Shelter sharing etiquette

[backwoods doc]

I'd be interested in hearing others' thoughts on the etiquette of shelter sharing.

Case in point: Two summers ago a couple of guys asked to share a shelter with my son and I at Rock Harbor. All of us were fresh off the ferry, no rain was forecast, and there were plenty of vacant tent sites. I was a little surprised by the request, and wasn't quite sure how to respond.

For me, if it was raining, there were no tent sites to be had, or they had just come in off the trail, the decision to share the shelter would have been easy - absolutely! But in this case, if the tables were turned, I couldn't see myself making a similar request of others.

Thoughts?

[Bobcat1]

Good question. And an extension of that, if it’s raining early in the day, but supposed to stop, and there is an empty tent site almost right across the path, is it fair to ask someone to claim that tent site before you let them come into the shelter”just to get out of the rain for a while”? It had only been raining for about 2 hours.

[Bobcat1]

My first trip to Isle Royale, one of those slow-moving cold fronts came through and it rained constantly for almost three days. Everyone we met on the Greenstone Ridge was headed for either Moskey or McCargoe to get in a shelter. Under those circumstances the shelter is not full until everyone who wants in is in.

[torpified]

Here's my response to this moral intuition poll:

As petitioner: Unless there were some kind of emergency a shelter would help with, I'd never ask to share a shelter. That's not etiquette, though---I'm just unnaturally shy. I can imagine situations where I'd gratefully accept the offer of a spot in an already-occupied (= pre-occupied?) shelter.

As petitionee: Because there's only one of me, it doesn't seem quite right to hog a shelter if there are housing shortages. The one time I knew I'd taken the last shelter, I resolved to offer to share it with (or just offer it to, if the party didn't seem like they'd be great roommates) any one who wandered into camp. This was in Todd Harbor, where there's just one shelter and it's essentially on the trail. (In the event, only moose wandered into camp.)

I feel like COVID might change the calculus a bit. And writing this out, I realize I have my own etiquette question: is it offensive for a shelter occupant to offer to move out ("there's just one of me, I *like* my tent, my stuff's dried out now") so that you can use the shelter? Is it like they're telling you "I'd rather sleep in the dirt than room with you"?

[JerryB]

in my view, if there are tent sites (barring a storm), hikers should not ask to share a shelter. But i understand why some may ask. I understand that on the AT, sharing is required, or at least the expectation. So folks may be coming to the island with different customs in mind. Covid raises a whole other issue,....

[Bobcat1]

The AT is way different vibe. Staying at shelters is an extrovert’s thing. Shelters are communal. Barring bad weather, I generally choose to use my tent/tarp on the AT. At Isle Royale, the shelters are set up as individual campsites. Personally, in good weather with tent sites available, I would not ask to share a shelter. And I would ask to share a tent site (done this several times) or go to the group sites so I still have a vestige of privacy in my own tent.

On the other hand, I was sitting on a dock, talking to a solo hiker who was pretty extroverted, I think it was 3-mile, when the stampede came through from the arrival of the Ranger, and he went back to the trail and was inviting hikers to share his shelter. His mores were different than mine.

[treeplanter]

Depends how many people are in a shelter too. I did a lot of kayak camping 20-30 years ago. Sometimes by myself, but mostly with my buddies. Three guys, and all of our camp stuff, can fill a shelter in a hurry. We had hikers looking to share a shelter, walk by, take a look, and keep on walking.

At McCargoe back in the mid-90's, one guy wanted to share my shelter. I was by myself. Good weather and they were other vacant shelters and tent sites. I told him no, I wanted to be alone. I didn't even see him in the campground later on. Think he moved on elsewhere.

[backwoods doc]

At McCargoe back in the mid-90's, one guy wanted to share my shelter. I was by myself. Good weather and they were other vacant shelters and tent sites. I told him no, I wanted to be alone. I didn't even see him in the campground later on. Think he moved on elsewhere.

Creepy.

Say, was that the year that several people went missing, and the park service never solved the mystery?

[treeplanter]

Creepy.

Say, was that the year that several people went missing, and the park service never solved the mystery?

Yeah, it was strange. Mid-afternoon too. But McCargoe eventually filled up with other campers, so I pretty much forgot about it.

Never heard that several people went missing one summer. I was at McCargoe in 1995. I need to go back, maybe this summer.

[backwoods doc]

Just joking about people going missing.

Maybe I'll see you this year -- we're starting our trip at McCargoe.

[Bobcat1]

There is one missing person from Isle Royale. Early 70’s, teenager split from a group of juvenile offenders on a group trip. But, he was positively identified n the mainland the next summer although he evaded custody. No one knows how he got off the island.

[backwoods doc]

No one knows how he got off the island.

Ice bridge?

[hooky]

It would have to be nearly an emergency type of situation for me to either ask or agree to let someone in.

[Grandpa]

Great question.

This is what I remember from the park ranger briefing on the Ranger III:
- Shelters are first come - first served. The “owner” is under no obligation to share.
- Campsites that have multiple tent sites MUST be shared until all the tent sites are in use. The first to arrive should position their tents to allow room for the tents of those arriving later.
- Only groups that have a reservation can use the group sites.
- Groups with a reservation can’t use shelters or “individual” tent sites.

Personally, I don’t mind sharing a campsite. Although we’ve agreed to share “our” shelter in few unusual circumstances, I prefer not to share a shelter.

Through the years, I’ve found surprisingly few issues at campgrounds. Usually, it’s only an issue during the busiest part of the season at the most popular campgrounds. It may happen, but I’ve never seen an arriving party who couldn’t find a site. If visitors follow LNT Principles #1 – (Plan ahead) and #7 – (Be considerate of others), it seems to work out fine.

When arriving in RH during the busy season, it’s considerate to leave RH immediately to allow room for visitors who need to return on the Ranger III or Queen the next day.

On one occasion, I recall the ranger who was checking permits at 3M directed visitors to use an unoccupied group site to accommodate the overflow of individuals.

We’ve enjoyed early and late season visits partly because there’s far less competition for campsites and shelters. On three occasions (Chippewa Harbor, Lane Cove & Malone Bay), I’ve actually spent the night as the only visitor in the entire campground.

On two occasions, we encountered visitors who didn’t have a tent or hammock - relying on getting a shelter. It worked out OK, but I wouldn’t recommend it by any means.

We’ve visited other parks that require advance reservations for any overnight stay. It’s often a very tough ticket. I MUCH prefer the way IRNP does it.

[Bobcat1]

Seems like in the past couple years, the ranger briefings have changed a little. They now (2016 and 2019) say something like “shelters are first come, first served and shelters can hold six people.” They don’t say “one permit per shelter.”