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  1. #1
    Registered User Speer Carrier's Avatar
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    Default Appalachian Mountain Club Huts

    I read in this morning's Wall Street Journal that The Mount Washington Resort at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire is offering a package to it's customers who want both pampering and roughing it in the Appalachian Mountains. After a stay at the resort, customers will be brought to one of three Appalachian Mountain Club huts for a guided hike. Meals at the hut are provided. The cost will be $185.00 per night for adults.

    I've not hiked in New Hampshire, so I'm curious. Are these the same huts I read about on White Blaze? If so, are thrus going to have to compete with the resort crowd for space as they pass through New Hampshire?

    Anybody heard anything about this?

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    Super Moderator Marta's Avatar
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    It would have to be the same huts. The cost to stay in the huts without booking through the Mt. Washington Resort is just under $100/night, and does include a bunk with blankets, supper, and breakfast. You get a discount if you're an AMC member, or if you book three or more consecutive nights in the huts. No guide, though.

    Assuming they're in the market for expensive accomodations (which many thrus are not), thrus already compete with regular AMC guests for space in the huts. The other options are to score a work-for-stay slot (a sort of indentured servant gig where you do a bit of work and sleep on the floor) or to go down below treeline and camp where permitted. The AMC huts are very, very busy in the high summer season. I doubt the Mt. Washington Resort package is going to add much pressure to the crowds of scouts, families, and other vacationers.

    As a thru-hiker, I found the huts to be annoying. When I went back recently to pick up my last missed section (over Mt. Washington), my husband and I had a great time staying in the huts. They are what they are, an expensive, effete way to experience the alpine terrain. The food is usually very good--way better than anything you might cook over a camp stove. And it's fun to be able to stay above treeline in a snug hut while one of the famous White Mountain storms rages around outside.

    Marta/Five-Leaf
    If not NOW, then WHEN?

    ME>GA 2006
    http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=3277

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  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Speer Carrier View Post
    Are these the same huts I read about on White Blaze? If so, are thrus going to have to compete with the resort crowd for space as they pass through New Hampshire?
    Haven't heard which Huts are involved, but not all the AMC Huts are on the AT. The 'compete for space' will continue as long as ATers hike the Whites.
    Teej

    "[ATers] represent three percent of our use and about twenty percent of our effort," retired Baxter Park Director Jensen Bissell.

  4. #4

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    Speer Carrier "........are thrus going to have to compete with the resort crowd for space as they pass through New Hampshire?"
    They already do. Thrus are just a trickle in the number of hikers in the Whites. For instance, Lakes Of The Clouds hut holds 96 people and there may be a couple of thrus per day during the thru hiking season staying there. The huts are easily avoided so I don't consider that a real problem. BTW, 60,000 to 80,000 hikers could climb Mt. Washington per year. along with the Cog and auto road there could be 125,000 visitors per year on the summit-and maybe a few hundred thrus.

  5. #5
    Registered User Peaks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TJ aka Teej View Post
    Haven't heard which Huts are involved, but not all the AMC Huts are on the AT. The 'compete for space' will continue as long as ATers hike the Whites.
    The only AMC huts not on the AT is Greenleaf and Carter Notch. Greenleaf is only a mile off the AT downhill from Mt. Lafayette. Carter Notch is about 1/4 mile off the AT. Others are on the AT.

  6. #6
    Registered User sixhusbands's Avatar
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    I heard from a reliable source that the hut deal was for the 3 on the Presidential range. Mizpah,Lakes of The Clouds and Madison. There is a tent site at Mizpah, Craig Camp is a mile below Madison,but there is nothing nearby Lakes of The Clouds. Weekends are usually the buisiest times on that range. good luck!

  7. #7
    Registered User DavidNH's Avatar
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    Default white mtn huts

    Quote Originally Posted by Speer Carrier View Post
    I read in this morning's Wall Street Journal that The Mount Washington Resort at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire is offering a package to it's customers who want both pampering and roughing it in the Appalachian Mountains. After a stay at the resort, customers will be brought to one of three Appalachian Mountain Club huts for a guided hike. Meals at the hut are provided. The cost will be $185.00 per night for adults.

    I've not hiked in New Hampshire, so I'm curious. Are these the same huts I read about on White Blaze? If so, are thrus going to have to compete with the resort crowd for space as they pass through New Hampshire?

