PDA

View Full Version : Long Branch Shelter



daddytwosticks
11-23-2012, 16:50
So I'm out today doing a short day hike in the Standing Indian Campground area. Went up the Long Branch Trail and headed south on the AT for a bit and stumbled upon the new, not-yet-completed Long Branch Shelter. All the framing is up (heavy post and beam), but no floors, walls, or roof yet. Will have a sheltered overhang in the front. Looks like a beauty. It will have a loft and looks like it can hold well over a dozen hikers. I'm guessing it will be done by next year's thru-hiker push?

For all you Brown Blazers out there, the mouldering privy is already completed, and yes it has a roof. Looks like they are excavating several tent pads around the shelter area. The shelter can't be more than a tenth of a mile off the AT. Good water source right on the shelter access trail via the Long Branch creek (obviously). Very pretty setting for the shelter. It may be too early, but did not notice any bear cables. Enjoyed my lunch break there today. Best news...no mice or grafitti yet! :)

SmokyMtn Hiker
12-22-2012, 18:35
The shelter is now complete and open for use, It will replace the Big Spring Gap shelter which is a little further south closer to Albert Mtn. The forest service has not set a date for dismantling yet but I would guess that it will be gone by thru-hiker season. You can go to the USFS website for the official news release and they also have a photo of the new shelter.

HikerMom58
12-22-2012, 18:53
18537

Here it is....

Rasty
12-22-2012, 18:58
18537

Here it is....

Looks good. Looks like an actual timber frames structure without bolts.

HikerMom58
12-22-2012, 19:29
It is a nicely built one. :) I'm sure the critters are lovin it 2. :)

coach lou
12-22-2012, 20:05
Looks good. Looks like an actual timber frames structure without bolts.


I see the generator, is this the shelter with the WiFi?

daddytwosticks
12-23-2012, 16:42
Yeah! Love the generator. Now I can use my microwave to heat up my Hot Pockets! :)

Rasty
12-23-2012, 17:40
I see the generator, is this the shelter with the WiFi?

I wouldn't be there for long. Someone would chop it up as firewood.

Lone Wolf
12-23-2012, 20:26
rock gap shelter needs to be torn down

daddytwosticks
12-24-2012, 12:19
rock gap shelter needs to be torn down Agreed. I think this new shelter can replace both shelters at Big Spring and Rock Gap. Rock Gap is too close to the road in my opinion. Next, they should think about replacing the shelter up the trail at Siler's Bald. :)

PS - Thanks to all that were involved in this new shelter.

Frog
12-25-2012, 06:52
Looks like a good place for lunch or supper. I don't sleep in shelters but love to use them as a resting place before moving on. How long before there is a fire pit 3 feet tall and two feet out from the sitting area. I may make this my new years hike to come out and take pics of the three shelters in that area. I believe they are working on Cold Spring shelter now. Upgrading or just doing some badly needed work on it.

SOBO_Pace
12-25-2012, 09:11
I stayed at long branch towards the end of my thru this year. I think I may have been the second to do so. It was nice.staying somewhere that wasn't trashed as 90% of them were along the trail. Very nice shelter.

trippclark
05-01-2013, 17:07
I stayed at this shelter site Monday night. It is indeed a beautifully built shelter. It is large, with two levels, and can probably accommodate 12 to 14 hikers. It is important to note that where it is situated there are no good places very nearby to pitch a tent. In fact, I did not even see a spot where one tent could be pitched near the shelter. There were no less than 10 hammocks set up in the area, but the area around the shelter is so sloped that I think that even hammock hanging in the immediate area of the shelter should be avoided because of likely erosion that will result from foot traffic along the hillside around the shelter (It really is quite steep). So, for those who plan to stay in the shelter, this is a great one, but for those of us who prefer to hammock, tent, or tarp camp, it is probably better to find another spot.

daddytwosticks
05-02-2013, 07:23
I stayed at this shelter site Monday night. It is indeed a beautifully built shelter. It is large, with two levels, and can probably accommodate 12 to 14 hikers. It is important to note that where it is situated there are no good places very nearby to pitch a tent. In fact, I did not even see a spot where one tent could be pitched near the shelter. There were no less than 10 hammocks set up in the area, but the area around the shelter is so sloped that I think that even hammock hanging in the immediate area of the shelter should be avoided because of likely erosion that will result from foot traffic along the hillside around the shelter (It really is quite steep). So, for those who plan to stay in the shelter, this is a great one, but for those of us who prefer to hammock, tent, or tarp camp, it is probably better to find another spot. Were there not some tent pads dug out on the side of the hill? Thought I saw them there back last November? :)

trippclark
05-02-2013, 13:36
Were there not some tent pads dug out on the side of the hill? Thought I saw them there back last November? :)

No. The area for the shelter, privy and path between them were dug out, and of course the 0.1 mi trail from the AT was dug out. Everything else was steep. When you first turn in from the AT heading to the shelter, there is a small area uphill to the left that could perhaps accommodate one tent.

daddytwosticks
05-02-2013, 15:55
No. The area for the shelter, privy and path between them were dug out, and of course the 0.1 mi trail from the AT was dug out. Everything else was steep. When you first turn in from the AT heading to the shelter, there is a small area uphill to the left that could perhaps accommodate one tent. Thanks for the update. Planning on hiking thru this area around Memorial Day weekend. :)

FlyPaper
05-02-2013, 16:13
No. The area for the shelter, privy and path between them were dug out, and of course the 0.1 mi trail from the AT was dug out. Everything else was steep. When you first turn in from the AT heading to the shelter, there is a small area uphill to the left that could perhaps accommodate one tent.

