Don’t Stay in SHELTERS on the Appalachian Trail
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- Опубліковано 23 лют 2022
- Watch my most recent video about AT OVERCROWDING - • OVERCROWDING on the Ap...
There are nearly 260 shelters on the Appalachian Trail. A simple building that protects it’s inhabitants from the elements. In this video I give my reasons why I won’t be staying in shelters anymore. But as I mention I believe every situation should be considered based on the the condition of the shelter and tenting spots around. Make sure to watch to the end!
#AppalachianTrail #Thruhike #Shelter
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Candy Mama here! yes this used to be a couples account with my husband named "THE DOWER DUO". We have since rebranded it to feature my individual adventures.
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Hi Folks! I’d like to point out something I frequently read in the comment section. I left out one other pro of a shelter that I think is the best. Shelters reduce the impact to the land. If more people stay in the structure the less tents will be set up (which does cause a negative impact on surrounding habitats/ local floral). ALSO I KNOW ITS A CLIP OF LEGLESS LIZARD and NOT A SNAKE. So many pointed this out. Same concept and ick I guess. Thanks for watching! This video has really blown up and most that have watched have been positive and some have even offered helpful constructive criticism.
Smoke out your shelter. That nasty white thick smoke and let it air out. Keeps all the creepy crawlies out. I snore. Badly. So I stay off away from others when I set up for the night. It keeps all the no see ums and the wtf is that in my bag when you sleeping. Just enjoy the campfire cologne and you are golden.
Just throw a hand grenade in and keep walking. You'll be doing the world a favor by taking out people who crave social interaction and can't do anything by themselves. You'll be taking out alot of sports center fanatics (average white male) and a bunch of wannabe Kim Kardashians (average white female)
@@jasonb4738 The best part about being in a shelter and some one who snores is it frightens the wild animals trying to sleep nearby. One can feel safer having the protection of a loud snoring person in a cave as the echoes generated will make it sound like more than one excavator mining for ore. (Mght be advisable to bring ear plugs.)
@@garygoldstein327 yeah but having a bear come up and make you roll over because they can’t sleep might be bad. 🤣
Btw, daddy long legs are edible and great protein in a survival situation .. if you take legs off and pinch the body before eating they have both a mint smell and taste .. they do have venom glands, but their poison does not affect humans
The absence of people is the thing I enjoy most about the outdoors. I’d rather sleep in a ravine during a thunderstorm then in a nasty shelter with other people.
@@norml.hugh-mann Nah I think they know, getting caught in a flashflood while sleeping is definitely still preferable to sleeping in a piled up shelter.
@@norml.hugh-mann I’m 50 and still alive and doing fine, I’ll be ok.
Yeah I think I would too.
Unless somebody is watching ya to attack when alone
All facts. The point is to avoid people.
My aunt designed a shelter and my family built it on the trail as a memorial to my uncle. She was an architect. He lived the trail. Her design has been copied and you showed one.
I doubt they know who your aunt is bro they just thought it up also
Who cares my grandad was a gay alpha fighter in WW2 and made the anti shelter association and it funded the entire Appalachian trail. I think shelter supremacy MUST end.
@@charliemackin9620 I didn't say anything about supremacy. I just said my aunt designed one and it was copied because it's popular. Relax. It's really not a big deal. She's dead.
@@comfortablynumb9342 that's really cool man, sorry ppl have to bring negativity.
@@marissastoumbaugh7562 yes, some people can't resist a chance to be ugly. It's okay. My family goes to the shelter built in my uncle's name occasionally to fix it up and clean around it. A lot of people have stayed there and left awesome posts about it on the internet. Yes, mice and copperheads are around. There are strange people too at times. But none of the bad has to do with the shelter, it's just normal trail stuff. They say the feedback is almost all positive. So a jerk or two making negative comments only tells me about the people making the comments. They can't counter the 100s of positive things my family and I have heard about that shelter.
I’m a former marine and i don’t go into wilderness without a firearm. I don’t understand civilians who don’t take personal security seriously
Firearms are nearly impossible to get . Going to the police station for permit application , application for purchasing a firearm , with limits, letters of reference, and your purchase paper have an expiration date, rules on transport, storage, buying ammo with a permit , in nj. Youre looked at like a criminal
the people of NJ need too stand up against, the state goverment, the right of the people too keep and bear arms shall not be in fringed. its your right as an american. stand up, be heard, fight for your rights
100%. People who don’t take their safety seriously have just been living in a privileged bubble for so long they can’t even imagine something violent or criminal could happen to them. Or they’re just useful idiots.
Unfortunately, north of VA, that is going to get pretty hard to do on the Appalachian trail unless you want to risk illegally carrying.
Because most “out doors” people are actually shelters woosies who think nothing will ever happen to them
On a more positive note, I had taken my 6 year old son on the AT to camp overnight at the Kirkbridge Shelter in PA. It was winter and when we got there some guys in their 20's and 30's were aready there so there was no space in the shelter. They invited us to join them for a pot luck supper so we pitched our tent and joined in. I was a little nervous of how it would go with my son only being 6. As it turned out it was a reunion of professional story tellers that made their livings telling stories to groups, schools etc. After dinner, story time started and went until way after midnight. My son and I were mesmerized by these very elaborate often fully memorized stories. I don't think we moved an inch for hours and were totally entertained and amazed. I have hiked a lot of the trail and this was by far the best night ever. So it is not all bad staying at shelters, sometimes you meet some very interesting and nice folks that totally make the trip more enjoyable. I have experienced the bear problem once as well, and ended up hiking out to our car in the middle of the night when the bears would not leave us alone looking for food.
Wonderful story which your son will never forget. You lucked out!
So glad you two had that awesome experience!
@@matthewatwood8641 I looked at the brief of the book, but don't see the connection to our experience?
@@brucemckelvy9920 Oh well. It's autobiographical. The author is describing growing up around these fisherman in his community, becoming a cabin boy as was a matter of course for most of the boys in the village, (De Hartog grew up to captain ships & be an author), & being initiated into the crews age old tradition of coffee, chocolate, & stories until sleep. The stories they tell are the stories in the book. What you described in your comment just made me flash on that.
Story telling is an important part of life.
@@matthewatwood8641 OH.. OK.. I just did not make the connction from reading the brief summary of the book.
Great video! I was a pest control technician for 18+ years and I can tell you with the utmost degree of certainty that in addition to the list that was provided in this video .... that Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus (aka; bed bugs) are a major unseen issue when staying at hiking shelters and/or hostels. These insects can remain dormant without feeding for 12 months - just waiting for the next victim to fall asleep. They can then (and often do) get into your personal belongings without even being noticed. Next thing you know, you travel back home and unbeknownst to you .... they have set up shop in your home. This can literally cost you thousands upon thousands to rid the issue entirely. They are the number one reason I would never even contemplate staying in a shelter and/or hostel. EDIT; If there were no other options and I did decide to stay at a hostel/shelter .... I would only do so after an EXTREMELY thorough inspection.
~
I am surprised that more people have not given your comment a like. Perhaps they are in denial!
Thank you. This alone will keep me away from shelters.
@@GTFBITK You're welcome, but allow me to give you some quick tips on where/how to inspect for bed bug activity if you are in a position where there is no other option (like a hotel, hostel, random house, ect).
Get yourself a quality LED flashlight and understand that bed bugs are experts at hiding and going undetected. They can hide between the smallest cracks & crevices, without ever being noticed.
