A few here may know me but for those who don't,I've been cleaning up this shelter since 1980 and more frequently as per my agreement with the Carolina Mtn. Club.This year due to the excessive number of those attempting a thru hike I stopped this after my last trip there on 3-27-15.During the 2014 thru season,I could clean up the shelter and return 2-3 days later only to find more litter.Well last Tuesday I hiked in and what I found did not surprise me.The 1st thing I saw was a large bag of trash on the bear cables.029.JPG Next was the fact that no one has cut anything growing around the shelter.Some blackberry shoots were growing into the shelter.043.JPGThe fire pit in front of the shelter was a mound of rocks,trash and dirt.027.JPGThe inside fireplace was full too.There is a shovel there,paid for by a WB member.I guess no hikers no how to use it.025.JPGWell I'm glad I got there early,I had a lot to do.First I cleaned up the fire pit,removing the the rocks and trash.040.JPGNext I attacked the inside fireplace.088.jpgAfter a quick lunch I spent a good hour or more using lopers to cut away all the blackberry shoots and other growth on 2 sides of the shelter.093.jpg092.jpgThen I built a fire to help chase away the horrible cloud of blood sucking biting gnats and burn some of the burnable trash because I could barely fit the 8lb bag of trash into my daypack.042.JPGAlso used the shovel to clean the weeds around the log benches,I built in 1-13 with the help of 2 other WB members who had earlier agreed to meet me there.It's a wonder that these are still there.Here's a last shot I took before leaving.049.JPGWell there it is a very clean shelter,ready for the 2015 SOBOs,I hope they do a little better than the previous guests did.It was a hot day down in the valley with temps in the mid 90s,but my thermometer showed only 74* there @1pm.The spring is running fair and if we don't get much rain soon, it could dry up.I have only seen it dry 3 or 4 times since I've been going there.I provide this service just because it needs to be done as the Carolina Mtn. Club must be busy elsewhere.I was rewarded on the way down with a seeing a bear about 1 mile from the shelter on Round Knob trail as I hiked back to my truck.Bears are a rare sight here as this a top spot for local bear hunters.065.JPGI hope some of you enjoy this post because IMO it's still to hot to be hiking very far till it cools off a bit.See you on the trail and have a great day.