RPH Shelter - NY

[Former Admin]

Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - RPH Shelter

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

[Kozmic Zian]

Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - RPH Shelter

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

Yea, when there (RPH) a few ago, I noticed the area around the shelter to be well maintained and a very nice lawn to camp on! Thanks maintainer...KZ@

[ga2me97]

Last time there was in 97. Nice shelter, plenty of grassy areas to set up a tent or tarp. It was early August when I went through so there were tons of berries around.

[jbwood5]

I stayed at this shelter on 5/11/04. The shelter is actually a building with the back side now opened up. The inside has bunks. The walls and ceilings inside are plaster finished, giving you the feeling of being in a house. There are 3 picnic tables and one is under a roof which overhangs the back of the shelter.

The water is via an old iron pump, and although it has been tested as potable, the color and taste is bad due to heavy amounts of rust in the water. The caretaker has placed a watering can in the shelter that you can fill with water and then use your filter to clean the water up.

There is a newer privy there that was clean and plenty of grass to tent on.

[Krewzer]

...stayed there in 2000 after hiking most of the day in steady, heavy rain. A guy came around about 4PM and took pizza and beer orders. :-)

The place was dry, had bunks and lots of grass for tenting (though no one wanted to tent that day). Also, there was a garage across the lawn, that some said was used for overflow.

:-( There's a pump just outside the shelter, but the water sucks. There's plenty of it, but nasty looking. Red as communist China. It was ugly stuff and I couldn't bring myself to try it. Luckily the beer arrived early.

krewzer

[Kevin A. Boyce]

Announcing The Bascom GrillMasters 5th Annual Hiker Trash Work Party

===============================================

WHERE:

At The RPH Cabin, on the AT in Hopewell Jct, NY

WHEN:

July 8,9,10 2005 (rain or shine) Food & Beverages will be provided all 3 days (or until it runs out…)

WORK :

TBA – several projects are in the works awaiting approval (more info soon) If you can bring any tools or supplies, please contact Tim (Bascom) to see what we will need.

We’ll be camping out, working, and cooking all weekend. All are welcome to stay for the full weekend; we can feed approx 30 people

For more information, please see Bascom's website: http://timtrek.mikentim.com

Or email: [email protected]

Come show your support for the Trail and have a great time with your fellow hikers... Don't be shy Stop by!

************************************************** ********

Kevin's Comment... I am posting this for Bascom (Tim) this year, I was there last year, and will be again this year. Tim and Mike put on a top notch work weekend, with lots of great food day and night, lots of good times, and a chance to meet and greet your fellow hikers.

Please contact Tim if you are interested, they can support up to 30 folks, so please sign up. This way they can plan the work details and more importantly, the menu!!!Tim has lots of projects that he would like to have us help with, the more folks, the more can get done.

The shelter is located right off the Taconic Parkway, just south of I-84. If you need a ride to or from, let me know, I can shuttle a few folks with me.

See you on the trail!

KevBoy (Kevin A. Boyce)

************************************************** ********

[Footslogger]

Did about a 21 miler the day I hiked into RPH. Was bushed but got there and found that an angel was shuttling hikers in for pizza ...need I say more ??

Water from the pump/well isn't so hot. Shelter is actually what appears to be an old house. There are a half dozen or so double-decker bunks. Front and rear doors can be left open for great ventilation. As has already been mentioned, there is a large grassy area for tenting and the ground is quite level.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[Palmer]

Ate lunch there last summer. Extremely well maintained shelter, very clean. Go into the attic if you dare. The privy was also very nice.

[swamp dawg]

I got to the shelter just before lunch and wanted to stay in the worst way but there were miles to make. The shelter was so well maintained and had lots of curb appeal so I ate lunch and took a good long rest, man did I want to stay. Next time...and so it goes.
Life is good on the trail,
Swamp Dawg

[Kevin A. Boyce]

Update

The Bascom GrillMasters

5th Annual Hiker Trash Work Party

July 8, 9, & 10, 2005

The work projects have been decided! We will be installing some new waterbars and steps behind the shelter, upgrading the trail behind the shelter from the mud-fest that is there now, as well as another waterbar and step project south of the RPH Shelter on the trail. There may even be another project north on the trail. And we will also be doing a few finishing touches to the privy that was installed a few years back.

Since there is a fair amount of stone work being done, we would love lots of man and woman power to complete the tasks. As an enticement, we went over the menu this week, and I will say, mmmm-mmmm good! Lots of great eats are planned. If you ever have been to one of the work-weekends, you know no one leaves without eating lots of great food, breakfast, lunch and dinner!!!

If you are interested in helping out, please contact either Tim 'Bascom' Messerich at [email protected] or myself here or at [email protected] so we can figure out who is coming and plan the menu. Please bring tools like shovels, picks, pry bars, rakes, buckets, strong backs, and great attitudes! Please see my previous post for other details. And if your a thru making your way by, feel free to stop for a zero and do a little work and eat a lot of food!

