Mashipacong Shelter

[jbwood5]

I stopped here for a lunch break on the way to High Point Shelter (5/3/04). Shelter is just OK with no picnic table, but has a spiffy port-a-can that is big enough to change clothes in. There was plenty of trail magic by Deperado in the bear box.

[steve hiker]

Anything like Vietcong Shelter?

[DirtyBird]

Hello eveyone,

Just wanted to put up a post here to let you all know that Myself and Tribes are the shelter maintainers for the Meshipacong Shelter. We work for the NY/NJ Trail Conference. If there are any problems we should be aware of, or if anyone needs anything for or at the shelter, please let us know.
I also would like to thank Desperado for all of his help with the care of the shelter and all of the magic he provides to the thrus, always. Although we have never met we do appreciate you help and effort. If you read this and get a chance please contact myself or tribes, we would like to meet you and thank you in person.
Last but not least I would like to wish the best of luck, and health, to all the thru hikers this season. I hope to see some of you this summer in the NY NJ area. Just look for Kermit the frog, he'll be taking a free ride from me.

Yours Truly,

DirtyBird

[Minerva]

Just got back from a 348 mile section hike from HF to Glenwood Lake, NY. I passed by this shelter around noontime on Monday, June 7th on my way north. It is tick infected. I could see them crawling everywhere, so I didn't stay long. Maybe you could spray the place down with some insecticide. Desperado had left water north 2/10's of a mile at Deckertown Trnpk. The clean privy was a welcome sight.
Cin

[adagio]

Hello eveyone,

Just wanted to put up a post here to let you all know that Myself and Tribes are the shelter maintainers for the Meshipacong Shelter. We work for the NY/NJ Trail Conference. If there are any problems we should be aware of, or if anyone needs anything for or at the shelter, please let us know.
I also would like to thank Desperado for all of his help with the care of the shelter and all of the magic he provides to the thrus, always. Although we have never met we do appreciate you help and effort. If you read this and get a chance please contact myself or tribes, we would like to meet you and thank you in person.
Last but not least I would like to wish the best of luck, and health, to all the thru hikers this season. I hope to see some of you this summer in the NY NJ area. Just look for Kermit the frog, he'll be taking a free ride from me.

Yours Truly,

DirtyBird

Trail magic as defined as leaving food and goodies in bear boxes and shelters is forbidden in NJ due to to the large and active bear population. For the safety of both hikers and bears,the NYNJ Trail Conference encourages all to follow this policy. Certainly, passing out cold sodas and food to hikers is encouraged but please do not leave food anywhere on the trail.

[Green Lantern]

I read through this thread, but most of it is five years or more old. Is the water situation still the same, and is the nearest water here"

"There's a spring about 5/8ths of a mile north on the Iris (Red blaze) trail."

Would appreciate an update as I am starting a 50 mile section hike to DWG starting from Ferguson Rd on Monday.

[Hammock Hanger]

I stopped here for a lunch break on the way to High Point Shelter (5/3/04). Shelter is just OK with no picnic table, but has a spiffy port-a-can that is big enough to change clothes in. There was plenty of trail magic by Deperado in the bear box.

I believe (if memory serves me) that this is a picture of that spiffy port-a-can...

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/sh...cat/500/page/4

Sue/HH

[mooseboy]

Stayed here 4/16/2005 on a NJ Section Hike.

It was a very pleasant location at a higher elevation on the ridge, which meant it got more light (a plus in my book). The solar privy was very spiffy, and Desperado had left lots of trail magic for thru-hikers in the bear box.

The biggest down side was no water, and I didn't see any at Deckertown Rd. the next day either. Make sure to cart some water up here, since there isn't any for several miles (unless you feel like detouring off the trail).

I didn't notice any ticks like Minerva mentioned. Hopefully they are gone now.

Even though this shelter is close to a road, it seems to be a less-used one. I got a good night's sleep here.

[Smile]

Does this type of privy have a 'brand name", in other words, was it purchased from a company? Would like that info ;-)

[adagio]

Does this type of privy have a 'brand name", in other words, was it purchased from a company? Would like that info ;-)

The brand is Clivus, they are used in many places. NJ is planning on installing them in other locations as well.

[nails]

Does anyone know if the stream at the Iris Trail is running. It's been very dry in NJ and I'm doing a section hike in November. I was hoping to use it as a water source.

[Panzer1]

yea, I'd also like to thank Desperado for the trail magic he did for me back in 2001 during the heat wave. Way to go D.

Panzer

[ELi]

Stayed here 4/16/2005 on a NJ Section Hike.



The biggest down side was no water, and I didn't see any at Deckertown Rd. the next day either. Make sure to cart some water up here, since there isn't any for several miles (unless you feel like detouring off the trail).

.

Was the water pump at Deckertown just not turned on for the season perhaps? I'm doing a section hike this weekend (4/29-5/1/05), and was counting on that water supply at Deckertown...

[mooseboy]

Well, I didn't look for it very long... but a Southbound hiker had just passed Deckertown Rd. when he sat down at Mashipacong for supper, and didn't find water either. On top of that, the 2005 AT Thru-hikers' Companion states, "No water." Generally if there's water within 0.5 mi. of a shelter, they include it.

[ELi]

That's weird- the NJ A.T. guide book I have from the NYNJTC says "water from pump at Deckertown Tpk."

There IS NO water at Mashipacong Shelter ITSELF; the pump is supposed to be where the A.T. crosses Deckertown Tpk. (just making sure we're talking about the same thing.)

[Alligator]

I did that section of NJ last summer. When I crossed the road there at Deckertown TPK, I ran into Desperado, a trail angel. The pump was no longer there, it had been removed. If I remember correctly he said it was the second time it had been removed over the years and that the well was contaminated. He had been leaving water close to the Mashipacong Shelter, but I wouldn't count on this.

[jamarshall]

Just passed through this week, nearest water is about a mile away on the Iris Trail. There's a sign for it at the intersection with the AT if you're coming in from the north.

Fortunately, we had teenagers in the shelter who were willing to carry water just for something to do - gotta love it!

-Joyce

[ELi]

Just passed through this week, nearest water is about a mile away on the Iris Trail. There's a sign for it at the intersection with the AT if you're coming in from the north.

Fortunately, we had teenagers in the shelter who were willing to carry water just for something to do - gotta love it!

-Joyce

Yeah- that's where we got water from. Good, running, close source.

That privy is cool- except when the sun isn't bright enuff to operate the solar cells- then it smells WORSE than alot of the privies I've been in. That thing needs to be emptied. BAD.

[NJHiker]

Deckerton Pike water pump was shut down in 1998 due to contamination (Giardia and bacteria). There's a spring about 5/8ths of a mile north on the Iris (Red blaze) trail. Desperado, Dirty and crew leave water and often soda just off the AT near the shelter...check the log book for it's location. Although the bear box gets raided by locals from time to time....they only seem to take the cookies and candy the Angels leave for thru's...sugar addicts, it seems. I've replenished what I can, when I can.

Having met both DirtyBird and Desperado, they do an amazing job of maintaining this and several other shelters in Stokes. I've seen Desperado at Brink Rd, Gren Anderson and Mashipicong (no, it's nothing like Mei Cong or VietCong)...

I met Dirty at the Rutherford Shelter last year. You and your guys are great, and many thanks for all your efforts.

[Air Head]

This shelter looked really promising, but it was closed due to bear activity when my friend and I ran into it July 29 '05. Just a bit of warning for anyone who gets this. You'll probably have to go to the Rutherford Shelter a little further up the AT. A shame too; that shelter was nothing compared to this one.