The primary areas of interest are going to be the mattress, headboard, box spring & frame areas, where they congregate near the host.
2 things to be on the lookout for; the bed bugs themselves and their fecal stains (which will be tiny brown/red stains on the mattress fabric). The bigger the infestation, the more fecal matter and bed bugs you will find.
If the headboard can be detached, lift it up and inspect. If not, focus on that mattress and the box spring. Especially at the seams and lift the seams as you circle the bed/box spring.
I used to stay at hotels for work and this was the procedure I'd use every time, prior to getting on any bed. Never brought a single bed bug home after years of being a pest control ltechnician, and I have treated some of the worst infestations imaginable.
Good advice.
Hostel's are actually super nice, even better than hotels in some cases. The issue is you have to choose a nice one.....like if you set up shop in the CHEAPEST one you can find, and don't expect dirt and partyers, I don't know what to tell you...
We (Boy Scouts of Virgina ) hiked the AT allot in the 70's and we hardly ever ran into others on the trail and I don't remember a shelter ever having others there before we got there, but my crowning moment on the AT was as a 16 year old Boy Scout with another Scout named Tim were trying to earn some merit badges and it required us to do a weekend hike (Fri-Sun) on the AT from point A to B, this part of the trail was in southish VA around Natural Bridge, but anyway we got hit with the ice storm of the century that weekend 1977-78 blizzard and we were on the AT seriously and only 16 at the time lol, sooooooo starting early saturday night thru the next morning we were pummeled with ice/snow but mostly ice and we grew concerned about out safety, see everything was coated in inches of ice I kid you not, our tent collapsed I cannot remember how many times during the night requiring us to get out and to keep putting it back up in the storm, so we got no sleep and the sounds we heard were terrifying mostly trees not branches but whole trees crashing in the forest all around us so we were concerned one would fall on us, so the next morning in the light of day we saw disaster and beauty on a scale I've never seen before or since, it was gorgeous it was like being in a crystal world it was breathtaking too see, but, we were scared because the trail was gone unfindable due to the debris and ice covering everything, if you've ever heard a million wind chimes at once thats what it sounded like, it was incredible and as a 16 year old i knew this was special, well myself and Tim searched for awhile found what we thought was the trail, you could not see any marker on the trees thru the ice or the trail it was full of debris and super slippery, it was scary and adrenalin pumping at the same time because the ground was covered in inches of ice and we felt like we were going to slip and fall a million times with full backpacks just trying to get back to civilization, well too finish this story up, using a map a compass and after climbing over debris for hour we finally found a fire road and started following it down the mountain, this had it's own problems because it was a sheet of steeply inclined ice, at some point we realized we could use our equipment to make sleds and believe it or not we were actually able to from about half way down the mountain to slide down the fire road using our packs as sleds to the bottom using our boots covered with socks to control the speed seriously, we then walked/slid to a regular road and hitchhiked back home seriously I couldn't believe we got a ride it was a disaster all over and many many roads were unappeasable. so I was glad to get home, we were greeted by our surprised parents and our troop leader, not many others were aware of what had happened to us and of course the whole state was a disaster because of this storm, but we found the Adults did not call anybody to have us rescued because our scout leader convinced everybody we would find our way back and we did so luckily happy ending and an incredible experience on the AT for me and some guy named Tim. I also have a great story about finding a 7 foot tree stump glowing bright as day at night behind a AT shelter, the glow is called "FoxFire" its a luminous fungus that glows very brightly and if you've ever seen it it usually is only seen on a branch or twigs but this was a glowing 7' tree stump and we did not know what it was and neither did the adults, and I don't remember anybody being frightened, but since our scout leaders did not know what it was either that kind of made you wonder if the adults did not know what it was was it dangerous?, it was not and we watched it for hours, speculated as to what it was went to bed and kept on truckin the next morning, again this was the late 70s and nobody brought cameras back then so no photo's :( ....... The End.
Great story, thanks
Worst mice I ever encountered were at the old A- frame shelters on the Jersey side of the Water Gap. They had a whole mouse city under the floors and it was party time all night. They’d figure out how to get into your pack, and once in a while they’d even come along for a little vacation of their own. We’d find them while unpacking after doing that stretch of the trail, hiding in a compartment.
Mice hate the smell of mint. So get some mint oil and it will prevent this. I slept under a shelter with mice and they didn’t touch me or my bags all night long…. Next morning everyone else said they had problems with them. I also carry tea tree oil for wounds etc. and to just smell good. I washed my cloths every 3 days and everyone that picked me up said I didn’t smell like other hikers.
I’ve got multiple sclerosis but I’ve set a goal of hiking the trail within the next five years. I love watching videos like this because it helps me anticipate what to expect as someone who is disabled
please take a buddy
@@O-sa-car my husband is going with me 😍
@@incredibleedibledez have fun and take your time! Nature is healing and we need to connect to it ❤️.
@@karliereddfan I agree 100%. In my case it’s true because like most people with multiple sclerosis, I suffer from a pretty severe vitamin d deficiency and the best way to get vitamin d is sunlight! So I spend as much time as possible outside😍
@@incredibleedibledezcod liver oil is a great food for VitD
Dropi & Green Pastures are 2 rly good brands. They’re pricey but the others are junk.
Being a light sleeper who doesn't trust people enough to sleep around strangers I find things like this mind blowing. Why would you go to the forest to be in close proximity to other humans anyway? I am always shocked at how different other people's minds work than my own. You would never ever catch me in one of those things unless the weather was life threatening.
This is how I feel about RV camps where everyone parks their campers a few feet from each other and most people spend all day sitting in a chair at camp.
@@anthonyhiscox Yeah same.
The consensus seems to be that there was once a time in living memory, that these trails were much less frequented by people so I assume it used to be the case that shelters were probably less populated as well
That's why I sleep with 300 lb worth of dogs
You seriously need to get a life
I view those shelters as being there for emergency only. Why would you go out into the woods without camping gear and want to sleep around complete strangers? I would absolutely assume that hobos, thieves or murderers would seek a place like this.
to many boogie men/women .. too many possibilities
That's possible, but most of those types are too lazy to go hiking far from any road, or conveniences. You're more likely to meet those types in the cities and around them in the near outskirts. Sure there's a few born psychos who may go to those lengths, or those who read and intake horror type stories and adopt them and modify them to go do in real life. I cannot believe the garbage I've read in some books and seen in some movies that likely is adopted by psychos. There's also spies that are total criminals with access to people's private info who target everyone they can to steal, or worse. You know people abusing their positions of power, authority and access to gov, or private spying technologies. Those are some of the worst you will encounter as they're trained to deceive and steal, or worse. Don't forget those born into families that have impunity in crimes from the power they possess. Spooky? Not really if you do what's right and treat the earth and others good, then you end up doing just fine.
@@ahiker5648 you'd be surprised at what some murders would do to get a random victim
Appalachia is literally hell on Earth, and it's inhabitants make it that way. The dregs of society down here make the junkies in San Francisco look tame! They are manipulative, cold, and somehow aristocratic at the same time. I seriously thought I'd be able to make a new life down here for it being a step back from the "new world", but it's like the 1830's with 21st century electronics. Scary, lonely, and COLD AS ICE.
@@ilovebutterstuff Depends on where, precisely, but you're not wrong. Did you ever see Jennifer Lawrence's breakout movie _Winter's Bone?_ A frighteningly good depiction of what some of Appalachia is like -- both people and customs.
