View Full Version : Have you ever been turned away by an AMC caretaker because the campsite was full?
Sometimes the AMC caretaker campsites are full to bursting. This is difficult for both hikers and caretakers alike. This poll asks if you have ever been turned away at one of these sites because it was at or overcapacity when you arrived.
If your answer is "yes" how did you deal with the situation?
Lone Wolf
06-27-2013, 20:30
yes. i stealth camped 50 yards away
Blissful
06-27-2013, 20:46
Plan and prepare.
Sarcasm the elf
06-27-2013, 21:37
My preference to hiking in the off season makes this a non-issue. However I will say that I've seen the caretakers at Upper Goose pond cabin make some wonderful exceptions to their usual rules in order to accommodate a couple of college groups who's campsites completely flooded in the middle of the night during an unexpectedly rough storm. I really commend them for going out of their way to help and for preventing the rough night those kids had from becoming a complete disaster.
Mountain Mike
06-27-2013, 23:47
Never been turned away but most caretakers are pretty cool & know their are & if approached right can point you to a good spot.
Tom Murphy
06-28-2013, 12:15
Yes, Guyot Shelter on a holliday weekend. It was a zoo up there anyways with all the overflows up on the ridege packed real tight. I ended up stealthing off the Twinway between Zealand Summit and Zeacliff. Made for a long day. Would have been longer if I had my tent with me rather than my hammock.
Witnessed the croo at Galehead direct a bunch of thru-hikers to 13 Falls on a cold rainy late August weekend. The hikers were pissed & made a huge scene which probably hardened the croo, cause when the hikers came back in a few times trying to plead their case it was still a no go. And there were a bunch of open bunks that night due to people canceling due to the weather
BirdBrain
04-24-2015, 15:41
I am so irritated by the AMC it is doubtful I will ever repeat any hike I have done in the area. However, every caretaker at the campsites I have met in said area have been class acts. They were all friendly and accommodating. Guyot was packed to the gills when I was there. The guy was calm and smiling as if I was the only person there. I would have been pulling my hair out if I was him. The huts were a different matter. Not going to bash away. Just saying that I will never open one if those doors again. Never stayed at one. Won't even get water at one in the future.
swjohnsey
04-24-2015, 15:55
Had good luck.
Never had an issue, but I purposefully avoid such places on weekends and holidays.
bamboo bob
04-24-2015, 17:57
Well I'll bash the huts. They often have empty bunks because people cancel. And they lord it over thru-hikers and other who would have used the empty bunks. I know, I know, thru-hikers can be jerks. I once paid for a bunk (no dinner) and listening to the CROO ask not very subtly for tips pretty much all evening long as they cooked, and sang songs. I felt that is not what this is supposed to be about. That was a long time ago. I think those expensive huts are a smudge on the AT. An elitist picnic in the Whites. They should let Marriot bid on the contract, at least then you would know what it's about.
BirdBrain
04-24-2015, 18:22
I do not know if the AMC reads these things. Those that have issues at huts are not all crazy. There is a huge attitude problem at those things. I don't care about the cost. I would not stay at one if it was free. I imagine they meet many difficult hikers. I imagine the caretakers do as well. It puzzles me how the caretakers can be such wonderful people and have the croo not be similar. I could list the issues. However, this thread is about campsites. It seems the attitude is the complete opposite at campsites. Caretakers were chipper and helpful. They looked like they were having fun. The croo I saw looked like they hated their job.
I do not know if the AMC reads these things. Those that have issues at huts are not all crazy. There is a huge attitude problem at those things. I don't care about the cost. I would not stay at one if it was free. I imagine they meet many difficult hikers. I imagine the caretakers do as well. It puzzles me how the caretakers can be such wonderful people and have the croo not be similar. I could list the issues. However, this thread is about campsites. It seems the attitude is the complete opposite at campsites. Caretakers were chipper and helpful. They looked like they were having fun. The croo I saw looked like they hated their job.
Perhaps it has to do with the different types of people staying at each site? You can see where someone staying at a hut, having paid as much (or more) than they would for a motel room, expecting that they are going to get a similar type of service, and getting upset when they don’t.
Whereas, a person going to a tent site knows that they are going camping and doesn’t expect nearly as much, and probably gets more than they are used to (in a regular backcountry camp site)?
Alligator
04-25-2015, 14:32
Says AMC campsites which could also mean the shelters but I don't think the OP was asking about the huts.
LoneStranger
04-25-2015, 15:43
Only stayed at an AMC camp once and got there early so pretty much had my choice of sites. The caretaker was a cool hippie chick who reminded me of my California days. She settled me in like a bellman at a nice hotel, though I don't think she was fishing for a tip :)
As for the huts I will drink their water but I don't want to stay there any longer than I have to. The Croo I've dealt with have most all been very friendly despite the fact that I wasn't a paying customer and I smelled funny. They deal with a lot of people so I can only assume they deal with a lot of crap from both paying customers and hikers. I get my water and get out; no problem.
BirdBrain
04-25-2015, 17:16
Says AMC campsites which could also mean the shelters but I don't think the OP was asking about the huts.
