The shelters at Hermit Lake are secluded, off-the-grid, and pristine. You may think, being off Tuckerman's Ravine, they would be noisy, but all of the tent platforms and lean-tos are removed from the trail, usually involving a rocky, steep, root-y descent from the caretaker cabin. We never heard passing hikers from our tent platforms (#2 and #3). The caretaker is friendly and knowledgeable; there is potable water in summer, and there are FLUSHING toilets. The lake is pretty, and there is tons of wildlife around, from birds to red squirrels to moose, who often go for a dip in the lake. There is also a bear locker near the tent platforms! When I called Pinkham Notch (twice), they weren't sure if there was a bear locker, so I hiked in a bear can, but there was in fact a locker.