Listen to your instincts, always! And the wild life, too! I was by myself in a camper on a mountain in an Idaho rest stop. I was in my bed thinking about the day, when the crickets who were chirping happily, suddenly went quiet, along with the other night creatures. Everything went quiet! After a half hour or so, the night noises began again. Iwas too afraid to look out to see what it was.
@@rdred8693 A human isn't going to make all of the insects, birds, frogs, and other animals become quiet in a large area, and neither will a bear or mountain lion or any other predator that we "officially" acknowledge as existing.
You are right to be cautious when everything goes quiet. Woodland creatures can communicate.
@@ganymeade5151 absolutely. It is the most eerie feeling when there is no noise at all.
probably the man of the forest
I watch a couple of UA-cam channels related to Bigfoot encounters and experiences and that is one of the signs mentioned (the forest going quiet) when having a Bigfoot experience.🤷🏻♂️
The AT passes through my area in several spots- one thing to look out for, safety wise- are areas where it crosses major roads and highways. Our town has a fairly large homeless population. And to be brutally honest- some of those guys look an awful lot like thru-hikers. Part of the reason for this is because it's become a bit of a sport for them to sneak up the trail and then steal supplies. We can't do trail angel work anymore because as soon as you set something up, it get's raided not long after if you don't stand over it.
that sucks, sorry for the asshats doing this to you, thanks for the Angel work .
Redbird: Thanks for your past efforts as Trail Angel. It makes me sad hikers are paying the price for homelessness.
What is a trail angel ?
@@user-pg7cx9wo1m Sounds like people putting provisions at caches for hikers in need as a sort of charity.
@user-pg7cx9wo1m It's an honor system of leaving food and supplies that anyone can take and leave, at spots along the trail
One reason I hiked in dead of winter. It eliminated some of the issues she mentioned. I'm not a hot weather person to begin with. Very rarely did come across any other humans while snowshoeing the AT or the LT. But, bears don't always hibernate and that turned out to be a problem once or twice. A winter bear is usually a dangerous bear. One woman I met had a bear actually sit on top of her while in her tent. She jumped up and screamed, thinking it was a friend playing a joke, but soon realized it was a bear. It took off like a bear outta Hell, but damn that's something you'd never forget.
I don't know whether to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, or clench my butt cheeks at how close of a call that was. If it was me, that bear would've run from the stink I made in my pants. Lol
Truest bears are out in the winter that means they did not get enough fat on them before they hibernated.. definitely trouble
rangers told me to forget the bears as they are hibernating. that was in nov. and it was still very warm, but i didn't see any. used to black bears anyway as i see them often in northern michigan.
Bet that lady just had a bad dream lol
I only camp in the winter.
December 10th 2007. I was hiking alone and when I reached Preacher’s rock trailhead I stoped at the parking spot for a break and there was an old grandpa wearing a bright and old green sweater that stinked kinda bad. He was sitting on the back of his van with a golden retriever so I asked him if I could pet his dog ( as I have 2 golden retrievers and they’re the best dogs) he said yes and he started asking me where I was from and what do I do for a living? And if I was hiking alone or in a group? He also asked me if a have any guns or knifes because last week there was a mountain lion attack that almost killed a hiker. I told him not I don’t have a gun but I have a small pocket knife that I showed him. He said that’s not enough to kill a mountain lion. I was like well I hope I don’t encounter one. Then we chatted for a little bit and he started ranting about the federal government. And before I was leaving he told me If he could join me on the trail because he really wanted to hike up but he being an old man and suffering from heart conditions so if something happens to him at least I could tell police where he was. I felt something, a strange sensation in my gut by the way his eyes looked. He had some really penetrating gaze and he would always make direct eye contact that I couldn’t hold so I would look away for some seconds. After thinking what should I say this old grandpa I told him “I’m sorry but I’m in a hurry and I really want to walk fast to get to the top before sunset” he kinda looked mad and said aight I’ll just wait for someone else. I proceeded to hit the trail but I could never forget his gaze. Even tho he was an old man his gaze gave me a bad vibe and I was thinking about it the whole trail. 25 days later when I was at home I watched this same guy in a mugshot on the news channel so I turned the volume up because I was intrigued I thought he died on the trial (because he told me he had heart problems) to find out he kidnapped and killed a girl about 15 miles on another parking lot. The guy I interacted with was fcking serial killer Gary Michael Hilton. I think he asked the same questions and told the same story to Meredith Emerson and she was kind and good hearted so she agreed to hike with the “old grandpa with heart problems”. So now I don’t trust anyone even if they have good intentions and they greet me I just say hi and continue my hike without stopping and if they ask me to stop to ask me a questions I just say sorry I’m in a hurry and keep going. I also carry a 9mm Glock 43x. It’s small and concealable. Another crazy experience happend another year before when I was hiking and at the distance I saw a naked old guy just walking around. So I freaked out and stopped before he was gone. Stay safe guys. Never trust anyone.
Edit2023; for those saying it’s a fake story because you’ve seen this same post on other videos. Well maybe read the username before making claims. It’s me sharing my story, I also shared it on Reddit with the same username. Why would I lie? Also thanks to everyone who shared their stories as well. I’m glad we made it but it’s kinda sad to think about how many people are gone that maybe had problems with their family members and stoped communication with them and they’re forever gone without anyone asking about them.
That is one creepy tale. Thankfully you followed your instincts. Be safe....and blessed!
First red flag is him asking if your by yourself
My niece and her dog came across him during this time frame lucky her parents had been a few steps behind her. As soon as he saw them he moved along. What a shock for them to see this man on our local news. Evil came close to my family that day.
Always carry a gun out there when you can in my opinion. Get the smallest one that will still be effective, but the weight is worth it. I know a lot of those ultralight people will disagree, but they will be screwed when that thing that never happens happens. If not a gun, then at least a knife with a blade four or more inches. Don't show it off to everyone though. Never know who has sticky fingers or will cause problems.
I never carry on the AT, but if I did I would also carry a Glock 43. (I own a number of pistols)
When the voice on your shoulder speaks ... make sure your listening . Great video Tara.
One time I was sleeping in an abandoned fire lookout (not like one of the ones you can rent from the forest service, but actually completely abandoned and in ruins) and the mice were especially thick...I'm not super squeamish so I just kind of ignored it and went to sleep with them running around the outside of my sleeping bag. I set my glasses on a shelf next to where I was sleeping, and when I woke up in the morning a mouse had pooped directly in the center of each lens 😂
Where there are mice the snakes come to eat.
As for strange people , a friend of mine took his young son for an overnight on a local portion of the trail to for some father son bonding. A guy tried to rob them at the shelter, but unbeknownst to the robber, dad was a US Marshal.Son got to see father in action. For those of you doubters, it was documented in local paper as previous victims and locals lauded making the trail safe again.
Haha, best story I've read in a while!
Awsum bararar
@@swarm6697 pretty sure if you're not willing to figure this info out on your own you're surely not hiking it.
Was the son a young kid? Trying to rob a parent with their young child is a new kind of low.
@@antthomas7916 An 8 year old
this is exactly why as much as I love wilderness camping and all that I wouldn't mess with trail camping at all. I go into the woods to not see people
It's possible to NOT see people a LOT, if you avoid the bubble or lag behind or get ahead of groups. Yes, you'll see the occasional person come through, but, it can be done. I never enjoyed the group camping experience either on the AT.
