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.)
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
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. ~
@@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.
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...
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.
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.
@@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.
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.
@@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.
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
@@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😍
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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 !
@@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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@ depends, when hiking the Appalachian trail yes. Cause the bears there have got use to breaking in packs and eating tooth paste. They didn’t know it till they discovered it. So bears that aren’t use to that will stay away from the mint smell yes. How do you know, you don’t!
@@todayslist37737 not smelling like a meal is the best way. You don’t have to hang your bags. I have never hanged a bag in my life. One, dont eat where you camp. If others come and eat there, MOVE. Not everyone knows how to hike in the wild. Two don’t use a perfumes or deodorants while on the woods. You want to smell like the woods as much as possible. Just like hunters hunting. I didn’t say don’t wash. I said don’t add those to unnatural smells to your body. I have walked right past a mother and her babies and she didn’t know. I use the natural oils for all kinds of things. You can look up all the benefits as well as side effects. If you add-directly to your skin it will dry it out. I use unscented products for the most part. My oils are the only thing that has a sent. I put them on my bags food bags and me to help keep bugs mice etc away. That includes bears. Does it always work NO. It is t a cure all. Nothing is! Does it help yes…. I’ve put 100% deet on and bugs still bite. So again it’s not a cure all!
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!
I’ll be honest, I’m never going to be a thru-hiker. But the AT looks crowded to me. Too many people for an outdoor adventure, which is why I forage instead of distance hike! To truly hit the the backcountry alone requires incredible skill, we’ve all seen idiots who try it & find out. I’m usually alone but within 6 ft of people & ofc only go fully off trail in private land when I know we’ve got cell. I don’t even really like popular sightseeing hikes, walking with strangers in a line is my ick.
I’ll be honest, I’m never going to be a thru-hiker. But the AT looks crowded to me (lol I also find western Montana too crowded). Too many people for an outdoor adventure, which is why I forage instead of distance hike! To truly hit the the backcountry alone requires incredible skill, we’ve all seen idiots who try it & find out. I’m usually alone but within 6 ft of people & ofc only go fully off trail in private land when I know we’ve got cell. I don’t even really like popular sightseeing hikes, walking with strangers in a line is my ick.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I watch a couple of TH-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.🤷🏻♂️
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...
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.
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!
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.
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 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!
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"
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!🤔
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.
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!
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!
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!
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.
🐭 - Your video brings up a lot of great points and reminders. For me, is mostly common sense but there are many people who are new or inexperienced out on the trails. I contracted norovirus last year. Unfortunately I probably came in contact with it at work seeing as I'm a public bus driver. That norovirus is no joke. I was down a week with it. By day 4, I spent a night in the hospital getting rehydrated and receiving meds to settle my stomach and give it a chance to rest and start healing. The thought of that experience out on the trail is scary. I could barely move for 3 days when I asked my husband to drive me to the hospital.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 !
During my 2021 Thru Hike I only stayed in one shelter simply because Im a hammocker and prefer to camp away from shelters. I did end one evening at a shelter with no other hikers around. So I thought why not hang my hammock in the shelter. Big mistake. The shelter had a metal roof and it was under oak trees. Since it was early fall, acorns fell on that roof all night long and I got very little sleep. Lesson learned. Water Doc SOBO 21
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! Great adventure! I'm glad you got the experience! I have a few myself. Also, I've seen the glowing fungus myself after cutting a maple tree that broke in a storm. I was loading it at night after cutting during the day. I haven't seen it on an uncut tree. The one you saw must have been deep in the forest. That must have been amazing.
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.
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.
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.
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 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!
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.
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! 😀
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.
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.
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.
🐭 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!
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.
I’m on the west coast and I find the whole “shelter” thing fascinating. I have only packed sections of the PCT and John Muir and I don’t think we have those, here.
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.
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!
just a minor correction Lightening can go through a house it can easily go through a little shelter!! if its your time to get zapped you are getting zapped on my couch watching tv a bolt went trough the roof to the main floor
I let the shelters "shelter" me on 44 of my 145 nights on my thru hike. I let the weather conditions and many other factors determine where I would lay my head each night. I found that you have to be flexible, open minded, willing to flow with the changes, and not rigid in your approach to a successful thru hike. HYOH is a great place to start.
Class of '02. I haven't watched all her vids but the few I did were fear mongering...hopefully for views. You're more in danger on the interstate yellow blazing or en route to a trailhead than staying in a shelter. I'm still an AT volunteer. A shelter shown is the the northern start of a piece of trail I was the caretaker for. We all have our own experiences and I respect hers. I'm not trying to get views/likes/subscribes so idgaf and I've traversed worse long distance trails, I'm not without perspective. The world in general is a scary place. If you're fearful of the AT then you're ill prepared for life. You probably work with or live near scarier folks than you'd meet on the AT. Naivety and fear seem to have more of a place on the trail than common sense. Be smart, be safe. Never be fearful.
