AT in the Smokeys...will it be crowded?

[ncmtns]

Three of us are going from Clingmans to Fontana next Sun thru Thur on the AT. Should we expect the shelters to be crowded? If so that would mean I could hang my hammock.. yes?

[Lone Wolf]

yup

[SGT Rock]

It will be crowded.

You are supposed to have reservations for the shelters and sleep in them since you are not thru-hikers.

There are rangers out there this year apparently. So don't break the rules or risk a fine.

That said, if you have a reservation and the shelter is full of thru-hikers, you can probably still hang your hammock and not get in trouble.

[sliderule]

If so that would mean I could hang my hammock.. yes?

Only thruhikers are allowed to camp outside the shelters. And only when there is no space in the shelter.

[Slo-go'en]

No way of telling for sure until you get there, but I think it won't be too crowded. Judging from the trailjournals I read today, the 1st week of March starters are just getting into/through the Smokies now. The big bubble is forming in GA now and it will be 2-3 weeks before they get up that way.

[Big Dawg]

It will be crowded.

You are supposed to have reservations for the shelters and sleep in them since you are not thru-hikers.

There are rangers out there this year apparently. So don't break the rules or risk a fine.

That said, if you have a reservation and the shelter is full of thru-hikers, you can probably still hang your hammock and not get in trouble.

ncmtns,,, I knew the trail police would be givin you some detail after LW's short answer,,, ya know, the rules - regulations - rangers discussion! hehehe,, just pokin fun Rock

[Lone Wolf]

Three of us are going from Clingmans to Fontana next Sun thru Thur on the AT. Should we expect the shelters to be crowded? If so that would mean I could hang my hammock.. yes?

get the reservations. if you show up at the shelter and it's full, 3 thru-hikers will have to get out and give y'all the space

[SGT Rock]

Staggered spring breaks across the country. This is one of the peak times for the AT, not just because of thru-hikers. The spring breakers get the reservations. I already got denied for one shelter on the AT near your time frame.

And the report of a real law enforcement ranger citing guys in the Smokies just a few days ago came from a credible source. Normally you only see ridge runners.

[mtnkngxt]

Heard from another credible source that yes in fact there is a gun/badge toting national forest service officer acting as a trail runner/regulations enforcer. He apparently lost his sense of humor somewhere around Blood Mountain. If found please return to ranger station or closest USPS store. Postage is covered. My source who for arguments sake is a NFS SWAT officer. Yes there is such a thing. Big things they are going to tag you for are stealth camping which they consider the equivelant of squatting and trespassing, and use and possession of contraband ie under age drinking and medicinal marijuana ( make sure you have your prescription )

So do yourself and others a favor this year and avoid causing to much comotion in the smokies. If we behave they won't have a reason to have officers waiting up and down the trail to bother us.

[SGT Rock]

$50 fine is what I hear the guys got for stealthing Cammerer

[Slo-go'en]

Staggered spring breaks across the country. This is one of the peak times for the AT, not just because of thru-hikers. .

Oh yea, I keep forgetting about the spring breakers. And since thier being told not to go to Mexico, camping might be an option for many of them.

[SGT Rock]

We are still waiting for the annual event - The Spring Break College Student Rescue.

Usually one group of them up there somewhere that is unprepared for the weather. Usually cotton clothing, heavy loads, and no maps.

[Egads]

$50 fine is what I hear the guys got for stealthing Cammerer

Cheaper than most hotels with that view

[SGT Rock]

I reckon. But hotels have lots of other cool things going like running water and heat/AC. Plus you don't want to lose your privileges in the Smokies as a local. I've heard that can happen.

[Wise Old Owl]

Sgt,

$50 fine is what I hear the guys got for stealthing Cammerer

Smokies…

Originally Posted by flyfisher
Stupid act:

Paying $192 for me, my wife, and son to stay at a White Mountains hut, in a cramped room with 9 strangers, half of whom snored. All the while, we had hammocks and tarps and food with us that we had carried up Lincoln and Laffyette...

The only advantage of staying was being able to complain about it! ?#!

Within a half mile of the hut was a beautiful forest where hammock camping would have been perfectly legal and a lot quieter.


I cut and copied the above from different threads that are clearly beyond the ability of the software. My thoughts are if you are steath camping then we need to get way off trail to avoid detection and have three or four tarps that are "Snow white" " Knife edge or White Mountain Rocks " "Deep Woods camo" and "Port Clinton shingles" what are your thoughts??

[sliderule]

Heard from another credible source that yes in fact there is a gun/badge toting national forest service officer acting as a trail runner/regulations enforcer.

So much for that "credible source." You won't likely find any National Forest Service officers working in a National Park. Forest Service officers work for the Department of Agriculture. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (not National Forest) is under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior.

[humunuku]

i got me a shelter reservation on Easter night - I'm hoping the shelter will be full of thru's and I'll stay in a tent

[Blissful]

We were there this time of year and the shelters were loaded, esp on weekends. We hiked with a group of ten thrus too. Get the reservations (if you still can, that is).

[Blissful]

i got me a shelter reservation on Easter night - I'm hoping the shelter will be full of thru's and I'll stay in a tent

Well the ridge runner we saw on our trip had a clipboard of those who had reservations. So unless you can prove you're a thru hiker, you're in the shelter for better or for worse. They were much more lenient with thru hikers and the tenting option, I must say, even when the shelters weren't totally full.

[SGT Rock]

Make sure you get a thru-hiker ID card from Neels Gap. I get one from Pirate every year.