[at-l] Is this true?

[spiriteagle99@hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Jan Leitschuh wrote:
>Hi,
>I was asking a friend about trail conditions in the area I plan to hike, 
>and was sent this little aside:
>
>>Don't forget that, hiker manners states that thru hikers have first dibs 
>>at shelters and, if you are in one, you really are expected to give up 
>>your spot for the thruhikers.
>
>Is this true?
>Why have I never heard this before (except maybe on Trailplace)?  Is this 
>the common ethic, that section hikers are expected to vacate to 
>thru-hikers? If this is expected, it sucks. It sets up an us/them 
>hierarchy. I go to the woods to escape such BS. I thought it was first 
>come, first served at shelters. Someone please enlighten.


Jan -
Your friend is either funnin' you - or is ignorant.  Except for the Smokies, 
there are only two rules with regard to shelters - and there's nothing 
"official" about either of them.  First is - first come, first served.  And 
the second is that the shelter's full when everyone's in.  Not everyone 
abides by that one - most thruhikers do, many section hikers do - but not 
everyone.

Seems to me there was a group in the Smokies a couple years ago who claimed 
the shelter as "theirs" - and actually got into fist fights about it - even 
though their group didn't fill the shelter.  Not cool. OTOH, I never did 
like the Smokies shelters.  I'd happily camp elsewhere.

Any thruhiker who'd demand that someone leave a shelter so they could have 
space needs to be bounced on their punkin head until they see the light.

Hmmm - there ARE thruhikers (and section hikers) who don't carry shelter.  
My attitude is that if there's REALLY no room at the Inn - like 50 hikers at 
a 12 person shelter (and yes, that does happen), then they've made their 
choice and should live with the consequences. Any "thruhiker" who doesn't 
carry their own shelter (tent or tarp) isn't prepared for a real thruhike.  
I know that you know better than to do that.

Walk softly,
Jim






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