    Anybody heard anything about this?
    As to the 185 per night price.. the resort must be making some cash here! AMC huts are something like 90 a night with dinner and breakfast and yes there is a reduction for AMC members ( its not much) and a reduction for reserving three consecutive nights mid week.

    Thrus always will have to compete with the hut crowd.. the AT goes right by the huts and the huts and trails in the whites I believe predate the AT. For the most part, whether the huts charged 100 dollars or 10 dollars, it really is irrelevant. During thru hiker season they are amost ALWAYS full months in advance.

    Your options: 1) arrive late afternoon and get a work for stay option (you get fed and can put sleeping bag out on table for fee in exchange for doing half hour of chores, or 2) do long miles and get through presidentials in one day. Most of the whites you can stay at campsites (pay 8/night to caretaker). The huts are really not an obstacle. In fact, you can often get food from them for small price and there's always free drinking water. Finally, If it is cold, windy and wet you will be really glad those huts, especially Lakes and Madison, are there!

    One last thing.. I have zero sympathy for those who can't or won't pay a caretaker the 8 bucks for a night at shelter or campsite. You CAN afford it..just skip the next bar!! The money is needed to maintain the campsite given all the crowds.


    David

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    Registered User shelterbuilder's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DavidNH View Post
    One last thing.. I have zero sympathy for those who can't or won't pay a caretaker the 8 bucks for a night at shelter or campsite. You CAN afford it..just skip the next bar!! The money is needed to maintain the campsite given all the crowds.
    David
    Man! I wish that we could get away with charging some of these 30-person Boy Scout troops $8/person per night to stay in some of our 10-person shelters here in Pa. We could use the money for maintenence, too!

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    Musta notta gotta lotta sleep last night. Heater's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shelterbuilder View Post
    Man! I wish that we could get away with charging some of these 30-person Boy Scout troops $8/person per night to stay in some of our 10-person shelters here in Pa. We could use the money for maintenence, too!
    Shelters suck.

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    Mosquitos suck.

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    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Alternatively, stay at the inexpensive Shapleigh Bunk House at Crawford Notch, clean up, then hitch to the The Mount Washington Hotel for Sunday Brunch on the veranda.

    My guess is that a thru Hiker will be able to give the Guests a some real competition of their own!

  12. #12
    Registered User Mr. Clean's Avatar
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    I agree with DavidNH. The pay for stay shelters are a good deal if you stay at shelters, and the money goes to maintaining them. They get a huge amount of use during the summer season and any money, or discouragement, to use them can only help.
    Greg P.

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    Huge amount is an understatement. Wicked pretty, but kinda crawly with people.

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    Quote Originally Posted by shelterbuilder View Post
    Man! I wish that we could get away with charging some of these 30-person Boy Scout troops $8/person per night to stay in some of our 10-person shelters here in Pa. We could use the money for maintenence, too!
    You know charging for shelters is done some places on the north side of the mountain. I believe you have some idea how I'd prefer to see that revenue spent even though it's not what L. Wolf may think.

    Quote Originally Posted by Austexs View Post
    Shelters suck.
    I believe you would bite at a bare hook sometimes.

    Now don't be stirring up shelterbuilder, he's recovering from surgery.

  15. #15
    Registered User shelterbuilder's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shades of Gray View Post
    You know charging for shelters is done some places on the north side of the mountain. I believe you have some idea how I'd prefer to see that revenue spent even though it's not what L. Wolf may think.
    I believe you would bite at a bare hook sometimes.
    Now don't be stirring up shelterbuilder, he's recovering from surgery.
    I believe that AUSTEXS' computer may be malfunctioning - he was probably trying to say that "Not all shelters suck!"
    And don't worry about me, Shades of Gray, I don't have much else to do right now except to be a thorn in everyone's side!
    But seriously, I tend to look at things like charging for shelter-use as a management tool. It is amazing how many people will forgo something that they have always done IF they suddenly have to pay for it. If a site is over-used, charge people to use it. (And many of Pa.'s shelters are being overused by multiple groups, particularly the Boy Scouts!) Many folks won't pay and will move on. But I don't want to hijack this thread, so I will shut up.

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    Smile Good one

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidNH View Post
    One last thing.. I have zero sympathy for those who can't or won't pay a caretaker the 8 bucks for a night at shelter or campsite. You CAN afford it..just skip the next bar!! The money is needed to maintain the campsite given all the crowds. David
    David, "skip the next bar" or words to that effect is the mantra of the AMC's Shelter Coordinator and many of the caretakers that work for him whenever he hears thru hikers complain about the $8 fee.

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