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  1. #1
    Registered User
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    06-17-2011
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    Colorado Springs
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    Default Shelter Availability

    I was wondering what the chances are that the shelters along the MD section of the trail will be available the second week of July...during the weekdays. If I am correct, it is first come-first serve, with no reservations?

  2. #2

    Default

    Fist come, first served, no reservations, NO GURANTEE OF SHELTER SPACE. All the rest is blah blah blah.

  3. #3
    Registered User johnnybgood's Avatar
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    Bringing your own tent gurantees 100% shelter.
    Getting lost is a way to find yourself.

  4. #4
    Registered User
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    Default

    I understand that...I was just wondering if they usually fill up during the weekdays or not...thanks!

  5. #5
    AT 11,000 Miler
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    Default

    They will probably not fill up on a weekday this time of year. But you never know when a youth group will come in and fill up a shelter.

  6. #6
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Default

    Haven't been to Maryland in a while, but given what NY/NJ were like this spring, I'd recommend tenting for the bug screen. This has been the worst mosquito season I can remember.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  7. #7
    Registered User Country Roads's Avatar
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    08-25-2007
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    You will probably be sharing shelters with the NoBo's, but that can be fun.
    The Raven Ridge Shelter is nice, Ensign cowel shelter is pretty new, Pineknob shelter is one of the older ones and is small and "cozy", Crampton gap usually has no water this time of year (can't say what it looks like though) Rocky run shelters (old and new shelter) are nice, Ed Garvey shelter is nice. There are places to camp around the shelters. There are several designated camp areas: Pogo Memorial campsites and Annapolis rocks.
    The water is pretty well spaced, so, if you camel up at each source, you should be good to carry 1 liter or so between sources.

    The two state parks have vending machines for sodas, juice, etc (but for some reason, they have no garbage cans; they want visitors to take their trash with them, Hmm). Nice section.
    Give Me Mountains & I Am Happy!

  8. #8

    Default

    By the second week in July, most NOBO's will be past Maryland. But yeah, there will still be plenty of folks around and it can get buggy. Shelter space is neither guaranteed, nor truly, will it be that desirable a commodity. Bring a tent.

  9. #9
    Registered User
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    Default

    What are NoBo's?

  10. #10
    Registered User johnnybgood's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by salmonella View Post
    What are NoBo's?
    Northbound hikers .
    Getting lost is a way to find yourself.

  11. #11
    Registered User OldFeet's Avatar
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    Three years ago I section hiked MD the third week in July and was the only one at the shelter most nights. Expect some pretty warm weather and grab water whenever you can. During my hike the Deer Lick Shelter water source had dried up but there is a very good spring about a mile south of the shelter.

  12. #12
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    07-14-2005
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    Default

    Hikers doing the whole trail (or NOBOS) are probably past then but there will be some still going through. To tell you whether a space will be filled or not one can't determine. There are also plenty of peolpe out also, including youth. So taking a tent or tarp is the logical thing to do in this popular section, just in case. One should never rely on the shelter system







    Hiking Blog
    AT NOBO and SOBO, LT, FHT, ALT
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  13. #13
    Registered User
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    12-15-2003
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    Charlotte, NC
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    Default You Need a Shelter Rewards Card

    Quote Originally Posted by Dogwood View Post
    Fist come, first served, no reservations, NO GURANTEE OF SHELTER SPACE. All the rest is blah blah blah.
    Dogwood, little known fact:

    If you read your guidebook closely you'll see most AT shelters have a concierge available to book your next shelter stay. They usually setup along the blue blaze trails. In a pinch, I use Travelocity or Orbitz to book my shelter stay so I never have a problem.

    Oh, and don't forget the shelter concierges give away 50% off AYCE coupons for upcoming towns! It's better than Groupon Deal of the Day!!
    Last edited by Spokes; 06-20-2011 at 14:40.

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