How much did you tip the AMC croo at your Hut stay?

[Wise Old Owl]

I am a little uncomfortable with the whining about how much the huts cost when AMC appears* to loose 2% or $513,000 annually on the huts or centers. With all the good things the AMC does for conservation, education, and trail improvement, really?

"We continually look for ways to improve the guest experience at our lodges and huts. In 2011, we made significant capital investments at these facilities, completing the rebuilding of Madison Hut, which opened in June, and opening the new lodge and new private cabins at Gorman Chairback in Maine. In addition to these two large projects, which were accomplished thanks to generous contributions from donors, we also completed renovations on the lodge at Little Lyford in Maine in time for the 2012 winter season."




* "quick" look at the financials - expenses exceed income a little in the huts.

source >>>>> http://www.outdoors.org/pdf/upload/A...011_FORWEB.pdf

[Monkeywrench]

I am a little uncomfortable with the whining about how much the huts cost when AMC appears* to loose 2% or $513,000 annually on the huts or centers. With all the good things the AMC does for conservation, education, and trail improvement, really?

Maybe they should get out of the hotel business.

[Don H]

I never tipped the croo but I only stayed at Lake of the Clouds.
I do always offer a few bucks ($5 or $10) for gas to anyone who picks me up while hitching. Most refused.
I do always leave more than the suggested donation at a hostel. They deserve it!
I do always tip waiters and waitresses at restaurants I ate at along the way.

[SCRUB HIKER]

In some huts, if a Croo kid hooks up with a paying guest and can convince the guest to incorporate apple butter into the festivities (and can prove it later somehow), that Croo member gets the entire tip jar to his/herself for the week.

So rickb, when you tipped the hut kids for the honor of scrubbing their stove burners and sleeping on their mess hall floor, that's probably where your money went.

[hikerboy57]

I am a little uncomfortable with the whining about how much the huts cost when AMC appears* to loose 2% or $513,000 annually on the huts or centers. With all the good things the AMC does for conservation, education, and trail improvement, really?

"We continually look for ways to improve the guest experience at our lodges and huts. In 2011, we made significant capital investments at these facilities, completing the rebuilding of Madison Hut, which opened in June, and opening the new lodge and new private cabins at Gorman Chairback in Maine. In addition to these two large projects, which were accomplished thanks to generous contributions from donors, we also completed renovations on the lodge at Little Lyford in Maine in time for the 2012 winter season."




* "quick" look at the financials - expenses exceed income a little in the huts.

source >>>>> http://www.outdoors.org/pdf/upload/A...011_FORWEB.pdf

the new gorman lodge is beautiful. i met the family who donated it to the AMC, as i had to come off trail off chairback mtn with a sore ankle , hiked down a lumber road to the lodge, they explained that it was closed, then later told me they(the donating family) have kind of a "time share" on the place for the last two weeks of August as part of the terms of the donation. it solved a maintenance problem for the family who didnt live there full time,they get exclusive use for 2 weeks, and the AMC gets a great launching point to introduce more people to the Gulf Hagas and Hermitage areas.
by the way the AMC guy there gave me free coffee, sticky buns, and a lift into greenville.
no charge.

[SCRUB HIKER]

I am guessing that if a person doing a "work for stay" valued their light manual labor at $25 per hour, they come out way ahead in the deal. Why not tip the crew on the net value received? Think of it as a donation that will help keep the door open for future thru hikers.

... It is shocking to think that some appear to think that they are doing the club a favor when they do a work for stay.

Another thought (less snarky than my previous one): It costs the Hut Croos _absolutely nothing_ to host thru-hikers. They cook the exact same amount of food, set the exact same number of tables, do the exact same speeches/skits/programs, pack in the exact same amount of food regardless of thru-hikers' presence or absence. Where thru-hikers HELP them is in lessening their cleaning load, and lessening their pack weight when they have to pack out leftovers. The only possible drawbacks I can see, from a Hut Croo individual's standpoint, is that sometimes they might field complaints from paying guests about scroungy hikers not paying $100 to stay, or that thru-hikers over the course of a season might add a few collective pounds of human waste to the toilets.

If thru-hikers and Hut Croos were in a symbiotic relationship, it would be a mutualistic one: both sides benefit from each other's presence (as it stands now). The Croo kids don't pay me cash out of pocket when I scrub the pots and pans that they're paid to clean, or eat a pound of pasta that they were going to have to throw on their packboards later. I realize that they give me food I might otherwise have to buy, and shelter I might otherwise have to pay for (but only in AMC land), so let's say it comes out equal--the goods and services that thru-hikers and Hut Croos provide each other. But there is no reason at all to tip them if you are a thru-hiker.