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...
@@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
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.
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!
I am only a casual, short distance hiker, but I would not feel safe staying overnight in a shelter for all of the reasons that you stated. Very interesting video. Thanks.
Wouldn't use them unless an extreme circumstance myself being an introvert with autism. Some ideas for dealing with mice, rodents, etc. Mice hate the smell of dryer sheets, scatter a few around. They do tend to fade fast and the mice will use them for bedding after the smell fades, so keep in ziploc bag. Peppermint or spearmint extract on cotton balls also work well. Snakes go where the food is (mice) and where shelter is (your sleeping bag), but they don't like us so keeping the mice away and a sealed bag will take care of that problem. Sticky paper scattered around your bag will take care of insects, specifically spiders. Bears are problematic, wear a bell so they can hear you coming, a small air horn has worked to drive them off. Best just to eat several hundred yards from where you sleep and cache your bag at night, bury your food scraps and wash your pans. Note: Washing your pans doesn't always work as well. A fox decided to steal my bag of pans after I had washed them. Fortunately it slowed him down making it easy to chase down. He spent most of the rest of the night making lots of noise for his revenge.
You hit the nail on the head. Great advice. Mice will take advantage of you. I personally ruined several people's sleep tossing and turning in an emergency foil blanket thinking that would be a good lightweight blanket.
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!!!
I live in the Appalachian mountains and have used them for years, never had a problem. To be fair, that was years ago and maybe it was just good luck. Now days, I hike with my hubs and 2 grown sons and we carry in tents. Awesome video 👍
I hiked the AT in the early 1970's, so 50 years ago, and the Shelters sucked back then. I hated them for all the reasons you mentioned. I can remember being sound asleep in a shelter and a huge number of Girl Scouts showed up in the rain at 10 pm. Also, I got tired of all the Stoner's with all there BS. One night racoons came in a shelter and decided to go through backpacks. I did enjoy the many nights alone along the trail. I have enjoyed all your content. Thanks.
Thanks for that perspective from the 70s. I've had similar situations happen but with boy scouts. They are definitely welcome because it is a public shelter but it is really frustrating when they come in so late and so loud. Thank you for watching!
Once I stayed in a shelter with a bunch of young girls hiking. They offered us cookies if we helped them carry something to the top of the mountain. It was a huge metal barrel. I remember looking at the old tape and handwritten was a label that said: SHIT. It was so the helicopters could pick it up. I always remember that with a chuckle in my heart. We are so young and innocent - that word seemed so naughty to me. Great memory. It was a fancier lodge on the AT.
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!
🐁. 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.
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.
I have over 1,000 solo trail miles, mostly on the A.T., and have had virtually none of these shelter issues. I use a tent only when far between shelters. I am a quiet introvert yet the convenience of a dry roof, water source (usually), pit toilet, and not having to pack my tent in the morning are big pluses. I use foam ear plugs to counter the snoring. Before I started hiking I was unnerved by the mice stories, but in my personal experience that proved to be unfounded as long as you hang your food bag. If I'm alone in a shelter I will hang from a tree, but if there are several other hikers I will just use the rope & tin-cans in the shelter. If you are a new hiker don't let these videos scare you; Get out on the trail, try both ways, and see what works for you.
@@Sebastian16753 I've completed about 95% of Virginia since I have family in the area as transport. My other area is NW Montana for the same reason. (Bigger bears in Montana!)
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.
As a snorer, I apologize to all the people who shared a shelter with me in '19. Hopefully the weight loss I experienced while hiking lessened my snoring from the decibel level that my wife usually reports. I also happen to be a heavy sleeper, so I wasn't bothered by fellow snorers (except that one night in the Smokies - HOLY COW!), or the micro-bears. Sheltering is a trade-off. It is really nice to not have to pitch/pack up a tent every day, and for that reason, my son and I stayed in shelters as often as possible. We were diligent about hanging all our smellables and leaving our zippers/packs open, so we didn't have any mouse issues, except one. Being the earlier riser, I usually got my son's food bag down when I got mine. One morning I left his bag on the picnic table outside a shelter. In the bit of time that I was away packing up my gear and trying to roust him, a mouse, whose parents I'm certain never married, chewed a quarter-sized hole through his food bag and devoured half his 720 calorie honeybun. Thankfully, Tenatious Tape saved the bag, but the honeybun was a goner.
I am hoping my smoking cessation will reduce my snoring volume too, I'm 38 days in not smoking atm but no change to my snoring volume yet :( Going to try breathe-right strips and things to lessen the noise .. we shall see
@@thanebrown5717 One trick that I found that worked for me is to place a piece of 3M Nexcare Sensitive Skin tap over my mouth when I go to bed so as to keep my mouth shut and force me to breath through my nose.
