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  1. #21
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    barns weather well and hold up much longer then this unheated, so I'd say being unheated isn't in the problem but more so on foundation and the ground movement. The cracks in the walls actually let barns breath and hold up for long periods without heat or much maintenance at all.
    NoDoz
    nobo 2018 March 10th - October 19th
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    I'm just one too many mornings and 1,000 miles behind

  2. #22
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    Does anyone know if the barn is still standing? or the privy useable? We are hiking thru there in a couple of weeks(with the grandkids) and I'm curious just in case they need it.

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Seatbelt View Post
    Does anyone know if the barn is still standing? or the privy useable? We are hiking thru there in a couple of weeks(with the grandkids) and I'm curious just in case they need it.
    The privy is useable. You can camp in the field by the barn, but do not enter it. It is suggested you stay 100 feet away from the building, so don't let the kids explore.
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  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    The privy is useable. You can camp in the field by the barn, but do not enter it. It is suggested you stay 100 feet away from the building, so don't let the kids explore.
    Thanks for the info! They will definitely want to explore if allowed.....

  5. #25

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    Up north if there is a roof, there is a barn. Foundations can be replaced, but once the roof goes and the frame starts rotting its all over. Since there is access to the site, dependent on the soil conditions, a small crew with a Bobcat can install helical screw anchors to stabilize the foundations. These were used on the Pochuck boardwalk in NJ along with a few other spots. These anchors are used to re-support multi story buildings and chimneys, a lightweight barn is not a problem unless the entire hillside is heading down the valley.

    My guess is the NPS has decided that the structure is not consistent with the AT and not that great of a shelter. Generally budgets are tight and unless congress decides its pet project, the NPS will not have the budget or the motivation to rebuild a structure. They are in the business of removing non conforming structures

  6. #26
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    So glad I stayed there on my thru last year. We had a hell of a day coming down off of Roan mountain. A storm was rolling in and as soon as we hit Carvers gap it started raining. When we were crossing the Balds it started hailing/sleeting. I was pretty freaking terrified, couldn't see more than 50 yards in any direction. Nearly cried once I caught sight of Overmountain, had never been happy to see a shelter as much before. I think there were at least 40 of us there that night? Woke up to snow blowing into the shelter even though the door upstairs was closed. Some good, crazy memories of that place.

  7. #27

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    This is sad to hear. I have been hiking this section and staying in this shelter off and on since the late 90's. I introduced my daughter to the AT hiking this section when she was 6 years old. Most of my trips through this section are during the winter months, so seeing that shelter from the field above was like a lighthouse guiding the ships at sea. Nothing like waking up on a clear morning watching the sun rise in the valley below from in your sleeping bag on a frigid morning.

  8. #28

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    I'll never forget that barn and its spring. I watched a guy almost swallow one of those orange newts? salamanders? that had snuck into his wide mouth Nalgene when he filled it at the spring. It was dark. He was tired. It was funny anyway, and the little orange guy got away unscathed.

  9. #29
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    image.pngSome of the posted signs...

  10. #30
    Registered User Nolan "Guido" Jordan's Avatar
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    I visited that shelter one time on April 27th, 2011. The day with the tornado outbreak in the southeast US. We pushed on and stayed at Doll Flats that night. The wind was crazy strong and blew my tent down twice. I was only 9-years-old at the time and I was terrified. We met some people at Bob's Dairyland the next day who stayed at the barn the night before. They said the whole thing shook like nuts.

    My dad remembers staying there one night and the fireflies lit up the valley that night. One of the most beautiful things he's ever seen on the trail.

  11. #31

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    My two experiences here weren’t good and I’m not sad. It attracted the wrong crowd... non-hikers who were only looking for a place to party.
    Last edited by Traffic Jam; 03-06-2020 at 22:16.

  12. #32
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    As of right now, the frame of the barn is leaning downhill which led to its closure.

