The Bears Den

Lyle called me this morning following a "surprise" thru-hiker breakfast at the Bears Den just outside of the Shenandoah National Park. The Bears Den is a hostel supported by the ATC. They started on the trail early this morning to beat the heat and when they saw the sign for this shelter Lyle remembered that an ex-KCer (retired) was volunteering here. So they decided to stop in and see if Dave Appel was working. Sure enough, there he was! He spends Memorial Day to Labor Day volunteering on the trail and has for the past 8 years. It was a nice way to start the day for Lyle. They were setting off on the trail again when Lyle called this morning and the South hikers said the stretch today will be difficult. They are very glad they are slack packing again today!

I'm adding a link to this entry because it helps you understand the lodging hikers have on the Trail. And it has a nice description of the Bears Den which is really nice! Follow the links to the Cabins, Huts and Hostels section by clicking on "Hike the Trail" and scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking on "Camping and Shelters." Scroll to the bottom again and click on the link in the "Can I stay in a hostel or inn?" paragraph. The Bears Den is called a Trail Center and it has quite a few activities.

http://appalachiantrail.org