Don't get lost
If I want to hang out with a bunch of strangers I can just go to the mall. And at the mall at least they tend not to randomly poop all over the place.
@brimstone33 you mean people don’t randomly poop at your mall?? Cool!
Same omg same. My husband and I go to the wilderness to get AWAY from people.
I don't hike or camp (I am extremely too OCD to handle the outdoors anymore - used to love it as a kid!), but I love your channel and your kind and laid back spirit. You make wonderful points on both sides. I just say - don't have to be a hero - if something doesn't feel or look right, don't do it. It could be an actual matter of life or death. Please stay safe and be well and continue to maintain that lovely adventurous spirit!
Meeting creeps on the AT is where me growing up in a place like NYC comes in handy. My small town friends from college (I went to a small college in the south) are all so naive and nice that they'll go along with anyone and be way too trusting.
My friend and I encountered a mentally unstable man at a trailhead who kept chatting us up. At first, we were all very pleasant to one another, but as the conversation drew on, he started ranting about all sorts of things and started getting a bit too intense. I already did not dig his vibe 30 seconds into the conversation... but my friend, who was obviously uncomfortable, just kept saying yes and ok to everything. When he finally asked if he could join us, my friend of course said yes... and I immediately said "no, sorry, my friend and I prefer to remain by ourselves. Have yourself a nice day."
We walked on ahead and kept an eye on him to make sure he wasn't following us.
From then on, I always wanted to carry a firearm with me when doing the AT, but never did.... kind of still want to.
Please carry and get trained on how to carry and how to use it. Better safe than sorry, an ounce of prevention, etc
Good vid. But all the comments are making me scared to attempt the trail (even tho I'm uk!). Seen way to many horror films to try it.
Would love to tho
Holy moly, if I go out in the bush, it is to get away from people. I can't imagine ever camping with a bunch of strangers under less than a real emergency situation.
Absolutely. BUT. That is and at the same time isn’t what the AT Thruhike experience is about. Obviously, every hiker is an individual person with their own preferences, goals and expectations- and each one valid. BUT. The AT (the Thruhike) is not a wilderness trail across a vast expanse of nothing. It is a special national trail that is flavored at every local section by the regional population. As a Thruhiker, you become both part of a small, but reoccurring band of comrades and also a visitor through innumerable towns and parklands and the local people enjoying a given particular section. It’s a backpacking journey and an adventure of a lifetime and a traveling experience and a college semester and everything else all rolled into one. And a great American tradition!
As a VA native who loved hiking and going through these types of shelters along the trial I wholeheartedly agree on a lot of these points. I always gave it a “Vibe” check, some people I was definitely glad I got away from quickly on the trail. If your stomach ever gives you a weird feeling on the trail about someone- listen to it! One reason why I will always carry while out and even moreso- Keep it concealed! The wildlife was a big problem- tons of mice !
That weird feeling is not your imagination. Later, when you have time and distance, you can analyze what set it off. Move along.
@@priendly Precisely; I’ve heard too many horror stories out in the woods alone. Don’t ideally intend to become one of the next once passed along the trails
🎯 spot on. (n.w. N.C. here)
I rarely stayed in shelters in the beginning, but did more so the end of the trail. I hated being forced to stay in a shelter (like in the smokies or whites) and loved my flimsy busted up little tent. As for crazy people, always trust your gut. There are lots of people I felt bad about judging but just knew to keep away from and I'm glad I did. One person even wrote a warning about someone in one of the logbooks and I thought he was joking only to find out that the person he mentioned really WAS a "real creeper"
My brother and I are getting ready to do some of the AT. I was thinking about all those things you mentioned and you reinforced my thoughts.
Emergency shelter only for me. Thanks good stuff.
I am a light sleeper, early riser, and an introvert. One of the things I like about the woods is the peace and quiet. I always stay as far from any of the shelters as possible. I don’t mind interacting and meeting people, I just want a nice peaceful night, and I don’t want to disturb anyone else when I rise early. Having practiced Leave No Trace since before it was a thing, I can camp in the same spot multiple days and you’d be hard pressed to know I was there unless you were trained to do so. I find all the shelters to be disgusting in several ways. I’m not really worried about most of the animals like spiders, snakes, squirrels, etc. The concentrated human activity draws the large rodent population as you stated, causing the issues you talked about. A few years ago at a couple shelters near where I live in eastern Tn a couple hikers caught a bug from rodent feces that put them in the local hospital. The CDC got involved because it turned out to be a flesh eating antibiotic resistant bug. One person died. I am telling this first hand because my wife is one of the nurses who had to put on a hot-suit every time she went into the patients room. The concentration of rodents and people puts me off of ever staying in one of the shelters. I’ll take my chances in the woods any day.
But where do you think those diseased rodents come from? The woods. I understand the concentration of people and trash but it remains that those rodents are coming from those woods...
Yikes :/
This hugely long comment! And you didn't watch till the end aye?! 🐀
Praying for everyone out on trails, in national parks hiking and camping, skiing. Encourage you to except Jesus in your your heart and lives, Repent. Beforgiven set free from sin, protection and peace from God. Their are alot of people missing, don't go alone out there without Jesus Amen. Blessings and Bless others.
Leave no trace was a thing long before the AT was a thing.
Also, avoid shelters near public roads. The closer you get to roads the more undesirable people you will see.
Yes that is always my goal when I’m backpacking. The further into the backcountry I am the safer I feel
It's a catch-22 because being in a public place means the evil ones are not as likely to pick you as a victim. They don't want witnesses. Back country would be nice, but for me, personally, whenever I try to go unnoticed, it never works. I could go in the back country and a creep would follow.
@@koreyb I’ll find him
I'd go in with a shotgun and mean look. Trust me. They would leave.
Like smelly women who complain to much.
I went on a thu-hike on the Appalachian Trail back in 2007 before things like bed-bugs were a problem though things like Giardia was a problem and 'homeless' people were just starting to use shelters as a place to temporarily live. Being a lot older now I look back with a mixture of fondness of that experience as well as horror that I even tried doing that hike, considering the different types of dangers that existed. It wasn't long after I returned home that Meredith Emerson was murdered while hiking along the Trail - that really bothered me for some reason and opened my eyes about how unsafe our backpacking world had become. Stay safe!
🐭 great video, very informative. The old adage “any port in a storm” certainly applies, but based on your experiences I think I’ll probably skip the shelters unless absolutely necessary 🏕️
I only stayed in shelters a couple times during extreme rain or wind conditions . I don't go high into the mountains to hang out with a bunch of strangers . The beauty of the natural surroundings and the peaceful , soothing solitude is my quest.
I agree in modern times the shelters are terrible. (Earplugs when camping my best quick advice) I think it's important though to recognize and appreciate the history of the shelters. The AT was completed in 1925, but tents were not lightweight and portable enough for backpacking until around the mid 1980's. 1970's "portable" tents were steel poles and thick vinyl material that were around 40 pounds. Tenting was not prevalent on the AT until the mid 1990's when new synthetic materials made camping equipment much lighter. For 70 years or so, shelters were the primary method of overnight for thu hikers. Your route was dependent upon shelters. With crude maps and no GPS, you simply walked until the next shelter and knew where you were based on what shelter you were near or between. People would basically thru hike with only a blanket, canteen, and bread. There were also much less people on the AT before the 70's and shelters were the best overnight technology and experience at that time. There are "purest" type of hikers who still wish to experience the AT this way - without a bunch of modern gear and gizmos and the time it takes to manage all that gear.
