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  1. #1
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    Default Bald Mountain Shelter

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

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

    Future hikers - any questions?

  2. #2
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    A thru hiker named Green Mountain Man died there a couple years ago but it isn't haunted.

  3. #3

    Thumbs up Cold and wet

    Nice double decker shelter with lots of room.

    Because it is so high, about sunset in Mid May, the cloud deck rolled in as did the wind. It dripped like rain all night from that point on.
    Walk Well,
    Risk

    Author of "A Wildly Successful 200-Mile Hike"
    http://www.wayahpress.com

    Personal hiking page: http://www.imrisk.com

  4. #4
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    Question

    To any experienced AT sectioner...

    My son and I are planning a June 04 hike from Roan Bald to Mt. Rogers. We are planning to be dropped off at Cloudland, and spend the day just getting used to boots/packs/altitude, etc., then spending the first night at Roan Bald shelter.

    Question: Is it acceptable practice to spend a "prep" night at a shelter, even though we haven't done any real milage to that point? (Thanks in advance for your answers.) - hillbilly

  5. #5
    Section Hiker 500 miles smokymtnsteve's Avatar
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    ...
    Last edited by smokymtnsteve; 08-13-2003 at 21:00.
    "I'd rather kill a man than a snake. Not because I love snakes or hate men. It is a question, rather, of proportion." Edward Abbey

  6. #6

    Default Hillbilly

    You mean Roan High Knob shelter?

    Do what you want. No rules. Personally, I didn't like this shelter. Maybe it was just me but I thought it was depressing. Better than camping in the snow though.

  7. #7
    Section Hiker 500 miles smokymtnsteve's Avatar
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    .....
    Last edited by smokymtnsteve; 08-13-2003 at 20:59.
    "I'd rather kill a man than a snake. Not because I love snakes or hate men. It is a question, rather, of proportion." Edward Abbey

  8. #8
    Registered User B Thrash's Avatar
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    Default Roan High Knob Shelter

    Hillbilly:
    If I remember right this shelter has a seasonal spring for water source. In June I would not count on water being there. No water was what forced me to move on to the next shelter. This shelter was run down also.
    Rigormortis

  9. #9
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    Default Bald Mountain Shelter

    This shelter (Bald Mountain) is about a mile north of Big Bald mountain, which is north of Sams Gap, and considerably south of Roan Mountain. Bald Mountain shelter is at 5,100 ft elevation, so offers coolness although it is not on a mountain top. It's a good place to hear coyotes and owls, so be prepared for these sounds in the night. I note that the data book says there are meals to the east of Big Stamp (0.2 mi N of Big Bald Mt) -- that is very unreliable, as the dirt road goes down through a gated community and the likelihood of getting a ride is remote. It might be a bail out point in case of emergency.

  10. #10
    Easy Strider, section hiker hiker33's Avatar
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    Default Bald Mountain Shelter

    I maintain the section from Big Stamp north to Little Bald, including the Bald Mountain Shelter area. The guidebook info about meals near Big Stamp is outdated. There is a small general store within the gated community (Wolf Laurel) but it is several miles away and a few thousand feet down in elevation. As a bailout point in a serious emergency it's less than a mile to houses which may or may not be occupied as most are weekend getaways.

    The water at the shelter is reliable and only a few hundred feet away. About 0.3 miles N on the AT is a side trail L leading to a good campsite and continuing down to a reliable spring. I brushed it out last summer and blue blazed it to the spring but there may be some briars for the first 100 feet or so before it opens out. There are double blazes marking the junction. This campsite is a good place to tent if the shelter is crowded.

    Many of the messages posted here are about Roan High Knob shelter, not Bald Mountain.

    Happy trails.

  11. #11
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    Default Bald Mountain Shelter

    The Bald Mountain shelter is between Sams Gap and Spivey Gap, about a mile north of Big Bald Mountain, along the NC/TN border. I was with a Carolina Mountain Club crew that went to the shelter today (June 25) today to prepare for moving the privy to a new location. The rain was approaching, so we had to terminate the work and will go back later to complete the move. A reminder to hikers: please do put in a handfull of leaves or wood chips (whichever is being used) when you use a composting (moldering) privy. This type of privy is being evaluated all along the AT, and your support will add to the validity of the conclusions.