We have shelters like that in the Scottish Highlands although they are more like old stone houses that would have been lived in by estate workers in the past. I think whisky seems to kill off any germs that might be around!!!
After reading comments in this video, Scotland seems like a dream for backpackers , the scenery is out of this world and folks all seem to get on well with each other. Also many backpackers go to Scotland to have a lovely time , it may rain a bit more than other Countries but that should not put one off .TH-cam West Highland Way to see how it is there .'
While I did not plan on staying in shelters on my thru-hike, I wound up using them all but about 10 nights. The purpose of the shelter is to reduce the impact tents have on the land so it is actually more Leave no Trace friendly. Personally I think shelters get a bad wrap. Everyone wants to bash them until the weather is bad then they all want to stay in them.
That's one of the pros of hammocks over tents. They have much less impact on the footprint they cover and are a great way to avoid snoring, smells and mice chewing your stuff.
@@taratreks With the advent of pharmaceuticals, there's really no reason not to be able to sleep in a hammock or on the sidewalk for that matter. 😎 Fortunately for me, at the end of a 20 mile day, it doesn't require any intervention to get a comfortable sleep without the pressure points of sleeping on the ground. I tend to have to flip to a different side every fifteen minutes or so on a pad to keep an arm from falling asleep then get up sore and exhausted.
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
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
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.
Now that I’m retired, I’m planning on a thru hike in 2023. Great advice , though I plan on hammocking the entire trail if I can. Keep me off of the ground with those critters!
I would suggest you do a few overnights or even better a 2-3 day hike and try out the hammock idea first. You may find it uncomfortable and a real pain in the ass to set up sometimes. Try the hammock first, then take out a one or two man tent(two man is more comfortable) and see which you prefer.
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
I've done a lot of backpacking in the eastern part of the country going back to the 1980s and for the last 20 years or so I've generally avoided the AT. It's become far too crowded and a lot of thru hikers these days are complete tools. It's sad but true. For those who do want to thru hike it, tents are the way to go.
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.
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.
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.
Back in the late 70s, when we hiked through the Smokies, there was no tent camping allowed and you had to stay in a designated shelter. At one point we had a wild hog come into camp and the mouse problem was just as bad then as you describe now. I wonder how many mouse generations there are in 45 years?
I once stayed in a lean-to at Chimney Pond in Baxter State Park, Maine, and when I woke up in the morning a female moose was bedded down right on the front doorstep, so to speak, of the lean-to. She liked people and had been there most of the summer.
I also stayed in a lean-to at Chimney Pond. The moose were up all night eating leaves right beside the lean-to. I was on the inside of the lean-to and my buddy was on the outside. Apparently I started snoring and this caused the moose to stick his giant head into the lean-to to see what made that sound. My buddy kept nudging me to wake up, because each time I snored, that moose had his head right on top of my buddy. I heard about it the next morning.
🐭 Thank you for this. My son is graduating high school next week and I’ve encouraged hiking the trail before college starts and real life problems begin. Him and a buddy start in early June out of the southern most entrance in Georgia. I just shared this video with him to help with perspective. Again, thank you. I’m an Army Infantryman, but in his eyes still Dad, so he’ll listen to others before me.
@@alexhoban5275 he was only wanting to go out for a section or two. As a young guy, his ambitions are many, so he only wants to be out for roughly a month. Thank you, though. Knowing that June is to late will be helpful when he goes to finish the trail. He’s going to UF in Gainesville, Florida for college, so we want to go dive in the Keys as well right before he begins. The trail is just for him and a buddy.
@@chriswilliams7069 If he only wants to section hike, I would suggest him starting at where he wanted to originally get off the trail(North) and instead, hike Southbound, back towards the start of the AT at Springer Mtn, Georgia. My reasoning for this is... there is a very HIGH percentage of folks that start the trail at Springer and quit after about the third day coming off of Blood Mtn. Plan on doing at least 8-10 miles each day at least. Keeping your weight down to as light as possible will help tremendously, I found that out early and dumped a ton of weight after day 3. Carry at least 5 days worth of food! There will be plenty towns to get off trail to resupply. The first 100 miles of the AT would be very doable depending on how long he wants to be out there, and how far(trail miles) he wants to hike. If you have any questions, feel free to just ask me or others...there's plenty of folks willing to give good solid advice!