Well I remember my family purchasing good nylon backpacking tents around 1971 or so, from REI. And we got USGS topopgraphic maps, parkas, down jackets, nalgene water bottles, wool clothing, and so on too. Granted, Seattle is a long way from the AT so maybe that explains the differences. No way were we going with only a blanket and some bread!🤔
My first AT experience was a Scouts group section hike in 1982, 40 years ago. A lightweight and reasonably affordable tent setup back then weighed altogether about 10 pounds. We stayed in the AT shelters a few nights every night out there along the way, with ponchos and small tarps as an alternative. It was fine. I carried a hammock too but didn't use it. I don't remember any issues with the shelters or anything else. I'm sure there weren't as many other people hiking and overnight camping on the AT back then. We made a point of not bringing food or bagged trash into the shelter areas. We ate our food away from the shelters and secured the food stuff and trash in bear bags away from the shelter areas. It's common sense that not only mice and little critters but also bears and maybe wild hogs would probably smell any food scents and come looking for leftovers during the night. I hope I'll have a chance to do it again soon. For most of the reasons mentioned in this video, I'll for sure bring a hammock and tarp or maybe the light tent.
You all that do this are very brave. When I go to Appalachia, I just go to Mamaw's house. Then I drive to my favorite trails and hike around and go home to Mamaw's for a snack.
🐭I'm an extreme introvert. It's the Tent Life for me.
Thanks for watching! Though I’m more of an extrovert I did find a lot of peace in getting in my tent at the end of the day with me myself and my thoughts.
I'm an extreme anti social and don't.like to be touched. Tbh Everytime I watch videos about the hikers they're the weirdest people I've ever seen. At the end of the day it's like watching escapees from an asylum.
@@tinsoldier5621 Sounds like the AT may not be the trail for you. I love meeting people and visiting with them, but need some alone time at the end of the day.
I hear ya bud, im not a people person at all...
right there with you. after a day of walking, drudging, downpours, and being hangry, the last thing i want to do is feel people out and worry someone is another james jordan.
I avoided the shelters .... I'm an introvert . And I didn't like sleeping with 8 or more strangers and snoring all night long . I would just hike until I was ready to stop for the day , and look for a place to pitch my tent 👌 some call it stealth camping .... 🤔 I just call it camping !
🐁. This was one of the more helpful videos I've seen. I've had thoughts of the shelters and wondered if they were a good idea or not-haven't hiked yet.
Thank you for this! I have watched other UA-camrs hike on the AT and stay in those shelters and I’ve always thought it was creepy because of all the critters that obviously collect there not to mention the strangers you’d be sleeping next to.
Just wanted to mention...i met James twice on the road (i spent a yr hitchhiking the US due to sudden homelessness) and met a whole subculture of houseless by choice community that also travel...as a way of life....most mean well yet are unrefined so to speak....some have mental instabilities and some have drug/alcohol addictions....
I met Jordan twice in the woods, the last time being in Ocala FL several months bf this happened...and i met him a few months prior in CA...both times, he was a total gentleman, playing guitar and helping people and being kind....i didnt know him well but i never saw that coming...
I also met another younger guy in Ocala, he was very quite and kind and helpful....he murdered a guy in a hotel....previously i heard stories of Kai....he was a travelling kid who turned out to be a killer as well...
My point is (lol im long winded sorry) that not everyone on the trails is who they portray themselves as, or , not who you may meet in that moment...unless the weather is going to be unbearable, id stick to my tent or tarp...good info...thank you for the video....
I totally agree with just plan on staying in your own tent no matter the weather. Setting up a shelter in a blizzard or downpour isn't easy but if you are hiking the backcountry you had better know your limitations and outdoor skills and plan accordingly. I know conditions can change in a moment but if you are hiking mountains in any month expect the worst that way if or when that happens ya don't panic. Heck any weather is better than sleeping next to a possible killer and damn mice!
When she said "I think it's safe".... her facial expression read like she was trying to convince herself. Yeah, it's as safe as sleeping with a dozen strange (completely unknown to her) men in any place away from town & in many cases, with no phone service.
🐭 I've been planning a hiking trip and this video really helped open my eyes to some of the ins and outs of the process. So thank you!
Mike, These videos are wonderful! So glad to follow this adventure. Best of luck
True story I think you might like. I'm a shy guy but embraced trail families along the AT. After the trail ide live In a house with two other hikers from my trail family. A third married my childhood bestfriend. A fourth would take me in in New Mexico. A fifth drove me all across the country on a road trip. On and on until I married a fellow thru hiker and moved away with her. Of all the trails this one impacted me the most and it was the people I met along the way that did so.
🙏❤️❤️❤️👍
I have walked many miles on the Appalachian trail and stayed in every single shelter I could find. I was with my dad and we're both pretty big men so other people weren't a real concern.
I really never had a single issue in any shelter and after a long day of hiking, these shelters were like an oasis in the Sahara. My dad and I would open up our prepackaged meals, eat them as slowly as we can manage so we could have enough time to talk and recall some of the events of the day. We would then open our small ish backpacks and have just enough energy to roll out the sleeping bags on the bunks that these awesome people that created the shelters provided. I never slept so well in my life. We were completely exhausted from the day's hike and literally ate and passed out. If the worst thing I had to worry about was a mouse or a loud snoring person, I was basically in heaven. I've had norovirus before but not on the trail. It's bad but you will get over it. But, again, I never got it on the trail at all.
Quite frankly, I feel more in danger in my neighborhood from urban sprawl then I could ever feel on the Appalachian trail.
Not a mouse,
100 mice running around all night looking for food and warmth.
The worst sleep of your life.
NO PRIVACY...
No point.
Thanks for the info! I’ve done a lot of backpacking out west, so I haven’t been somewhere to have the option of a shelter. My bias is to sleep by myself in my own tent. I think it just convinced me to stick with that!😂
It would probably attract bears (hence not a good idea unless in the deep of winter), but mice absolutely hate strong natural mints like peppermint essential oil. Many ants don't like it either.
But yeah, the whole mice running over you in the middle of the night kind of turned me off shelters too. Plus, I'm an introvert and while I generally do like people, I need a certain amount of time alone to recharge/rebalance. One of the reasons why I got out into the woods, to be by myself, recharge/realign, etc.
When I was on the AT and I got to top of Springer Mt. I was ready to relax; it had been raining - pouring down with harsh wind , in the middle of December and I was ready to sleep. The shelter had a wire cage to draw across the front of the entrance. This was helpful as there were bears in the area . A couple ran a rope between two trees and hung their back packs on the rope. Seemed like a great idea ! Later in the night , after the fire had pretty much burned out. We heard this strange hustling, scraping sound- followed by an “ umph !” and then a loud thump . We turned on our flashlights and watched in amazement as a black bear climbed up the tree and when it got up to the height of the back packs, it launched itself out towards the packs. It would miss and slam into the ground. This didn’t seem to bother it at all. It kept doing this until, finally, success ! The packs came crashing down with the bear , which gleefully tore them apart ate all the food in there . Then the happy, well fed bear waddled away into the night. The poor folks had to leave the next morning, cutting short their vacations.
Yeah they really need to cull those problem bears.
@@slappy8941 maybe dealing with problem hikers so we don't create problem bears in the first place. Education and prevention is very important.
