[at-l] RE: Is this true

[Marielle & Paul" <hikers99@yahoo.com (Marielle & Paul)]

In 1999 we had an incident at a shelter in the Smokies with a =
Ridgerunner present which clairified the rules for Thru hikers in the =
Smokies.

PA (MA & PA 99)

As is my habit, I will do the lazy thing and paste from our journal

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We passed two shelters before coming to our destination, Spence Field  =
Shelter. The gang from the previous night were here as was SERPICO and a =
number of weekend hikers and a Ridgerunner named Chas. The ridgerunners =
patrol the trail, including the park,  looking for problems with the =
trail and facilities, and helping hikers if they can.


A section hiker arrived without a reservation and without a tent. Chas =
informed him that he could not guarantee him a spot in the shelter and =
that he could therefore find himself in a tough spot without a tent.  =
The situation surrounding reservations and shelter space is as follows. =
Section hikers are required to have a reservation. The park always =
leaves three spots available for thru hikers, because their itineraries =
prevent them from making reservations.  If all the reserved spots are =
full, and more than three thru hikers show up, the late arrivals, must =
tent. In effect, the thru hikers are the only people allowed to tent in =
the park, but they must do so near the shelters.  If individuals happen =
to show up without reservations, the thru hikers have priority for the =
space in the shelter. The reservation system is to ensure this popular =
park is not abused.=20


In this case there was space available, but Chas was not sure if a late =
thru hiker would arrive to take it. The hiker decided to leave and take =
a side trail down to a camp ground. If Chas had not been there, I am =
sure we could have accommodated the hiker.  I met the hiker a few days =
later, and he had no ill feelings, saying that Chas had been very polite =
and had been doing his job in enforcing the rules. He blamed himself for =
the problem.=20


www.hikers99.homestead.com


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