I live in Saltville Virginia, near Damascus Virginia on the Appalachian Trail. Literally every time I’m on any trail I’ll exercise my 2A rights. Nothing wrong with vigilance and safety. Also, daddy long legs are awesome. Please don’t kill them or any other wildlife. Stay safe. 🇺🇸
Yeah, I agree. Daddy long legs are the least of a person’s worries on the trail. If you’re scared of them, then it’s probably best to just stay home. Lol. 🤣👍
I do not have a adventurous spirit. Sleeping in a motel is scarey for me sometimes. I do appreciate you letting people know all the pros and cons of these hiking trails. You presented some great information to those that may take on one of these adventures with very little information starting out. By the way I hate the thought of bears and mice and bugs being anywhere where I sleep or eat. YUCK!.
Yup, I stayed in an AT style open faced shelter called Great Gulf shelter #1. The people who had stayed there the night before recommended that I get a stick or club. When I asked why they said "you'll see". When it became dark they said look around and by the firelight all you could see was millions of red eyes. A quick look with a flashlight revealed millions (probably thousands) of deer mice all around us. As you said I woke up several times with mice all over my sleeping bag. A tent camper had their tent, pack, and accessible food chewed to pieces overnight with them in it. The RNC whose shelter it was removed the shelter some time after that because of the extreme infestation. This was in NH near the base of the Great Gulf headwall of Mt. Washington. I think it was in 1976, not a new issue. I never had another experience quite as extreme as this in AT type shelters but had several encounters with problem bears and almost got run over by two moose on the AT in Maine. Good luck to all you trekkers who are loving the mountains as I always have.
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.
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
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.
I've used those shelters for almost thirty years. My only concerns are small groups who think they own it, and the occasional super mutant ninja rat. As a proud Eagle Scout, yes, Scout troops tend to be awful.
There are basically 2 types of people regarding trails and camping: Those of love nature and the trails and like camping. Those who love nature and the trails; but hate camping out.
As a BSA troop 4 mass. Committee member and proud dad of an Eagle Scout. We slept in huts. They are kids!!!! Maybe it was the adult leadership!!!!!!!! NOT THE SCOUTS!!!
Kenneth, easy with the exclamation points. The scouts are the leadership in a troop. I'm sure your troop is every bit as exceptional as troop 700 of Va used to be; my issue lies with troops who wish to keep everyone awake well into the morning, set fire to things they should not, and leave an embarrassing amount of litter for me to clean up. Yes, I have encountered all of this and more.
Since starting my AT hiking lifestyle in 1989, I have yet to stay in a shelter. Since the late 80’s we always viewed the shelters as a Rainbow Gathering / Modern Hippy gathering area. We always steer clear of them. They’re a haven for misfortune and problems from theft to unwanted personal confrontations.
Another reason why I wouldn’t stay in a shelter is because I’m out there to get away from people, not cluster together with them in a commune. Same happens with ice huts up here. There’ll be a whole lot of people clustering their huts close together on the lake. There’s music, barking dogs, children playing, noisy machines, fumes. It’s suburbia on ice. It’s like people are scared of being alone.
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
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
When the voice on your shoulder speaks ... make sure your listening . Great video Tara.
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)
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 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.
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.
@@josephspruill1212would the mint smell attract bears?
@ depends, when hiking the Appalachian trail yes. Cause the bears there have got use to breaking in packs and eating tooth paste. They didn’t know it till they discovered it. So bears that aren’t use to that will stay away from the mint smell yes. How do you know, you don’t!
@@todayslist37737 not smelling like a meal is the best way. You don’t have to hang your bags. I have never hanged a bag in my life. One, dont eat where you camp. If others come and eat there, MOVE. Not everyone knows how to hike in the wild. Two don’t use a perfumes or deodorants while on the woods. You want to smell like the woods as much as possible. Just like hunters hunting. I didn’t say don’t wash. I said don’t add those to unnatural smells to your body. I have walked right past a mother and her babies and she didn’t know. I use the natural oils for all kinds of things. You can look up all the benefits as well as side effects. If you add-directly to your skin it will dry it out. I use unscented products for the most part. My oils are the only thing that has a sent. I put them on my bags food bags and me to help keep bugs mice etc away. That includes bears. Does it always work NO. It is t a cure all. Nothing is! Does it help yes…. I’ve put 100% deet on and bugs still bite. So again it’s not a cure all!
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!
I’ll be honest, I’m never going to be a thru-hiker. But the AT looks crowded to me. Too many people for an outdoor adventure, which is why I forage instead of distance hike! To truly hit the the backcountry alone requires incredible skill, we’ve all seen idiots who try it & find out. I’m usually alone but within 6 ft of people & ofc only go fully off trail in private land when I know we’ve got cell. I don’t even really like popular sightseeing hikes, walking with strangers in a line is my ick.
I’ll be honest, I’m never going to be a thru-hiker. But the AT looks crowded to me (lol I also find western Montana too crowded). Too many people for an outdoor adventure, which is why I forage instead of distance hike! To truly hit the the backcountry alone requires incredible skill, we’ve all seen idiots who try it & find out. I’m usually alone but within 6 ft of people & ofc only go fully off trail in private land when I know we’ve got cell. I don’t even really like popular sightseeing hikes, walking with strangers in a line is my ick.
