Mapping the Sheltowee

[Traildust]

A reminder for those planning on an overnight or two in the Big South Fork, a back country permit is required. The link to the webpage where you can get a permit on line is below. You can also stop at the merchants going into Pickett or at the Park Visitor Center Bandy Center and get the permit. $5.00 for up to 6 people. Cheap but it tells them who is in the Forest and when and where they are suppose to be out.

http://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm

Pickett SP requires a backcountry permit as well. The free permit can be obtained at the Managers Office on the way into Pickett. Call ahead if you are going to arrive late and they will leave one for you in the mail box.

The STA met a few weeks ago with the new superintendent to talk about the Sheltowee Trace.

We talked for sometime about the possibility of improving the ST with more shelter in the BSF. The new superintendent has a lot of experience with bears on trails and is not inclined to want to put up shelters like on the A.T..

First, she believes in trying to stay true to the reason the BSF was established - keep it as native and wild as possible.

Second, she believes that shelters are an invitation to bears with users congregating in one dependable spot, they will come back again and again. The bear population in the BSF continues to grow and for the moment she believes with some confidence that if folks just camp responsible where they want the bears will not catch on to the regularity that a shelter might provide.

On the subject of bears, please hang your food each night, no exception on any location. Bears will hit your site sooner rather than later.

Peters Mountain - The trailhead at Peters Mountain is a great place to spend the night. Vault toilets nice ground. Be aware that it is also a place that horse owners like to tie up for a rest.

Lengthening the Sheltowee Trace - In our conversation with the Park Superintendent, we talked about extending the Sheltowee Trace further down into the BSF along the existing John Muir Trail that runs into the south of the BSF. This will put us within about 30 miles of the Cumberland Trail and enable us to in the future connect up to the Great Eastern Trail.

For the moment, that is the update. Feel free to respond here with questions or email me director@sheltoweetrace.org

traildust

[weeanme]

I see her point about how shelters tend to concentrate human food in the same place on a regular basis thus drawing all critters including bears to the site. I also bet she had an unexpressed concern about the concentration of idiots that shelters in the BSF may draw.