PATC Pride

While Lord Willin knew that PATC was the cream of the crop of trail maintaining clubs along the AT, we didn’t get our first taste of just how much so until Maryland. Although an old shelter, Crampton Gap was well cared for, with plenty of tent pads and no grafitti. A far cry from what we’d experienced in NC and TN. Ensign Cowell is a beautiful shelter, brand new, that looks like its made of Lincoln Logs. Raven Rock is even newer and grander, so well polished that we took our shoes off before walking in. It, and its privy, rated a 10 of 10.

But it wasn’t until Pennsylvania that we discovered trail maintainers trying to outdo each other. Tumbling Run has a covered pavillion between the two small but pristine historic shelters – marked “snoring” and “non-snoring” – gravel around the campfire rings, beautiful tent camping, and a privy with hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and new car scent air freshner. The maintainer here, a second generation caretaker, works to outdo the “Innkeeper” of Quarry Gap, another pristine shelter in a beautiful setting.

What amazes me is the time and care put into these PATC shelters. Unlike what we experienced in the south – trash piles, grafitti, collapsing / leaking structures, and a lot of nasty privies – these PATC shelters are tempting to live in. Which is why, no doubt, there is a one night stay limit!