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
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)
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 TH-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.🤷🏻♂️
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.
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!
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.
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 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!
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.
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"
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!🤔
There was way less people doing thnis stuff in 1970s
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.
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!
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!
You just described life in a typical major homeless encampment in the bowels of San Francisco. *edit* but liked and subscribed!.
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!
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.
🐭 - Your video brings up a lot of great points and reminders. For me, is mostly common sense but there are many people who are new or inexperienced out on the trails.
I contracted norovirus last year. Unfortunately I probably came in contact with it at work seeing as I'm a public bus driver. That norovirus is no joke. I was down a week with it. By day 4, I spent a night in the hospital getting rehydrated and receiving meds to settle my stomach and give it a chance to rest and start healing. The thought of that experience out on the trail is scary. I could barely move for 3 days when I asked my husband to drive me to the hospital.
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.
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.
@@MeteoricStoneofSouls Aren’t they wonderful companions? Is yours full breed or a mutt? Either way, worth owning.
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!
Too many ppl on the AT or PCT for me...the places I go most can't or would choose not to...peace to all and safe travels...
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.
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 ?
@@BeautifulDove-i7u 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
Bidens America
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!
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 !
During my 2021 Thru Hike I only stayed in one shelter simply because Im a hammocker and prefer to camp away from shelters. I did end one evening at a shelter with no other hikers around. So I thought why not hang my hammock in the shelter. Big mistake. The shelter had a metal roof and it was under oak trees. Since it was early fall, acorns fell on that roof all night long and I got very little sleep. Lesson learned. Water Doc SOBO 21
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
Amazing! What an adventure! You really earned that badge!
I think you earned all your badges 10 times over & than some 😂🇦🇺🐨👍🏼
Great story! Great adventure! I'm glad you got the experience! I have a few myself. Also, I've seen the glowing fungus myself after cutting a maple tree that broke in a storm. I was loading it at night after cutting during the day. I haven't seen it on an uncut tree. The one you saw must have been deep in the forest. That must have been amazing.
The longest sentence ever.
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.
It's weird not to screen the people you are staying with in a shelter. I dig your channel
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!
Smart video. Too many people underestimate the percentage of people who are predators. 🐭
I think it's more likely the other way around. Predators are very rare. Most people are Okish.
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
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!
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.
You're a man traveling with another man. Now try being a solo female hiker.
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 😁
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.
🐭 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!
🐭
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.
Enjoyed your POV, I live near the AT & am planning some weekend section hiking, good to be forewarned! Happy trails! -Dan
I’m on the west coast and I find the whole “shelter” thing fascinating. I have only packed sections of the PCT and John Muir and I don’t think we have those, here.
Just a bit of information, norovirus isn’t just for hikers, it’s responsible for the majority of food poisonings worldwide. You can get it ANYWHERE
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?
just a minor correction Lightening can go through a house it can easily go through a little shelter!! if its your time to get zapped you are getting zapped on my couch watching tv a bolt went trough the roof to the main floor
I let the shelters "shelter" me on 44 of my 145 nights on my thru hike. I let the weather conditions and many other factors determine where I would lay my head each night. I found that you have to be flexible, open minded, willing to flow with the changes, and not rigid in your approach to a successful thru hike. HYOH is a great place to start.
You didn't watch till the end aye? 🐁
@@DanielleFoster. aye, I did indeed.
@The Gnometown Campers ok. Then you just didn't do what she'd asked if everyone who watched till the end. Which is fine!
@@DanielleFoster. Awe, indeed it's fine!
Class of '02. I haven't watched all her vids but the few I did were fear mongering...hopefully for views. You're more in danger on the interstate yellow blazing or en route to a trailhead than staying in a shelter. I'm still an AT volunteer. A shelter shown is the the northern start of a piece of trail I was the caretaker for. We all have our own experiences and I respect hers. I'm not trying to get views/likes/subscribes so idgaf and I've traversed worse long distance trails, I'm not without perspective. The world in general is a scary place. If you're fearful of the AT then you're ill prepared for life. You probably work with or live near scarier folks than you'd meet on the AT. Naivety and fear seem to have more of a place on the trail than common sense. Be smart, be safe. Never be fearful.
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.
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!
I am only a casual, short distance hiker, but I would not feel safe staying overnight in a shelter for all of the reasons that you stated. Very interesting video. Thanks.
Wouldn't use them unless an extreme circumstance myself being an introvert with autism. Some ideas for dealing with mice, rodents, etc. Mice hate the smell of dryer sheets, scatter a few around. They do tend to fade fast and the mice will use them for bedding after the smell fades, so keep in ziploc bag. Peppermint or spearmint extract on cotton balls also work well.
