Bugs on the way to The Bonds?

[Rainman]

Interesting. Black Brook is not listed as a body of water with a 200' exclusion. Leave No Trace says "Camp at sites that have already been heavily impacted (but be sure it's a legal site) or 200 feet from trails or water."

An earlier edition of the rules listed a blanket 200' from water camping exclusion for the entire Pemigewasset Wilderness. The current edition does not include this restriction.

 

[Rainman]

Honestly, though, any obvious spot that is clearly old and used frequently should have been brushed in if it's not legal.

As the adopter for Carrigain Notch Trail, I have brushed in one site in particular at least 13 times over four years. Frequent users clear it, including building benches and fire rings in short order.

 

[Ignomer]

As the adopter for Carrigain Notch Trail, I have brushed in one site in particular at least 13 times over four years. Frequent users clear it, including building benches and fire rings in short order.

That's just rude. I'd imagine there's a large bon fire when they come back and clear it out, too, regardless of how dry the woods are on that particular day. I'd put some poison ivy and wild roses in there...

 

[JustJoe]

I wasn't looking to start a huge debate

Hopefully this won't get me in trouble. But I'm pretty sure VFTT is the universal term for huge debate.

 

[Ignomer]

Hopefully this won't get me in trouble. But I'm pretty sure VFTT is the universal term for huge debate.

It should be discussed! I'll see what, if any, clarification I can get from the folks that would be enforcing the rules when I talk to them this weekend and report back when I get home. It's our forest, we should know without a doubt what might get us disciplined.

I've read everything I could online, and official things from the Forest Service seem conflicting to me. It might be that they want the rules to be rather vague so they can let some people slide and others get fined depending on the particular situation. Most likely if you have a clean camp and a good attitude with any ranger you run into you're good as long as you're not sleeping in the trail at 8 am, I'd bet. Assuming a ranger actually finds you and talks to you in the woods, anyway...

 

[TJsName]

It should be discussed! I'll see what, if any, clarification I can get from the folks that would be enforcing the rules when I talk to them this weekend and report back when I get home. It's our forest, we should know without a doubt what might get us disciplined.

I've read everything I could online, and official things from the Forest Service seem conflicting to me. It might be that they want the rules to be rather vague so they can let some people slide and others get fined depending on the particular situation. Most likely if you have a clean camp and a good attitude with any ranger you run into you're good as long as you're not sleeping in the trail at 8 am, I'd bet. Assuming a ranger actually finds you and talks to you in the woods, anyway...

This is the pdf I always reference: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5363715.pdf

I hope it's up to date. I would agree with rainman's interpretation that Black Brook is not restricted with the quarter mile rule, but any body of water in the Pemi does have the 200' advisory as part of LNT (just like trails).

 

[JCarter]

I hope it's up to date. I would agree with rainman's interpretation that Black Brook is not restricted with the quarter mile rule, but any body of water in the Pemi does have the 200' advisory as part of LNT (just like trails).

It's up-to-date (same file I linked to). But the LNT guidelines (page 2) aren't "rules". The "rules" are on the last page. There is a general 200-ft trail exclusion in the rules for the Wilderness. I submit that since there *is* a list of specific 200-ft water-body exclusions in the Wilderness (i.e., the East Branch), then there *isn't* a general 200-ft water exclusion. But that's just me. Guy with ticket book offers me a fine if I don't move, I'll probably move. But I will definitely unfold my copy of the published rules and try to get him to explain why he wants me to do something that isn't in writing, and if there are any other unwritten rules I need to obey when I select my new spot.

(and if they point to LNT and say "200 ft from water", note that it says "or". That's a critical word in that sentence).

 

[peakbagger]

Some FS employees work on the assumption that the vast majority of folks will not contest a ticket and therefore they will write one. The theory is that the person who does contest it is going to have to take a day off to go to court which is punishment in and of itself. Its rumored that no one has ever paid the fine for a WMNF parking ticket if they attempted to contest it but I have never seen any proof one way or the other.

 

[Ignomer]

Plans needed to change at the last minute, so I never made it to the Ranger Station to get any clarification on how the 200' rule is enforced regarding water and such...