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  1. #61
    Administrator attroll's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff View Post
    Hey Troll....the photo you referenced is the "Secret Shelter" of Vermont...a few miles south of Gov. Clement shelter. It is also know as Swansong shelter and is on private property as well.
    Thanks Jeff. Maybe I am confused. I remember another secret shelter I stopped at also. I did not realize there was two.
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  2. #62

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    Does Jim mind if you park on Goldsmith Road? I'm a former SOBO Thru Hiker from 2005, wanted to get out on the trail over Memorial Day Weekend, wanted to use the Secret Shelter as a quick overnight stay when arriving late on Friday evening and then hike out from there Saturday morning.

    If not, what is a good place to stash a car for a few days in that area?
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  3. #63

    Default The Secret Shelter

    This is the Jim Murray secret shelter.



    If it look familiar, it was featured on the cover of "AT Journeys" last summer. Not sure which issue since I gave it away.

    This shelter has electric outlets and lights. You can charge electronics here.
    Last edited by Deacon; 05-23-2017 at 11:38.

  4. #64
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    I saw a sign in Rutherford Shelter that said the secret Shelter
    was going to be closed today 6/1.

    Does this mean it will be open tomorrow or closed for good.

  5. #65

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    Quote Originally Posted by ARambler View Post
    I saw a sign in Rutherford Shelter that said the secret Shelter
    was going to be closed today 6/1.

    Does this mean it will be open tomorrow or closed for good.
    It's closed for good.

  6. #66

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    What's the back story? Is the owner fed up with hikers? Is he selling?

  7. #67

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    Quote Originally Posted by Deacon View Post
    What's the back story? Is the owner fed up with hikers? Is he selling?
    What I saw on Facebook was he's 80 years old and it's getting harder to maintain. No mention of unruly hikers (much to the internets chagrin).

  8. #68

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    Quote Originally Posted by UCONNMike View Post
    Does Jim mind if you park on Goldsmith Road? I'm a former SOBO Thru Hiker from 2005, wanted to get out on the trail over Memorial Day Weekend, wanted to use the Secret Shelter as a quick overnight stay when arriving late on Friday evening and then hike out from there Saturday morning.

    If not, what is a good place to stash a car for a few days in that area?
    Unionville, NY is very hiker-friendly. I've run Scout trips out of Unionville for a number of years. Google the town, call the town hall, and ask for help/advice. You will be told where you can park, but don't be surprised if it is in someone's driveway. The folks in Unionville are very friendly and helpful. I don't have the exact mileage with me (you can look it up), but it is 5-ish miles north of the Secret Shelter.

  9. #69
    Flip flop, flip flopping' LASHin' 2000 miler
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    Quote Originally Posted by capehiker View Post
    It's closed for good.
    Awwww ... I hiked sobo there in '12 and had no idea it existed. When I heard about it, I got a little obsessed with figuring out where it is, searched all the forums, looked at maps ... All in preparation for this year's planned LT E2E ...


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  10. #70
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    Quote Originally Posted by LDog View Post
    Awwww ... I hiked sobo there in '12 and had no idea it existed. When I heard about it, I got a little obsessed with figuring out where it is, searched all the forums, looked at maps ... All in preparation for this year's planned LT E2E ...


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    This thread is about the Secret Shelter in New York. There is another Secret Shelter (also called Swansong) in Vermont not far from Gov Clement Shelter, but have not heard if it is operational in 2017.
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  11. #71

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff View Post
    This thread is about the Secret Shelter in New York. There is another Secret Shelter (also called Swansong) in Vermont not far from Gov Clement Shelter, but have not heard if it is operational in 2017.
    Now that the Gov Clement shelter has been improved and the gates locked so locals can't drive up there and have parties, the need for the Swansong shelter is much less then it was some years ago. Swansong must be in her 70's now, so hard to say if her shelter is kept up.
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  12. #72
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    Why would anyone 80 years old want to bring such a nice service to other hikers? Did he receive thoughtless, rude, damaging acts against his property? I hope not, and I also hope that might reconsider. It was tantalizing, wondering where it was and also appreciated by those who found it.
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  13. #73
    Flip flop, flip flopping' LASHin' 2000 miler
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    Default A Swan Song for Jim Murray's Secret Shelter

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff View Post
    This thread is about the Secret Shelter in New York. There is another Secret Shelter (also called Swansong) in Vermont not far from Gov Clement Shelter, but have not heard if it is operational in 2017.
    Ah! Well, I got confoozled. The reference to Rutherford Shelter shoulda, maybe been a clue.

    I may or may not have stayed at an undocumented "shelter" that might or might not have been in NY, or maybe or maybe not in NJ. Met a guy claiming to be named "Jim" but I cannot verify if that was his real name. He allegedly saw the land when he thru hiked, went back and purchased it. Seemed like a far-fetched story, tho he seemed like a great guy. Whether or not the place I stayed was some fabled "Secret Shelter" I'm truly sorry to hear that it might be closing. It's a neat spot, with a great water source, and OMG! A shower! A great spot to hang a hammock ...

