Keeping the Mice Out at GSMNP

[Matt Hall]

I'm planning a 10 day hike on the AT that will go through GSMNP. Shelter use is mandatory in the park. I will be using a quilt instead of a bag. Since quilts are open on the bottom side they are more susceptible to mice invasion. I have an Bear Paw Minimalist 1 inner net that I could use in the shelters. Is that necessary? Would it be easy to set up in the shelter? Should I just not worry about the mice?

[John Quinn]

Matt, I recently competed a AT thru-hike of the GSMNP on 8/3/14 – 8/6/14 from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap. The first night, I slept in a shelter. I used a Zpacks 40* sleeping bag. The mice were RELENTLESS all night long. They did not get into my sleeping bag but needless to say, I did not sleep very well. An inner net can easily be set up inside the shelter with guy line. The next two nights, I set up my Zpacks Solplex outside the shelters. Of course, I did my best to LNT. Regards, John

[M B]

sleep with your head on the outside end of the shelter platform, and stay away from the walls. Mice run along the walls. They really wont bother you….much. Wear earplugs,and dont worry about them. They will just do mice stuff.

Take a garbage bag, and put it over your pack, and hang your pack on the bear cable. Clip it to it with a small cheap carabiner.

No worries.

[Brad Rogers]

A mouse will just chew through a inner net if it wants in so that may not be a good idea. I have slept in the shelters bunches of nights and never had one get in my quilts. I did have one run accross my chest one time though. Sleep head out in the shelter and close to the middle. The mice tend to keep to the walls.

[Matt Hall]

Thanks for the advice about avoiding the walls. I had forgotten about bringing ear plugs. I'll need them for the large snoring animals too.

I hadn't thought about mice chewing through the net, but I've had chipmunks chew through pockets in my pack on other trips. I guess I will join the mice.

[M B]

Mice are less objectionable than the 60 yr old man with sleep apnea that snores, for sure.

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