I stayed at Overmoutain Shelter on June 2, 1996 during my 1st of four chunk hikes on the Appalachian Trail. You can even see the picture I took for my journal HERE.
I hope they saved the wood and will use it to build a new shelter in it’s place. It was a lovely spot for a shelter.
I understand why they took it down…even in 1996 I wrote:
I would not recommend staying here in cold or windy weather, since the walls all have 1 inch spaces between the boards, but it is the largest “shelter” I have seen on the AT with good views out the “Window”.. I guess it could hold 40 people or so. Good water source, but a little far away (but luckily we got water on the way here).
I hear that it was deemed unsafe and they had to tear it down……even the trail has to change with time.