Join us for a great weekend of fun, food, and a great time giving back to the trail!
KevBoy

[Kevin A. Boyce]

Just a friendly reminder to all that will be in the area on July 8 to 10, that:

The Bascom GrillMasters

5th Annual Hiker Trash Work Party

Will be in full swing... Hike on through for some tasty eats, to do a little work and to give back to the trail, meet this year's thru's/day hikers/wanderers, and just generally have a great time enjoying the trail community!

Please let myself know at [email protected] or contact Tim 'Bascom Grill Master' Messerich know at [email protected] so we can finalize work projects and the menu. And if you have been to any of the past weekends, you know the menu is a good one.. Steaks, chicken, pork chops, Tim's homemade lemonade, and one very very tasty strawberry shortcake!!!

So come on down for food, fun, and great folks....

Catch you on the trail!
KevBoy

[The Hog]

Here's a quote from my journal dated August 10, 1984 (Day 117 of my thru hike):

Reached Ralph's Peak Hiker's Cabin, a mecca for the through-hiker. A mowed trail, American flags and an orange door to a house, which soon will be wired for electricity and have a stove. Dave Raphael, vice-chairman of the ATC, offered me a cold Genesee Cream Ale immediately upon my arrival. I walked 19 miles for that beer and the way it tasted, I felt as if every step had been worthwhile. The taste reminded me of the beer I drank after having been involved in an auto accident in 1973 in the Catskills and having felt lucky to be alive. Otherworldly!

When Rich, James, and Mike pulled up, I offered to board the Shenandoah Shuttle [a bicycle] to make a beer run, and soon we packed 12 empties (5 cents return for cans in N.Y.) into James' day pack, and I was off. What a feeling of speed and freedom on a bike, with the wind whipping past me! The store owner wondered aloud how I was going to carry 3 six-packs, an egg salad hero and a bag of chips back to RPH cabin on the Shenandoah Shuttle. Great fun zooming down the hill from the store with this full load.

After two more beers, I was getting bombed and I spilled half of my third beer all over myself. Caretaker of the cabin, Joe Hrouda, showed up with friends and I popped up two batches of Jiffy Pop on Rich's Svea, that ED GARVEY had left a few days before. Would like to thank Ed for this kindness [in fact I did get to thank him in person a few years later]. We all sat out on the terrace at dusk eating popcorn and talking and drinking. Great time.

[Nine days later, I met my future wife at the Upper Goose Pond AMC Cabin.]

[TakeABreak]

This one took me a mintue to remember from 00, but, now I do. The comments about the water were correct, after tasting it I said no way, I remember either crossing or walking next to a small spring about 10 or 15 minutes south of the trail coming down a hill to the shelter, so I went walked back to that spot, with filter and in hand, and filter enough water for myself for that night and the next morning.

Several weekend and thru hikers tried to scam some of my water off me, but I told where the place was and to have a nice walk, they did not appreciate it much, but I did not appreciate their laziness either.

I recommend getting water from the small spring about 10 - 15 minute walk south of the shelter. I taste much, much better.

[Cookerhiker]

I just returned from a section hike in eastern NY. RPH Shelter was a sight for sore eyes after walking through a drenching thunderstorm. But as alluded to, the water is less-than-desirable. After drawing orange water out of the pump. I pumped for 5 minutes but couldn't get the rust out. I poured some water into my cook pot and watched the rust settle at the bottom. So NOBOers should water up at the stream .2 miles before the shelter.

Otherwise, the shelter was fine. Slept in a top bunk to evade mosquitos. It worked!

[Kevin A. Boyce]

Yes, the water still is dis-colored... They installed a new pump a few weeks back, but even after pumping for a while it will still stay orange-ish. Luckily it is clear-er though then last year.

Most folks are just adding something to the water to their avoid the taste, you can filter it to make it clear-er, but if not, it is fine. I just drank from there this past weekend, and can happily report no extra bathroom time has been needed.

Otherwise do use the stream south of the shelter as an alternative.

Catch you on the trail...
KevBoy

[Kevin A. Boyce]

Hi all, I just wanted to put out a HUGE THANKS to all the hikers that helped this past weekend at the 5th Bascom Grill Master's Work Weekend at the RPH Shelter.

Quite a busy weekend too! We had the remants of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Cindy on Friday, it basically poured and poured and poured all night, all day and into the night. Even though everything was deluged with water, two thru's Kevin and Katie, along with Bascom and Dave installed 3 water bars behind the shelter! It was not long before we were able to see the fruits of their labors, the bars were working real nice that day.

Saturday dawned with blue skies, well at least they were blue well after I was awake to stoke the fire to get everyone well fed and happy.

Some more Thru's who arrived late Friday spent the day Saturday with a mix of local hikers and past hikers working on installing some 'turnpiking' behind the shelter where the trail has turned into a mud pit from use and erosion. The team worked all day to install well over a hundred feet of turnpike, which may not seem a lot, but with a team of a dozen folks, and cherry, oak, and other hardwood logs that ranged in the 200-300lb range, these folks moved them and a mountain of rocks that Bascom had delivered for the project.

