What is an adirondak shelter? I am picturing what I called a Lean-to as a Boy Scout. A 3 sided building....many variations in design but always just a 3 sided building with no door
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
[quote author=Lone Lock link=topic=1700.msg14106#msg14106 date=1339430853]
What is an adirondak shelter? I am picturing what I called a Lean-to as a Boy Scout. A 3 sided building....many variations in design but always just a 3 sided building with no door
You got it, Matt.
Joe, I haven't stayed in one since I was in Boy Scouts. There used to be a good number of them along the Appalachian Trail ... I don't know how many are still there but one of the first built was removed from the trail and reassembled in the AT museum at Pine Grove Furnace SP, original graffiti and all. I agree with Thingette1!
John
[quote author=MariskaHargitay link=topic=1700.msg14109#msg14109 date=1339435294]
Is the idea to seriously rough it? Do you stay in a tent under the shelter?
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Nope, no tent. Just three walls -- oriented with the back of the shelter toward the prevailing winds -- you, the resident spiders, and transient mosquitoes! ;D
John
some of the lean-to's that I stayed in had a very low roof/entrance to cut down on the snow drifting in. We used to hang a tarp over the front to contain the heat sometimes and I have seen special fire rings with a tall heat reflector. This way the heat was supposed to reflect back into the lean to.
They weren't that bad to sleep in.
When I was a staff member at summer camp we stayed in what we called Hooches. These were tall 3 sided buildings and had a large doorway (without a door) in the front. We had military bunk beds. Some would make a 3 bunk bed it was that tall....depending who was crazy enough to climb to the top.
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
[quote author=MariskaHargitay link=topic=1700.msg14113#msg14113 date=1339438511]
I had a friend who went on a backpacking trip, she posted pictures of her tent inside the shelter. Maybe that was to try to cut down on mosquitos.
Have fun!
Yeah, no reason you couldn't pitch a backpacking tent in one of the shelters.
Matt: If there wasn't a tall fireback in front of the shelters, we used to stack stone behind the fire ring to reflect heat into the shelter. Finding enough stone was never a problem along the AT in Pennsylvania! That, along with some strategically placed tarps or pine brush along the edges was at least some help.
I never minded sleeping in shelters. Of course, I was much younger then. I don't think I'd enjoy it at this point.
John
I have stayed in a Lean-to in the Adirondacks for the last 25 years without any problems. In the ADK you are not allowed to pitch a tent inside a Lean-to so I have never done it myself. Bugs can be a issue but the bigger one to me is the floor. Some have a wooden floor and some are just dirt. Dirt is OK but the wooden floor is hard. Make sure to bring a sleeping pad or a camping mattress. I actually like using the Lean-to better than a tent. Cooking is easier because the floor is up off the ground and makes it easier for setting up stoves and other cooking gear.
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