Originally Posted by
Dogwood
"Say what you will about being stronger but where humans congregate like at AT lean-tos they bring with them problems such as increased viruses, bacteria, polluted water, congestion, environmental destruction(cutting down and damaging of trees, trampling of sensitive plants), leaving trash behind or left in fire rings, etc. Mice and rats and bears show up at AT lean-tos as a result of human activity. Hantavirus is spread at AT lean-tos hence the warnings from the ATC about avoiding or taking precautions at AT lean-tos. IMHO water sources overall at AT lean-tos are more suspect of tainted water than away from lean to areas walking 300 off trail to get it upstream at a small rivulet/stream's waterfall. It is the human animal's activities on the AT I'm more concerned with than poisonous plants or hazards from wildlife.