Solitary times in a shelter?

[Different Socks]

I was just going thru my pictures of my 1992 thru hike and noted some of the occasions when I had a shelter all to myself, not even tenters nearby. For me the Alec Kennedy Shelter(mid-July) was one of them, but I can recall several others in the weeks before that point that I had a shelter all to myself.

With the increased numbers of hikers beginning in the spring compared to 20 years ago when I did the trail, how soon after you began your thru did you have the occasion of solitary use of a shelter and what shelters were they?

[Dogwood]

I've had AT shelters all to myself on about 15 occasions but most of those times it's been out of typical hiking and thru-hiking season. On my 2006 AT thru-hike I had shelters to myself twice. I don't use deodorant when hiking though.

[Del Q]

As a Section hiker who started in PA, I had shelters to myself 90% of the time for a FEW YEARS.

Once I started getting further South (turns out I go South in the spring and North in the Fall, Erwin, TN to Franconia Notch thus far), this changed.

I also changed, rarely stay in Shelters anymore, much prefer tenting be it near shelters / water or more often than not, a great spot when the day is ending. I start scoping out spots about an hour before sundown unless the map / timing has a place predetermined.

I prefer to sleep alone, no bug, no mice = tent.

[mikec]

I've section hiked about 90% of the trail and have spent the night by myself at the following shelters:

Jenny Knob Shelter, VA (March, 2000)
Wapiti Shelter, VA (March, 2000)
Docs Knob Shelter, VA (March, 2000)
George W. Outerbridge Shelter, PA (April, 2006)
Morgan Stewart Shelter, NY (April, 2004)
Telephone Pioneers Shelter, NY (April, 2004)
Wiley Shelter, NY (April, 2004)
Riga Leanto, CT (July, 2008)
Thistle Hill Shelter, VT (July 4, 2009)
Kinsman Pond Shelter, NH (July, 2009)

[jimmyjam]

this july i had the priest and maupin field shelters to myself

[Hill Ape]

Same question could have been asked in 92 by a 72 thru hiker. The answers would be the same.

[HooKooDooKu]

I was surprised when about 4 weeks ago, my son and I had the Silers Bald shelter in the GSMNP all to ourselves on a Saturday night. Given that it's only about 4 miles from Clingmans Dome, I expected a few more weekend hikers.

[Martymart]

Had carter gap shelter to myself 3rd week of May this year after having a packed shelter just the night before.

[evyck da fleet]

Even though I hiked by myself 90% of the time, I went my entire thru last year w/out having a campsite to myself(excluding sleeping w/in sight of the roads in Kent, CT and Great Barrington, MA which were far from solitary).

[gunner76]

what...no mice sharing the shelters ?

[peakbagger]

As a section hiker who avoids the crowds, I and a hiking partner would frequently have shelters to ourselves for days at a time. In spring 2002 we had about 3.5 weeks where the only time we typically would share a shelter would be weekends or on very rate occasions during the week.

[Bronk]

In 2002 I went from Springer to Waynesboro and stayed at Wise shelter in the Grayson Highlands alone and also the first shelter after Erwin (because everyone was slackpacking that section). Though by the time I reached Erwin I wasn't camping at shelters that often. I also stayed at Sarver's Hollow by myself until a sick hiker showed up after dark, puked, went to bed and was gone before daylight...he said he was hot footing it to the nearest road to get to a doctor.

[BillyGr]

Wiley Shelter, NY


I was there with a small group, also in April a couple years back, and was sort of surprised that no one else was out there (bring it was a Friday night, we didn't arrive until after dinner time and the fact that you could just about throw things down onto a road from where this shelter sits).

[SCRUB HIKER]

I had shelters to myself or with just one hiking friend maybe 10 times in 2011 as a NOBO starting April 3--so in other words, in the middle of peak hiker season. It happens more often than you would think.

Ones I can remember specifically off the top of my head where I was all alone were Dicks Dome and whichever one was 23ish miles before it in Virginia (I had two nights in a row totally alone). The first night my friends and I were all alone was 20 miles north of Hot Springs, NC. It happened again two nights in a row in Pennsylvania, one just after crossing into the state and another at the one 7 miles after Pine Grove Furnace and the half-gallon challenge. Brassie Brook in CT and Fire Wardens Cabin in NH also come to mind. In both those it was just me and my hiking buddy at the time.

Sorry I don't have the names for all these shelters--I don't have my AT guide handy. The point is that it can happen a lot. And if you don't restrict yourself to shelters or water sources, you could be alone any night at any time on the AT no matter when you started.

[RED-DOG]

On my thru's I started having shelter's to myself in the NC section but I started in February too, My most memorable solitary shelter experience was at Tri-Corner Knob Shelter in 2006, it was 25 degrees with a foot of snow.

[flemdawg1]

In 16 trips it's happened only 9 times out of 58 nights. I used shelters probably 90% of the time.

[redseal]

This is a pretty good question. I wish I would have kept a record. However, I tend to hike sections during off peak times. As such, I have had plenty of nights alone. I would guess somewhere around 40% of the time.

[1234]

My daughter just finished and she spent 3 nights in a row in the Shinnies alone in shelter, I told her to expect a crowd LOL, mid week very hot and humid.

[Starchild]

I never did. Closest was a stealth site in NJ (thanks AMC Moheagan center for screwing up my mail drop),

Once Tented near a empty shelter once but that was a double shelter where the second (newer) one had some hikers. (just N of rt 23 near Great Barrington MA)

Hiked with a partner splash for about 1/4 of the trail, We did spend a night together alone in the shelter just south of Gorham NH.

[Meriadoc]

Very few times was I in a shelter solo. On my way from GA to Harpers, I don't think my partner and I ever had a shelter to ourselves. But we had plenty of campsites to ourselves. On my way from Katahdin to Harpers, I had a small number of solo shelter stays. Governor Clemont is the only one that comes to mind at the moment.

[CarlZ993]

I had a shelter to myself once during my 2013 thru-hike - Campbell Shelter (just north of McAfee Knob). Another young couple showed up but they tented a good distance away. I thought that I'd be able to sleep w/o my ear plugs for once. No luck. The mice were making too much noise scurrying around at night. Had to put them in. I guess it's best not to know what goes on while you're sleeping.

[tucker0104]

I just had 3 days solo in the GSMNP shelters. Just kidding

[Robin2013AT]

I had 3 nights solo in shelters this past thru season as well as many nights camping solo. I believe I was in between bubbles but loved the rare solitude.

[Chatterbox12]

2012, I had several nights by myself in shelters. There were 2 or 3 nights in a row in Maryland/PA, very strange place to be by yourself, considering The Blair Witch Project was set in that area. I also had Free State Hiker Hostel to myself for a night. There was at least 1 other night in Pennsylvania. The shelter right after the knife edge.

[Different Socks]

Same question could have been asked in 92 by a 72 thru hiker. The answers would be the same.

Not necessarily. Thru hikers almost non-existent in the 70's compared to the 90's.

[jfarrell04]

On a recently completed section hike, our party (3 of us) had the Upper Goose Cabin to ourselves, with the exception of the awesome caretakers!

[Cookerhiker]

I didn't thruhike so my answer is just for those stretches that I section-hiked during thruhiking season.

Springer to Wallace Gap - March 1-10 - No shelters to myself
Allen Gap to Damascus - April 29-May 10 - No shelters to myself
Gorham to Katahdin - August 15-September 15 - One night alone in a shelter at West Carry Pond