Carter Notch Hut

Dave - you make a valid point - if they were a "for profit company" - I would say thats fine. But - they are supposed to be serving everyone. I would like to see an option of full service or self service (small price) for all the huts. IMO - that would be fair - thats not going to happen as I think your right, huts like Lakes, Greenleaf, etc.. are typically full on weekends.

all in all - I like the huts and where they are - I just think the $$ is a bit steap.

Anyone remember when the huts that remained open after Labor Day or mid September all used to be caretaker basis until Columbus Day?
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I think $87 is too much for a full service hut
I think $25 is too much for a self service hut
I think $8 is too much for a caretaker shelter site
I think $3 is too much for a day parking pass
Where does it end? These statements are all valid to SOMEBODY. And yet the full serve huts thrive while Carter, obviously, does not.

I'm a bit surprised nobody who seems strongly against the possibility of Carter becoming full-service during the summer has, at least, posted their query or displeasure on the AMC Hiker Journal site.

I just posted it on the AMC Board. We'll see what happens.

Keep Carter Self-Serving

For whatever it's worth, I am of the opinion that at least one of the huts remain self-serving. I've stayed at several huts, enjoying the first experience the most and going downhill from there. Then I hiked the Wildcats and stayed at Carter Notch Hut. . .and that was the best ever!

AMC needs to listen to this. And I am a member of AMC.

dottie

i always thought that the lower counts, walk in availability and chance to cook your own gourmet meals in the back country was one of the perks of the hut. also to have that kind of facility without the scheduled meal times and structured hut talks and hoopla appealed to a lot of people. i also think that part of the reason it had low numbers wasn't so much that it was self service as it was that it wasn't really "connected" to the other huts by viable trail routes for the average guest. not many people will hike down from madison and then over the wildcats in a day and most are turned off by a road walk (even .5). the amc never did much to promote carter as a destination when in fact it a a great family destination with many chances for exploring and hikes of different levels and real family time rather than skits about folding blankets.

bryan

Full service for Carter in 2007

FYI - last week a croo member at Zealand Falls told me that it is true that Carter will be full service next year (and, the AMC is taking 2007 reservations for the huts right now). It will be interesting to see if this increases Carter usage.

AMC seems so professional in reading the pulse of its market I wonder if they made any attempt to understand why the drop off occurred. There's been a broad drop off in the outdoor tourist industry in general (e.g. Baxter Park down 20%) so I wonder if that's part of the problem. Aside from that I expect they could learn a lot from a survey of their guests both at Carter and at the other huts. It may be possible to tweak the situation to make self service more attractive.

Personally, I enjoy a bivouac as much as the Balsams ... sure ... well, personally, I enjoy a variety of accomodations depending upon the destination, choices and circumstances. What I don't understand is the hostility of a few to the preferences of others.

Stan said:

Personally, I enjoy a bivouac as much as the Balsams ... sure ... well, personally, I enjoy a variety of accomodations depending upon the destination, choices and circumstances. What I don't understand is the hostility of a few to the preferences of others.

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Stan - my guess is the hostility is born out of the idea of $$$ - many who like the self service also like the $25 price tag - where the full service option is too much money. I would imagine it will still remain self service ouside of summer/fall.

Rmc

Gray Knob and Crag are great places to stay and staying at Carter in Winter is WAY better than summer. Not to sound like a jerk, but it seems as if it's not really my problem cause it won't affect me.

This topic got 17 posts on the AMC board(the most in almost a month) , but didn't seem to create any major waves. Seems most hikers aren't too concerned. Personally, I've never overnighted in a hut, and most likely never will, not my crowd. But I still hate to see a lower cost option disapear. Oh well, there's always the RMC camps!

From today's Conway Daily Sun:

10/14/2006[size=+1]
AMC Carter Notch Hut returns to full service in summer 2007
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—The Appalachian Mountain Club’s Carter Notch Hut will be managed as a full-service hut next summer for the first time since 1995, the organization has announced. The hut will employ a full-time crew that will prepare and serve meals for guests, offer safety and hike planning information, and lead evening programs.

The hut will continue to be operated on a self-service basis in the spring, fall and winter.

Carter Notch Hut, built in 1914, had long been operated as a full-service hut. The switch to self-service came in 1995, as the club sought to provide the option of a hut experience at a lower level of service at a comparable cost. The 10-year trial resulted in a steady decline in visitation at the hut, leading the organization to return Carter Notch Hut to full-service.

“We believed there would be strong interest in a summer self-service hut experience, but the reality has not borne that out,” said Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Facilities Director Chris Thayer. “Summertime usage of Carter Notch Hut has fallen to less than half the levels experienced before the change-over, which tells us full-service in summer is, by far, a much more popular option for hut guests.”

“We’re pleased to make this switch, which should help serve the strong demand for the traditional, full-service hut experience and again allow visitors to plan hut-to-hut trips with full service across the entire eight hut system. Adding a full-service crew also allows us to offer our popular hut naturalist programs at this location next summer,” Thayer said.

The full-service season at Carter Notch Hut for 2007 will run from June 1 to Sept. 15. Carter Notch Hut will continue to be operated on a self-service basis during spring, late fall and winter.

“We will continue to operate Carter Notch, Lonesome Lake and Zealand Falls huts on a self-service basis in winter, as that continues to be popular with the public,” Thayer added. Greenleaf, Galehead and Mizpah Spring huts will also be operated on a self-service basis in May, prior to the opening of the full-service season in June, as they have for a number of years...
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long live the RMC

giggy said:

long live the RMC

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Here...Here..I'll raise a toast to that!

pilgrim said:

From today's Conway Daily Sun:

The hut will continue to be operated on a self-service basis in the spring, fall and winter.

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That's good enough for me. Though I can't afford the full Hutel experience with my family, we own a tent.

Smores and Hot-dogs-on-a-stick by a campfire with the kids beats even the highly talented croo for an enjoyable dinner.

I'm happy if it's open on a caretaker basis in winter. What a great base for walking in the non-bug season.

Two words:
1) Tent
2) RMC Huts

Ok, three words.