Old Garfield Shelter

[Nutsosa]

Was the old Garfield Shelter on the pond side of the Garfield Ridge Trail or on the opposite (south) side of the trail?

 

[sweeper]

As I remember it, it was AT the pond. But that was a long time ago.

 

[DougPaul]

I never saw it myself, but my 25K topo (1995) shows it south of the trail, just east of the closest point between the pond and the trail.

Topozone also shows it:
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=44.18689&lon=-71.61891&s=25&size=m&u=4&datum=nad27&layer=DRG

Doug

 

[RoySwkr]

The trail used to be closer to the pond, I'm not sure which side of the present trail it was on but I'll bet the pond side
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=44.1875&lon=-71.61889

 

[Nutsosa]

The trail used to be closer to the pond, I'm not sure which side of the present trail it was on but I'll bet the pond side
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=44.1875&lon=-71.61889

Those old topo maps were the source of my confusion. There's a heavily impacted not-so-stealth campsite on the south side of the trail. I packed out a bunch of trash from the site on Sunday. It's really a bummer. There are large patches of nearly-dead moss from the tents, fire rings, trash, and herd paths all over it.

I thought the old shelter was on the pond, but then I saw the old topo map and thought the trashed campsite might be the site of the old shelter.

 

[J&J]

This description comes from the 1969 AMC guidebook. It's describing the Garfield Ridge Trail in the Lafayette to Garfield direction.

"Near the foot of the cone of Garfield it passes to the S of Garfield Pond. Here the Garfield Pond Cut-off diverges L, passes the outlet of the Pond and Garfield Pond Shelter (AMC) with drinking water at Elizabeth Spring; and in 0.28 m. reaches the WMNF Garfield Trail."

The 1972 edition of the guide describes the current/as exists today tentsites so the old site was removed sometime between 1969 and 1972. Darn. Missed it by a few years.

 

[kerry13]

Was reading "The Country Northward" a hiker's journal by Daniel Ford this morning, published in 1976. He was traveling the AT through the
Whites and as he approached Garfield from Lafayette he states, " When I last came this way, there had been a lean to shelter at Garfield Pond". He goes on to describe the new shelter, caretaker and $1500 Clivus Multrum privy which was installed at the new shelter. So, I would say the old shelter was located near the pond.

 

[dug]

I've seen the trampled area on the south shore of the pond and assumed that's where the old shelter was.

 

[bill bowden]

I've observed sawn wood (as in trimmed boards)

on the N side of Garfield Pond near where the abandoned cut off reaches the clear area by the pond and presumed that was the site of the old shelter. But..when was the tower removed from Garfield and where was the Warden's cabin located?

 

[MichaelJ]

The tower was removed in the 50's. I often refer tothis site for info on the towers. Unfortunately, no mention is made of the warden's cabin.

 

[RoySwkr]

when was the tower removed from Garfield and where was the Warden's cabin located?

I'm not sure there was a separate warden's cabin, the lookout was often expected to live in the cab of the 12x12 and 14x14 lookouts. There used to be a shed just below the summit but don't know if it is still there.

 

[J&J]

The old outhouse is just off the summit in the woods. The tp holder is still hanging on the wall.

 

[Hillwalker]

Lookout versus lookout tower

If I'm not mistaken, the Garfield station was a Fire Lookout and actually didn,t consist of a tower. The lookout on Middle Sister was in the same category as well as a few others that after doing the Castle Ridge from Bowman to Jeffy, and back down Castle Ravine today, don't immediately come to my weary mind

 

[MichaelJ]

It was not a tower, you are correct Hillwalker. Follow the link in my previous post to see the lookout. Here's Middle Sister from the same site.

 

[bcskier]

Garfield Pond Shelter

I remember staying at the shelter in my early teens. It was beside the pond where Elizabeth Spring enters, which I believe is the site where Nutsosa mentions the "not so stealth" campsite. You reached the shelter by leaving the trail and following a spur to the opposite side of the pond.

Getting water from the spring was a trick as I remember, as it issued from the rocks only a couple of inches above the pond water level. That was before anyone worried about treating the water but mixing the spring water with the pond water wasn't exactly desirable.

bcskier

 

[Ed Poyer]

Why was it moved?

Does anyone know why the shelter was moved to the present site, and when? I dimly recall something about a fouled water supply, but I may be confusing that with another shelter.
Ed

 

[Nutsosa]

I remember staying at the shelter in my early teens. It was beside the pond where Elizabeth Spring enters, which I believe is the site where Nutsosa mentions the "not so stealth" campsite.

I'm not sure we're talking about the same spot. The campsite (cluster of sites, really) is maybe 20 feet off the trail . . . not the pond side of the trail, but the opposite. Also as someone mentioned, the trail has been moved further away from the pond (more south) than it was when the shelter was there, which may be confusing matters.

On this older topo map, the site I'm talking about is near where the shelter is marked (not sure the shelter is marked accurately though).

Ordinarily I wouldn't post something like this, for fear of giving away the location. However, you can see it through the brush on the side of the trail and it obviously isn't secret. It's too bad people can't exert just a little more effort and get further off the trail, and save the campfires for places that aren't so fragile. I know I'm preaching to the choir here though

 

[DougPaul]

On this older topo map, the site I'm talking about is near where the shelter is marked (not sure the shelter is marked accurately though).

This map also points out an ambiguity in some descriptions of the possible location of the old shelter. Therre were two trails by the pond--the NS connector to the Garfield trail and the (EW) ridge trail.

The NS connector to the Garfield trail was removed around the time the shelter was removed.

Doug

 

[bill bowden]

That actually clears up some questions

The N-S connector with Garfield Trail can still be followed, albeit with some difficulty. The section from Garfiedl Pond to the Ridge Trail is well travelled but has some fairly grotty blowdowns on it and is both longer and mor euphill than shown on the older map. But the lumber I saw on the N side of the pond was nowhere near the old tent site, so how on earth did it get there? And I suppose it is also fair to ask why I am so concerned.

 

[RoySwkr]

Does anyone know why the shelter was moved to the present site, and when? I dimly recall something about a fouled water supply, but I may be confusing that with another shelter.

Part of a general policy of dealing with pond shore overuse by eliminating lakeshore shelters, thus causing even more overuse of remaining shelters.

See earlier note as to when. I think the failed water supply is at the present shelter where you get water from a brook that runs down the trail.

Note that a new shelter was built rather than being physically moved.