the stars, or by a river listening to the song of boulders rolling as white water gently sloses by...love it man, just love it.

[Bad Ass Turtle]

I usually camp near shelters because, to be honest, a huge part of the trail experience for me is my fellowship with other members of the community. However, I don't tend to sleep well in shelters because I wake up too frequently -- everytime someone gets up to take a pee, or turns over and their sleeping bag rustles against their mat, or the mice, whatever. I get a much better night's sleep in my tent.

Now, if it's raining, that's another story, because I hate packing up a wet tent!

BA Turtle

[bulldog49]

Can't stand crowds, big reason I like to get out in the wilderness. I enjoy meeting others and don't mind sharing a shelter with a couple of well behaved hikers. When I do my thru hike it will be in the "off-season" to avoid the herd marching north in the spring.

[alanthealan]

Is it so much different on the trail? It's not like you become a new being, you're the same old same old. I agree cowboying it is fun, but so is meeting people. I have sat through many a sunset and thought it sure would be nice to share it. There is comfort in sharing. The difference in people on the trail and off is like the old onion effect; a few layers peeled away to reveal a part of your personality that is usually hidden to protect vulnerabilities. If I see a blue winged warbler I write it in my note book smile and move on, however if I am out with my friends it becomes an event. We all share and have a good time discussing it. People need time to themselves, but we are lying if we do not admit without out fellowship we would be a bit lost.


On the other hand passing somebody every two minutes on the trail sucks. Shelters filled with weekend partiers suck. People who talk to much suck… wait dose that mean I …

[C-Stepper]

I really don't dislike people, but one of the reasons that I hike is to get away from others. I was really surprised at myself, though, when I recently (December) got to take an entire week of vacation to hike the Foothills Trail (SC) in winter...and I quit early because I was LONELY!

I still haven't figured out what to make of this. Of course, I saw almost no one for 2 1/2 days, and it was cold and icy, the friggin' nights were TWELVE HOURS, and the sun only really touched me between 10 am and 2 pm (because you really hike in gorges most of the time), but the sun was shining bright and the trail was FANTASTIC...but, I was LONELY.

I determined that I tried to bite off more than I could chew, winter hiking and for 4 times longer than I'd hiked before, and that I should maybe build up to being out in the wilderness a day or two at a time...so that's my strategy for now. I also put pics of my family on my digital camera, so I can "talk" to them when I get lonely in camp.

Maybe staying in the shelter is worth it as a social/community thing to stave off the loneliness...I wouldn't think I'd like seeing people AT ALL out there, but I didn't expect to get lonely when I hiked the FT, either, but I quit early because of it. Yep, I'm weird...ask anyone who knows me! :p

[neo]

i am never lonely,i seem to thrive being alone,i like people,just dont like crowds
if i hike with someone,its usually my boys,they are pretty extreme hikers for their age,or i hike with my soon to be wife,but i go solo when i want to make the miles,hiking alone is freedom,i love solitude,:cool: neo

[Kerosene]

In cooler weather I tend to split my nights pretty equally between tent and shelter. In warmer weather I'll use a hammock which is a lot more comfy than a floor or ground. I really like to eat meals at a shelter or a lookout and then hike for a few more miles before setting up camp.