This made me chuckle. What a rascal, that bear.
They should have steel boxes or the like in these areas.
Yeah, but they got to see a bear fly!
Very helpful video for new AT hikers. My 50-something buddies and I were weekend (just one per year!) section hikers for about a decade (VA-PA). We carried tents but sometimes took advantage of the shelters. Our admittedly limited experiences were mostly of the positive kind but I absolutely can see how easy it would be to have the very significant negatives. Good for you for pointing out reality. Our best shelter night was where we found an old gent finishing up, i.e., literally his last night, 30 years of section hiking. We enjoyed giving him the chance to relate his amazing experience-would’ve been sad if he had had to spend the last night by himself with nobody to share the experience-at least it SEEMED he was happy we were there… Stay safe in your hiking everybody…it’s wonderful but as pointed out in the video, occasionally your life can be on the line.
Thanks! Because I feel like most people glorify their videos but you just put it straight up like it is and I hadn't considered all of this.
Thanks thanks thanks!
Great information, presented very well. Easy to listen to, and pleasant to watch. Thank you for posting this.
I don't use group sleeping areas due to consideration of others. I have PTSD and raise hell in my sleep, sometimes fighting in my sleep. My late Wife and I even had separate bedrooms because of it. There are people like me who will stay in shelters, thinking " I'll be OK for one night ", but end up having a nightmare. Harmless, but scary as hell for those around them.
Same, waking up fighting or shouting/screaming isn't a great way to endear yourself to people.
I'd do the same. Can't imagine being tucked up between so many strangers. I would feel so bad if I hurt someone in the middle of the night. I snore and flop around four plus times an hour. No nightmare necessary. 🤦
My wife will wake up screaming from nightmares. That was something she didn’t tell me about before we were married. She did it a few days after our wedding. I jumped out of bed ready to fight. Scared the heck out of me.
PTSD fights in sleep are my regular..my poor wife..she knows the onset and will wake me or get up out the way.
Veteran here, that happens to me nearly every time, if I don’t ingest/vape a small amount of marijuana before bed. For some reason a little bit of thc just stops the dreams in their tracks. It’s not for everybody but it’s something to look into!
I caught Norovirus once, lucky for me I was in the comfort of my own home when it hit. But even that was hell. Vomiting so hard that you have trouble getting up afterwards, plus vomiting AND needing to use the toilet from the other end of your body at the same time is also no fun at all. Can't imagine living through this while on a trail.
Videos like these make me lament my pretty urban living situation. One day I am gonna be out doing super cool stuff like this and I can’t wait! You make it look so exciting!
Samee
Great video and thank you. I've hiked a bit & only go armed when on the hiking trails. Be safe as the amount of bad people is increasing.
Unfortunately firearms are more weight to carry. Depending on the length of hike, weight matters a lot.
There are other things you could pack like medical supplies that would more likely to save your life than a firearm, and even there hikers skimp on it because of the weight
It's weird not to screen the people you are staying with in a shelter. I dig your channel
I experienced the AT few years ago. Completed over 300 miles - started in GA. NO WAY I would stay in a shelter again. And no way I would ever consider doing the AT in future... Just lots of weird and/or questionable humans all throughout the trail. Awesome concept! Just attract nutty and/or questionable people... I've since gravitated to Canada and far Northern areas of US... Not saying I had bad time on AT, just too much going on there...
I’m one of those people I got videos myself haha
@@outdoorvideoswithbrad haha. I'm not, but I spent a lot of time with a lot of weirdos on the trail. In a good way.
@@Diddley_Squat ya I know what you mean I just like making fun of myself, I’m not the typical light weight packer, I’m all decked out in military surplus, so me and my buddy look like Rambo or red dawn haha
I would agree about the oddballs attracted to the AT. There are plenty of other trails that don't seem to attract that type.
Depends on lifestyle. In our 20's many are more interested in the social aspect of the AT than the nature aspect. AT is the most social trail in the world, period. AT completionists who do other thru hikes often talk of how lonely they are. AT is like a giant party can be the social ride of a lifetime if that's what you're looking for. If you want peace and quiet on the AT then do the south sections of AT in late summer like August September - you can have them all to yourself as everyone is up north by then.
You did a great job informing hikers. I can relate!
One thing I have not read in here yet is that pitching a tent along the AT is forbidden. I was hiking the AT one year and decided to carry my tent too just in case I did not arrive at my shelter before dark. Well sure enough it was raining cats and dogs and I missed a blaze marker and had to pitch my tent that night. And all my content and clothes were soak to include my sleeping bag, so I packed up the next morning and headed for the nearest town that had a laundry mat to dry all my stuff. Well I stopped at the closest ranger station to inform them I was off the trail and told them my story, and they informed me of the rule of no tents allowed on the trail head, and I should have seeked a site well away from the AT. And no, I do not mean I pitched my tent on the actual trail itself.
Yea, no. I thru hiked the AT. You can absolutely camp in established campsites for the majority of the trail. Now, there are some parts where that is forbidden, SMNP, The whites, and other places. But for the majority of the trail you can "dispersed" camp. Meaning as long as you aren't establishing a new campsite, you can camp wherever. Look it up.
So you have to place a tent well off the AT? I had no idea, how far off the trail do you have to be?
@@_jms430 Rufus, I am not sure, but the park ranger told me I was in the wrong for using my tent shelter close to the AT trail, and no I was not right next to the trail.
@@billl.3917 I would have told him to get bent
🐭 Thank you Tara! My husband and I are section hikers for 10 years now, enjoy comfort of hotels and hot meal after day hiking! We are attempting a 23 mi section in VT this summer, staying overnight in our Big Agnes tent! 🤞
We admire and enjoy visiting with thru hikers, great stories!! Thanks for sharing your experience/perspective, sleeping on the AT!
🐭
Great video! The rodents can be a real nuisance, especially in the colder months when snakes are hibernating. I once was cleaning out my pack on my bed when I got home after spending a month in the north Cascades only to find a mother mouse had gotten in and was raising a litter at the bottom of my main compartment. When I stuck my arm in to grab for my dirty socks/underwear bag, a mother mouse and six "hoppers" came shooting up and out along my arm and went every direction off my bed! Luckily, my two cats were able to catch the mother and three of the "hoppers" fairly quickly, and I caught the last three in live traps later that night and the next day.
Needless to say, I've cleaned out my packs in the driveway ever since!
Take care,
Dennis 🐭🐁🐀
Omfg
What a lost opportunity for Tinder gold
I have taken my kids hiking several times. One wanted to stay in a shelter. We had a long day, dead tired when we got to the shelter. Someone had written a warning about giant spiders. No one dared use the shelter but us. Had a great night.
Most spiders are not deadly. Spiders and centipedes are beneficial animals who kill mites, bed bugs, and other pests.
You want the shelter with the giant spiders. They'll take care of all the mice and other bugs and probably not bother you 😁
Ive been wanting to hike and camp ect. For a long time, thanks for the tips!
Tara, excellent video. I'm a 76 yo retired hiker from NC and did a thru hike in 98. Your video covers each of my negative experiences. In retrospect I would not stay in another shelter again unless major bad weather was an issue. Generally getting off the trail would be my approach but I understand not every one would have that luxury. At Overmountain shelter(barn) there was a Norovirus issue when I was there. A group of thru hikers(15 or so) were staying there. They were also eating together and hiking together. Thru the night the sickness began, The wretching was loud. One girl(Chaos) was rescued by the hostel owner in Hampton, Tenn. and recuperated there. It happens every year.
