Shelters - A good thing or a bad thing for the AT?

[Starchild]

That's awesome! I'd enjoying doing that, too. I'll look for hiking clubs near me, been thinking about finding one for a while anyway. Be part of the solution...

I would suggest trying out clubs and also meetup, they are quite different, the clubs are usually the experienced wise hikers while the meetup are the active new hikers. the clubs is a great source to build your own self up while meetup is a place to share with others to help build them up.

[Berserker]

Tear them all down! In all seriousness, I don't totally get the love for shelters. Yeah I've hung in a few when it's raining and they are convenient, but ultimately most of them are nasty and rodent infested. I'd be all in favor of more nice tenting (i.e. hardened pads). As for impact, I'm always amused when people get their panties in a wad over this. Is a bunch of people camping in the woods really causing a huge impact? I mean I see plenty of mileage of untouched terrain when I'm walking to where a few more tent areas wouldn't detract. And as for impact what about all the other crazy stuff going on the world with pollution and wars and stuff...yeah, a few extra tent sites doesn't seem like a big deal now huh?

[hikernutcasey]

Put me in the camp of doing away with them. I do like the idea of having hardened tent sites, a privy and a communal cooking area. That idea makes the most sense to me. Put them in areas where shelters are where you most likely have a water source and privy already. The shelter sites are good ideas, just not the shelters themselves.

[SteelCut]

I too am in the camp (no pun intended) of removing them in favor of hardened sites and privies.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Shelters give hikers on internet message boards something to feel outraged about. This alone is reason enough to keep them.

I don't care for shelters personally, however I fail to see how my dislike of shelters should in any way detract from the enjoyment that others get from their use.

[Stubby]

... while meetup is a place to share with others to help build them up.

This term is new to me. What is a meetup, and how do I find one?

[Stubby]

The issue with no-water shelters is people tend to avoid them if practical. Having them off of a spur trail is a balancing act, want them to go and it should be close, the further it is off trail the less usage, especially for things like lunch stops. If you build a shelter, ideally it is for people to use, not to hide off in a place where people don't want to go.

Make shelters too unappealing hard to get to and you may create a lot more hardened camp sites in places with water and easier to set up camp were people want to camp.

Yeah, after spending a minute to think about it, people who want shelters are going to want close water. The water is probably the biggest attraction to get them to go down a spur. I don't think it needs to be far... 200 yards is enough, quarter mile is probably a max.

Add a privy and some bear cables, and some tent and hammock sites... Maybe we do need a few more, at least on the lower sections for the spring wave.

[Bronk]

Build more hostels in towns and then tear down the shelters. Most AT hikers these days would prefer to spend most of their nights in town anyway...they are only sorry they can't slackpack the whole trail.

[rafe]

Build more hostels in towns and then tear down the shelters. Most AT hikers these days would prefer to spend most of their nights in town anyway...they are only sorry they can't slackpack the whole trail.

I just love the way threads like this allow folks to vent their anger and cast aspersions on the rest of the hiking community. Based on amazing powers of mind-reading, they actually know what most AT thru hikers would prefer. Very impressive.

[Starchild]

This term is new to me. What is a meetup, and how do I find one?

meetup.com

Enter your zip code and the word 'hiking' and see what comes up in your area.

[Traveler]

This is really a non-issue. If you use them, use them, if you don't, don't. There are obvious benefits to them during all four seasons of the year and obvious downsides especially .

But, I do agree with Elf in that they provide venting fodder and can be very entertaining.

Carry on!

[ddanko2]

MOST everyone that are “against” shelters use them in the rain. Where would all these vehemently anti-shelter people go if they didn’t have the shelters to utilize in the rain?!

If you don’t like them, stay away from them. There’s a place for ‘em on the AT, plain and simple. HYOH, and use other trails if you don’t like ‘em.

[daddytwosticks]

Shelters give hikers on internet message boards something to feel outraged about. This alone is reason enough to keep them.

I don't care for shelters personally, however I fail to see how my dislike of shelters should in any way detract from the enjoyment that others get from their use.

Best post yet! Agree 100%. Pass the popcorn please.

[imscotty]

I am glad there are some trails with Shelters. For many people staying in a shelter is their first introduction to overnight camping. I want more people to enjoy the outdoors, to enjoy overnight hikes. I selfishly want other people to love the outdoors and wilderness because because I think it makes the world a better place and also they will want to protect these places too.