Keeping my comments focused on the campsites, the caretakers are one of the greatest assets the AMC has. They make a difficult job look easy. I have been at very packed campsites. I have not seen a hint of someone being turned away. I have seen hikers not being happy with the options presented to them because of the crowds. I also have seen caretakers patiently trying to accommodate disgruntled hikers. I have seen hikers leave because what they wanted was no longer available. I don't do shelters. I have at campsites because it was the next available option. I would rather have used the overflow. It was not an option yet. Hikers need to subordinate their preferences at AMC campsites. The caretakers are following rules. They are good people trying to help. I know that I would do it worse.
LIhikers
04-25-2015, 20:53
I've never been at an AMC campsite that was full, even though our hiking is always in the summer time.
The caretakers have always been friendly and helpful.
Regardless of what one thinks of the huts, I think everyone will agree that far more people of all kinds spend more nights in the backcountry becuase of the work of the AMC.
This thread is mostly about the AMC caretaker campsites/shelter areas, however. For all the talk of the monies charged at the huts, you hear little discussion about the propriety of an $8 fee at these caretaker site.
Why is that?
In part, it might be that (quoting the club here):
The $8 fee is meant to help cover roughly 50% of these expenses; the rest of the operational costs are absorbed by the AMC using income from membership dues, endowments, and fundraisin
In other words, the AMC is subsidizing the the average thru hiker who stays at 6 of these sites to the tune of about $50.
Funny, how that never (ever) comes up in any discussion about the club.
I have heard the club does other stuff too....
I actually spoke to two separate locals this year while heading over the Presidential range that both said the AMC was a status symbol for those that don't know any better.
Personally I'm a little more critical of the AMC, but I found it interesting to hear the above sentiment concerning the AMC from a few regulars to the area.
Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk
I actually spoke to two separate locals this year while heading over the Presidential range that both said the AMC was a status symbol for those that don't know any better.
Personally I'm a little more critical of the AMC, but I found it interesting to hear the above sentiment concerning the AMC from a few regulars to the area.
Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk
Opps, forgot to add that I did like the staff at the campgrounds. Very friendly and have seen them work to find everyone a spot.
Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk
Sometimes the AMC caretaker campsites are full to bursting. This is difficult for both hikers and caretakers alike. This poll asks if you have ever been turned away at one of these sites because it was at or overcapacity when you arrived.
If your answer is "yes" how did you deal with the situation?
No. But I'm into some planning and preparing for hikes PRE-HIKE, and adapting for logistics and situations, AS I'M ENGAGED IN HIKING, so it strongly factors into my experiences. WOW, what a concept!
IF I was to be turned away after working my seeking a solution mutually respectful NOT BEING SO SELF ABSORBED WITH ONLY MY IMMEDIATE NEEDS and WANTS mojo at the campsite I would hike on to LEGAL areas to camp while NOT SUCCUMBING TO A THIS SUCKS RESPONSE.
evyck da fleet
11-22-2015, 15:53
Yes and no. I made the mistake of getting to the Madison hut here around 1 and didn't want to move on because of a storm coming but was told to. I hadn't passed any NOBOs the prior days so I stayed figuring I could go to the nearby campsite if necessary. When no one else showed for work for stay that night they let me stay. I didn't bitch at all, did what they asked and when I left one of the guys said I could stay at Carter hut since he'd be there the next night. The storm came both days, there were cancellations at Carter and they let me stay in a bunkroom.
From talking with the croo, its a job that is easy to cause burn out and most don't stay for more than a few years. Between hikers showing up with the expectation that no matter how many of them they are they all can stay, families that spent a bunch of money for a night and expect five star accommodations, having to account for everyone hiking between huts in bad weather and the low pay, its easy to see how they may be in a pissy mood if you or the group the day before you came in with an air of entitlement.
peakbagger
11-23-2015, 08:17
AMC huts croo are not intended to be career jobs, it has a been summer job for ivy league college kids for years, although of late, there are far fewer ivy league folks. The croo leaders are usually college grads who have suddenly discovered that their chosen major although fun and interesting for four years has little or no potential for permanent employment. They frequently work the huts until they close in the fall and some end up as winter caretakers at the 3 huts that are open or go to work for the ski industry for the winter and then starve in the months' between ski season and the huts reopening. They usually try to keep the lifestyle going for a few years and then go on with their life when they realize that they are living in poverty. Some stay around and try to work the rare winter jobs with AMC until they realize that unless they have the right resume and contacts that they are never going to advance in the organization and they will have to move to Boston to advance. Some do try to stick it out and at some point get married with another like minded individual. This works until the kids come and then they have to find real career.
AMC also has the problem that the hut seasons are stretching until late fall long after the college kids have gone back to school. Once that exodus happens, the crews shrink but the work doesn't
Starchild
11-23-2015, 10:27
Huts only, well Zealand Falls hut had enough thru's for work for stays, so I asked if they could suggest a camping place for me and Splash. They told us of a location about 1/4 mile away (right outside the no-camp radius), and invited us back for breakfast.
the designated camp sites with caretakers are subsidized from the astronomically high priced huts!
Never been turned away at the shelters or campsites. Only stayed at the huts a couple of times ever. Once at Madison, not by choice, and once at Zealand, by choice.