    Or so the fable goes ...

    And if the ATC is going to seize some fictional property because it is on the AT corridor, I hope he is remunerated irl!

    ... If indeed it ever existed, which I can neither confirm nor deny. And even if it did, I would certainly not have taken any pictures there, nor would I have been so unthinking as to have uploaded them to the interwebs ...

    But if I did I would retain all rights, yada, yada, yada ...

    DSCF3696-1FB.jpg

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    Last edited by LDog; 07-03-2017 at 19:00.
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  14. #74
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    Now that the Gov Clement shelter has been improved and the gates locked so locals can't drive up there and have parties, the need for the Swansong shelter is much less then it was some years ago. Swansong must be in her 70's now, so hard to say if her shelter is kept up.
    The gate is not locked all the time and the road goes to a private inholding. The locals can still drive in when the gat is open. The gate has reduced the problem, not eliminated it.

  15. #75
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    Quote Originally Posted by SawnieRobertson View Post
    Why would anyone 80 years old want to bring such a nice service to other hikers?
    I stopped by the Secret Shelter for water after seeing a sign along the trail claiming "Best Water on the AT". I met Jim while I was there. He had a box of donuts he offered to the hikers there.

    Why would he want to provide such a service? Maybe, as a past thru-hiker he just wanted to give something back and likes the company of other thru-hikers.
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  16. #76
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    OK, at the risk of reopening a s>+# storm, is the Murray building still available?
    Hiking in early June and wouldn't want to waste the day planning for it.

  17. #77
    Registered User ldsailor's Avatar
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    I was there last year, May 26, 2018. An excerpt from my journal:

    "I got to the Secret Shelter at around 4:30 PM and met the owner, Jim Murray. Jim owns the Secret Shelter. He did a through hike 30 years ago and then settled down on 85 acres. His shelter has electricity, heat, drinkable water and is totally enclosed. I cleaned some of my gear with the water and just relaxed for the rest of the evening."

    Jim is a really nice guy. We had a long talk. He told me the ATC wants his property, so they can move the trail away from some swampy areas, but he won't sell because they want to knock down the shelter. Although I don't mention it in the excerpt, there is an outdoor shower across the field from the shelter. Last year the privy was in pretty bad shape and unless Jim did some work on it, it's probably unusable this year. The shelter originally had a second floor, but Jim took it out. I can't remember if he did that because a hiker fell or he was concerned one would fall. Nevertheless, it's gone.

    When I was there, I was alone, which is surprising because it's such a nice area and not far off the trail. By the way, Jim does not live on the property. He visits often and if he does stay overnight, he uses a small cabin across the field.
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  18. #78
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    Quote Originally Posted by ldsailor View Post
    I was there last year, May 26, 2018. An excerpt from my journal:

    "I got to the Secret Shelter at around 4:30 PM and met the owner, Jim Murray. Jim owns the Secret Shelter. He did a through hike 30 years ago and then settled down on 85 acres. His shelter has electricity, heat, drinkable water and is totally enclosed. I cleaned some of my gear with the water and just relaxed for the rest of the evening."

    Jim is a really nice guy. We had a long talk. He told me the ATC wants his property, so they can move the trail away from some swampy areas, but he won't sell because they want to knock down the shelter. Although I don't mention it in the excerpt, there is an outdoor shower across the field from the shelter. Last year the privy was in pretty bad shape and unless Jim did some work on it, it's probably unusable this year. The shelter originally had a second floor, but Jim took it out. I can't remember if he did that because a hiker fell or he was concerned one would fall. Nevertheless, it's gone.

    When I was there, I was alone, which is surprising because it's such a nice area and not far off the trail. By the way, Jim does not live on the property. He visits often and if he does stay overnight, he uses a small cabin across the field.
    Thanks, but is it closed (like previous inputs sounded) or is it still available?
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  19. #79
    Registered User ldsailor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by smithjv View Post
    Thanks, but is it closed (like previous inputs sounded) or is it still available?
    Bueller; Ferris Bueller?
    My point is that it was open last year. This early in the season there are no NOBO, SOBO or flip-flop hikers who would have reached that area yet (mile 1,344 NOBO). Maybe a section hiker will respond, but I wouldn't hold my breath. The shelter is not far off the trail and if nothing else, it's a good place to get water that doesn't need to be filtered.
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  20. #80
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    I am in the process of planning a section hike and there isn't much choice ("Camp only in designated sites . . .") if it ends up not being available. Finding out during actual hike will be a big problem; 5.8m SOBO to next possibility. Hence my apprehension. I wonder given it is away from the trail, does the "Camp only in designated sites . . ." applies? So even if not "open", would he or anyone else mind if we camped there as a emergency backup?

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