Actually, there are some tent sites that have been dug out past the shelter when approaching from the trail.
Was there last week, and there were a few that setup tents.

Trillium
05-02-2013, 22:45
I was there last week Tuesday and there were 3 tents set up.

RED-DOG
05-03-2013, 11:39
I stayed their this past Saturday night in the pouring rain the one side leaks a little bite, but all in all it's a nice shelter.

Engine
10-17-2013, 09:55
We spent the night a couple days ago and I heard a mouse or two but didn't have any issues with them. The small wall on the loft kept the wind off our heads and overall it was one of the more pleasant shelter nights we've had.

Waterbuffalo
10-20-2013, 21:25
I'm planning of heading through late November just to clarify are there tent sites near the shelter area? I'll be hanging but my buddy is tenting.

Thanks WB

daddytwosticks
10-21-2013, 07:18
I'm planning of heading through late November just to clarify are there tent sites near the shelter area? I'll be hanging but my buddy is tenting.

Thanks WB Yes, a couple. :)

Waterbuffalo
10-21-2013, 16:01
Cool Thanks!

Chris10
06-27-2014, 22:10
Stayed there last night. Great shelter, but it would be helpful if there were a broom to help keep things clean. Though not many of them, the mice have already moved in!

daddytwosticks
06-30-2014, 07:23
Stayed there last night. Great shelter, but it would be helpful if there were a broom to help keep things clean. Though not many of them, the mice have already moved in! Still no broom? The last several times I visited, I couldn't find a broom either and the shelter needed a really good sweeping. :)

Chris10
06-30-2014, 09:18
Wasn't a broom at Longbranch or at the Muskrat Shelter and both could have used one. They weren't a total mess by any means, but would have been nice to give them a sweep before we stayed for the night and after we packed up.
Longbranch is a great looking shelter though!

map man
03-21-2016, 22:23
Any food hoist bear cables at this shelter?

daddytwosticks
03-22-2016, 07:22
Did a section hike in April of 2015 and stayed the night at the shelter. No bear cables for hanging food then. :)

Harrison Bergeron
03-22-2016, 10:46
I stayed there last year. No cables, but also NO MICE! This was by far the nicest shelter I passed. The only bad thing about it was the nearly mile-long blue blaze to get to it.

Somebody needs to study why this shelter seems to have solved the mice problem. I think it must be the fact that they caulked up all the corners and sealed the roof so the mice can't make nests. Yes, they can still get in through the open end, but there is no place for them to hide once they do. And it's not like there are no mice in the area. My friend stayed in his tent nearby and they harassed him all night (he slept with his food).

soumodeler
03-22-2016, 10:53
The only bad thing about it was the nearly mile-long blue blaze to get to it.

Mile long? It is listed at 0.1 mile off trail, though it felt slightly longer.

Is there another Long Branch Shelter somewhere else other than NC?

Deacon
03-22-2016, 13:09
I stayed there last year. No cables, but also NO MICE! This was by far the nicest shelter I passed. The only bad thing about it was the nearly mile-long blue blaze to get to it.

Somebody needs to study why this shelter seems to have solved the mice problem. I think it must be the fact that they caulked up all the corners and sealed the roof so the mice can't make nests. Yes, they can still get in through the open end, but there is no place for them to hide once they do. And it's not like there are no mice in the area. My friend stayed in his tent nearby and they harassed him all night (he slept with his food).

I think you are mistaking the Long Branch for some other shelter. The Long Branch is virtually new and is only 0.1 off the trail.

Harrison Bergeron
03-22-2016, 15:18
I think you are mistaking the Long Branch for some other shelter. The Long Branch is virtually new and is only 0.1 off the trail.


No, just checked my journal. It was a LONG walk from the trail. Even passed several camp sites on the way. NOBO, it's a left turn and then a hike around the mountain, with the creek down below. Did you see .1 in a book? It sounds like a misprint.

soumodeler
03-22-2016, 15:30
You described the walk to it perfectly, but it is definitely not a mile. The walk felt longer than 0.1 for sure though.

daddytwosticks
03-22-2016, 16:06
Sorry, that walk is not anyway near one mile. As stated above, maybe 0.1 to 0.2 max.

In addition, I stayed there one night over the 2014 Labor Day weekend. Slept in the loft. I was absolutely terrorized by mice...worst night ever. You could hear them squeeking and gnawing all night long. I was waiting on Willard to make an appearance. :)

Harrison Bergeron
03-22-2016, 17:27
No, just checked my journal. It was a LONG walk from the trail. Even passed several camp sites on the way. NOBO, it's a left turn and then a hike around the mountain, with the creek down below. Did you see .1 in a book? It sounds like a misprint.

Well, I checked my copy of AWOL's guide, and sure enough it says .1. Can't be right. You'd be able to see it from the trail. But it was such a long hike that I even mentioned in my log that the only thing bad about this shelter was how far it was from the trail and from the water. I clearly remember a 15-20 minute hike, and wondering why they picked a site so far away. And the water was a real hassle. You have to hike halfway back to the trail and then down the hill to get to the water.

Oh well... maybe I woke up in an alternate universe this morning.

Aloha72
07-25-2016, 23:11
No bear cables. That seems to be norm in NC. GA has cables, NC doesn't.

daddytwosticks
07-26-2016, 07:17
No bear cables. That seems to be norm in NC. GA has cables, NC doesn't.

It's hit or miss. Haven't been to Silers Bald shelter in a while. Last time there, the cables were in sorry shape. None at Wayah Bald shelter. But there are cables at Wesser Bald shelter as of May 2016. :)