shelter construction

[Texasgirl]

I fell in love with the shelters at Baxter State Park. I have a little spot of land with trees and a dry creek where I'll be building a house in several years. In the meantime, I've picked a spot overlooking a the gulley where I want to build an AT-type shelter. I've only been to Baxter (I really want to go to the David Lesser Shelter in Virginia though) and seen many others on WB photo gallery, but since it's just being built for me (not a crowd), the one at Baxter seemed perfect. I don't plan to use logs, so need to design it for 4x4 or 6x6 posts and 2x4 or 2x6 for walls.

Anyone ever built a shelter on an AT maintenance project and maybe have a set of plans, suggestions, sense of cost, ease, etc. I didin't take measurements while I was there and I'm at a loss on ceiling height and slope.

P.S. I posted this in the Non AT forum, and I noticed it never appeared in the Today's Post list.

[Stir Fry]

Check this one out I stayed in it last week as part af a shutle service. Nice grill out front. and a place to eat.

http://www.mvshuttle.com/parkorstaywithus.html

[Pedaling Fool]

I know this is not the answer you're looking for, but I'd save the money for your house. In a strange way, this shelter seems like it's just a luxury, but a house is an investment. Unless of course you're independently wealthy, then I'd...

[celt]

I know you said you're not going to use logs but the MATC has a very nice manual for constructing log lean-tos. Maybe it will give you some good ideas for your chosen building materials. You can buy it through the ATC's Ultimate Trail Store:

https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalo...d=112&compid=1

[Texasgirl]

Check this one out I stayed in it last week as part af a shutle service. Nice grill out front. and a place to eat.

http://www.mvshuttle.com/parkorstaywithus.html

Hey, that's cute and easy to throw up. Thanks.

[Texasgirl]

I know this is not the answer you're looking for, but I'd save the money for your house. In a strange way, this shelter seems like it's just a luxury, but a house is an investment. Unless of course you're independently wealthy, then I'd...

I sat out there several hours last weekend pondering your very suggestion myself. Ultimately I decided to do the shelter cause it'll be a fun place to hang out for my kids and grandbabies, as well as just to sit out back and watch the hawk and red birds and listen to the coyotes away from "civilization" around the corner. I'm not wealthy, but my sweat equity is worth a fortune.

[Texasgirl]

Thanks Celt!

[budforester]

Here's a plan I turned up: link. Google "adirondak shelter" and you can probably find many more.

[sheepdog]

I've been thinking about building a replica shelter in my basement for overflow sleeping. Two tiers high, double beds, room for all the grand kids.

Your shelter will be a great place to sleep out with those grandkids. Also some nights it might be nice just to get out of the house. I say build it.

[mudhead]

Consider open sided gazebo type structure. Drop down bug netting, and/or canvas type stuff. Those leantos can be hot and stuffy.

I would want something with headroom.

Hard pine for the floor, minimize pressure treated wood that you may have skin contact.

In the short term, look for a big, roofed screen house. (Like a big cabin tent.)

Pretty cheap, for what you get.

[Texasgirl]

Thanks guys.

[Bob S]

I know this is not the answer you're looking for, but I'd save the money for your house. In a strange way, this shelter seems like it's just a luxury, but a house is an investment. Unless of course you're independently wealthy, then I'd...

Houses are not investments, they are liabilities, liabilities cost money (and a home does this every month you own it for all the time you own it.) It’s a necessary liability, but it is none the less a liability. Investments produce money every month you own them. With few exceptions homes cost.

[drastic_quench]

Houses are not investments, they are liabilities, liabilities cost money (and a home does this every month you own it for all the time you own it.) It’s a necessary liability, but it is none the less a liability. Investments produce money every month you own them. With few exceptions homes cost.

A house is the largest investment most middle class people ever have - because they can't throw that amount of money into something that doesn't put a roof over their heads.

My middle class folks have owned/ lived in seven houses over thirty years (average five years a house). Every time they've sold one house to move and purchase another they've turned on profit on their original investment by doing nothing more than keeping up with maintenance and not being hard on their homes.

[Jaybird]

I fell in love with the shelters at Baxter State Park. I have a little spot of land with trees and a dry creek where I'll be building a house in several years. In the meantime, I've picked a spot overlooking a the gulley where I want to build an AT-type shelter.

Yo TexasGirl,

check this out: http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~aja39/hiker.htm
If you dont feel quite adventurous...contact your local hike club or Trail maintenance folks...they could put you in touch with some folks that have some experience building shelters in your area....

YES, I agree David Lesser shelter is a NICE one!

[TJ aka Teej]

https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalo...d=112&compid=1

Good find, Celt!

[Texasgirl]

Thanks Jaybird.

[Mrs Baggins]

A house is the largest investment most middle class people ever have - because they can't throw that amount of money into something that doesn't put a roof over their heads.

My middle class folks have owned/ lived in seven houses over thirty years (average five years a house). Every time they've sold one house to move and purchase another they've turned on profit on their original investment by doing nothing more than keeping up with maintenance and not being hard on their homes.

I can beat that - we've owned 9 houses (lived in every single one of them - none were bought for "investment" purposes) in 9 states in 29 years and two pieces of property. Made money on all of them. About to put house #10 on the market and we're in area that did not suffer the crashes of other places and houses are still appreciating (slowly, but they are appreciating) and selling, so we expect this one to sell at a profit as well.

[beeman]

Well, that sure looks like an architectural student's design Jaybird. As a carpenter for 30 years, I would say turn it inside out and it would be better. It could then be covered with a less expensive roofing that would protect the framing. Use half the wall pieces and it would be more economical as well. Then I would say it is a first class piece of design work

[Bob S]

A house is the largest investment most middle class people ever have - because they can't throw that amount of money into something that doesn't put a roof over their heads.

My middle class folks have owned/ lived in seven houses over thirty years (average five years a house). Every time they've sold one house to move and purchase another they've turned on profit on their original investment by doing nothing more than keeping up with maintenance and not being hard on their homes.

Go read the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and it will open your eyes as to what an investment is and isn’t.

[weary]

Houses are not investments, they are liabilities, liabilities cost money (and a home does this every month you own it for all the time you own it.) It’s a necessary liability, but it is none the less a liability. Investments produce money every month you own them. With few exceptions homes cost.

My home and 2 acres cost $2,950. 48 years later it is worth around $500,000. Yes, I've spent a lot fixing it up and rebuilding over the decades -- but far less than rent would have cost me.

Even if my estimate of current value is high, I think it was a good investment.

BTW my wife inherited a few thousand dollars worth of stock from her Dad a decade ago. It's lost 30 percent of its value in recent days. Our debate is whether to lock in our losses. Or wait for -- and if -- the market rebounds.

Note: The Maine shelter directions envision cutting logs for the construction. Usually trees are more valuable on your land as trees, not as building materials. Instead, look for a small custom mill in your area and have it produce some rough sawn timbers instead. MATC used rough sawn timbers when it built the new shelters at Horns Pond on Bigelow.

Weary