More sign removal?

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

On our Kilkenny Range traverse, Sunday, September 25th, Weedhopper and I noticed that the sign for the spur trail to Cabot's Horn (New England 100 highest summit) had been removed since our last visit in 2001. There does not seem to have been any effort to block the path with brush or whatever, nor is there posted a threat sign of a hefty fine for maintaining the spur trail. There was also no sign on Cabot's Bulge, but not sure if there was ever one? Both signs are still present on Cabot's summit, along with small signs on North Terrace (NH 100 highest summit) and North Weeks (New England 100 highest). Also, there is no sign for the spur trail to the summit of Terrace, but not sure if there was ever one? There is a new sign in addition to the old on the summit of Waumbek, since my last visit earlier this year.

All in all, a great hike in cool cloudy conditions. Began on the Mill Brook Trail (to add a redline on my map), saw a moose in the bog on the KRT just south of the junction with Mill Brook Trail, met two pairs of hikers at the Cabot Cabin (one pair legally came in from the Fish Hatchery, the other "illegally" came up from Heath Gate), heard a couple really loud snorts (from a moose?) on our way up South Weeks, and hiked the last couple of miles in the dark. So, we covered a total of about 25 miles in 12.5 hours, 7 am to 7:30 pm). I rate this day trip about the same difficulty as the full Presi traverse (over Jackson), more difficult than the Wildcat-Carter-Moriah and Kinsman Ridge traverses, but easier than the Pemi loop or the full Mahoosuc traverse, not counting the car spotting.

 

[MichaelJ]

Sign's been gone at least a year and even then it wasn't in great condition, IIRC. It's not a wilderness area; Kilkenny Ridge just isn't a highly maintained part of the WMNF.

 

[post'r boy]

signs signs everywhere are signs!!

i'll get my router out!! what did it say??
p.s. hi dr. dasy!!!

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I forgot to mention that the trails were in great shape, except for a few recent(?) blow downs. New bog bridges since our 2001 trip where we saw the moose.

 

[Papa Bear]

Here's the Horn sign as of July of last year (2004). Looks a little tired, wouldn't you say?

 

[arghman]

is the path to The Horn obvious? I may be going to Cabot on Friday, would like to avoid missing The Horn. A friend of mine also commented during a recent Cabot trip from the north, that there was no sign, and she went past it.

 

[Tom Rankin]

is the path to The Horn obvious? I may be going to Cabot on Friday, would like to avoid missing The Horn. A friend of mine also commented during a recent Cabot trip from the north, that there was no sign, and she went past it.

I would say when we did it, it was not obvious, but it is a pretty easy bushwhack up to the top.

Here is another picture, it might help some.

http://home.hvc.rr.com/trankin/IMG_6816b.jpg

The sign bolts or scars may still be there. The turn off point is on a slight grade. The bolts look to be about 3-4' off the ground. The tree is about 4' off the trail. Good luck..

 

[MichaelJ]

And here is one more picture from when the sign was still there. I thought the turnoff was very visible going northward on the Kilkenny Ridge trail, much less so looking south.

 

[Papa Bear]

BTW: There were two signs on that tree. Tom's picture shows them and you can just see the edge of the upper sign (which was pointing along the Kilkenny Ridge Trail) above the Horn sign in my picture. I guess they are both gone?

BTW Tom, did you stick your left knee in some ketchup or something?

 

[JNewell]

Not intending a thread hijack -- Tom, is that an Altitech altimeter on your companion's pack?

 

[Tom Rankin]

BTW: There were two signs on that tree. Tom's picture shows them and you can just see the edge of the upper sign (which was pointing along the Kilkenny Ridge Trail) above the Horn sign in my picture. I guess they are both gone?

BTW Tom, did you stick your left knee in some ketchup or something?

Yeah, Ketchup, that was it! We had a food fight on the summit!

Yes, indeed there were 2 signs, the other one has an arrow in both directions pointing out the main trail, (I think it says Kilkenny Ridge Trail, not sure).

 

[carole]

BTW: There were two signs on that tree. Tom's picture shows them and you can just see the edge of the upper sign (which was pointing along the Kilkenny Ridge Trail) above the Horn sign in my picture. I guess they are both gone?

The Kilkenny sign was still there on 7/30, which, as was mentioned, is easier to notice if heading north. If you miss it on the way in keep in mind it is only about 10-15 minutes after the cairn on Bulge (no sign) on the way back.

 

[Camper58]

As Carol said, the Kilkenney Ridge Trail sign is still there (I saw it on 9/9). The spur trail is just around the back of the tree a few feet. If your headed south, you need to look a bit more than 90 deg to your left to see it. If headed north, it's pretty obvious, it actually looks like a fork in the trail.

 

[Papa Bear]

The Kilkenny sign was still there on 7/30, which, as was mentioned, is easier to notice if heading north. If you miss it on the way in keep in mind it is only about 10-15 minutes after the cairn on Bulge (no sign) on the way back.

Well, that would make the problem a non-problem. Just look for the Kilkenny sign. In Carole's picture you can see the place on the tree where the other sign was (I think) below and to the right. Do I not see bark worn away and maybe the top screw hole?

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I am pretty sure that the upper Kilkenny Ridge Trail sign was still on the same tree that had two bolt holes from the missing Horn sign on September 25th, although I did not take a photo. So, sure just look for that tree and sign, which are on the opposite side of the spur trail to the Horn, and more easily seen hiking from the south than the north. As I noted, the spur trail is not blocked with branches or whatever, as it would be if the USFS where trying to erase it.

 

[Nate]

While we're on the topic of signage (or lack thereof) for the Kilkenny Range, (having done Terrace recently) what I thought was interesting is how there's no sign on top of the highest Terrace peak, but there's one on North Terrace. This could cause some confusion among the less informed about where the true summit of Terrace is. As it is, the spur path to the true Terrace summit isn't too hard to find since it's the only trail one encounters on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail between the York Pond and Bunnell Notch Trails. It comes in on the left where the main trail turns ninety degrees to the right, and there's a sign there indicating the direction of the main trail
As for the sign for The Horn's spur path, it was still in existence last November, when I visited that peak, so Heaven only knows what's befallen it since.

 

[Eric Savage]

No sign on the Bulge

There was also no sign on Cabot's Bulge, but not sure if there was ever one?

Being a new addition to the NE 100 list (the col was previously shown as inadequate) there has never been a sign here as far as I know.

 

[dr_wu002]

More Sign Removal

While we're on the topic of sign removal, Frodo and I noticed several signs torn down while hiking in the Willey Range yesterday. I don't know if it's vandals or does the Forest Service tear them down and just leave them on the ground for a while before replacing them?

-Dr. Wu