  12. #12
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    Default Bald Mtn Shelter

    Our Carolina Mtn. Club crew completed moving the privy at this shelter today (July 9, 2004). Follow the same path to the rear of the shelter and turn right onto an obviously new connector. Same privy; new location. And please put a handful of leaves (already there, in a container) in the privy when you use it. BTW, an owl hooted at us while we were working, just before noon; we must have been disturbing it's daytime slumber.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Brushy Sage
    Our Carolina Mtn. Club crew completed moving the privy at this shelter today (July 9, 2004). Follow the same path to the rear of the shelter and turn right onto an obviously new connector. Same privy; new location. And please put a handful of leaves (already there, in a container) in the privy when you use it. BTW, an owl hooted at us while we were working, just before noon; we must have been disturbing it's daytime slumber.

    Thank you for all that you and the great volunteers at the Carolina Mountain Club do for us hikers! We all owe you a debt of gratitude.

    Jeffrey Hunter
    'All my lies are always wishes" ~Jeff Tweedy~

  14. #14
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    Default Many Thanks

    Thanks to you and the many volunteers on the Bald Mountain privy. Looking forward to a nice, restful, contemplative moment or two up on the Bald....Hillbilly -

  15. #15
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    Default Amen to that

    I'm grateful to anyone who takes the effort to build a shelter or privy.

    One of the most appalling bits of hiker behavior I ever saw was in the register. A hiker to whom I'd taken a dislike some days before passed through a shelter long before I did (he was quite fast, I was quite slow). Anyway, he wrote in the register that he'd come to the shelter midday for a poo, and was disappointed to find no privy. "Thanks again, NOC", he wrote.

    This was a man on whom I could wish a broken ankle with no feeling of remorse.


    Anyway, thank you for your work on the trail. I remember defecating very satisfyingly at the Bald Mountain Shelter Privy.

  16. #16
    Registered User DiamondDoug's Avatar
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    Default 2008 update

    I am the section maintainer for that part of the Trail that includes Bald Mountain shelter (Big Bald to Little Bald). I was up there last week for a spring walk through before the thru hikers start to arrive enmass. The shelter looks good, although the privy is getting a little full. Please remember to use the leaves to help the waste molder if you use it. I'll be back to fix the door soon.

    The Spring for this shelter is on a side path. There is a seep spring you will come to first, but the main spring is another 20 yards further. Go to the piped spring for water.

    If you are heading north on the trail there is a second spring at a good campsite about 4/10 of a mile north. The trail to the spring is blazed blue. This is a good spring.

    I was on the Trail last September, back when we were in the midst (and still are) of a severe drought here in Carolina. Both springs had water at that time, and I expect they will have water throughout the summer. I'll report if I ever hear or see different.
    Onward. Furthur!
    -<>-Doug
    GAME2k

    I have newfound respect for the phrase "within walking distance." -Welches

  17. #17
    Registered User DiamondDoug's Avatar
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    Late summer update from your friendly neighborhood section maintainer. Both the spring at the shelter and another at the campsite 4/10 mile north are flowing nicely, despite our drought. New to the shelter are bear cables. Please use them; please let the Carolina Mountain Club know what you think in the shelter register. Thanks, -<>-Doug
    Onward. Furthur!
    -<>-Doug
    GAME2k

    I have newfound respect for the phrase "within walking distance." -Welches

  18. #18
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    Shelter was a mess a month ago. Lots of trash.
    Say hi to the hermit of Little Bald for me.
    I'm not really a hiker, I just play one on White Blaze.

  19. #19
    El Sordo
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    FYI. The privy at Bald Mountain Shelter is tipped over. I don't know if this was maintenance, vandalism, or bear activity. Water was flowing from the piped stream.
    Dyslexics Untie!

  20. #20
    Registered User Tennessee Viking's Avatar
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    The CMC maintainer for that section is on here somewhere. I would expect wind was the suspect. There have been winds up above 50+.
    ''Tennessee Viking'
    Mountains to Sea Trail Hiker & Maintainer
    Former TEHCC (AT) Maintainer

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