2 VERY different shelter nights on the AT

Night 1

Throughout the week, the forecast had been calling for strong winds and heavy rain on Tuesday night. As I hiked on, I had been expecting a downpour coming that night. Weather that I would not be able to face in my tent. I knew that I had to find a Schiller to sleep in to stay dry (and not have to pack up a wet tent in the morning).

As I walked during the day, winds whipped across the ridge lines and gave a strong reminder that weather was coming hard that evening. As I continued to walk and discovered that all of the hostels were full and shuttles were booked, I knew I had to sleep outside tonight – but it had to be in a shelter.

The only shelter that I could reasonably make it to was Whitley Gap shelter. A fairly standard shelter with room for seven hikers. The only issue was that it was AN ENTIRE MILE off trail. This would be another mile that is added both to my current day and to tomorrow, just to get a good night of sleep.

But as I walked to the shelter, the extra mile became worth it. The shelter was nearly empty when I arrived – with only three hikers already in it, leaving plenty of room between our sleeping pads. Two more hikers showed up to the shelter a little later. But these fellow 6 hikers gave me one of the best nights of conversation and camaraderie that I’d had so far on trail. Even when rain started to blow into the shelter with the heavy winds, I decided the wet foot box of my quilt was simply “a tomorrow problem” and proceeded to get my best night of sleep so far on the AT. Sleeping together with my fellow hikers felt like a fantastic adult sleepover.
   

Night 2

For a second night in a row the forecast did not look promising. Wednesday night called for strong winds with another chance of rain. I knew again that it would not be suitable to set up my tent in that weather and risk it blowing over in the middle of the night. But after my fantastic experience in the shelter the night before, I was ready to sleep in it again.

Rain pelted me for much of the afternoon as I hiked up to Blue Mountain, but I knew the shelter would provide great protection from the rain – and hopefully another good night’s sleep. When I arrived at the shelter, 4 other hikers were already hunkered down in their sleeping bags, leaving room for only two more. So I slid in my sleeping pad and made my bed for the night.

After I had finished cooking dinner and hung my bear bag, sleet began to fall. And a few minutes later, the last two hikers arrived at the shelter. One set his tent up under the awning of the shelter with just enough room to spare. The other was too late. Forced to sleep on the gravel floor below the shelter platform. Regardless of the number of hikers packed in the shelter, I was confident in the shelter keeping me warm and dry, giving me another good night’s rest. So I got in my sleeping bag and started to get comfy.

Just as I was pulling my beanie over my eyes to get to sleep (at a respectable 6:30 p.m.) a fellow hiker cries out “my sleeping bag is wet.” Soon, someone’s headlamp is flipped on and it’s evaluated that the inside of the shelter is similar to a snow globe. Snow was coming in from all sides – From the front of the shelter and from the roof where a vent is angled just right to let in the wind.

We needed to find a way to keep the snow out of the shelter and keep our sleeping bags dry if we want to get through the night. One of the other hikers rigged up her hammock tarp to try to block the front of the shelter but is met with minimal success. Without thinking, everyone next grabbed their tent flies and covered their sleeping bags. With the hope that we could keep the bags dry enough to make it to the next morning. Soon after, I was asleep from the exhaustion of the day.

The wind and snow continued to whip through the shelter throughout the night. The makeshift tarp door was continually pounded by the wind and snow continued to seep in. The sound of the wind and the soft feeling of snow falling on my face made it hard to sleep. I managed to get a few hours of continuous sleep in before midnight. But I tossed and turned after that as I slowly got colder throughout the night, with my wet sleeping bag starting to lose its warmth. I checked my watch every 45 minutes begging the sun to finally come out.

Fortunately I made it through to the morning. Seeing the morning sun gave us a reminder that there is a warm world out there, and after slowly packing up I only had a two mile hike out to Unicoi gap to get into town. Unfortunately the string of my bear bag was frozen solid, so I was left without breakfast. But the best surprise waited at the gap when I arrived – trail magic. A grilled cheese, a cosmic brownie, and a cup of coffee later my spirits were restored and my body warm as I rode the shuttle into town for a much needed night inside.