Busy F&G weekend

[peakbagger]

One rescue on Dianna's bath trail. I am quite surprised it was a litter carry as unless the trail has degraded since it was rebuilt as handicapped accessible I would have expected they could run an ATV in. https://nhfishgame.com/2020/11/30/injured-hiker-in-bartlett-2/

Two rescues of injured hikers on Lonesome lake trail this weekend. Both could be "slippery conditions" Saturday was not pleasant weather up north, rainy and foggy all day in Gorham. Sunday was far more pleasant. https://nhfishgame.com/2020/11/30/injured-hiker-rescued-from-lonesome-lake-trail/ https://nhfishgame.com/2020/11/30/second-hiker-rescued-from-lonesome-lake-trail/

One rescue for lost hikers. The media picked up on this one as the hikers were using a cell phone ap to follow the trail. https://nhfishgame.com/2020/11/30/hikers-in-need-of-assistance-2/

I was out Sunday and stayed down low on Mt Hayes in Gorham. The trail was damp in spots but no snow until the softwoods between Popsy Spring and the ledges. I ran into a couple at the ledges who had been hiking on Saturday on Success Mountain, they had been hiking in the snow and in the clouds all day. Definitely its time to be carrying traction and deciding when to use it as the temps are low enough that shady patches could have ice.

 

[ChrisB]

...One rescue for lost hikers. The media picked up on this one as the hikers were using a cell phone ap to follow the trail. https://nhfishgame.com/2020/11/30/hikers-in-need-of-assistance-2/

I wonder if that was an Alltrails app map. From what I've seen of Alltrails it could easily get one into trouble if it was your only source of trail info.

 

[DayTrip]

...One rescue for lost hikers. The media picked up on this one as the hikers were using a cell phone ap to follow the trail. https://nhfishgame.com/2020/11/30/hikers-in-need-of-assistance-2/

I wonder if that was an Alltrails app map. From what I've seen of Alltrails it could easily get one into trouble if it was your only source of trail info.

I don't understand the popularity of AllTrails considering how widely critical people of it are for inaccuracy. Beyond learning about trails in the area for further research I'm not sure why people rely on it so much. But I'm not an "hiking app guy" so maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Andrew]

One rescue for lost hikers. The media picked up on this one as the hikers were using a cell phone ap to follow the trail. https://nhfishgame.com/2020/11/30/hikers-in-need-of-assistance-2/

A teacup rescue. The best kind (one you can resolve over the cup of tea you made to /hydrate and calm your nerves while working things out over the phone).

 

[bikehikeskifish]

NOT that it is an excuse, but the actual conditions for Saturday in the Whites were worse than forecast. I hiked Mount Bemis and it was far cloudier, and fair rainier (and less windy) than even that morning's forecast. I was about halfway out when it started to really rain (around 12:30) - before that there was very light mixed precip - not enough to obscure views down into the notch.

I had winter gear with me so while I got wet, I was warm and had a change of clothes.

Tim

 

[Mike P.]

Saturday at Gay City State Park in CT we finished just before a heavy rain mixed with a little sleet or hail came down, still plenty of people were out though.

Also yesterday I had another leader ask my thought on a nine mile loop in another CT State Park he saw on Alltrails. The CT DEEP's hiking map only showed about 3 miles of trail elsewhere in the park. there were all sorts of switchbacks in an area that at best is rolling hills. I asked someone well versed in the park & he confirmed my initial thought, it was mostly a single track bike course. (yes you could hike it) I was looking for a hike for 10 years with limited experience and their parents. Keeping their heads on a swivel in order to look out for bikers was not what I had in mind.

I will say if you are looking to see if there is a trail in an area you've never been, if it has a name and it's in the woods, Alltrails likely has a review of it. It's a starting point for info. If you were looking at something like Middle Sugarloaf in July, no real foul if that is all you had for info. (If you can forget how much info is out there for NH)

Higher peaks for the next few months require better info. Herd paths for some of the Catskill 35 should not be done with Alltrails info either.

 

[egilbe]

I've noticed that people who don't spend much time in the woods can't see a trail unless its 10 feet wide and paved. My GF was like that when we first started hiking. She would walk off the most obvious path. "Where are you going"? She'd stop and look around. "This isn't the trail?" "nope" She's much better now, but I've taken other friends out who don't do much hiking, to the Castle in the Clouds area, and they walked off those trails. I let them walk in front, like I did with my GF, and keep an eye on them let them set the pace. They still wander off the trail, so I guess I can see how people who are relying on Alltrails for a map would follow water bar drainages off into the woods and get lost, like the gentleman did on Jewell trail a few years back.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I question whether or not the app is really to blame. I have fantastic luck with Gaia, but I also have some experience with paper maps.