[Grampie]

where does it freakin' end? should we tip the shelter and campsite caretakers too? how about the front desk clerks at motels? i bet they don't make much more than the housekeeping gals

I agree with Lone Wolf. If you work for stay than your pay, 0, will balance out for your work. Would you pay an employer for letting you work for him? If you pay the going rate for a bunk and two meals than you are paying for the service offered. You would not stay at a hotel and leave a tip unless you tip the housekeeping folks. 95% of the money made at the huts comes from folks who pay to use the hut, get a bed, blanket, supper and breakfast. They make very, very little from thru-hikers who work for stay.

[House of Payne]

I have stopped in at all of the AMC huts in one trip or another. I have eaten some of their food and chatted with many croo members over the years. I just can't get myself to pay the fees they are asking for a nites stay. I understand the food and waste all has to be carried in and out but $100+ for a single person is just outrageous to me.

In alot of cases where most travelers are just looking for a place to lay their head for the nite (like the Randolph huts offer), I can't see why the AMC huts won't make this option available for people who have their own food.

[Grampie]

I have stopped in at all of the AMC huts in one trip or another. I have eaten some of their food and chatted with many croo members over the years. I just can't get myself to pay the fees they are asking for a nites stay. I understand the food and waste all has to be carried in and out but $100+ for a single person is just outrageous to me.

In alot of cases where most travelers are just looking for a place to lay their head for the nite (like the Randolph huts offer), I can't see why the AMC huts won't make this option available for people who have their own food.

During my 2001 thru my wife came up and met me in North Conway, NH. We had to pay $135 for a motel room. When you are in a tourist area, White Mountains. you have to pay tourist rates.

[House of Payne]

During my 2001 thru my wife came up and met me in North Conway, NH. We had to pay $135 for a motel room. When you are in a tourist area, White Mountains. you have to pay tourist rates.

Only difference is I'm a regular in the whites, travelling from Mass to enjoy it. Unless you are looking for that kind of treatment and willing to pay for it, then ok. Other than that where else on the AT is there full service huts like these? Speaking from a point of view that most AT thru hikers are on some kind of a budget and when they finally make their way to NH this could set them back financially.

[bobqzzi]

Given the outrageous prices the AMC now charges to stay at the huts.. there is Absolutely no way in hell I would ever add to the cost by leaving a tip!!

Frankly, the AMC has priced me right out of staying at huts. 100 bucks (member rate!) to stay at a hut on a Saturday night?? Seriously. Talk of fleecing!!

Not sure how I feel about tipping the croo- I probably would if paying and wouldn't if work for stay, however, i can;t let this comment pass.

By not stretch of the imagination is $100 and outrageous price- in fact I'm willing to be that if you called all the motels within a 50 mile radius that they would cost more- and they don't have to hike of fly everything in. In fact, given the AMC's monopoly on accomodations at altitude, they can charge whatever they want, and certainly could raise prices significantly without losing customers.

[Grampie]

Only difference is I'm a regular in the whites, travelling from Mass to enjoy it. Unless you are looking for that kind of treatment and willing to pay for it, then ok. Other than that where else on the AT is there full service huts like these? Speaking from a point of view that most AT thru hikers are on some kind of a budget and when they finally make their way to NH this could set them back financially.

Simple solution: If you can't afford the going rate, don't stay. That is why they offer work for stay.

[max patch]

Not sure how I feel about tipping the croo- I probably would if paying and wouldn't if work for stay, however, i can;t let this comment pass.

By not stretch of the imagination is $100 and outrageous price- in fact I'm willing to be that if you called all the motels within a 50 mile radius that they would cost more- and they don't have to hike of fly everything in. In fact, given the AMC's monopoly on accomodations at altitude, they can charge whatever they want, and certainly could raise prices significantly without losing customers.

$100 isn't bad for a single hiker and I'll pay it next year when I hike thru. And that price is competitive with hotels.

The problem, as I see it, is when mom and dad and their 3 kids want to stay at a hut. $500 for a nites lodging and meal is out of reach for many people.

[Montana AT05]

Not sure how I feel about tipping the croo- I probably would if paying and wouldn't if work for stay, however, i can;t let this comment pass.

By not stretch of the imagination is $100 and outrageous price- in fact I'm willing to be that if you called all the motels within a 50 mile radius that they would cost more- and they don't have to hike of fly everything in. In fact, given the AMC's monopoly on accomodations at altitude, they can charge whatever they want, and certainly could raise prices significantly without losing customers.