    From what I have heard, the ATC and Pisgah NF are considering a number of projects for the Barn. Final plans have yet to be confirmed.
    ''Tennessee Viking'
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  13. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Traffic Jam View Post
    My two experiences here weren’t good and I’m not sad. It attracted the wrong crowd... non-hikers who were only looking for a place to party.

    the one time I tried staying there, and I’m fine with people partying to a certain extent,
    but i don’t like large crowds.....

    i counted 34 people inside and when I left (which was still early afternoon), more
    people were coming in.......

    what really sealed the deal for me to leave—-is when some guy spilled all his noodles m
    and boiling water over the place I had wanted to lay down......which was one of those porch
    platforms sorta on the outside....

    packed up and left......

    that section between carvers and 19e is so beautiful and scenic, and that draws a lot of people...

  14. #34
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    That reminded me of a guy in the Smokey's on my thru hike that spilt his noodles all over the picnic table while cooking, stayed at the shelter and didn't even bother to try cleaning his mess... some real class acts out there, and he was a thru hiker to.


    I hear you on the party aspect of the barn, which I didn't really think of. I was at the hostel with a steep side trail before climbing Roan (northbound) for a small resupply and the owner was telling me how her son/brother or some relative would be heading up with a bunch of people that night for a big party and how he's up there all the time doing it...

    I told this story before but here's another short version, it's a good one. Thought I was on the shelter trail but was on the historic trail there. I'm thinking it's taking way too long and I'm climbing up this hill into a big field, which I knew the barn was in a field so thought this has to be it. I crest the hill and see nothing but a wide open field - then I turn around and way below in the distance I see the barn, a beautiful shot of it but all I can think is "you gotta be F'in kidding me". It's cold/snowing and couldn't wait to get there... so about 30 minutes and a few wrong turns later I finally get there. Frigid night with snow blowing through the cracks in the walls but I was so happy for that barn being there!
    NoDoz
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    I'm just one too many mornings and 1,000 miles behind

  15. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    Overmountain does have one of the top 10 shelter views. At least from the platforms on the side of the building.

    BTW, if you decide to walk down the road instead of taking the trail to 19E, you end up a long, long way from where you want to be. But it's an interesting journey. It was actually kind of fun and avoided some nasty weather on the humps that day.
    I've told many folks that the favorite hike on the AT was over the Humps when storms were coming through. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL area.

  16. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    Overmountain does have one of the top 10 shelter views. At least from the platforms on the side of the building.

    BTW, if you decide to walk down the road instead of taking the trail to 19E, you end up a long, long way from where you want to be. But it's an interesting journey. It was actually kind of fun and avoided some nasty weather on the humps that day.

    Which begs the question, is there a thread or poll listing the 10 shelters with the best views?
    Be Prepared

  17. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by BlackCloud View Post
    Which begs the question, is there a thread or poll listing the 10 shelters with the best views?
    There actually aren't that many. Most shelters are located in sheltered areas.

    Vandeventer has a good view just behind the shelter. Riga shelter has a great sunrise view. Gentian Pond has one of the best, with a view down the Mt. Washington Valley. I seem to remember the Chairback shelter has a good view.

    Speaking of crowds at Overmountain, I was there for an Appalachian State collage beer blast. How long does it take 50 hikers to drain a keg? About 15 minutes. Then there was a beer run which brought back 20 cases.

    I ended up catching a nasty cold from one of the collage kids who was hacking all night next to me. Hit me hard just as Trail Days was starting and spent the whole weekend in my tent, in the rain.
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  18. #38
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    Chestnut Knob is the best I've seen yet
    Be Prepared

  19. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by BlackCloud View Post
    Chestnut Knob is the best I've seen yet

    When I was there in 2013 even looking out the privy door was a good view.
    The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
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  20. #40
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    This may be sacrilegious to some, but perhaps the demise of a shelter is an opportunity to not replace it. Gradually replace shelters with designated camping/tenting areas with or without tent pads or platforms. I think I'd keep the privies to help protect the water supply.

    Personally, although I prefer my tent or hammock, I like having the shelter option. But too many of them are rodent-infested and/or party spots. They're expensive to build and maintain, yada, yada, yada.

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