Zero Day

Day 17
Thursday, April 14
Zero day

Left Comfort Inn in Bethel after a leisurely morning. Ate lunch at Cracker Barrel, went to Cabelas and Walmart in Hamburg.

The logistics in this area are pretty hard to figure out, since there are no hotels very close to the trail.  We were in a quandary as to where to stay without having a long drive before starting our hike tomorrow morning.  Then we had the bright idea that we could stay at Eckville Shelter for the night since it is right on the road and we could hike into it from our dropoff point of the shelter.  So we drove there. 

Eckville shelter is a small cottage with three bunk beds behind the caretaker’s house.  It’s one of the few that has four sides and a flush toilet and shower in an adjacent building. Although when our friend back at 501 Shelter came through the shower had not been opened  for the season yet and he had not had a shower for nine days. 

No one was at the shelter when we arrived, but soon we were approached by the caretaker as we were unloading our stuff from the truck.  He asked us questions and didn’t seem to be so pleased that we drove in.  He indicated that this was not the usual procedure and if thru-hikers came in we would not be allowed to stay.  In short, we did not feel welcome at all even though we remained the only hikers there.  Our intent was to hike into the shelter from the south, then stay here another night and hike a day’s hike north.  We quickly decided that we would have to make other arrangements for the second night. 

Eckville Shelter caretaker's house

Eckville Shelter