The Need:
For many years, the Butter Gap shelter on the Art Loeb trail had been in poor condition. Funding through the Great American Outdoors Act, an initiative to fund deferred maintenance projects on our public lands, allowed the U.S. Forest Service, with support from The Pisgah Conservancy, to provide a safer option for thru-hikers on the Art Loeb trail and for groups climbing on the nearby Cedar Rock.
The previous shelter had:
- Rotting lumber
- Large holes in the walls, ceiling, and floor
- Exposed nails
- Difficult and danger to maintain due to A-frame design
- Interior space wasn’t maximized due to low, slanted ceiling
After the previous shelter was decommissioned in late 2022, a visiting U.S. Forest Service fire crew assisted U.S. Forest Service personnel and our trail staff with removing the demolished material using a UTV and a dump truck. The foundation for the new shelter was constructed in early 2023.
Skilled and efficient construction thanks to CASP:
Shortly after the new shelter’s foundation was constructed, project support was provided through the annual return of a CASP volunteer group to Pisgah in March 2023. The 2024 CASP group consisted of members from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Virginia, and Ohio, many of whom are skilled tradesmen and carpenters. CASP volunteers made quick work of the project, completing the new and improved trail shelter over the course of one week in March.
A fire ring was also installed near the new shelter. No food storage structure was installed at the new Butter Gap shelter as there is already a nearby food hanging system to minimize interactions between users and wildlife.
Now a new, safe, comfortable shelter stands in place of the previous, dilapidated structure. It features a more open and welcoming floor plan that provides users with the best access to the entire square footage.
