$10 Parking At Cog Station

[DayTrip]

There is a trip report on NETC from Wed 1/3 referencing this point : "that the Cog enterprise is currently charging $10.00 to park on their property. This includes access to the road along the track. Currently there are no alternate options for parking due to the nation Forest parking area being unplowed." The poster doesn't really make any distinction between the parking immediately around the building versus the hiker lot below but specifically points out the road along the track, which is essentially the access to Jewell Trail, following the actual Cog tracks, etc.

So, is the hiker lot considered "Cog property"? And does this mean that accessing either Jewell or Ammo trails will now involve a $10 fee since they both as far as I know all start on Cog property? Has this always been the case and I just have no clue and have been ignoring? Any clarification on this would be helpful. Paying $10 is better than having the area cut off to hikers altogether but it still sucks.

 

[CaptCaper]

They are plowing the lot for hikers ..probably..if they're plowing it out for hikers or whom ever they should be paid. They wouldn't bother to plow it out if not for hikers. There is also a road along the track coming from the work shop to the Base Station.. With a parking area ( the one with the pond and fishing dock) near by were you can walk up to the base station and the Jewel trail. They don't want hikers parking at the Base Station. Cog riders etc only.

 

[peakbagger]

The Cog is an inholding in the WMNF and all of the Cog lots are on private land. The base station road is actually Fire Road 173 although I believe the state of NH has a right of way in place. The Forest Service parking lot and the two trail relocations associated with it was designed to avoid the Cog property. The cog did charge for hiker parking during the summer for several years but it wasn't an issue during the winter as the base station road was not plowed between Bretton Woods and the junction of Jefferson Notch road. The Cog plowed Mt Clinton Road and upper base station road for their own use most years but they locked the gate near RT 302. The lower base station road was used as snowmachine trail. Plowing Mt Clinton road was difficult as the right of way was narrow and tree lined plus the rocks popping up through the pavement were hard on equipment. The cog wanted to plow the lower base road for many years but the state DOT objected as the road was not designed for winter travel and the state maintains it. After several years of attempts the Cog owners got enough political support to override the DOT and the snowmobile trail was relocated off the road after a few bridges got built. What I do not know is what entity currently plows the road, I think the state now does but I cant confirm that. If this is so, its a major advantage to the Cog compared to having to plow their own road. They need access in the winter to access their shops where they build and rebuild equipment. There had been prior attempts to sell lift tickets to ski the cog previously but I believe they used snowcats from the ski area to access it. It didn't last long.

Soon after the Base station road started getting plowed, the FS was asked if they would start plowing the new lot and if I remember correctly the response was "no they barely could afford to keep the ones they plowed open". This area really piles up the snow and keeping it open would require a lot of effort. Thus it comes down to the Cog was offering free parking as a courtesy and with the big increase in usage from the cog side of the mountain I expect they realized they could make a buck. There are several commercial guide services who routinely run winter ascents up from the Cog lot and I wouldn't be surprised if the Cog is using this fee as push back to the efforts by many of the professional climbing guides to hinder the proposed Cog hotel and the recent tractor road improvements. I would also speculate that this is also a result of the owner consolidating his ownership of the Cog, previously there was a partner but now its under one owner who has taken a far more aggressive stance in his interactions on the Mt Washington Commission and asserting his rights to expand the Cog in general.

If the hiking public had a political voice I expect there could be some pushback if the state is absorbing the cost to plow the road but the Cog reportedly has strong political support and I expect if push comes to shove the state DOT will continue to plow the road until told not to. In theory the FS hiking fee should cover plowing the hiker lot but I expect that is not going to happen as the FS doesn't collect the fee consistently in the winter if at all. Realistically if the Cog has to pay an employee to keep an eye on the lot I expect the revenue is barely going to cover the cost until later in the winter.

 

[Raven]

Not that it will help ease the walk, but for the time being, you can park at the very bottom of Base Road where the no parking signs are grammatically incorrect.

They read, "No parking both sides."

Not an issue. As you can clearly see, my car is only parked on ONE side of the road.

The word, "either" would clarify the sign.

$10 to park. Ouch. Is this Foxboro? Maybe Cog owners are expecting years of expensive legal battles?

 

[JustJoe]

As far as I know that lower dirt lot is/was just an overflow for Cog parking. Up until 2 or 3 years ago they used to charge hikers $5 to park there. There was a older gentleman that was there every morning collecting. He'd ask what you were doing. If you said hiking the Ammo Tr. he'd abruptly correct you and say, "that's the Ammonoosuc Tr". But that stopped like I said a few years ago. Maybe because of the expansion of the upper lot, who knows. It was also only when the Cog was running. Never in winter. Did that Cog thing happen? Are they running people up know? Maybe they just need the extra $$$ to fund their projects.

 

[peakbagger]

The owner reportedly was heading that way by improving the tractor road for snowcat use but that is on hold pending review by the Coos County planning board. The cog is planning to run cogs earlier in the year and its speculated that the owner will start offering lift service for cog skiers.

 

[egilbe]

Bathroom facilities for all these skiers who won't have to hike up to ski? All the brown spots on the summit is going to be more of an eyesore than the buildings currently on the top.

 

[NHClimber]

Nothing comes for free. I have no problem paying the fee. There will be some access points that will be more expensive than others.

