Pine Swamp Branch Shelter

[Kerosene]

A nice stone shelter sleeping 8 on various platforms and floor. There is an unusual interior fireplace, plus a picnic table and an outdoor fire pit. Decent sunlight by late morning. Water is out in front of the shelter from a fast-moving stream. Privy is way up the hill to the left.

[BlackCloud]

As of 4/1/07 the cabin was clean and in good order. Comfortably sleeping 6, it has an unusual fireplace in the back that looks like it could be effective, since it's not near the entrance. The picnic table out front needs some new boards, and the privy is UP, behind the shelter. What I really didn't like about the shelter is its .2 proximity to a road.

Also, the shelter is dedicated to a _____ William Trimpi, I think, who died at age 18 or 19 in 1969 or so.

Anyone know the story?????

[The Solemates]

the fireplace works great! we had the first fire of our thru in it!

[Hikerhead]

This shelter used to be called the Trimpi Shelter, at one time I believe there were two or when this shelter was changed to Pine Swamp, they named the other Trimpi, not sure about this. But, the old trail sign down at the southern terminus of the Allegheny Trail at the Sugar Camp trail head still calls this shelter the Trimpi Shelter. There is still a Trimpi shelter between the Partnership Shelter and the Old Orchard shelter.

[CitronellaMan]

Was there on April 13-14. Didn't stay in the shelter but cooked and ate/chilled out in and near it. Great water source through a thicket of rhododendron across the trail. Really pretty spot, can hear the rushing stream. Privy was nice, but up the hill? Very close to the road, but far enough away not to hear the already minimal traffic. Good tent sites around, but they're not marked. Great experience. A few mice (one was on my tent in the night), but they weren't any trouble.

[Cookerhiker]

Stayed there on a 4-day SOBO section hike early April 2005. Felt good, especially after that frigid unscheduled ford across Stony Creek caused by the bridge washout from the hurricane the previous September.

[EarlyBird2007]

The roof of this shelter was hit and smashed in by a blowdown in spring, 2007. There is room for maybe 5 or 6 folks in it, but it may leak in a rainstorm.

[Kerosene]

Trimpi Shelter, about 22 miles south of Atkins in southern Virginia, is the only other AT shelter based on this same design.

[TJ aka Teej]

Sgt Rock reports in: "The Pine Swamp Branch Shelter no longer has a roof."

[Lone Wolf]

maybe they'll tear it completey down then. it's ugly and too close to the road

[SawnieRobertson]

I liked that shelter, didn't think much of the location of the privy though.--Kinnickiniic

[Hikerhead]

A tree fell on it last year sometime....This area is now part of a wilderness area I believe, and therefore, may never see a new roof or will be torn down.

[thecaptain]

It will get a new roof....I know I helped tearing the old one off so a new one can be installed

[Hikerhead]

Cool. Thanks and sorry for the bad info from me.

[Tennessee Viking]

Was it the tornado winds that took the roof?

[ASUGrad]

A tree fell on it during high winds on 04/16, the same day as the Virginia Tech shooting.

[CaseyB]

Was it the tornado winds that took the roof?

The tornado was local to Big Stone Gap VA. Nowhere else. Obsessed with the mountain tornado, are we???

[Blissful]

We had lunch there with the tree on the roof. Some hikers last year stayed there in the rain.

[Mountain Dog]

The roof was still missing as of 5-21-08. The bridge about 2 miles south of the shelter was also missing. There is a 8x11 sign with reroute instructions about 7 feet off the ground on an oak tree and on the east side of the trail near where you get on the paved road to get around the bridge issue if you do not want to ford the creek. About 50 % of the north bounders miss seeing the sign. The paved road has white paint clearly identifying where you reenter the woods if you take the road reroute.

[Cookerhiker]

The Roanoke AT Club is planning to replace the roof this year.