I've experienced hikers coming in after midnight and start cooking. Yikes. How about the smokers who come into the shelter. Our hiking club helped build "Partnership Shelter" in 97. It was a joint effort between the Forest service, AT Regional office, PATH, our maintaining club and the parents, who donated money, of a hiker who had died at a young age. New subscriber. My wife and I camped several times at the site where the young man was killed by the mentally ill man. As you know it is very remote, yet a tragedy happened. Out favorite trail town is Damascus.
Thank you for commenting your experience!
WOW ... if your name is william branham you share that with a cult leader who also worked with Jim Jones(for a short while--the two personalities did not get along) branham died in his 50's in the year1965 in a car crash but his high control cult continues.
@@kramsdrawde8159 I know. I was surprised to see all the references to him. I don’t know him and as far as I know we are not related. Thanks for the shout out😁
The owner of Kinkora Hostel (in Hampton) is Bob Peoples. I sure miss hearing him say "Welcome home! " as we walked up the hill. I used to live on Hwy 91, 1 mile south of the trailhead. Did a bit of Trail Angeling & helped out from time to time cooking at Kinkora(with Jack)for maintenance gigs. I miss my AMAZING Tramily in the NE TN/SW VA area. Miss the "old" Trail Days with them. HAIRNT! 😀
William, we could be related. I have some Branham lineage in my family tree!
You just described life in a typical major homeless encampment in the bowels of San Francisco. *edit* but liked and subscribed!.
Its good that you are telling the truth about the dark side of backpacking. I’m learning as much as I can about trail safety, and don’t want to be naive about any of it. That mouse/chapstick story freaked me out so much I reacted with a loud F*ck, damn!
Thank you for your honest assessment. I've often wondered how "safe" that situation would be . ❤🎉
I remember van camping as a child at a national park in the seventies.
It was nice enough weather to have the doors propped open.
My parents thought it would be a great idea to leave the leftovers out for the cute little animals.
Well, the cute little animals arrived.
A nice family of skunks 🦨
I’m sure all the other nearby campers enjoyed them as well 🤢🦨
😁
ahhh the skunks! Someone I was camping with awhile ago left out a bag of bread, which attracted a skunk. Someone noticed him rumaging through camp at 3am, and had the genius idea to throw a rock at the skunk! Not pleasant.
One thing I've noticed is the increase of hikers over the years and at times groups at shelters tend to party loudly and are inconsiderate. As for the critters, that's their world and we struggle to adapt. I've had a handful of bear issues over time but nothing serious.
Nice work; good info. I am glad that you are safe. I just retired and am van-lifing. Good luck.
I'm not sleeping near any strangers and I'm a full grown man. Not to mention I wear ear buds to bed and live in maine so there's no weather that's going to stop me. I go out to enjoy myself and a hug part of that is having peace and quit and getting away from annoying people. I love hiking and camping but the appalachian trail is a tourist thing. I like camping and hiking the beautiful coast of Maine or schoodic mountain
People are probably one of the most uncontrollable variables when hiking. We've met many lovely people while camping/hiking and small number I wish I did not know existed. As for snoring, I am so with you on this, I am a pretty light sleeper and some people's night noises could wake the dead!
I came upon a shelter in Virginia one afternoon in 2013. It had been raining for a few days and everyone's gear and clothing were wet. Four thru hikers, like myself, had decided to set up there 2-man tents in the shelter, so that it could dry out, and they wouldn't have to deal with the mosquitoes, bugs, mice, etc. They made no offer to remove their tents for me to use this shelter. Needless to say, I didn't stay in or at that shelter that night. So, I pretty much avoided the shelters mostly because I'm a terrible snorer. But, after this encounter, I only used them in basically emergency situations, etc. and avoided them like the plaque from there on out. Nice video, I couldn't agree with you more!
🐭 Thank you for solidifying my reasons for not staying in shelters.
Thank you for the video and the vids of the shelters. I did a long section hike in the fall and the traffic in the shelters was pretty lite. But I think I get the folks who just automatically tent/hammock. It will be a lot more crowded in the spring. I do, generally, enjoy talking with people on trail, but could be too much of a good thing...
Hi. My hiking buddies and I never stayed in shelters. My biggest concern on the AT was ticks. Black bears and bad people stayed far, far away from us. Did I mention my hiking buddies' names? Josephine and Benmarcus, my working line German Shepherd dogs, the best buddies a man can have in this freaked out world.
Just love the company of my Labrador.
I love the company of my 9mm....
I have got my pet 👽 as back up !
Beautiful names.
@@MeteoricStoneofShatteredSouls Aren’t they wonderful companions? Is yours full breed or a mutt? Either way, worth owning.
The challenges of a female hiker vs. a male hiker are myriad; number one having to ensure you are safe 24/7.
I've hiked on the AT in the south for 40+ years, and I've never felt unsafe.
My advice to lady hikers is have a trail buddy. Never hike alone. It's sad to say that, but that is the advice I'd give my daughter.
Peace.
I’m just here to appreciate you for using “myriad” correctly. We are a dying breed.
@@zacharysmith7872 as an adjective!.. i didn't even know about it!
When you meet strangers , who are asking about your security for your
situation, "always lie", and make them think there's easier game in town. I'd
tell some guy, I have a good sharp 6 inch blade, for a mountain lion attack, and
always carry a handgun for the same reason while hiking the trail. If I was a
female, I'd tell him I'm meeting my boyfriend and his buddy just up the trail,
and I have to get going, and say, hope you can find someone to assist you.
Always create doubt and fear in these types of guys, you get a bad gut feel
for. Always trust your gut feel, and become a good liar, as it may save your life.
Never hike alone is good advice for anyone. Many a young man has been the victim of crime on the AT.
@Phil Manson, females can't ever 'ensure' they are SAFE (let alone "24/7") due to male superior upper body strength, we are physically @ their mercy.
Interesting!!! Think your review brought up several elements of which I was unaware. Good job!!!
Wow. You make hiking sound like a lot of fun.
One year we stayed in the campground at Glacier Lake in Montana. There were 2 guys snoring so loud you might not hear a grizzly sneaking into camp. They were at either end of the campground so it was like stereo. I felt really bad for all the campers because one of them was my husband.
🤣🤣🤣
😂
Hilarious !
So all those videos that are put up of people waking up in fear, hearing Sasquatch and other grunts and roars are really only capturing the snoring of other sleeping hikers camped throughout these parks? Mystery solved!
Lol. You could not just roll him onto his side to stop the snoring?
Was so excited to finally mark this one off my bucket list! It’s worth every step, high above the clouds!
I'm in Australia. I had 4 nights on the Maryland section of the AT in 2018. First night I was caught in a thunderstorm and didn't get to the campsite. Second night I used the camping area in my hammock but the rain was really intense. I stayed dry but everything was really difficult with so much flowing water on the ground. Shelters for the last two nights but if outdoors had been more manageable that would have been much more relaxed.
I'm heading back to Western Australias Bibbulmun Track next month and expect to mostly tent it but use the communal areas for socializing and food prep. Meeting other hikers can be great.
Listening to their snoring, loud mattresses, music/podcasts etc that they listen to before sleep not so much.