Come Saturday night we had a HUGE feast for all the workers, and almost two dozen hikers that had come into the shelter; the Shelter was maxed out and the lawn was a busy tent city. We had so much to eat, chicken, steaks, pork chops, some tasty grilled veggies, and lots of sides, no one left there with an empty stomach!

There are so many people to thank... Here is just a partial list:

A huge thanks to Luna and Just Mike for spending a day and a half of their hike to work with us.

Chuck 'WoodChuck' Wood for just being Chuck, sharing great stories and laughs with the whole gang and for ensuring that no pack snaring branches will hassle anyone around the shelter.

Ralph 'Elvis Trailsley' Ferrusi, Mark 'Skeeter' Hudson, and a long list of locals and past hikers in helping to get all of the work done. For sharing some stories and giving some advice and tips to the current hikers.

Kevin 'Slider' Reardon who brought along his daughter 'Catamount' to spend the weekend working with the gang.

Many many thanks to Tim Bascom Grill Master Messerich for putting the whole thing together from getting all the eats, getting the stones and wood, organizing and getting the word out, and for continuing the tradtion of his work weekends and Hiker Trash Feed.

Sorry to those that I forgot, so many folks lent a hand either working on the trail, helping me cook, or helping clean up and square away the shelter each night.

Looking forward to next year's weekend!
KevBoy

[Kevin A. Boyce]

Announcing The Bascom GrillMasters

6th Annual Hiker Trash Work Party

===============================================

WHERE:

At The RPH Cabin, on the AT in Hopewell Jct, NY
WHEN:
July 7,8,9, 2005 (rain or shine)
Food & Beverages will be provided all 3 days (or until it runs out…)

WORK :
TBA – several projects are in the works awaiting approval (more info soon) If you can bring any tools or supplies, please contact Tim (Bascom) to see what we will need. We plan to finish and add some more of the 'turnpiking' we started to install last year, as well as a bunch of other projects we are trying to decide upon.


We’ll be camping out, working, and cooking all weekend. All are welcome to stay for the full weekend; we can feed approx 30 people


For more information, please see Bascom's website: http://timtrek.mikentim.com

Or email: [email protected]

Come show your support for the Trail and have a great time with your fellow hikers... Don't be shy-Stop by!

************************************************** ********
Kevin's Comment... I am posting this for Bascom (Tim) again this year, I have been helping on this work weekend for a few years now, and will be there again this year. Tim puts on a top notch weekend, you maybe tired at the end of the day, but you will not be hungry! The past few years have seen days start with fresh blueberry pancakes, great lunches and every night it lots of steak, chicken, pork chops, and for our Veggie hikers, we will take care of you as well with lots of vegatables!

The shelter is located right off the Taconic Parkway, just south of I-84. If you need a ride to or from, let me know, I can shuttle a few folks with me.

See you on the trail!
KevBoy (Kevin A. Boyce)
************************************************** ********

[Kevin A. Boyce]

Announcing The Bascom GrillMasters

6th Annual Hiker Trash Work Party

===============================================

WHERE:

At The RPH Cabin, on the AT in Hopewell Jct, NY
WHEN:
July 7,8,9, 2006 (rain or shine)
Food & Beverages will be provided all 3 days (or until it runs out…)

WORK :
TBA – several projects are in the works awaiting approval (more info soon) If you can bring any tools or supplies, please contact Tim (Bascom) to see what we will need. We plan to finish and add some more of the 'turnpiking' we started to install last year, as well as a bunch of other projects we are trying to decide upon.


We’ll be camping out, working, and cooking all weekend. All are welcome to stay for the full weekend; we can feed approx 30 people


For more information, please see Bascom's website: http://timtrek.mikentim.com

Or email: [email protected]

Come show your support for the Trail and have a great time with your fellow hikers... Don't be shy-Stop by!

**************************************************
Kevin's Comment... I am posting this for Bascom (Tim) again this year, I have been helping on this work weekend for a few years now, and will be there again this year. Tim puts on a top notch weekend, you maybe tired at the end of the day, but you will not be hungry! The past few years have seen days start with fresh blueberry pancakes, great lunches and every night it lots of steak, chicken, pork chops, and for our Veggie hikers, we will take care of you as well with lots of vegatables!

The shelter is located right off the Taconic Parkway, just south of I-84. If you need a ride to or from, let me know, I can shuttle a few folks with me.

See you on the trail!
KevBoy (Kevin A. Boyce)
**************************************************

[Kevin A. Boyce]

Sorry for the double posting... messed up the dates... D'Oh!
KevBoy

[kritter]

is this shelter closed in the winter. i went backpacking in january last year and it was all locked up, i hate having to carry a tent along with my winter gear so i rely on shelters for the most part, and RPH is super nice inside i'd be great to sleep their to get out of the elements this time around