i’ve read a few journal entries that talk about the local residents along the trail using the shelters as party facilities. How often does this happen and how much of a problem is it?
quick1
Problems in shelters
system
#2
I only once had trouble with locals at the shelters on my thru-hike, though I saw the aftermath of some parties, in the form of beer cans and other trash left at shelters. It’s pretty easy to avoid, though, as the “problem” shelters are almost always near roads. Just check the guidebooks, and ask local hikers you might encounter dayhiking about the shelter you’re aiming for that night.
The one time we did run into a crowd of teenagers, we asked them politely to quiet down, and they did-- mostly.
Susan
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#4
I found groups of teenagers looking to party at shelters on a few occasions last year. In those cases I moved further on up the trail. BTW… in all cases when I met teens at shelters they always gave me sodas, beer, or chocolate.
I bear them no grudge for being there, it’s just that they are after a different experience to us hikers ( I can still remember being young once and wanting to get away with friends for a good time).
Downunda
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#5
I forgot to mention. The thing that worried me more was when I got to a shelter and some weirdo who was clearly not a serious hiker was there. Fortunately that only happened once and I kept moving on.
Downunda
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#6
We only had one weird experience with locals at a shelter…at the same shelter A-Train referred to…Gov Clement shelter. There were 5 thru hikers at the shelter…all in our sleeping bags at about 10pm. Then the UFO flew by…okay… a big rumbling pickup drove by, right in front of the shelter, shining a light into the shelter. I guess they determined there wasn’t much happenin’ cause they didn’t stay, but we were all awake after that!
Bramble
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#7
Saw this comment about the Gov Clement shelter on another site:
Unfortunetly this pretty spot is accessible by a rough dirt road and is frequently visited by 4x4 trucks, ATV’s and their drivers who often come with beer and occasionally guns to spend the night celebrating the beauty of the Green Mountains in their own raucous way.
Right third finger
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#8
Tumbling Run log records theft of one hiker’s stove, all cooking equipment and food hung at Antietam 2 weeks ago. Nice scout leader ferried the hikers into town to buy new equipment, but they lost a day and some of their confidence.
Lots of partying (according to nice local sectionhiker) at Antietam and Tumbling Run in South Pennsylvania—and lots of condom wrappers and beer cans in the fire place. Group of local teens came through at 8 pm one night to see if anyone was at Tumbling when I was there 2 weeks ago. Tumbling Run log records theft of one hiker’s stove, all cooking equipment and food hung at Antietam 2 weeks ago.
CeCe
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#9
We never had too many problems in shelters. There were a few weird instances, but like Susan said, they are pretty easy to avoid, and almost always occur VERY near roads. Most of our experiences with locals were positive.
My husband and I spent half the nights in our tarp anyway, and at any sign of noise, (snorers, really early risers, partying locals, radio or cellphone users, rats) we would pitch our tarp a little ways away from the shelter or move on to the next. It worked out well, because sometimes it was fun to hang around the shelter group and then “retire” to our quiet, private tarp nearby.
Once or twice, I actually felt sorry for the locals/ weekenders because a long distance hiker would demand them to be quiet at like 8:00 p.m. or even earlier, then wake everyone when they left at 4:00am. So, I guess it can go both ways, and is really about common sense, etc.
Jitterbug
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#10
College kids use them a lot (Cheaper than a motel, you know) and it’s getting to be that time of year. Many of them will hike 5 miles up a mountain to party at a shelter. Mainly happens on weekends—Friday and Saturday nights. The same with teenagers. Best to have a tent, tarp or hammock to escape a shelter for the night if you need to. The roudy locals are pretty much the same, Friday and Saturday night parties with beer. Most have jobs, kids go to school, so Friday and Saturday nights generally the problem nights. Best to plan accordingly. :cheers
Maintain
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#11
So far, the only problems I’ve run into were at Tumbling Run (in Southern Pa). Partying teens took over one of the shelters. And at Devil’s Racecourse in Maryland, where a homeless man said he’d lived there all summer.:nerd
Harry Dolphin
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#12
Has anyone ever come across a vagrant living in the shelters,or on the AT?I’ve hike the AT southern section from Springer to Bastion Va.I’ve yet to see a vagrant.
I just returned from hiking a 60 mile loop in Yosemite.My partners and I were out for 8 days.Last Friday we were hiking out, and came across a man sitting by the trail.
His story was that he had set up camp at about 10,000 feet,and walked away from his campsite.He strayed so far that he couldn’t find his way back to his campsite.
He had no food or water,just the cloths on his back.We suggested he hike out with us but,he said that his cousin was coming after him.
That night we saw him walking aimlessly by our campsite.We invited him to stay the night, and he could hike to Yosemite Valley with us.
To make a longer story short.We borrowed a hikers C phone, and called the ranger station in the Valley.They took him into custody,and told us he was being charged as a vagrant.
Bill Harris
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#13
I too came across a guy and his huge dog set up in a shelter on the AT. The dog was a barker, and the guy told me he was staying in that shelter until a lawsuit was settled and he got his money. He was friendly, but I thought it was not right that he was basically living in the shelter. This was about 3 years ago, in PA. All part of the experience
woodstrider
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#14
I was settled in at Standing Indian Shelter in Feb 2oo3 in the midst of a storm, when 8 college buddies hiked into camp at dusk. The weather was going to change quickly with hail, snow and tornadoes forcasted for the night. Initially I was alone and all was quiet. When the guys arrived, a radio was cranked up and the wine and Jack Daniels flowed. Once the wind and rain worsened, all 9 of us were jammed into the shelter where my new roommates loudly cut-up til early in the morning. I awoke to 19 degrees, snow, and a long hike out to get to my take-out point. Although I’m sure they had a good time, I wish they would have been a little more considerate.
Zydecajun