owls head trail distruction by ranger.

[JNewell]

I think the AMC should adopt the Owl's Head Trail

As a near-alternative, maybe an fitting solution would be for the 4K Club to adopt the trail. The list is presumably the principal reason for use of the trail? Just a thought...

 

[David Metsky]

Before anyone adopts the trail it must be made into an official trail. That involves federal paperwork more than any action on the ground. Creating new official trails in the Wilderness Areas is difficult.

If the trail were official there wouldn't be any maintainence issue, the WMNF trail crews would have no problem taking this one. It could be a nice benefit to have someone else adopt the trail, but that's not really the issue.

-dave-

 

[RGF1]

Now that is interesting and understandable.
On my out dated 1979 AMC "Franconia" map, it clearly shows a trail marked from the Lincoln Brook up the west side of Owls Head to what looks like the North summit.
It’s my understanding that the slide route is to the south of this and goes to South summit.
(someone please correct me if I am wrong)

What happened to the northern trail as marked on older 1979 map?
If it was shown, does that mean it was at one time created and maintained?
Could it be considered grandfathered?
Was it all a mistake on map?

USGS maps do not show the trail, but then many trails are not shown either.
I wonder what it would take to prove to WMNF that a route had been established and recorded on maps, therefore only needs to be maintained or adopted.

Dave, are there AMC archives which show this was a trail at one time or another?

It seems to me that restoring an abandoned trail would be easier, than to go through the required Gov. paperwork to creating one.
Also, the Wilderness Area in Pemmi was created after this 1979 map was printed, so as a standing public document goes, the trail could theoretically exist.

I think we need a public record investigation.

Brownie

Frist Dave is right but it could be done. It might be easier with this particualar semi official trail as it already exists. It would take some petioning but it is possible. I know of a area out west that needed a special permit to use chainsaws to clear a heavily used trail after it was avalnchged. it took about 6 months but evenutaly got done. this was this year .

Brownie . I looked at a old map my dad has it is from the 60's it shows the trail up the slide and to the summit . beyond that i do not know if it was official or not a old guide about the same age .The book says it is not maintained. but easy to find . Well it was not that easy in the late 70s to find but we did find it. back then you had to use a map and compass thankfully Dad knew all about that I was just a teenager then . But I did learn how to use them.
It could have been a trail at one time maybe it can be grandfathered in.
Either way there of course would be lots of paperwork the government loves and thrives on it for some reason that even our government officals do not know . A ranger once told me this. There are three ways to do things the right way ,the wrong way and the govenrment way.

 

[David Metsky]

If it was shown, does that mean it was at one time created and maintained?
Could it be considered grandfathered?

It's always been clearly stated that it wasn't an official trail. It's not going to get grandfathered in at this point, it was a conscious decision at the time of the Wilderness designation. Trails are explicitly detailed on all the Wilderness Area management plans, and the Owl's Head trail hasn't been there since day 1.

It is possible to get it through the paperwork, but it won't be quick or easy, even if the route was established many years ago and published on maps. I wouldn't know where to start, though. Perhaps the head WMNF ranger would be able to give advice.

-dave-

 

[Stan]

I don't think it's worth the effort to try to designate this as a wilderness trail. If someone else does, I'm happy for them that they have the time but pity that they don't have something better to do with it ... which is why I suspect no one is gonna step up real soon and take this noble cause on.

The most challenging part of the hike is locating a good embarkation point to go up the slide ... not unlike a number of trailess peaks. I was grateful for the cairn that was there but, hey, if I didn't find the route the first time what's the harm of having to go back? Why not just concede that not every trail has to read like the White Dot Trail up Monadnock?

 

[sierra]

My tax dollars at work, I see know benifit to taking down the cairn or the sign, other then a strict adhereance to the wilderness rules. In this case though I think its a bad descision and the result will possibly lead to more damage to a wilderness area then a darn cairn.
Ive made cairns in the Rockies, the Sierras and the Whites (not so much in the Whites). I see a need and I make them to help fellow hikers who would otherwise not find the correct path and tramp all over creation, some never finding the correct way. In the Sierras, many diehards hate cairns ( some call then ducks) and they destroy all they find, thats cool, its their thing, mine is building them, I dont mind the competition, my cairns are quite good and stable if I do say so. I dont have any plans to go to Owls head, been there done that, but if I was there, I wouldnt think anything of building a small cairn myself.

 

[Brian]

In my humble opinion the trail is so used that to try and block it off just destroys the wilderness more as people move around the obstacles in every possible fashion. The first time I went up Owl's Head was a couple of years ago and it was quite an ugly site in several places. Lots of blowdowns and detour swaths arounbd these obstacles everywhere. However, during my more recent ascents it appears someone has cleaned up these blowdowns and the trail is much narrower and confined (and well trodden). The same could be said for the herdpath up Mt Nancy. Its actually quite neat and as good as any 'maintained' trail except for no signs or markers. I suppose there is not much we can do as our population continues to grow and the numbers seeking the peaks continues to increase. Even back in the late 60's and early 70's few thought anything about wandering everywhere and anywhere above treeline. Then the issue was littering. "Take only pictures, leave only footprints" was the has out of necessity gone. I don't picture the crowds getting any smaller in the future, either.

