Mooning the cog

[Pamola]

And some of us ardent hikers got our first view of the mts from the cog.

And some of us got our first view of the cog from a hundred miles away.
Worked/lived around sebago lake growing up. On a nice day, you could see Mount Washington. Unfortunately on those days the view was marred by a black plume rising off the peak. It's the same in vermont now too.

And most things that folks did in the 1800's on or around mountains wouldn't be considered responsible environmental practices now. I can dig up an old term paper with stats on the sulfites the cog spews. Because the cog and the road have seniority to hikers is not good reasoning to tolerate them.

As for mooning, yes it's a little childish. No, I don't think it will scar anyone more than most of the stuff on TV. What's more harmful a tradition: The mooning or the cog?

-never mooned, wouldn't rule out doing so.

 

[Neil]

Victimless crime?

I saw a hiker moon the cog...

from the summit of Jefferson.

 

[giggy]

What's more harmful a tradition: The mooning or the cog?

in the scheme of things - neither are realy harmful...

I might moon the hikers from the cog - but then I am a hiker? or cog'er?

 

[Neil]

Now that would be funny! Fill the Cog with VFTTers and have them all moon the hikers. I think that would traumatise me.

 

[Double Bow]

The Cog and the Road have been there a lot longer than the hikers.

Last I checked, Darby Field didn't take either the auto road or the cog...

People were hiking up loooong before the auto road was built! In fact, there was a summit house built there in 1852, though there was still no carriage road or cog. How did the guests get up there? You guessed it. They hiked.

For the record, the carriage road was completed 9 years later and the Cog, 17 years later. That means that the hikers were the only guests up there for the first 9 years of the hotel's opperation and that enough people were hiking up back then for it to make good business sense to operate a hotel that only hikers could get to.

 

[CaptCaper]

Hopefully mooning is a political statment on the environmental effects of coal burning rather than sillyness which may offend some train riders. Someone mentioned oil powered engines up there. Is that true? Are they cleaner?

They have tried burning oil in the past with no success. They have been working on a new breed of diesel and are having problems with it. Last I heard it did some damage to the system. Back to the drawing board.
They hired a custom steam builder from New Zealand Cog railway. You might have seen his beautiful pic's of the mountains around. Neigel,I belilve the spelling goes.

Well the fact is they are sensitive to situations with the hikers because of the stuff that get's tossed at them but when the hikers want something there tune changes. Typical I guess of some people's nature.

The Cog has been used for years as a rescue platform for people on the mountain on a large scale as well as one on one. And lot's of the guys are very much into hiking and loving the area wildlife,flowers,etc.

Next time a mooner should think about what I say and instead of giving them a moon and complaining about whatever they should give them a "High Five" "Thumbs Up".. That would seperate the men from the boys. Narrow minded people from the thinking class. Although the Cog'ers have fun throwing coal.

We all pollute one way or the other. So I can't see getting down hard on the Cog which runs only in the late spring into mid autumn at best and employs lot's of locals and has for years. Most up here has worked there at some point it seems.

Guess I'm still a Cog'er at heart..

 

[DougPaul]

People were hiking up loooong before the auto road was built! In fact, there was a summit house built there in 1852, though there was still no carriage road or cog. How did the guests get up there? You guessed it. They hiked.

A number rode--horses. IIRC, Crawford Path was (originally?) a horse path. There also used to be a corral a bit below the summit.

Doug

 

[CaptCaper]

A number rode--horses. IIRC, Crawford Path was (originally?) a horse path. There also used to be a corral a bit below the summit.

Doug

Ethan Crawfords own words from AMC's site "We thought it best to cut a path through the woods; accordingly my father and I made a footpath from the Notch out through the woods and it was advertised in the newspapers and we soon began to have a few visitors."

 

[adamiata]

I did it i am sorry

No, I did it.

I am Spartacus!

 

[Mac]

Cog fuel

What about natural gas? It's much cleaner than diesel and, because it's compressed, does not have the gravitational issues of performing on a steep grade. I realize that there's no gas pipeline to the cog base area, but I believe that it can be transported by truck and stored for use.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

People were hiking up loooong before the auto road was built! In fact, there was a summit house built there in 1852, though there was still no carriage road or cog.

In the interests of accuracy, humans were living in the White Mountains for thousands of years before Europeans arrived on the scene. They were know as Abnakis, Pennacooks, among others, who traveled and traded along the waterways.

Just to keep things in perspective -

 

[Chip]

Ethan Crawfords own words from AMC's site "We thought it best to cut a path through the woods; accordingly my father and I made a footpath from the Notch out through the woods and it was advertised in the newspapers and we soon began to have a few visitors."

I always thought it was a horse-path also, like Bridle for Lafayette. Here's some more info on the history of the Crawford from the AMC site: :
"But horseback ascents were the rage for at least 60 years in the 19th century. Hiking wasn't as popular in those early days of Mount Washington exploration, Howe explains. "It wasn't the way to go up the mountain. They left it (hiking) to the demented energetic or scientist types."

 

[cbcbd]

I've never heard of this cog mooning tradition, but it sounds similar to the car mooning tradition.
I understand the history of the cog and how its a neat Mt Washington landmark, but saying that it's good for folks that can't hike anymore doesn't impress me - there is still an auto road with a shuttle that serves the same service, although in a less nostalgic and romantic way.


But on a serious note:
I regurarly moon cog trains, Hummers, smokers, and hippies.

