Hightop Shelter, SNP

[Sailing_Faith]

Like other shelters in the SNP, the sleeping platform has just been painted and the privy has been replaced with a 'composting' head. They actually left the old privy in place, so there are options for using the facilities.... a nice smelling one or a really foul one if you are so inclined.

One rather interesting decision they made on the new privy was to put a locking hasp on the outside of the door... apparently whoever thought of that has better friends then I have associated with. I suspect someone will spend a night in that privy as it would only take a prankster and a short bit of stick to lock someone in.

I was the idiot who drove up from Florida and decided that he would lighten his pack by casting out most of his cold weather gear when he left his truck at Rockfish gap.... when getting up to the shelter at 4pm, I ran into 'Pete' who looked to be toting enough gear for an arctic expedition. He said there was to be some snowfall... and was right.

Got about 8" and while I was ok in my bag, it was tough going back down to the road at 2pm the next day when the snow stopped falling.... after a day or two in Waynesboro to regroup I hiked up to the shelter and again spent the night with 'Lewis and Clark' and a non-speaking through hiker....

Oh, the reason I started this thread was to mention that there is a second spring about .4 miles north of this shelter that several people mentioned in the register over the summer as a more reliable H2o source. Both springs were flowing well when I was there.

[Sailing_Faith]

Here is a picture of the Hightop hut that I took before the snow started to fall.

[Sailing_Faith]

Here is the fire ring the next morning....



The trail was a bit tough to see



It was a little cold out there....

[dhock83]

I plan on staying at this shelter in end of march and was wondering if there are any updates about it. We will most likely be getting to this shelter after sunset and was looking for any info that could help us get settled in and find everything needed in the dark. We plan on hanging our hammocks but, if too late thoughts of staying in the shelter have crossed our minds. Any info is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Cookerhiker]

I used to maintain the Trail from HighTop Hut north over HighTop Mountain to Skyline Drive. Haven't been there since last June but re your reference to the springs, there is a spring practically at the top of the mountain. It's more like .7 miles than .4 but it makes the mountaintop a great place to camp, especially with the westward views from a rocky outcropping.

[Blissful]

I was there Nov 7 and the spring at Hightop was running fine. Not so in early October, but we are ahead of water content. The path to the spring is just before you reach the shelter itself, on the blue blaze trail. Plenty of trees to hang. Nice thing about Shenandoah, everything is well marked via the concrete posts. PATC does a great job.

[johnnybgood]

Absolutely beautiful snow pics Craig . I enjoy hiking when the snow begins falling and the forest becomes a serene winter wonderland . In regards to the spring , it is as others have said , on a blueblaze and is about a tenth a mile before the shelter . There also is a second one as mentioned above by Cookerhiker .