Snakes go where the food is (mice) and where shelter is (your sleeping bag), but they don't like us so keeping the mice away and a sealed bag will take care of that problem. Sticky paper scattered around your bag will take care of insects, specifically spiders.
Bears are problematic, wear a bell so they can hear you coming, a small air horn has worked to drive them off. Best just to eat several hundred yards from where you sleep and cache your bag at night, bury your food scraps and wash your pans.
Note: Washing your pans doesn't always work as well. A fox decided to steal my bag of pans after I had washed them. Fortunately it slowed him down making it easy to chase down. He spent most of the rest of the night making lots of noise for his revenge.
You hit the nail on the head. Great advice. Mice will take advantage of you. I personally ruined several people's sleep tossing and turning in an emergency foil blanket thinking that would be a good lightweight blanket.
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!!!
I live in the Appalachian mountains and have used them for years, never had a problem. To be fair, that was years ago and maybe it was just good luck. Now days, I hike with my hubs and 2 grown sons and we carry in tents. Awesome video 👍
I hiked the AT in the early 1970's, so 50 years ago, and the Shelters sucked back then. I hated them for all the reasons you mentioned. I can remember being sound asleep in a shelter and a huge number of Girl Scouts showed up in the rain at 10 pm. Also, I got tired of all the Stoner's with all there BS. One night racoons came in a shelter and decided to go through backpacks. I did enjoy the many nights alone along the trail. I have enjoyed all your content. Thanks.
Thanks for that perspective from the 70s. I've had similar situations happen but with boy scouts. They are definitely welcome because it is a public shelter but it is really frustrating when they come in so late and so loud. Thank you for watching!
Hey man I stay away from shelters but will always be stoney
Hey James...That was too funny, I LOL reading "The Girl Scouts Showed up at 10pm in the rain." Your comment made my day, Too Funny😂
Same With me in 74
Once I stayed in a shelter with a bunch of young girls hiking. They offered us cookies if we helped them carry something to the top of the mountain. It was a huge metal barrel. I remember looking at the old tape and handwritten was a label that said: SHIT. It was so the helicopters could pick it up. I always remember that with a chuckle in my heart. We are so young and innocent - that word seemed so naughty to me. Great memory. It was a fancier lodge on the AT.
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!
🐁. 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.
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.
I have over 1,000 solo trail miles, mostly on the A.T., and have had virtually none of these shelter issues. I use a tent only when far between shelters. I am a quiet introvert yet the convenience of a dry roof, water source (usually), pit toilet, and not having to pack my tent in the morning are big pluses. I use foam ear plugs to counter the snoring. Before I started hiking I was unnerved by the mice stories, but in my personal experience that proved to be unfounded as long as you hang your food bag. If I'm alone in a shelter I will hang from a tree, but if there are several other hikers I will just use the rope & tin-cans in the shelter. If you are a new hiker don't let these videos scare you; Get out on the trail, try both ways, and see what works for you.
@@Sebastian16753 I've completed about 95% of Virginia since I have family in the area as transport. My other area is NW Montana for the same reason. (Bigger bears in Montana!)
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.
Great information, presented very well. Easy to listen to, and pleasant to watch. Thank you for posting this.
I’ve never hiked overnight and didn’t know there were such shelters but the mouse/chapstick story is all I need to know! Great video!
As a snorer, I apologize to all the people who shared a shelter with me in '19. Hopefully the weight loss I experienced while hiking lessened my snoring from the decibel level that my wife usually reports. I also happen to be a heavy sleeper, so I wasn't bothered by fellow snorers (except that one night in the Smokies - HOLY COW!), or the micro-bears. Sheltering is a trade-off. It is really nice to not have to pitch/pack up a tent every day, and for that reason, my son and I stayed in shelters as often as possible. We were diligent about hanging all our smellables and leaving our zippers/packs open, so we didn't have any mouse issues, except one. Being the earlier riser, I usually got my son's food bag down when I got mine. One morning I left his bag on the picnic table outside a shelter. In the bit of time that I was away packing up my gear and trying to roust him, a mouse, whose parents I'm certain never married, chewed a quarter-sized hole through his food bag and devoured half his 720 calorie honeybun. Thankfully, Tenatious Tape saved the bag, but the honeybun was a goner.
What a story! It's crazy how quick those mice can be! thanks for watching
I am hoping my smoking cessation will reduce my snoring volume too, I'm 38 days in not smoking atm but no change to my snoring volume yet :( Going to try breathe-right strips and things to lessen the noise .. we shall see
@@thanebrown5717 One trick that I found that worked for me is to place a piece of 3M Nexcare Sensitive Skin tap over my mouth when I go to bed so as to keep my mouth shut and force me to breath through my nose.
