AT thru the Smokies with a Hammer?

[riverkeeper]

Was planning a 5-6 day trip on the AT in the Smokies about 1 May but just read here that one(or two) is 'required' to camp IN the shelters now....including hangers.

Is this true? Any reasonable alternatives like hike down side trails....or 1/4 mi off trail. We haven't received park hike info yet.

In 74 (the last time) the shelters were fully caged (not so now I hear) so only skunks could get under and in and they did each night.

[bear bag hanger]

Yes, those are the rules. Some, but not all, of the rangers will let hammock hangers slide since they do not disturb the ground as much as tents do. I've been through the Smokies three or four times and have used my hammock all but one of them. The one time I didn't use it, it was really cold, snow on the ground and I had arrived in the dark at Siler Bald Shelter.

You can legally setup outside the shelter - if - the shelter is full. But, you have to be careful about this as well. Different rangers have different ideas about what constitues a full shelter.

On another trip I was at Derrick Knob Shelter and woke up during the night to the sound of a deer eating the grass underneath my hammock. Didn't want to disturb him because I was a little worried about his antlers if he suddenly lifted his head straight up!

[tight-wad]

Unless you are a thru-hiker you have to get a free reservation from the park and state the dates and shelters where you intend to stop for the night. Very inconvenient, but for the most used park in the system, you can understand why. On my trip last year, the rangers were out in force, and they enforced the rules. You need to make your reservation early, because they do book up the sites.

[Cuffs]

Is this specific to the AT in GSMNP or all trails? I did the BMT thtru GSMNP back in Oct and hung the whole way. But I never saw a ranger either...

[Coffee]

Most of the fenses are taken down. Too many people where inside feeding the bears on the outside. I think only a couple still have them. Look in the guide, they are the ones that are not remodeled.

The ridge runners are probibly the people to give you grief in the smokies. I heard of people stealth camping, but take that for what it's worth.

Definitly check out the fire towers on both ends of the smokies. The northern one is a really cool lookout. If you plan right you could stay there if you want to chance getting caught. No water there though. The one on the southern end is getting old and the trail club is trying to decide to keep it or not. Great views and worth seeing in case it gets torn down.

[jeffjenn]

What happens if you get caught?

[Hooch]

What happens if you get caught?

You get a nasty spakin'! Seriously, isn't it a fine of about $125 or something like that?

[riverkeeper]

Thanks for the info.

Giving a ticket is generally within the discretion of the ranger ... the more lip and more egredious the infractions the more likely a ticket is in play.

MY first night in a hammock was in the Olympics, woke up just before dawn with 11 elk munching within 40 ft or so ... one at about 10 ft.... about 28 deg so their breath was smokin.

Also heard the shelters do not have a place to poo, ya gotta go in the woods (Oh No) ... most heavily used campsites where I've worked do.

[Coffee]

Some shelters do and some don't. I was told that above a certain altitude, there is issues with decomp.

[Risk]

When I went through, I just slept in the shelters on my CCF pad. Sometimes the conversations are fun. Take a pair of ear plugs.