shelter etiquette

[squeezebox]

So what are some of the do's and don'ts about staying in a shelter.
changing clothes? peeing too close to the shelter? being loud? clothes lines?
cooking? making room for late show ups? sex, drugs & rock and roll?
etc. etc.

[ChuckT]

Firstly a shelter is common space. If you're not comfortable with that don't stay in a shelter. Tent, tarp, hammock, whatever instead.
Secondly share in truly bad weather a shelter can maybe hold half again as much hikers.
Bathrooms, unless there's a privy, women one way down-trail. Men the other.
If you _must_ or eat in the shelter clean up! Crumbs attract mice and other critters.
If you have a campfire try to get enough wood to leave some behind. Don't burn it all somebody later may need it.
Lastly (I've always felt that) if one hiker is obnoxious the others can ask them to leave.

[Lone Wolf]

first come, first served whether it's 2 or 10

[daddytwosticks]

Firstly a shelter is common space. If you're not comfortable with that don't stay in a shelter. Tent, tarp, hammock, whatever instead.
Secondly share in truly bad weather a shelter can maybe hold half again as much hikers.
Bathrooms, unless there's a privy, women one way down-trail. Men the other.
If you _must_ or eat in the shelter clean up! Crumbs attract mice and other critters.
If you have a campfire try to get enough wood to leave some behind. Don't burn it all somebody later may need it.
Lastly (I've always felt that) if one hiker is obnoxious the others can ask them to leave.

In all my days of hiking, I never knew an obnoxious hiker can be ejected from a shelter by majority rule. I don't know if you are serious or not. This is truly news to me.

[Lone Wolf]

In all my days of hiking, I never knew an obnoxious hiker can be ejected from a shelter by majority rule. I don't know if you are serious or not. This is truly news to me.

so glad i never stay in them. they truly suck and are for newbies and the lazy really

[The Ace]

so glad i never stay in them. they truly suck and are for newbies and the lazy really

I finally figured it out: Shelters were intentionally built to collect in one place all of the people with all of the bad habits listed in this thread so that the rest of us can enjoy a peaceful night alone in the woods.

[Mags]

I finally figured it out: Shelters were intentionally built to collect in one place all of the people with all of the bad habits listed in this thread so that the rest of us can enjoy a peaceful night alone in the woods.

That's just awesome.



I think many issues could be resolved by tenting it. My own rule of thumb was I would not use shelters unless there was ample room in them and only if it was cold/rainy. If the weather is nice and/or the shelter is crowded, I would rather tent.

[Dogtra]

so glad i never stay in them. they truly suck and are for newbies and the lazy really

Is your attitude necessary?

[ChuckT]

In all my days of hiking, I never knew an obnoxious hiker can be ejected from a shelter by majority rule. I don't know if you are serious or not. This is truly news to me.

Can you get a group to agree on something, anything? I can't.

[bamboo bob]

Can you get a group to agree on something, anything? I can't.

Hey , can you see it. Votes 6-5 get out!

[jbwood5]

In all my days of hiking, I never knew an obnoxious hiker can be ejected from a shelter by majority rule. I don't know if you are serious or not. This is truly news to me.

Obnoxious could mean a loud snorer. I remember a few nights where the rest of the group would have liked to eject that guy. LOL

Things have changed from even 10-15 years ago. I was out for a month one year in May (10 years ago) and 2/3rds of the time I had a shelter to myself and the rest of the time perhaps 1 to 3 additional people. You never know when or how many people will show up. Even on my most recent hike, I had IMP shelter completely to myself in July. But at Hall Mountain, it was packed with a guy sleeping on the 'step down' board and many setting up tents in the back in the pouring rain.

[Starchild]

Bathrooms, unless there's a privy, women one way down-trail. Men the other.

Never heard of this one, maybe it's regional. But just respect other people which includes bathroom needs according to gender.

If you have a campfire try to get enough wood to leave some behind. Don't burn it all somebody later may need it.

This is IMHO a great part of trail life, giving back and making the place better for the next person, but it is against LNT principals which would have one re-scatter the wood not used (rescatter = put it back as you found it as you are able to do so, don't just hide it). This is a place that I oppose the LNT principal as it violated respect for each other and the earth, our common home.

Lastly (I've always felt that) if one hiker is obnoxious the others can ask them to leave.

In a perfect world...

[Tennessee Viking]

Privies are not trash pits. Don't throw anything non-compostable in them.
Shelters are not party spots by hikers or locals.

[ChuckT]

LNT is an ideal to be pursued but ideal are not reality. I won't pull down a growing tree to get firewood. I will cut up or break a dried downed tree. Someone that did made my hike much more pleasant at a shelter. I will pay that forward when I can.

[Jeff]

Leave the shelter if you want to make a call on your cell phone.

[Lone Wolf]

Leave the shelter if you want to make a call on your cell phone.

why? a conversation is a conversation

[Gambit McCrae]

why? a conversation is a conversation

Because I dont want to hear somebody talkin homesick and babytalkin their kids, and everyone else in the shelter is burdoned by that one person having their oun conversation with someone not even there.

This coming from someone(LW) who says they dont know what an ithingy is and dislikes technology on the trail.

[Lone Wolf]

Because I dont want to hear somebody talkin homesick and babytalkin their kids, and everyone else in the shelter is burdoned by that one person having their oun conversation with someone not even there.

This coming from someone(LW) who says they dont know what an ithingy is and dislikes technology on the trail.

i never stay in or near shelters so ithingy use isn't a problem for me

[Just Bill]

sex, drugs & rock and roll?

Bring enough gum for the whole class, or don't bring it at all. Ask before you chew.

Firstly a shelter is common space.

clean up!
...have a campfire ...get enough wood to leave some behind
if one hiker is obnoxious the{n} leave.

Fixed it.
The preferred method for privy use is the team pee, women seated, men standing or straddling depending on your aim. It's not a regional thing.
This fosters camaraderie and trust.
The team poo should be avoided and only fosters disgust.
Fosters in a flat bottom can is a good social lubricant and MYOG stove.

i never stay in or near shelters so ithingy use isn't a problem for me

If you were better with your thingy you'd probably enjoy team peeing better.

Shelters are a novelty to all of us non-AT hikers. They are a part of the trail, generally an enjoyable one. The AT is not a wilderness, meeting folks along the way should be expected and generally welcome experience. Nobody will complain if you choose to walk on past, don't complain if you choose to stay. Flagrant violations of general social behavior is quite rare.

Have a fire, cook dinner, visit with your fellow hikers. Do your camp chores, washing, laundry, and socializing.
Then move on and camp where you like if that's your thing- best of both worlds and part of the unique experience on the AT.
Many, many, many places to go if you don't want to see people.

Pack/plan/hike as if the shelters don't exist- then a stay at one is a pleasant surprise.
I Agree violently on the Phones; if you use your phone at the shelter I will ask to borrow it.
I will call a 900 number, then your spouse/mommy/significant other to discuss our recent team poo and your odd fascination with it.

In the offseason- sure is tough to walk by an empty or very lightly used shelter, no matter how tough you are.
For those who hike other trails- kinda hard to pass up the novelty of them any time of year.

Most importantly- it's tough to miss a good team pee.

[Ktaadn]

why? a conversation is a conversation

I think what makes a phone conversation annoying is that it is almost always much louder than a normal conversation. No one wispers into a cell phone.