Logs Across Hancock Notch Trail (Whites)

[Artex]

I did an overnighter Saturday and Sunday to climb Hancock and South Hancock. When I hiked in the Hancock Notch Trail on Saturday morning, the trail was unobstructed. When I hiked out Sunday morning, in at least a half a dozen points, someone purposedly placed large piles of birch logs and branches across the trail.

When I saw the first pile from a distance, I thought the rangers had perhaps marked a trail detour. I saw that was clearly not the case when I got closer. After coming across several more, I wondered, just what the heck is the case?

I can only think of two options: Extreme environmentalists wanting to discourage people form using the trail.. or, and perhaps more likely, rangers put them there because maybe mountain bikers, ATV's or whatever were maybe illegally using the trail.

Did anybody else encounter similiar obstacles in the Whites this weekend?

 

[Doc McPeak]

I'm heading up that trail on the start of a multi-day trip... how bad is this tomfoolery. Easily stepped over?

I'm not sure what would cause this kind of knuckleheadedness...

 

[Artex]

Yeah, no worries.. they were easy enough to step over. I just found it very odd, and wondered if anyone had seen it elsewhere in the Whites this past weekend. Enjoy your hike!

 

[carole]

I stepped over these barriers yesterday. The first one had me scratching my head, “What is the purpose?” But after 2 or 3 I realized it was definite vandalism as large gobs of moss was also ripped off the nearby boulders and tossed into the mix of piled rotten logs, and each successive pile got less ambitious and then they finally ended. I dismantled the next one or two on the way in and the rest on my way out.

 

[David Metsky]

Thanks Carole.

-dave-

 

[Doc McPeak]

Thanks Carole.

Yes, that goes double for me, and probably a quintuple thanks for my flatlanding cityslicker (or city dweller I should call him) for when we head down there this weekend.

Carole, did you hike the Hancocks? Just curious as to water crossings and other conditions?

 

[David Metsky]

Actually, a thought occured to me that these might be to discourage mountain bikers. But I personally haven't seen any on that trail. Either way, they don't belong there.

-dave-

 

[carole]

Doc McPeak: I counted 10 water crossings, a couple of which would be handy to have poles for. Since I rarely bring poles I found a nice stick for my return across them though not really needed. I'd forgotten how many crossing there were because it has been several years since I did them in summer-like conditions. The last two times were in winter and water wasn't a real issue (thus my reason for counting them on the way out ).

 

[Artex]

Thanks for removing. I didn't want to touch them, since I wasn't sure what was going on.

Come to think of it, I would bet that if the rangers would have put them there to discourage mt. bikers or whoever then they also would have posted a sign.. and I didn't see one.

 

[carole]

For bikes was my first thought. But they would hardly have deterred them as they were few and far enough between to only be a small bother. The trail conditions would be more difficult then the few piles of logs.

And I'm sure no ranger or trail crew would rip up moss and throw it in the pile. That's when I determined it was vandalism.

 

[Artex]

Very true.

 

[HikerBob]

I think reading the trail report titled 'Pine Link Trail Madison, 4 Sept 2004' by 'Fat Guy still' might give us a clue

Bob

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

HikerBob, I think you may be on to something. On August 30th my friend Diane and I jumped a bear on the Cedar Brook Trail on our way to the Hancocks. When we came out we found where the bear had crossed the trail, he brought with him several pieces of brush which were left just to the side of the trail. Note: This was my first White Mountain hike in which I saw no other hikers on the trails all day...except Diane.

A bear vandal

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Furry vandals?

This kind of reminds me of a time I was hiking one of the rarely used west side trails to Stissing Mountain in the Hudson Valley. I met a women who was accompanied by two massive (and I mean massive) dogs. While we were chatting the smaller of the two dogs picked up a downed birch branch -- about 6 inches in diameter, and about 6 feet in length, and was proudly trotting around with the branch in his mouth. I started laughing: "You don't mess around when you fetch a stick, do you boy?" Anyway that dog was well behaved and eventually dropped the branch off the trail.

 

[Davehiker]

Was it Alice, on her trip through Wonderland who said that things just kept getting "curiouser and curiouser?"

 

[Dalraida]

Logs?

Maybee itz New Hampster style crop circles.