 

[Jazzbo]

Nothing comes for free. I have no problem paying the fee. There will be some access points that will be more expensive than others.

I agree 100%. maintaining parking lot at 2500' elevation in snow season is not cheap.

 

[skiguy]

Nothing comes for free. I have no problem paying the fee. There will be some access points that will be more expensive than others.

Hey if I owned land at the bottom of Mt. Washington, maintained it, and plowed it I would charge others to use it. Even coming close to thinking that it would be covered by the NFS parking fee is ridiculous. Sometimes you just got to ante up. Yea some are going to solo but most will probably be with others. What’s it going to be a couple of bucks each to go play for the day. Go have fun and stop whining.

 

[CaptCaper]

I agree 100%. maintaining parking lot at 2500' elevation in snow season is not cheap.

You bet especially when only 3 or 4 show up for the weekend. Plowing it daily is a task. The NFS or the hiking community won't plow it. Ha...now way.. I know some of the Coggers well. No wonder they have issues with hikers.. always bitching about them..never giving them credit for what they do for NH and or hikers.... Ride on Cog ..for another 100 yrs..and they will ..long after those around now complaining about it..ha.

 

[ChrisB]

Hey if I owned land at the bottom of Mt. Washington, maintained it, and plowed it I would charge others to use it.

QUESTION...

Is the new "road" along the Cog tracks being used as a winter ascent route for MW (esp by guide services)?

I've seen photos of folks strolling along it in summer, but is it becoming popular in Winter also?

That might occasion a parking fee!

cb

 

[peakbagger]

Last time was up there most of the traffic was Ammo and Jewell. Jefferson is getting a lot of traffic from the Jewell.

 

[NHClimber]

An alternative solution is to ask someone from the hiking community to plow the lot for free. Otherwise, we should pay $10 and be appreciative of the Cog's efforts.

 

[Raven]

I maintained the Ammo Ravine Trail for 7 years.

For free.

 

[jniehof]

So "access to the road along the track" indicates that the Cog is now okay with using their bridge and the cutover to access Jewell? That was pretty solidly fenced off at one point.

As far as the FS fees covering plowing...my understanding was that NHDOT did all the trailhead plowing anyhow, not the FS.

 

[CaptCaper]

An alternative solution is to ask someone from the hiking community to plow the lot for free. Otherwise, we should pay $10 and be appreciative of the Cog's efforts.

People go to Woodstock Inn etc and pay $10 for some Beer without fuss. But to pay for parking in odd location with severe weather issues is typical of complainers. Hell I remember a picnic table once that blew from the base station down to the lower lot during the winter. Not easy keeping a lot clear and safe up there.

I'm sure there is insurance issues for one for someone coming in from the outside and working on Cog property. And I can guarantee that someone who is volunteering would not do a good job and not be reliable. Just the way it is in volunteer work.

 

[peakbagger]

Plowing any lot at the base of Mt Washington be it Pinkham, Wildcat , the Cog or the USFS Ammo/Jewell lot doesnt just involve a plow, it requires a heavy duty plow and a loader or a tractor based snowblower. If someone depends on just a plow, after a couple of big storms the lot will rapidly get too small to use as there is no place to put the snow once the banks firm up. It even gets interesting on my driveway in Gorham, most of the local small scale plow folks have access to a loader or someone who owns a loader and in a heavy snow winter, they will need to move the banks back at least once. My Unimog has a bucket loader but it is parked for the winter and I really wouldnt want to get it started as the fuel is probably jello at these temps.

I dont fault the cog for charging a fee. For much of my hiking career, hiking from the cog was not an option as the access via Mt Clinton Road was gated, although the cog staff tended to not lock the gate during the weekdays so I did a couple of Eisenhower runs from it. I do remember driving up the base road on the snowmobile trail when it ran up the road one year with a subaru but that was highly dependent on conditions. Given that on nice weekends later in the winter the available parking spaces are full I expect the cog owners have decided its worth spending the time to collect parking fees.

I am not sure of the contention that DOT plows all the USFS lots. They plow many of them as many are on state property or are used as turnarounds or break areas by DOT. I dont think DOT plows the Great Gulf lot, or the Garfield Road lot.

 

[Mike P.]

The USFS hiker lot has never been open in the winter, years ago, neither was Base Rd. Now you have homes on the lower section, the Snowmobile trail has been rerouted and the road is open. Maybe it's time to rethink keeping the hiker lot open. That would add a .9 walk in the snow and woods to reach where the Base Station option joins the summer trail.

What's a three or seven day parking pass cost for the Whites? $10. to park at the Cog where there is usually enough people so it's almost worry free and a shorter hike is not too bad. It's the shortest winter option from that side in the winter without a significant winter road walk. For those of us who come up by Route 93 or 89, that is a 40 minute shorter ride than going to PNVC. Your other choices from that side are the Crawford Path (the end of the ridge) and Lowe's or Appalachia.

 

[DayTrip]

QUESTION...

Is the new "road" along the Cog tracks being used as a winter ascent route for MW (esp by guide services)?

I've seen photos of folks strolling along it in summer, but is it becoming popular in Winter also?

That might occasion a parking fee!

cb

I see lots of references to people descending via the Cog on Facebook posts. Seems to have become quite popular as a short cut back to the parking area.