 

[giggy]

To be honest - not entirely sure how the mooning = bad cog.

I am for the mooning and for the cog ..... I honestly just think its funny.

I would be curious if the same folks that blast the cog - have ever parked there to hike.

drop ya draws and "flarshe your arse" with a smile

Though I have actually never mooned it meself!

 

[DougPaul]

I always thought it was a horse-path also, like Bridle for Lafayette. Here's some more info on the history of the Crawford from the AMC site: :
"But horseback ascents were the rage for at least 60 years in the 19th century. Hiking wasn't as popular in those early days of Mount Washington exploration, Howe explains. "It wasn't the way to go up the mountain. They left it (hiking) to the demented energetic or scientist types."

According the the WMG (26th ed), "In 1840, Thomas J. Crawford, a younger son of Abel, converted the footpath into a bridle path,..."

Also, "The Davis Path, completed by Nathaniel P. T. Davis in 1845, was the third (and longest) bridle path constructed to the summit of Mt. Washington." (Same source.)

This, of course, brings up the question of which was the remaining bridle path. Didn't see anything in a quick scan of the WMG. (There is a mention of the Stillings Path (to haul building materials from Randolph to Mt Washington), but that was cut about 1852.) (More info on Stillings Path:http://www.randolphmountainclub.org/aboutthermc/historyoftheclub.html)

Doug

edit: A few minutes with a search engine and: "In 1850, the railroad had paid for rebuilding the road from Gorham into Pinkham Notch. Further, the railroad financed the construction of the Glen Bridle Path to the summit of Mount Washington". From http://www.mountwashingtonautoroad.com/index.php?module=StaticContent&func=display&scid=19

and

From: http://www.drive.subaru.com/Fall05_Feature.htm
"1853 Tip Top House hotel, which stands today, built; and Glen Bridle Path opened to the summit"

 

[RGF1]

Agreed with Sierra and dvbl; childish and thoughtless. We are all ambassadors of the group called "hikers".

I am with you guys on this one
Mooning anything is behavior I expect out of a 12 year old not grown adults .
On another note If you do not live in that area and go ther fo recrearion ect you are a tourist in other words if you come form Mass to the Whites you are a toursit .We all are when we travel for fun .
Both the Cog and auto road have probably saved more than one hikers butt by getting them down in miserable weather .

I would also agree mooning is not traumatic but it could offend some one who contacts the authorities and has instant digital recording rof you ? Hmm I have no idea what would happen but I am sure it will not go over well . I for one do not want that type of attention drawn to hikers .
hint it is not `1966 but 2006 times have changed and it is time to end this childish "tradtion"




If I lost the ablitiy to hike and wanted to take some sort of moterized transportaion up a mountain The last thing I want to see is your sweaty hairy butts .
Think about , it and imgine yourself disabled and not capable of getting to the top off a mountiain . I do all the timeI i am very close to being therE again and I know it can happen it did for a while . Would you want spome one basicaly tellIng you to Kiss thier butts and deriding you as a fat lazy turon ?
I never heard of hikers mooning the train up Pikes peak and if they did I have a feeling it would not be well recived . i think Sierra would agree .
FWIW The Cog railway owns 100 yards on either side of the tracks . Just something ot think about . if they get enough complaints Who knows ?
I do sense a bit of elitism in some posts too . The mountains or any publicly owned natural area belong to all of us not just one gruop . How many of you ski and pay your 60 bucks or so for a lift ticket ?


On a whole differnt note it is hard to imagine the paths mentioned as horse trails never mind a carriage road .

 

[Puck]

This past summer we got close enough to the Cog..but fare enough from the steam. I noticed that there were a lot of cameras and camcorders pointed at us. We waved, many on board waved back. It is funny to think that we are the strangers on somebody's digital camera. The people taking the pictures could be the ones at the next table at the Woodstock Inn. Just think of the six degrees of separation. Do you want to be in the ER and hear the proctologist say ..."Hey...Wait a minute, there's something very familiar back here. I keep thinking of my vacation to NH two summers ago."

 

[sapblatt]

.

I would also agree mooning is not traumatic but it could offend some one who contacts the authorities and has instant digital recording rof you ? Hmm I have no idea what would happen but I am sure it will not go over well . "

Can the authorities identify you by a digital image of your a**? Man - I knew about the Patriot Act, but that is amazing!

On a more serious note - getting caught by the authorities for something as stupid as relieving yourself in public, depending upon how ticked off the officer was with you, and what they charge you with can land you on the sex offender registry.

 

[cbcbd]

On a more serious note - getting caught by the authorities for something as stupid as relieving yourself in public, depending upon how ticked off the officer was with you, and what they charge you with can land you on the sex offender registry.

This reminds me of the tradition of the naked guy skiing in Tux in the spring. I know for a fact that last year's "naked guy" got a ticket from the rangers patrolling Tux - I believe he has the ticket framed now.

 

[jjmcgo]

You should see what I deleted

Indecent exposure is a crime and if you are convicted, you will be signing up for the sex registry in your hometown for the rest of your life.
Which is what I feel would be justified if someone did that to my 82-year-old mom when she chooses to ride the Cog because she is too old and arthritic to hike the mountain.
I think the state police and cog railroad should join together for a sting next year, name the offenders and publicize that they'll continue to do it.
I'd like to see this website become the anti-mooning site because it has a history of advocating only lawful behavior.