NEFF peakbaggers- A nice flagged trail does exist for Moxie

[Oncoman]

On my recent bushwhack up Moxie from the east side (see my trip report), I discovered a well flagged trail on the western side following the ridge down. However the trailhead is now very overgrown and almost impossible to find. Would anyone like to join me to reactivate this trail & mark its entry point with a cairn & post clear car directions to reach it. Otherwise this trail will soon be lost for others to enjoy.

Pierre

 

[spencer]

This isn't meant to be a trailed peak.

please don't mark trails that aren't trails.

thank you.


I make it a habit of ripping flagging down when I see it and it clearly doesn't belong.

spencer

 

[Oncoman]

OK Spencer, good point & message well taken. Will keep secret entry point to myself & if I ever bushwhack Moxie again in future will remove flags unless somebody else does so before then. As for who marked the trail in the first place I totally ignore it, but it's very unlikely that this trail is now being used by personnel maintaining communications equipment on summit.
Pierre

 

[Tom Rankin]

This brings up 2 thoughts:

1.

Oncoman, this sounds like the way new trails are constructed. They do the middle first and do not expose the ends. When the trail is finally ready, they join the ends to existing trails, or a trailhead. Does it look like a good trail is being constructed, or is it just a series of flags, with no thought to proper trail construction?

Spencer, not that I know this is the case (a new trail), but unless you know for sure that it is NOT the case, it seems best to leave any flagging you find in place. Right now, there is a flagged trail up a mountain in the Catskills that could be mistaken for an 'illegal' trail, but it's a DEC approved work in progress. I would hate for someone to come along and remove all the flagging that was carefully added, after much planning and route finding.

2.

I don't know how much use this mountain gets, but if people are going to use a particular mountain a lot, there should be 1 well constructed, well maintained trail, rather than a bunch of bad herd paths all over the place.

 

[Oncoman]

Tom

There is strong evidence that this was initially a "planned" trail, but that the project seems to have been subsequently abandonned.

1-The trail follows precisely the ridges with numerous well constructed & strategically spaced cairns, in order to offer excellent views from the open areas.

2-The lower last ¾ m. or so is very neglected with numerous blow downs not cleared for at least 2 yrs rendering blaze-following difficult.

3-Many parts of the middle section of the trail are now being grown-in with great risk of losing trail for someone not used to following seldomly travelled herd paths

Pierre

 

[David Metsky]

Many parts of the middle section of the trail are now being grown-in with great risk of losing trail for someone not used to following seldomly travelled herd paths

Keep in mind that the trail may have been abandoned for very good reasons, and doing any maintanence without knowledge of the situation could cause problems. For the most part, trails get abandoned for a reason. Doing anything without knowing the history is probably not a good idea.

-dave-

 

[RoySwkr]

If you think this is a good route up or a nice peak, you should post a description so pseudo-bushwhackers can find it

The Maine Woods has more of a tradition of bootleg trails than other areas, my feeling would be to saw a log or two if I was hiking there anyway but not to rebuild it wholesale

 

[Amicus]

Hail Pseudo-bushwhacking!

If you think this is a good route up or a nice peak, you should post a description so pseudo-bushwhackers can find it

That is so me! My perfect day's hike would take me to a listed, trailless peak with stunning VFTT's, where I stumble onto a two-lane herd-path that winds gently and unmistakeably from the bottom to the register, which I sign with a weary-looking flourish, whereupon, after basking in those views, I amble home and compose a highly colored Trip Report while enjoying an adult libation ot two, collecting major bushwhacking cred points for my efforts.

That hasn't happened to me yet but I'm an optimist and still hoping.

 

[BIGEarl]

Amicus,

You have a short memory! What about Elephant? You just described the day.

Earl

 

[Amicus]

Elephant - the true story

Amicus,

You have a short memory! What about Elephant? You just described the day.

Earl

Short my memory may be as a general rule, but our Elephant bushwhack burns vividly. Did you ever see Rashomon - a college/art cinema favorite back in the day? The same incident is seen from the perspective of each of its three participants, and each version is about 120 degrees removed from the other two. Elephant would be our Rashomon moment if you were on the level, but I feel that tug on my leg.

Mike