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  1. #1
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    Default Overmountain Shelter closed

    i cant find a link to the release but someone on FB posted this..


    overmoutnain.jpg

  2. #2
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    Default

    That's sad.

  3. #3
    mountain squid's Avatar
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    This just came across Twitter: http://appalachiantrail.org/home/com...uctural-damage

    The Barn is closed until further notice. As a trail maintainer with TEHCC I knew something was forthcoming. As of yet, I don't know what the final resolution will be: Torn down?, repaired?, etc.

    The grassy area near The Barn is still open for camping.

    See you on the trail,
    mt squid

    some observations

  4. #4

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    As someone eager to see all the cool iconic spots along the trail, this does make me sad.

  5. #5
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    Default Overmountain Shelter closed

    Still a great tent spot.
    You can walk in another person's shoes, but only with your feet

  6. #6
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    A lot of folks were responding on Facebook about how disappointed they were at the news, at how wonderful it was to visit Overmountain, etc.

    Perhaps those feelings will inspire a serious fundraiser to pay for fixing the shelter. 'cause it won't be cheap....

  7. #7
    Registered User Tennessee Viking's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mountain squid View Post
    This just came across Twitter: http://appalachiantrail.org/home/com...uctural-damage

    The Barn is closed until further notice. As a trail maintainer with TEHCC I knew something was forthcoming. As of yet, I don't know what the final resolution will be: Torn down?, repaired?, etc.

    The grassy area near The Barn is still open for camping.

    See you on the trail,
    mt squid

    some observations
    As long as the privy still has the amazing view
    ''Tennessee Viking'
    Mountains to Sea Trail Hiker & Maintainer
    Former TEHCC (AT) Maintainer

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tennessee Viking View Post
    As long as the privy still has the amazing view
    Privy with a view

    4419C324-7C10-42CD-B8CF-34D81A189EDE.jpg
    76 HawkMtn w/Rangers
    14 LHHT
    15 Girard/Quebec/LostTurkey/Saylor/Tuscarora/BlackForest
    16 Kennerdell/Cranberry-Otter/DollyS/WRim-NCT
    17 BearR
    18-19,22 AT NOBO 1562.2
    22 Hadrian's Wall
    23 Cotswold Way

  9. #9
    Leonidas
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    The rumor that this was coming down the pipe was part of why I wanted to stay there this year. We camped on the grass but it was still cool to finally see the barn. Most of the thru hikers we were with camped in the grass as well. A group of locals were setup in the Barn proper.
    AT: 695.7 mi
    Benton MacKaye Trail '20
    Pinhoti Trail '18-19'
    @leonidasonthetrail https://www.youtube.com/c/LeonidasontheTrail

  10. #10
    Registered User Grampie's Avatar
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    Default Overmountain Shelter

    Quote Originally Posted by JC13 View Post
    The rumor that this was coming down the pipe was part of why I wanted to stay there this year. We camped on the grass but it was still cool to finally see the barn. Most of the thru hikers we were with camped in the grass as well. A group of locals were setup in the Barn proper.
    I have stayed in the barn a couple of times. I always wondered why it wasn't burned down. Folks cooking on the wood floor upstairs.
    Grampie-N->2001

  11. #11
    Registered User NY HIKER 50's Avatar
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    I stayed there for a moment but had to abandon it. A nor'easter came through and dropped the temps to 29 degrees in the middle of June! The wind was blowing through so I decided to go to the next shelter. That was no good either so I decided to get out the next morning.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by lkmi View Post
    A lot of folks were responding on Facebook about how disappointed they were at the news, at how wonderful it was to visit Overmountain, etc.
    Perhaps those feelings will inspire a serious fundraiser to pay for fixing the shelter. 'cause it won't be cheap....
    Why would it be expensive to repair/replace?

  13. #13
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    Any update on the shelter? Have/will they tear it down?

    I’m glad that I stayed there in 2018.
    76 HawkMtn w/Rangers
    14 LHHT
    15 Girard/Quebec/LostTurkey/Saylor/Tuscarora/BlackForest
    16 Kennerdell/Cranberry-Otter/DollyS/WRim-NCT
    17 BearR
    18-19,22 AT NOBO 1562.2
    22 Hadrian's Wall
    23 Cotswold Way

  14. #14
    Some days, it's not worth chewing through the restraints.
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Portie View Post
    Why would it be expensive to repair/replace?
    Nothing's cheap, and it's a sizeable structure - not your typical AT shelter.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Deadeye View Post
    Nothing's cheap, and it's a sizeable structure - not your typical AT shelter.
    What they should do is recycle the good wood (I imagine there is a lot of it) to make a new, smaller shelter. That is however, a very labor intensive project. At least there is a road to the site, so heavy equipment can be brought in to make the job easier.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  16. #16
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    What they should do is recycle the good wood (I imagine there is a lot of it) to make a new, smaller shelter. That is however, a very labor intensive project. At least there is a road to the site, so heavy equipment can be brought in to make the job easier.
    Yeah, a smaller, single story structure would simplify a lot of issues that will be expensive and labor intensive to correct - structure leaning, posts rotting, shear failure in a main beam, slope movement (the southeast side is sliding away), etc. It's not all that old of a structure especially compared to many of the older CCC shelters and such. It was built in the 1970's as a farm barn, then renovated/converted by the Tennessee Eastman Hiking Club in 1983 as a shelter. http://appalachiantreks.blogspot.com...n-shelter.html But open unheated structures without proper foundations (especially given the slope) don't weather the elements well. It would be wonderful if they could restore and save it, but they are going to have to raise a lot of money or materials/in-kind contributions and volunteer workers to do so.

  17. #17
    Registered User Christoph's Avatar
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    Hopefully they'll be able to save some of it and make a smaller 1 or 1.5 story shelter, keeping the "barn" theme would be pretty cool though too. I missed it on my thru attempt , decided to press on and not stay there (but I visited) and I regretted every minute of that decision until my thru when I made it a thing to stay there. That was in '17. So glad I did, it's one my icon moments on the trail. Sad to see it go (if it does), but can't have unsafe stuff out there. It's already not so safe an environment anyway, hiking long days, pushing yourself in thunderstorms, snowstorms, and the rock climbing up North. Haha
    - Trail name: Thumper

  18. #18

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    Overmountain does have one of the top 10 shelter views. At least from the platforms on the side of the building.

    BTW, if you decide to walk down the road instead of taking the trail to 19E, you end up a long, long way from where you want to be. But it's an interesting journey. It was actually kind of fun and avoided some nasty weather on the humps that day.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  19. #19
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    Default

    the road access is a big part of the problem, it will be less when the structure is removed

  20. #20

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    i stayed there in december´99. a great spot with a not so good night spent there.

    the upperfloor sliding door was not there and the hole was covered with a sheet of plastic, torn and blowing in the wind, flapping like crazy, very loud and very drafty. 3 groups in there, all inside tents on the upper floor.

    2 dogs were there, barking all night, and mice were all over. still better than outside in the storm i admit.

    i thought it much older, it seemed to be falling apart then and i wondered how much longer it will be useable. did not give it 5 more years.

    i like the idea of tearing it down, building a smaller shelter from the wood. if it has fundamental problems with the beam construction it will be very expensive to get it fixed and back in good shape.
    happy trails
    lucky luke

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