Overnite at Fingerboard Shelter

Overnite at Fingerboard Shelter

For several months use of the Fingerboard Shelter in Harriman State Park was discouraged because of bear activity in the area.  Since it's on the Appalachian Trail, tho, a closure presents problems.  It's quite a leap from the Wildcat Shelter in Sterling Forest to the Brien Memorial Shelter south of Silvermine Lake.

On Aug. 20 I went on a quick hike with 2 confreres (after lunch during our retreat at Don Bosco in Haverstraw) to show them the trail and the shelter and to investigate its current state.

Fr. Miguel Suarez at the AT sign near Fingerboard Shelter.

Cables for bear bags have been installed up the ridge from the shelter for quite some time already.

Since the shelter seems to be in use (there's a very active log book in it as well as other evidence of recent visits, Fr. Jim Mulloy and I hiked from the parking lot at Lake Tiorati (using a short connector trail) along the Appalachian Trail (and Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail) to the shelter.  It's 1.4 miles, mostly uphill going.  Photos:  https://link.shutterfly.com/Qt2SEiTq4ib

On the way up to the shelter, we met a youth group that was seriously lost, having missed their turn off the RD Trail almost 2 miles back (south).  They were on the phone with a trip coordinator trying to arrange a bus pickup at Tiorati.  I spoke with one group leader to help her pick up the side trail to Tiorati (they did have a map).

We had the shelter to ourselves till after supper.  Before supper (cooked in one of the shelter fireplaces), 

Hot dogs and green peppers wrapped in aluminum foil

on the fire.

I went out to get wood; didn't have my camera, but did have my phone and caught some shots of a 6-point buck and his lady companion.

After supper, on the trail above the shelter I met a large group (10) of young adults--doing a freshman orientation trip out of Yale, hiking several days from Bear Mountain as far as Fingerboard.

They'd spent previous nites at West Mt. and Brien Memorial shelters.  This nite, since we were already in the shelter (which would accommodate 6 at best), they took an adjacent campsite and rigged up a tarp.  They were nice kids and didn't make much noise.  They were also early risers, were out of camp and on their way back to Tiorati (for a pick-up, I guess) just after 6:00 a.m., which is when Fr. Jim and I got up.  We saw the kids at a picnic table at Tiorati as we were leaving at 8:30.

Apart from gathering firewood and eating supper, we spent our time yakking.  I did some reading.  Both of us prayed the Divine Office, of course, and on Friday morning we celebrated the Eucharist on a huge rock table set up outside the shelter. (Thank, you NY-NJ Trail Conference!)

Fr. Jim using my iPad to pray Evening Prayer.

It was beastly hot and humid under the sun.  Happily, we were under the cover the trees most of the time, and that was comfortable.  The nite was sufficiently cool in the shelter, but mosquitoes were a problem for me; not for Fr Jim in his hammock and netting.