I am glad there are trails without shelters and other amenities. Places where you can enjoy the outdoors in a purer state. Places where there tend to be fewer hikers and you can quietly commune with nature. Places where the natural surroundings have not been degraded by too many visitors.

But the OP asked if shelters are a good or a bad thing for the AT. To that I have to say I think there has been good and bad. I am glad that so many people enjoy the AT, but I also think it would be better if some of this use was redirected to some of the lesser used trails.

5000 people all starting at a single trail head over the course of about 80 days requires shelters or hardened camping spots with privies.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Perhaps if there were fewer shelters on the AT, we would not have 5000 through hikers lining up on Springer every year. Perhaps the idea of a long distance hike would be a little less attractive, perhaps the AT would have fewer of its current problems, perhaps some other trails would see a little more use.

Just thinking out loud here. I understand that certain environmentally sensitive or popular areas would be better off with 'hardened' campsites. However, I would like to see the ATC experiment with removing shelters in some segments of the trail. This may help diminish, and should help disperse 'the hiker herd.' Do we really need to provide backcountry 'training wheels' for hikers from one end of the AT to another? Perhaps removing some shelters would alleviate some of the problems on the AT and provide a more diverse experience for those who seek to know nature.

[rafe]

Shelters have a lot to do with the trail community. Its social life. To some, that community is important, and a part of the reason they're out hiking. For others, not so much. In most cases, you can have the social life without staying in the shelter, if that suits you better. Most shelters have tent sites nearby. Believe it or not, one can have too much solitude. Every now and then I appreciate a like-minded human to talk to.

[Starchild]

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Perhaps if there were fewer shelters on the AT, we would not have 5000 through hikers lining up on Springer every year. Perhaps the idea of a long distance hike would be a little less attractive, perhaps the AT would have fewer of its current problems, perhaps some other trails would see a little more use.

Just thinking out loud here. I understand that certain environmentally sensitive or popular areas would be better off with 'hardened' campsites. However, I would like to see the ATC experiment with removing shelters in some segments of the trail. This may help diminish, and should help disperse 'the hiker herd.' Do we really need to provide backcountry 'training wheels' for hikers from one end of the AT to another? Perhaps removing some shelters would alleviate some of the problems on the AT and provide a more diverse experience for those who seek to know nature.

Would love that section to be the Smokie Mountains, no dogs no shelters just the wilderness that they seek such a designation of.

[winger]

Tear down the wimp shelters ASAP.

[misprof]

5000 people all starting at a single trail head over the course of about 80 days requires shelters or hardened camping spots with privies.

That is not even counting the section hikers or the weekend warrior crowd. I wish there were more shelters not because I am afraid or a whimp. I sleep better on the ground. They do however, concentrate the crowd and lessen the impact.
Shelters along trails is not just an AT thing. You have them in Europe and New Zealand as huts. The 3 sided kind is unique to US from what I understand. Some of the reasons for them is ease for hikers but also to minimize impact on delicate areas. Could one of the reasons that they have become nasty, mouse invested, things is that the hikers who use them do not practice LNT? I have walked into shelters that had trash in it, under it, and the fire rings were filled with people's half burnt papers and food wrappers. All of that trash gives the lovely vermin food. The shelter system would work better if people actually cleaned up after themselves. I will stop ranting now.

[Grinch]

What ever happened to LNT? Seriously the shelters would be fine but I think that complacency and unwillingness to use good sense about food away from shelters. Don't hang your food in the shelter it's suppose to be away from camp and secure from animals. As it stands now ,my opinion, the shelters are not usable for this fact. Hang your food, it doesn't matter how tired you are at end of day. This is the only solution. Nuff said!

[lemon b]

I have a tendency to agree with Lone Wolf on this one. However, I must admit that when on hikes going over 500 miles I do enjoy running up on pre built Shelters when I'm cold, wet, and bone tired. Perhaps the problem is too many shelters. What we currently have on the AT is too many hikers. Being a long time I hiker I feel that it is all good that many others are now involved. What we really need and it maybe too late given all the laws is more Long Distance trails. Sure wish there was another BMT type trail farther North. Funny how those in power can find all kinds of money for rockets and bombs and social programs but we still don not have anything like the old CCC at work making trails. Nothing like a long distance hike to develop real character in people. Know i'm singing to the choir, but the basic problem is not enough trails. Also, I agree that central camping areas do keep the mess we make isolated. In the 70's and 80's I know many of us were guilty of making messes with our fire pits. In my home State of Mass I do not even recall there being a single Shelter back in the 70's. But the trail as a whole was much more messy with lots of firepit type camping areas.