Thank you for giving the pros and cons. Very useful thanks
I watched a video last week about a couple who were engaged and decided to take the AT to test their relationship before getting married. If I remember correctly her name was Mollie and his was Geoffrey and they were attacked and murdered while sleeping in one of the shelters. The guy doing the video said the park department ended up tearing down the shelter and building another closeby. Thankfully they ended up catching the guy who killed them. Bless their hearts. Stay safe out there folks!
You didn't tell everyone where this was.
@@collenrung5009
Geoffrey Hood and Molly LaRue, Thelma Marks Shelter, Duncannon, PA, September 1990
Great video. I have been section the AT since 2004. I hope to finish this year or next year by the time I reach 70 years old. Everything you mentioned, I have experienced, with the exception of getting norovirus. Tenting became my shelter of choice a long time ago. Thanks for getting this information out there.
This was actually very informative. Thanks!
I agree it's better to be safe than sorry. Your gut feeling about someone is usually correct. Be careful be safe.
Protecting yourself at all time’s is the right thing to do. Stay alert and never drop your guard. Animals are predictable, people are not.
Great video, thanks. I did a two week hike on the AT in 1980 or so, in jr high. Great experience. We stayed in shelters most nights and I remember waking up to a lot of mice in the shelter. You could see their eyes glitter!
Hi Tara! I just want to say you are a very perceptive person and also very good at communicating. I know now I'll never stay in a shelter on the Appalachian Trail and appreciate your advice very much. I think I did without knowing stay in one in 1994 when I was artist in residence at Blue Mountain Center in the Adirondacks in upstate New York. The foundation director let me come early and canoe in the area. I camped in a shelter built a lot like in your presentation. It was rainy, cold, and gray so for two days I felt it much more convenient to stay in a shelter, but the weather was so bad I didn't see any hikers. Maybe it was a shelter accessible to canoers and not Appalachian Trail hikers.
I remember long before your time a 3 part series about a guy who hiked the whole length of the the trail that was published in National Geographic. That was in the Seventies and I think before things were not as bad as they are now and sorry you have to go through that. I think hiked the trail near Slide Mountain and Sugar Loaf, but I never saw a shelter. There was a population explosion of porcupines. It's funny as all night long they came around me tent. They do this annoying chattering of their teeth. To make them go I had a little pocket transistor radio and I would turn the volume up and they would go away, but later return chattering away. Still beautiful country and a great trial!
I backpacked in the Long Range Mountains in northern Newfoundland. Did you know that that mountain range is part of the same Appalachian Mountains? I didn't know it until I camped there and read about it. I had to camp low as gale force winds picked up and nearly destroyed my tent and even when I pitched low and in the "Tuckamore". Again cold and gray ha! It was October 1989 and the Ranger said, "You know you picked a terrible time to be here." He wasn't exactly happy I was there as the weather can change and people have died in the Long Range Mountains. I had to prove to him I could use a compass and navigate by a geological map. He was terse but you could tell it was in a good way, although I could never be that way.
As a rule of thumb always prep and cook your food 100 feet from where you sleeping. Because cooking food may cause crumbs and grease that may attract bugs insects 🐜 🐛 🕷 exc. you don’t wanted them to come out at night around you or on top of your sleeping bag. Or sleeping quarters. If they come out you want it near you kitchen area.
Try cooking sleeping same area in a jungle area. You regret it.
It's a lost cause to tell through hikers that. I cooked (at the fire pit) and hung my food in the shelter. Like most.
I cook where I want, usually in the shelter. I don’t mind bugs
One of my favorite parts of the trail I've done was in the Grayson Highlands between White top Mtn. and Mt. Rogers! The wild horses and clouds blowing right across the ground were beautiful!!!
Great video! Good information and you won me over at Noro virus lol. Happy hiking.
Smart lady! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
I worry about people more. One time many years ago I stayed with a friend in a shelter on the Appalachian Trail in LEE, MA. Someone was already in there and he broke into the place and was having issues drinking but was somewhat hospitable making us breakfast, etc. However, he was going through other people's things and he stole my wallet leading me to go insane screaming and he didn't care because he wanted money. I learned a lesson from this not to trust anyone when you don't know them. We should have not stayed there all night.
I did some multi-day solo hikes on the AT when I was a much younger man and stayed in shelters my first few trips. Then one trip a group of teenagers, that weren't hiking the trial but were just camping at the shelter for the night, showed up with shotguns and alcohol and then proceeded to drop acid. Thankfully I convinced them to let me keep the guns by my side for safe(r) keeping. Needless to say I didn't sleep well that night. The next night at another shelter there was only one other person and he seemed fine, but I was exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before and not really in the mood to socialize. After doing a few magic tricks for me (innocent but strange) he asked if he could use my stove. I declined because I wasn't sure if I had fuel to spare. Maybe it was also my mood that night but it was clear I had not made a new friend that night. On top of that I could hear mice scurrying everywhere all night long. The next day when I used my water filter I found one had chewed the hose. Not only was that my last stay in a shelter but it was my last hike on the AT. I hiked less well known trails after that.
Haha. I can see that.
I stay in them all winter long and will do so as I hike whenever needed
I was going to take up hiking. I don't think I will do that now. Thanks for the advice.
I'd rather stay on my own. Too many times I watched people getting drunk and starting fights or destroying stuff around the shelter. Rodents can carry the Hanta virus so I try to keep the risk as small as possible. Thanks for the video, Jan
Get a law passed for shelters to have hand sanitizer. Should help with viruses and bacteria. And roof water catchment for basic sanitation
good idea
@@Mr.No-wo2cp Yes, and make it illegal to piss in said roof water catchment system.
this is why im an introvert and hate the public. i feel so outcasted from most due to behaviors like you stated. absolutly aggravating how people are so ignorant and careless
Hanta virus is developed in mice/rat droppings. The animals don't technically "carry" it, like rabies.😉
Just a quick thought re the stomach nasties...
Consider packing a few tablets of Activated Charcoal. It kills stomach bugs pretty fast...works like a pretty strong Pepto Bismol. You can get it in different strengths. There is a 250 mg and also a 500 mg for extreme cases. All you do is take one immediately after the first occurrence and then take one after every following occurrence and it should slow it down fairly quickly.
The only caveat is that if you pop too much of it (and this would mean you have to really be taking lots of it after your symptoms go away) you can get the opposite problem of constipation. But I have used this remedy for many years and it works.
I've wondered about Activated Charcoal. Thanks for the first hand.
Does it kill or absorb them?
@@justinw1765 my understanding is that it absorbs and neutralizes them
That's great advice!
I have realized that being 6'4" 250lbs I don't get to experience fearful situations. The most fearful situation I get in is when im walking/hiking and it's close to night-time; I worry that people will think I was the one who committed the robbery, assault, or other various crimes
A friend and I stayed in an old barn that the AT maintained as a shelter. There were three guys who came up later and set up on the ground floor. (We had put our tent up inside,on the second floor) Some of the questions that they asked had both of our "creep alarms" going off. I walked the trail with with a loaded magazine in my pistol, but empty chamber. That night, I put a round in the chamber and slept lightly with my pistol under my pillow. Lesson learned. Pick a good place, other than a shelter, and set up camp there.
That barn was most likely the Overmountain shelter in Virginia. It is falling apart and will be torn down soon. It's also near enough to a road that people can almost drive out there. Avoid any shelters within 1-2 miles of roads.
The cool red one? I wish someone could donate to restore it. I have some cool pictures of it and I vividly remember watching the sun set from my tent on the ridge right there.