Lincoln Woods trail closed

Just posted on the AMC Boards:

The AMC has received notice that the Lincoln Woods Trail, a major artery through the Pemigewasset Wilderness, has been closed. According to the White Mountain Gateway Visitor Center, heavy rains in the Pemi Wilderness caused a major washout 3/4 mi. along the trail; the washout was discovered on Monday, 11/29, and it was determined the volume of water & flood damage necessitated trailwork. When the trail crew arrived on Thursday morning, 12/2, it was discovered that the size of the washout had tripled in volume, creating extremely dangerous conditions. At that point, the trail was closed until further notice. We've been assured the situation is being monitored & will be resolved as quickly as possible. In the meantime, for questions & further information, call the White Mountain Gateway Visitor Center at 603-745-3816.

we traversed the Bonds saturday, from Lincoln Woods lot to Zealand Trailhead - posted pics here: http://community.webshots.com/user/armmon

a ranger suggested we hike East Branch Road and backtrack after crossing the Pemi suspension bridge

we asked if we could bushwhack around the washout - he wasn't crazy about the idea but let us go anyways - the washout is 0.8 miles up the trail

the washout was about six feet across, with aggressive water rushing through, so we decided to bushwack about 1/4 mile past it until we found a safer crossing -the "bushwhack" was easier than the Black Pond bushwhack

WOW, Nice picture Arm . . .
Looks much worse than I'd imagined though I guess it would have to be a serious washout to close the trail . . .

sli74

Why would you close a trail due to a washout?? Aren't there lots and lots of trails that have permanent "washouts" called brook/stream/river crossings?

Why not just post a sign warning people at the trailhead that the trail now has a brook crossing not mentioned in the guidebook??

p.s

I've seen trails where bridges have been washed out, and the trails were not closed.

I'm not sure what "trail closed" means. Are you discouraged from hiking it, or would you be arrested? This is a flat walking trail, popular for an easy walk to the falls; with such a major washout it is no longer an easy walk. Why not just post a warning, as suggested by maineguy?

forestnome said:

Why not just post a warning, as suggested by maineguy?

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Probably because they don't want erosion and further destruction of the area by people bushwacking around the washout. They also don't want people on the wrong side of the washout calling for help and rescue. It's a risk management thing, and probably much easier to close the trail when the route up the opposite side of the river is available.

-dave-

washout

Man I tell you this fix could take forever, the Gov't will spend to much,take to long for sure. I could fix this problem in 2 days. Buy some long 2 by 6's, attach to tree;s that span the washout, next buy a good climbing rope and make a rope swing over the washout. I would use 2 ropes, so there is always one available going each way. If someone cant handle the rope swing, this could also serve as a litmus test for accessing the wilderness.

Anyone know if this will be reopened once it freezes over? Any idea?

It will be nice to see our "Fee Use" dollars at work.

I don't see anything wrong with closing that particular trail. In the first mile I've always seen far more "walkers" than hikers. I seriously doubt that anyone who really wants to use this trail will have any problem using it.

SherpaKroto said:

It will be nice to see our "Fee Use" dollars at work.
I don't see anything wrong with closing that particular trail. In the first mile I've always seen far more "walkers" than hikers.

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It's a great beginner x-country trail, though. The west side is flat, wide, and there are no snowmobiles. I've often taken the visiting relatives there to introduce them. The east side isn't bad, either, but a little more hilly and having the two trails, west and east, solved the we-love-dogs v. we-hate-dogs conflict in the winter. I think the dog people got the west side and the no-dog people got the east side in the past.

I would think the closure is related to the fact that this is one of the most accessible trailheads for beginner hikers -- as in the first next step after walking on pavement in Franconia Notch. Not "closing" it would undoubtedly create a non-stop run of problems. It would seem that they aren't going to post armed guards to enforce it, allowing more experienced hikers through, which makes sense to me.

As for fee for use, I pay my "fees" every April 15.

waumbek: excellent point.

dave.m: didn't say I liked the fee program - just want to see it at work.

mal-"fees"-ance

dave.m said:

...Not "closing" it would undoubtedly create a non-stop run of problems....

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Makes sense.

dave.m said:

As for fee for use, I pay my "fees" every April 15.

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So you are FOR the "fee" cut?

trail not "physically closed"

From Mike Dickerman's column in today's Littleton Courier (my bold face):

"The Beaten Path
Repairs under way on washed out Lincoln Woods Trail
By MIKE DICKERMAN
Bits and pieces picked up along the trail as we await our first “real” snowstorm of the season…
White Mountain National Forest officials are scrambling to repair a section of the popular Lincoln Woods Trail that was damaged recently by back-to-back rainstorms. During the Thanksgiving Day weekend, and then again on Wednesday, Dec. 1, heavy rains washed out a sizable chunk of the former J.E. Henry and Sons logging railroad grade when a culvert was unable to handle the excessive runoff.
According to Roger Collins from the Ammonoosuc-Pemigewasset Ranger District, damage from the original washout took out about 20 feet of trail below the culvert. Collins said plans were in the works to repair the damage late last week when the second rain event occurred. This storm worsened the situation and as a result, Forest officials have now decided to call in a private contractor with heavy equipment to take over the repair work. “After the second storm, it became too big for us to handle,” said Collins.
For a time after the second washout, the Lincoln Woods Trail was reportedly closed. Collins said Monday, however, that the trail was not “physically closed” and that hikers should be able to cross the washout area without too much difficulty. The situation could change, however, if more rain occurs and water levels rise again.
The washout took place about eight-tenths of a mile up the trail from the Lincoln Woods Visitor Center off the Kancamagus Highway in Lincoln. The Lincoln Woods Trail is a vital trunk line into the remote Pemigewasset Wilderness and is a popular winter destination for cross-country ski enthusiasts…"

afka_bob said:

So you are FOR the "fee" cut?

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You will need to change to a lighter tippet for these waters.

If you wish to troll with outriggers, these waters may be more to your liking: http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.politics

;^)

fee fi fo fum

Dave,

"Troll"?!?* Sorry I brought up the whole politics-of-the-fee thing again -- oh, wait, I didn't -- you did! Is that one of them-there, uh, "nuanced" approaches?

But deftly done and I tippet my hat to you.

Back to the original topic (and I beg you to forgive my -- er -- your digression (as well as my regression to said o. t.)), sure would like to see the washout before all the excitement is over. Is it too late?