You might want to look at snoring from a different perspective. It can be a sign of heart disease.
No need for apology, that is not something you can control, if people have trouble sleeping they need to bring earplugs.
We have shelters like that in the Scottish Highlands although they are more like old stone houses that would have been lived in by estate workers in the past. I think whisky seems to kill off any germs that might be around!!!
After reading comments in this video, Scotland seems like a dream for backpackers , the scenery is out of this world and folks all seem to get on well with each other. Also many backpackers go to Scotland to have a lovely time , it may rain a bit more than other Countries but that should not put one off .TH-cam West Highland Way to see how it is there .'
Everything I hear about the Appalachian mountains is a no go. Happy I live out west.
While I did not plan on staying in shelters on my thru-hike, I wound up using them all but about 10 nights. The purpose of the shelter is to reduce the impact tents have on the land so it is actually more Leave no Trace friendly. Personally I think shelters get a bad wrap. Everyone wants to bash them until the weather is bad then they all want to stay in them.
That is a solid point I left out of the pros. Thanks for pointing that out.
That's one of the pros of hammocks over tents. They have much less impact on the footprint they cover and are a great way to avoid snoring, smells and mice chewing your stuff.
@@wisenber yeah! If only I could fall asleep in a hammock 🤦🏼♀️
@@taratreks With the advent of pharmaceuticals, there's really no reason not to be able to sleep in a hammock or on the sidewalk for that matter. 😎
Fortunately for me, at the end of a 20 mile day, it doesn't require any intervention to get a comfortable sleep without the pressure points of sleeping on the ground. I tend to have to flip to a different side every fifteen minutes or so on a pad to keep an arm from falling asleep then get up sore and exhausted.
100% agree and most park services and trail guides will tell you to stay in them if they are readily available for that reason too.
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
@@Minuteman_Expeditions-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.😉
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 once woke up in the middle of the night with 3 mice in my bag with me and as i got up and shined my light there were probably 100 more waiting
Now that I’m retired, I’m planning on a thru hike in 2023. Great advice , though I plan on hammocking the entire trail if I can. Keep me off of the ground with those critters!
Good idea!
Go get em!!!
Wishing you a great trail experience!
Protein.
I would suggest you do a few overnights or even better a 2-3 day hike and try out the hammock idea first. You may find it uncomfortable and a real pain in the ass to set up sometimes. Try the hammock first, then take out a one or two man tent(two man is more comfortable) and see which you prefer.
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
I've done a lot of backpacking in the eastern part of the country going back to the 1980s and for the last 20 years or so I've generally avoided the AT. It's become far too crowded and a lot of thru hikers these days are complete tools. It's sad but true. For those who do want to thru hike it, tents are the way to go.
Can you elaborate what makes a hiker tool?
That's because trail hikers are not real hikers lol they are just city boys that think they know what they are doing when they don't. Lol
@@elimanning6520 LOL LOL LOL.
@@Ja2808R New Jersey
I've always wanted to hike and camp in the Smoky Mountains, but the AT does not appeal! Any other other hiking routes you recommend?
I’ve been hiking the AT since the early 70s shelters always have been, and always will be freak shows
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
Don’t wipe your greasy hands on your pants. You become a walking scent trail for animals
Was so excited to finally mark this one off my bucket list! It’s worth every step, high above the clouds!
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.
Back in the late 70s, when we hiked through the Smokies, there was no tent camping allowed and you had to stay in a designated shelter. At one point we had a wild hog come into camp and the mouse problem was just as bad then as you describe now. I wonder how many mouse generations there are in 45 years?
Lol. Don't think the mice have time to worry about their population size. As long as there is enough food around.
I once stayed in a lean-to at Chimney Pond in Baxter State Park, Maine, and when I woke up in the morning a female moose was bedded down right on the front doorstep, so to speak, of the lean-to. She liked people and had been there most of the summer.
I also stayed in a lean-to at Chimney Pond. The moose were up all night eating leaves right beside the lean-to. I was on the inside of the lean-to and my buddy was on the outside. Apparently I started snoring and this caused the moose to stick his giant head into the lean-to to see what made that sound. My buddy kept nudging me to wake up, because each time I snored, that moose had his head right on top of my buddy. I heard about it the next morning.
🐭 Thank you for this. My son is graduating high school next week and I’ve encouraged hiking the trail before college starts and real life problems begin. Him and a buddy start in early June out of the southern most entrance in Georgia. I just shared this video with him to help with perspective. Again, thank you. I’m an Army Infantryman, but in his eyes still Dad, so he’ll listen to others before me.
