Interesting names of trails

[Barkingcat]

I like the name Amphibrach, but have no idea how that name got assigned to the trail in the northern Presi's. Anyone ? Bueller

From the 1917 AMC Guide:

"About 1883 Mr. E. B. Cook cut a path from the old logging road leading up the valley of Cold Brook to a junction with Lowe's Ravine Path...he marked the entire route as far as Lowe's Ravine Path with his woodland signature—three blazes, short, long and short; hence the name Amphibrach."

From a definition of "amphibrach" -- A trisyllabic metrical foot having one accented or long syllable between two unaccented or short syllables, as in the word "remember."

There you have it...

 

[Barkingcat]

Skookumchuck is a Salish (PNW native) word meaning “strong or turbulent waters” or "place where important waters meet", depending on the source.

I have seen references to the naming of the Skookumchuck was by a district ranger that had been stationed out in the North West prior to moving to the whites, he liked the name and decided to use it in the whites.

I assume that the trail took it's name from the adjacent turbulent water
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=19&n=4896648&e=285763&size=s&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

I was always under the impression that the trail -- opened circa 1938-40 -- was named after the brook, along which part of the new trail ran (and still runs). I believe that the brook has carried this name since well before the trail was constructed.

From our pals at Wikipedia, the word "skookumchuck" (Chinook Jargon for "strong water") is used not infrequently in the Pacific Northwest.

 

[Barkingcat]

By the way John Mudge's White Mountains, Place Names and Legends is supposed to be good resource for the origins of various names in the whites. I think it is out of print.

The book is still in print -- you can order directly from the publisher, or pick it up from The Mountain Wanderer.

 

[brianW]

Forks Area Trail System (FATS) in SC is a 36 mile system for mt bikes/hikers/runners in 6 loops.

2 loops have what interesting names or at least it's interesting how they came about.

Great Wall loop has a 110' stretch of old broken up sidewalk thru a damp spot. builders jokingly called it the great wall when building it. Name stuck to the loop.

Brown Wave has series of woop-e-dos, agai during the building process one of the builders mentioned this will be like surfing a brown wave on the bike. Name also stuck to the loop

 

[Raymond]

Boy, this is an old thread.

Here are two photos of the laughing lion, in photo number 3 of the original post and in post number 7:

http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=39068&

 

[askus3]

Noody mentioned the odd name "Wampahoofus" Trail on the SW side of Mansfield. That is a mouthful. Also, why is Allis (who?) credited with two short trails named after him, one in Sterling Forest, NY and the other on the south side of Camels Hump, VT.