Wow, I never stayed at a hut in the whites that offered a room for $100 that had crisp white sheets on two queen sized beds, a flat screen TV with cable, a small couch, a full bathroom (just for me) with hot water and a flush toilet and toiletries on the sink plus front desk service with complimentary razors and shaving cream plus internet access and a breakfast thrown in (all you can eat generic fruit loops!). Oh, and house cleaning!

I guess I missed that hut!

I suppose my tip would be: Harvard costs too much for what you get. Hey, sort of like this hut!

Personally I didn't mind the hut system in the whites, I referred to them as snicker bar dispensers...and I had a very enjoyable stay at Carter Notch where I washed dishes for a huge party of people and slept on a table.

[mudhead]

where does it freakin' end? should we tip the shelter and campsite caretakers too? how about the front desk clerks at motels? i bet they don't make much more than the housekeeping gals

Ignore him. City boy trying to troll.

the new gorman lodge is beautiful. i met the family who donated it to the AMC, as i had to come off trail off chairback mtn with a sore ankle , hiked down a lumber road to the lodge, they explained that it was closed, then later told me they(the donating family) have kind of a "time share" on the place for the last two weeks of August as part of the terms of the donation. it solved a maintenance problem for the family who didnt live there full time,they get exclusive use for 2 weeks, and the AMC gets a great launching point to introduce more people to the Gulf Hagas and Hermitage areas.
by the way the AMC guy there gave me free coffee, sticky buns, and a lift into greenville.
no charge.

Another way to look at it is someone gets a sweet vacation home in the backwoods that might not have been permitted otherwise. Not to mention the tax advantages.

Place was a pit before being remodeled.

[adamkrz]

Some huts are open during the off season for a discounted price - you bring your own food and use their kitchen, I think it's about 25 bucks.

[Wise Old Owl]

Thank U all that posted so far ... I really appreciate that you all put an extra effort into your posts....

My thinking is that the AMC as well as Donors will see this and I would not want to see thing reflect badly on WB or the AMC- IMO there is a lot that might be misread and we as a group need to support mutual respect.

[WingedMonkey]

AMC as well as Donors will see this

Now that there is funny.

[Lion King]

Now that there is funny.

I stayed at huts for WFS in 98 and 03 a couple times, but now Stealthing is my life.


I have tipped for coffee and soup or muffins in the afternoon for breaks, but when I did WFS heres what I got compared to what I had to do:

slept on a floor in a room for of snorers under a table
for dinner, got leftover cornbread, a few beans and the last of some sort of cake
breakfast was leftover oatmeal and a danish

for that I had to wash dishes, sweep floors, stir the food compost in the morning which was full of maggots and smelled worse than a football stadium bathroom after free beer and taco night, started 3 hours late, and was hungry before I left so I had to cook again anyway.

I did enjoy partying with the crue at night though, that was a good time, but WFS? Never again./ If people are dumb enough to pay 125$ a night for huts, they can tip %18 with no prob.

[Digger'02]

I gave 10 dollars, They supplied some pretty good home brew during a fall stay at the Greenleaf hut ..

Ex-Hutmen (M) here and I never expected any thru-hiker to tip. That's pretty absurd in my mind although I was a unique among the crewmen in that 1) I was from the south 2) I had already thru-hiked (and camped all through the whites only 'stealthing' (illegal camping) once). We took in just about every thru-hiker who was looking for a spot. It was our job (the Croo) to make sure each guest felt like we went above and beyond so they wanted to tip and we did- if you went through Greenleaf hut particularly in 2002 you had a good time I bet. Let all the Bostonians tip, one of them can tip better than 20 thru-hikers anyway, so don't worry about it. Do a work for stay, hang with the croo and be happy right? If you get a bum crew well thems the brakes.

I'll tell all you that need to be told-the crew didn't make anything above minimum wage when I was there, but it didn't matter, we had 0 expenses and lived in the best house on the planet.

Say what you will about the AMC but I think the Huts are pretty cool. Its expensive, but its also expensive to helo stuff in, maintain greywater, manage the crapper, etc.

Finally, as a user I LOVE the huts for this reason: all those goofers up there and if you can find one of the good campsites up there there is no one there!!! Everyone is at the Hut. Concentrate goofers, educate them and keep them out of my campsite? thanks huts you rule. (some call it 'stealthing', but you can legally camp all over the place up there, so I call it 'camping' when your not breaking the rules)