Brian

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

JNewell suggested that the 4K Club adopt the OH Trail. But, who would do the work? The 4K Club for years maintained a long section of the Davis Path between Slide Peak and Mt. Davis, but Steve Smith could rarely find anyone to help him, which is the reason that the 4K Club gave up that trail. Steven now maintains a section of the Bond Cliff Trail under the auspices of the 4K Club, but again, rarely does anyone volunteer to help him. So, forget that idea.

Dave Metsky must be joking when he writes "the WMNF trail crews would have no problem taking this one," as the WMNF trail crews cannot even come close to keeping up with its official trails, let alone add any new ones.

The OH trail has never been an official trail, and when I first hiked Owls Head in the late 60s, it was essentially a herd path above the slide, although I believe that the (formerly) signed bump always has been the destination and considered the top. I do not think that a few folks bushwhacking to the "new" higher bump about 0.2 mile to the north along the ridge is going to make much difference to USFS. I think that the USFS simply would rather raise our hackles by removing cairns and signs, rather doing something constructive like trail maintenance, which requires real work.

 

[JNewell]

Because NOT having a marker of some sort will lead to the same conditions as occur in the ADKs on the trailless peaks. Specifically - the first few hundred yards around the beginning of a herd path there were often many trails, most (but not all) would eventually lead to one primary path or trail. In other words - lots of trampled vegetation, and the more popular a peak was the worse it got.

That's the point I was trying to make. Removing the cairn will not reduce the amount of foot traffic, but it will increase the area affected by that traffic. It seems counter-productive from just about every imaginable perspective...

 

[Brian]

Maintaining Owl's Head Trail

Dr. Dasypodidae,

I would gladly hep with the maintenance of the Owl's Head trail. I would have done the Davis Path as well, but that is SO far to drive. The Owl's Head trail is an hour closer driving time.

Can you point me in a direction as to who to contact (Steve Smith?) as to how to proceed with this?

Brian

 

[DougPaul]

I would gladly hep with the maintenance of the Owl's Head trail. I would have done the Davis Path as well, but that is SO far to drive.

It is illegal to maintain an unofficial trail. The first step is to get the trail approved.

Doug

 

[jade]

NH_Mtn_hiker and I were on Owls' Head on Thursday.....there is a new sign warning folks who mark the trail in anyway that they will be prosecuted if caught and the penalty is one year in jail and a $5,000 fine....

There are red shoe laces tied around a couple of trees to mark directional changes and someone (we are NOT telling) added to the cairn and tied a green bandana at the true summit which is about 200 feet from what has long been thought of as the summit.....

A few hours of bushwhacking is not my idea of a good time, but gotta say, it was a great day of hiking!!

 

[forestgnome]

The new sign warning of a penalty is a hiddeous violation of the spirit of wilderness rules, much worse than a cairn.

Please don't break the law. America has rule of law, instead of the usual other arrangements. This is what makes America the best. If you don't like a law, change the law. Don't break the law and make us all look ignorant. There is alot about these laws and policies that tremendously benefit all of us hikers.

If you want to hike to Owl's Head, just do it! I'm not against the trail being signed, but if you need it, you probably shoudn't be that deep into the forest.

Take the case through the legal process if you're really concerned about herd paths.

 

[forestgnome]

Ridicule seldom adds to any discussion -

Agreed. Reread your post; your ridicule of the government in New Orleans didn't add much to the discussion of Owl's Head.

It's interesting that you advocate lawlessness, then in the next sentence say "I'm not advocating lawlessness..."

 

[Homer]

Owl's Head new sign

Hey Jade, how are you. I've attached a picture of that sign you mentioned. I'm the one you met at the base of the slide that day. I was solo and ran into you and NH_Mtn_hiker and that other woman who was headed to Galehead Hut. Anyway, I'm sure you also noted that all the blue blazes were scraped off the trees. But, did you notice that our friend the forest ranger acutally missed one!!!!! I'm still trying to figure out how in the world scraping the blue blazes off of the trees and leaving nice scars on all of those trees is more environmentally friendly than just having the blue blazes there. There is now way to justify that.


http://www.millstonegolfleague.com/owlsign.jpg

 

[jade]

Agreed!!

Glad you made it back down out of the woods safely.....ha, no I didn't notice a blaze still intact......but we did find one in two pieces on the ground and NH stuck it neatly under a sliver of tree bark to mark the way.......

Hope to see a trip report on finishing up your 48s!!!

...Jade

 

[Puma concolor]

On the positive side of things, the sign is as good as a cairn for marking the start of the path and doesn't seem too terribly obnoxious. It does, after all, "welcome" backcountry use. It isn't too different from the various "alpine zone" and "warning" signs you see throughout the WMNF.

I hereby rescind my original, more critical post.

 

[Papa Bear]

On the positive side of things, the sign is as good as a cairn for marking the start of the path and doesn't seem too terribly obnoxious.

Maybe we can get them to put these warning signs all along the "unmaintained" path to ensure compliance and at the "unmaintained" summit they could put a sign saying "Do not build a cairn or put a sign here".

Just an idea.

 

[Variocana]

Yes, yes,
I too say "Go for it Ed"

I find this ranger's actions and motives bad judgement and a misuse of taxpayer dollars. There are more important ways to use these valuable funds.
I think the hiking community in general should be outraged.

as always,
Vario

 

[Puma concolor]

Maybe we can get them to put these warning signs all along the "unmaintained" path to ensure compliance and at the "unmaintained" summit they could put a sign saying "Do not build a cairn or put a sign here".

Just an idea.

Yeah, yeah, I like it.