How much time was required of you for your AMC "Work for Stay"?

[rickb]

This poll asks thuhikers how much time was required of them to score a "free" lodging and meals at an AMC Hut-- rather than shelling out over $100/night to hobnob with the Boston Brahmins (sarcasm intended).

Its a multiple choice poll, so please feel free to answer multiple times to record your experience at multiple huts.

[Papa D]

Here is the deal on getting work for stay:

don't show up and "expect" WFS or act like it is due to you
if you go in with a big smile and a great attitude, you'll get it and get the best job
recently, some very outgoing through hikers have just been asked to give a little "talk" and Q&A on thru-hiking to the dinner guests
others might have to clean bunks or wash dishes

truthfully, I'd suggest staying mostly on tent platforms for the $8.00 fee, stealth camping a couple of nights, and maybe stay at the Dungeon at Lake of the Clouds, which is NOT BAD (despite what you'll hear) and is $10 - - it is totally possible to go thru the whites and not use the huts. Thru hikers are also sort of treated like second class citizens (sometimes) at the huts - - they hide you on the sidelines - - so as not to disrupt the darling guests - - you then get to sleep on the dining room floor after everyone has cleared out - I would suggest stopping at the huts for a lunchtime bowl of soup and a cookie which is a good deal and lightens your food load a bit - then skip on by the huts for most evenings. FYI, I just hiked NH last month.

[Mountain Maiden]

I was fortunate enough to score a bed in each hut when I over-nighted. My WFS entailed a couple of "talks," refilling the S & P shakers, wiping out the refrigerators and setting up for the next morning. And, plen
ty of hot food. Not a bad deal, IMHO.

[Johnny Thunder]

based on a drunken night with one of the lakes croo leaders (at that weird basement indian place in hanvoer) i lugged two handles of canadian club and we had a good old time. no work for stay. ended up cowboy camped on top of lincoln..is it lincoln? i forget.

[RedBeerd]

I helped rebuild composting tables for a few hours. Hard work but I was there early so not much else to do!

[Red Hat]

The last week of August everything is full, I found out (I planned on paying for a bunk several places). I got work for stay a couple of times, especially in bad weather, when croo took pity. I did everything from sweeping out cabins at the first Hut, to helping with dishes. It is tough to sit and watch everyone eat and hope there are enough left overs (there are)

[Digger'02]

one time a guy hiked his poor family over Lafayette with no water since he cooked soup for lunch...in a lightning storm........in jeans....with out checking to see if he needed a reservation....which he did. The family got bunks. The dad had to stir the Clivus (privy) wash the dishes, sing a lullaby to all the guests and sleep on the floor (we can't let you sleep on a table due to liability concerns....:) so if anyone marks "5 hours" it might be him.

[wookinpanub]

I had 3 AMC work for stays on my southbound thru and I worked my tail off on each one. I didn't mind the work one bit, though. They were doing me a huge favor. I worked the Hobart and washed pots and pans at Pinkham after dinner and breakfast. Mizpah was not yet open and I washed all of the dishes, which had been in storage. Down at Bascom, some kid named Charlie had carved his name in a table and I sanded it out and put a new coat of varnish on the table. They owed me nothing and I would have done whatever for however long they told me.