Tim

 

[JustJoe]

One rescue on Dianna's bath trail. I am quite surprised it was a litter carry as unless the trail has degraded since it was rebuilt as handicapped accessible I would have expected they could run an ATV in. https://nhfishgame.com/2020/11/30/injured-hiker-in-bartlett-2/

Technically, there is no "Dianna's Bath Trail". Just a touristy section of the MMT. Unless you want to consider the multiple paths along Lucy Brook that leave and rejoin the MMT, "Dianna's Bath Tr." Regardless, it can be quite bad there this time of year. Don't know if there's ice there now but that path along the brook has many trip/slip hazards.

 

[Tom_Murphy]

I've noticed that people who don't spend much time in the woods can't see a trail unless its 10 feet wide and paved.

Yes! I realize I have a bit more time in the woods than them but how do they not see a trail that looks like a highway to me.

 

[iAmKrzys]

When I see errors on OpenStreetMap I just upload my gps traces after the hike and fix whatever is wrong. It's really not that hard to do and makes the map better for future users. Paper maps also get out of date even if they are accurate at the time of publication. Obviously one issue with OSM is the potential for vandalism but I have not seen too much of it over the years I have been contributing to OSM.

 

[egilbe]

Yes! I realize I have a bit more time in the woods than them but how do they not see a trail that looks like a highway to me.

I've asked myself the same question many times.

 

[peakbagger]

My woods sense is normally pretty good, I refer to it as my "radar", even it can go haywire if the trailbed and terrain is real obvious and then the trail diverts off the terrain feature. I usually catch it pretty quick but if I am distracted it may take a bit to catch a wrong turn. I picture the terrain in my mind and usually know which way to go to re-intercept the trail.

I have commented in the winter in the good old days that when breaking out a trail happened frequently that if there was questionable junction if there was some trace of older track that sometimes the least used track may be the best choice as the wrong track will have twice as much traffic from folks following it, turning around and hiking back to the junction.

 

[ChrisB]

I try to avoid that issue by doing winter hikes on Monday or Tuesday

 

[Mike P.]

Yes! I realize I have a bit more time in the woods than them but how do they not see a trail that looks like a highway to me.

This group is certainly the choir, I've really only had trouble momentarily finding the trail when starting before sunrise in hardwood forests after all the leaves have come down. The leaves cover the obvious footpath and if it's a busy trail, blazes may be spread out as in normal summer conditions in the light, the trail is obvious. (My first time up Windham High Peak from the back, in the dark, early December, no snow)

Relocations occur, side trails to brooks and vistas can turn people away. When the snow flies, we change the trails too. Valley Way in some years misses the turn near treeline and continues to the hut in the drainage, bad early and late but no issue in mid-winter. The upper section of Ammo isn't followed that well in winter and some have lost the trail at Gem Pool, as the more open option is along the water not up the narrower opening of the trail.

Some trails have junctions with narrower trails and are at hard angles. Mizpah Cut-off near teh but is easy to miss in the dark or rain. The South loop of the Shenipsit Connector in CT was relocated and the old trail is still very visible and not blocked as roadside parking continues to use the old trail to access the trail and avoid walking on the road. In some state lands, Gas lines are buried underground but the ROW is kept clear. (Similar to picking up the Huntington Ravine Trail when it crosses the tote road up to the Cabin. Any place with recent or current logging will have logging roads make things harder also.

 

[dug]

Water bars and run-offs, bootleg switchbacks and herd paths, etc. have gotten me before. I've taken 4-5 steps before I've noticed my error dozens of times. It couldn't take much for someone not as confident in the woods to take another 10 steps in the wrong direction and be completely lost not 20 yards from a trail.

 

[Andrew]

Was watching one of my 'local' news sources on cable last night and saw this story related to this. Col. Kevin Jordan being interviewed by a VT reporter on the limitations of electronic maps and other dependencies on them devices. I think many of us in Northern NH have to stich together a few news sources from the edges of our region to get a full picture. Personally the VT stations do a lot better for my area.

https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/v...to-rely-on-phones-to-navigate-trails/6083529/

Nothing new or too detailed but a relevant story for the masses.

 

[maineguy]

Yes! I realize I have a bit more time in the woods than them but how do they not see a trail that looks like a highway to me.

It's a skill you learn with experience. Some people can look up at the night sky and pick out constellations at will. I on the other hand, can spot the Big Dipper, Orion's Belt and maybe the Pleiades and of course the North Star.

 

[Mike P.]

Hopefully today's weather keep most people home....

 

[hikerbrian]

I question whether or not the app is really to blame. I have fantastic luck with Gaia, but I also have some experience with paper maps.

Tim

Me too. Gaia has been amazing in the town conservation areas closer to my house too. It's quite remarkable how accurate it is, really. That said, my iPhone battery is nearly useless if it gets below 20 degrees, so Gaia season has ended for me.