Has the Tsunami Finally Crested?

[ChrisB]

I drove past several trail heads on Thursday and noted they were NOT overflowing.

It was a warm and blue bird day but most were less than half full, including Evans Notch, Appalachia, Champney Falls, and even Lincoln Woods and Laffy Place.

It made me wonder if the summer/fall usage has finally peaked and we are out of the woods, so to speak.

Here's hoping...

 

[JoshandBaron]

Last week LW was a nightmare (as expected.) Lot was full by 7 on Thursday and it took almost an hour to get to 93 from LW on Saturday afternoon. I hope you're right about things having peaked, though. I would not want to be on a SAR team this winter.

 

[Ann]

I hope so!!!!! We retired up here to hike just a few months before COVID ������. Appalachia parking lot did not look horrific Wednesday and we actually did a small low loop to Hermit Lake via Tucks, Raymond Path and Old Jackson Road on Thursday. The Pinkham Notch Parking lot had many available spots in the paved area and we only ran into about five groups on Tuckerman Ravine Trail to Hermit Lake. We saw NO ONE on Raymonds Path and Old Jackson Rd!!! Things are looking up!!!! This summer we selected hikes mostly in Randolph Community Forest,Evans Notch, Nash Stream and trails that radiated off Randolph East. Hope the snow chases most people off the trails. (As an aside when we drove through Littleton yesterday it was like driving through Boston with TONS of out of state cars parked along the street.)

 

[Salty]

Nope. A very seasoned hiker who occasionally posts here reported Table Mountain had about 60 people on the trail, the summit was overcrowded, and some idiot decided to cut a path to the true summit, which is now eroded. And I believe this was during the week.

I see nothing that will stop this madness. Partly infuriating and mostly just sad.

 

[sierra]

Nope. A very seasoned hiker who occasionally posts here reported Table Mountain had about 60 people on the trail, the summit was overcrowded, and some idiot decided to cut a path to the true summit, which is now eroded. And I believe this was during the week.

I see nothing that will stop this madness. Partly infuriating and mostly just sad.

I do, winter conditions. No way the majority of the hikers I have seen are climbing through the winter.

 

[peakbagger]

Appalachia actually had a couple of open parking spaces today. First time since spring.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Crawford Notch was a zoo today... cars along both sides of 302 from the State Park line all the way back past the Highland Center. The Conway Scenic Railroad was loading up. 50+ people sitting around Saco Lake (many amused that Gryffin went straight in.)

It was fairly quiet at 7:15 when I arrived, so there's that...

Tim

 

[Mike P.]

Seeing that the last F&G news for rescues was back on 10/12 at the moment, I suspect we will see the Tsunami continue until there are some rescues due to people being overwhelmed by some winter-like fall weather. A friend sent me a picture frim a crowded lot today with several inches of snow.

 

[Mike P.]

Seeing that the last F&G news for rescues was back on 10/12 at the moment, I suspect we will see the Tsunami continue until there are some rescues due to people being overwhelmed by some winter-like fall weather. A friend sent me a picture frim a crowded lot today with several inches of snow.

I spoke too soon, two rescues reported on 10/19 from earlier in the week.

https://nhfishgame.com/2020/10/19/unprepared-hikers-rescued-from-liberty-springs-trail/

https://nhfishgame.com/2020/10/19/injured-hiker-on-welch-and-dickey-trail-2/

 

[JustJoe]

I did Dickey & Foss Mtn.'s on Thursday the 15th. Started at 8 with 4 cars in the lot. finished at 1 and the lot was full with one vehicle on the road. Not sure how many cars that lot holds but I think it's at least 50. Now I realize that pales in comparison to what's happening there on weekends. But I retired last July and wasn't seeing anything like this during the week until this sh*t storm hit. My biggest worry then was having my timing of heading home not clashing with schools getting out and the buses.

 

[peakbagger]

Yup looks like the surge has slowed down. I did a Cedar Brook and East Branch truck road hike which required a car spot at Lincoln Woods. While driving down the Franconia Parkway from the North I looked into the Lafayette Place Parking lot near the Cabin and it was empty at around 7:30 AM. I then drove over the Lincoln Woods and the lot was only 2/3rds full around 8 AM. We dropped off a truck and drove up the Hairpin turn viewpoint. The lot was full with a couple of cars parked on the side of the entrance road. We saw a few parties presumably heading to the Hancock Loop. We had Cedar Brook Trail to ourselves. We got down to Wilderness trail junction and met 2 hikers then and met a couple of more until the Campsite. We met a FS employee at the campsite and talked awhile and then headed back to Lincoln Woods parking lot that was about 1/3 full around 3:30 PM. Quite the change from earlier in the year.

With the time change next weekend, I expect things will quiet down until we get some snow pack.

 

[DayTrip]

I parked at Appalachia SAT and even at the "late" hour of 6:30 AM there was only 10 cars in the parking lot (granted the forecast was awful but still). Coming out of woods about 3:30PM or so there was still only about 12 cars. Most of the trailheads I drove by on the way home had pretty minimal cars. I think we've definitely turned the corner on the casual hiker and moved on to the avid hikers and backpackers.

 

[JoshandBaron]

Apparently there were some break-ins at LW Thurs/Fri.

 

[Remix]

Apparently there were some break-ins at LW Thurs/Fri.

Source of info?

 

[JoshandBaron]

Source of info?

Friend who parked there Fri morning and saw 2 vehicles with their windows smashed in.

 

[JB]

I was there Friday morning, saw maybe ten other cars, and did not notice that.

 

[peakbagger]

The FS law enforcement truck did take a slow drivethru the lot on Sunday. Not enough to really check parking passes but enough to look in between all the cars.

 

[JoshandBaron]

I was there Friday morning, saw maybe ten other cars, and did not notice that.

He said he got there around 745am. CRV with its drivers side hatch window smashed parked near the eastern corner of the lot and a minivan with the rear passenger side window smashed parked near the middle of the lot. Both with Lincoln PD business cards on them, maybe you can get more info from them.

 

[JoshandBaron]

The FS law enforcement truck did take a slow drivethru the lot on Sunday. Not enough to really check parking passes but enough to look in between all the cars.

Every time I have come back to my vehicle after a trip this year at LW (6ish times?) there has been either a Lincoln PD vehicle, F&G vehicle, or FSLE vehicle doing rounds. I always considered LW to be one of the safer lots, which is one of the reasons we've been doing so many trips out of there this year.

 

[cragway]

I hope so!!!!! We retired up here to hike just a few months before COVID ������. Appalachia parking lot did not look horrific Wednesday and we actually did a small low loop to Hermit Lake via Tucks, Raymond Path and Old Jackson Road on Thursday. The Pinkham Notch Parking lot had many available spots in the paved area and we only ran into about five groups on Tuckerman Ravine Trail to Hermit Lake. We saw NO ONE on Raymonds Path and Old Jackson Rd!!! Things are looking up!!!! This summer we selected hikes mostly in Randolph Community Forest,Evans Notch, Nash Stream and trails that radiated off Randolph East. Hope the snow chases most people off the trails. (As an aside when we drove through Littleton yesterday it was like driving through Boston with TONS of out of state cars parked along the street.)

I'm sure the NH tourism industry would have a different view.

Aren't you guilty of the very same thing you are talking about? Maybe lifelong residents have that
sentiment about you,hopefully not.You have decided to make your home in the White Mountains ,
a history that goes back well before our time..........Some "out of towners" want to experience the natural
beauty of the area,if only for a little while...that's not a bad thing,is it?