Fontana to Davenport section... need tent?
As a section hiker thru GSMNP and have to stay in the shelters where I've made reservations for the end of May, is there any reason for me to haul a tent?
Rob
Just my opinion, but don't go completly without shelter. You may not need a tent, but bring a tarp or something if you don't - just in case.
SGT Rock
http://hikinghq.net
My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT
BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
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NO SNIVELING
Carrying shelter in the GSMNP
Hey Rob. I am going to be there at the same time, going SOBO from Clingmans to Fontana. I am debating the same question. Like Rock said, I am thinking of just a tarp. I will be interested to see what others say.
Rainman
Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons,
It is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.
- Walt Whitman: Leaves of Grass; Song of the Open Road.
It's one of ten essentials...and the first priority should be shelter.
TAKE SOMETHING !
Whether you take a tent, bivy or a tarp take something.
The shelters in the park in May will be full...whether you get there in time to get a space or not depends on too much to fathom....also will you give up your space to the wet, little old lady or will you make her sleep outside ?
You might get lucky and find the shelters empty (yeah, Right !) or you may have to spend everynight of your trip camped out next to the shelter.
May and June in the Smokies...it can dump snow up higher..I'm not saying that it will happen to you but it could..
If it rains on you and you're cowboy camped outside an overflowing shelter...you'll be happy to have a tarp along. (My .02)
What Spritiwind, Leeki and Rock said and one more reason to have your own shelter -- if you can't make it to the shelter for some reason (injury, trail conditions, really bad weather) your life could depend on it.
Even though you have reservations, you might also get to the shelter and it's full and you might not be in the mood to fight for your spot. Or you might get there and there's a violent schizophrenic person, etc.
Originally Posted by Appalachian Tater
*twitch..... twitch......
I agree with the need to bring a tarp, it was my original thought. It seems the bigger question is the whole business of needing a "reservation" and a section hiker being "prohibited" from camping outside the shelter. From the comments it would appear that there's a lot more likelihood of there not being room in the inn than the the shelter/tent regulation would make it appear?
Rob
I just hiked up Mt. LeConte over the weekend. When I started it was probably 60-65 degrees, sunny and I was in a t-shirt. About 3/4 the way up the clouds started rolling in and light rain started, by the time I got to the top I had fleece and a rain jacket on and it was COLD. Just a thought, but I would definetly bring some kind of shelter, you just never know what's going to happen.
You just never know if you'll be the only one at a shelter or one of fifty. That's true everywhere on the A.T. expcept maybe in winter.
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