He will probably be killed
That is probably way too late to hike the full trail. Just fyi
@@alexhoban5275 he was only wanting to go out for a section or two. As a young guy, his ambitions are many, so he only wants to be out for roughly a month. Thank you, though. Knowing that June is to late will be helpful when he goes to finish the trail. He’s going to UF in Gainesville, Florida for college, so we want to go dive in the Keys as well right before he begins. The trail is just for him and a buddy.
@@chriswilliams7069 If he only wants to section hike, I would suggest him starting at where he wanted to originally get off the trail(North) and instead, hike Southbound, back towards the start of the AT at Springer Mtn, Georgia. My reasoning for this is... there is a very HIGH percentage of folks that start the trail at Springer and quit after about the third day coming off of Blood Mtn. Plan on doing at least 8-10 miles each day at least. Keeping your weight down to as light as possible will help tremendously, I found that out early and dumped a ton of weight after day 3. Carry at least 5 days worth of food! There will be plenty towns to get off trail to resupply. The first 100 miles of the AT would be very doable depending on how long he wants to be out there, and how far(trail miles) he wants to hike. If you have any questions, feel free to just ask me or others...there's plenty of folks willing to give good solid advice!
I appreciate your candidness . I am a chainsaw snorer I banish myself when other people show up . Pretty simple think of others.
I live in Saltville Virginia, near Damascus Virginia on the Appalachian Trail. Literally every time I’m on any trail I’ll exercise my 2A rights. Nothing wrong with vigilance and safety. Also, daddy long legs are awesome. Please don’t kill them or any other wildlife. Stay safe. 🇺🇸
Yeah, I agree. Daddy long legs are the least of a person’s worries on the trail. If you’re scared of them, then it’s probably best to just stay home. Lol. 🤣👍
People like you are what makes hiking creepy.
Bristol TN here...
@@free-domechaser7461 Ain't Appalachia grand?
@@wesstubbs3472 yes.
Would highly recommend a Tentsile tree tent for the Appalachian, keeps you high up off the ground and dry and warm or cool if you wish...Love mine.
What’s the weight on one of those
Heavy
I do not have a adventurous spirit. Sleeping in a motel is scarey for me sometimes. I do appreciate you letting people know all the pros and cons of these hiking trails. You presented some great information to those that may take on one of these adventures with very little information starting out. By the way I hate the thought of bears and mice and bugs being anywhere where I sleep or eat. YUCK!.
Yup, I stayed in an AT style open faced shelter called Great Gulf shelter #1. The people who had stayed there the night before recommended that I get a stick or club. When I asked why they said "you'll see". When it became dark they said look around and by the firelight all you could see was millions of red eyes. A quick look with a flashlight revealed millions (probably thousands) of deer mice all around us. As you said I woke up several times with mice all over my sleeping bag. A tent camper had their tent, pack, and accessible food chewed to pieces overnight with them in it. The RNC whose shelter it was removed the shelter some time after that because of the extreme infestation. This was in NH near the base of the Great Gulf headwall of Mt. Washington. I think it was in 1976, not a new issue. I never had another experience quite as extreme as this in AT type shelters but had several encounters with problem bears and almost got run over by two moose on the AT in Maine. Good luck to all you trekkers who are loving the mountains as I always have.
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
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've used those shelters for almost thirty years. My only concerns are small groups who think they own it, and the occasional super mutant ninja rat. As a proud Eagle Scout, yes, Scout troops tend to be awful.
My sons are in BSA Scout Troop 373 in Maryland!!!! We have spent some time on the trails as well(Va).
There are basically 2 types of people regarding trails and camping: Those of love nature and the trails and like camping. Those who love nature and the trails; but hate camping out.
As a BSA troop 4 mass. Committee member and proud dad of an Eagle Scout. We slept in huts. They are kids!!!! Maybe it was the adult leadership!!!!!!!! NOT THE SCOUTS!!!
Ya want a perfect stay somewhere? Go to a hotel!
Kenneth, easy with the exclamation points. The scouts are the leadership in a troop. I'm sure your troop is every bit as exceptional as troop 700 of Va used to be; my issue lies with troops who wish to keep everyone awake well into the morning, set fire to things they should not, and leave an embarrassing amount of litter for me to clean up. Yes, I have encountered all of this and more.
Since starting my AT hiking lifestyle in 1989, I have yet to stay in a shelter. Since the late 80’s we always viewed the shelters as a Rainbow Gathering / Modern Hippy gathering area. We always steer clear of them. They’re a haven for misfortune and problems from theft to unwanted personal confrontations.
Another reason why I wouldn’t stay in a shelter is because I’m out there to get away from people, not cluster together with them in a commune. Same happens with ice huts up here. There’ll be a whole lot of people clustering their huts close together on the lake. There’s music, barking dogs, children playing, noisy machines, fumes. It’s suburbia on ice. It’s like people are scared of being alone.