Reminder - Berlin ATV Festival on this weekend

[Mike P.]

Thank you Andrew for the second hand story from the ranger.

In years past AMC Croo have been a big aid in looking for lost hikers and assisting rescue work. As we know, not everyone needing a rescue is an AMC member, is only in the woods because there is an AMC shelter or lodge nearby and when the Croo is asked to help, they don't ask if the lost person in a club member & refuse to go help non-members. Sometimes accidents happen to prepared people. If novices and overplanners only went in the woods to hike when the huts were open, the trailheads would be very empty these days and we know they are not.

Numbers that I would like to see and are unlikey to see as at best you could only model them:

Number of hikers annually? (How would you get it, count cars, Hike Safe Cards, AMC Members, FB group Data mining (This is probably doable but they won't tell you they can)

What's a hiker? if you go as far as Diana's Bath or, Crystal Cascade are you a hiker? Are only peakbaggers hikers? Hikers are buying meals, staying in lodging, when open, from Monadnock to the Lakes Region, to the Percy Peaks. ATV traffic legally is concentrated in the Berlin Area.

What percentage of hikers require rescue, first aid or policing because they are trespassing? (Are people still going up the Mt. Cabot trail?)

Do fines on Illegal ATV use cover the cost? Maybe to the state but does the property owner who's land abuts ATV terrain, do they get anything to fix mudholes in their property? If a hiker does trespass, while wrong, if they don't liter, don't create a trail or mark anything, what damage have they caused? (It's still trespassing) I've seen ATV & motorcycle tracks in places in CT where they are not allowed but neighboring property owners use them in our State Parks and forest on Non-motorized trails. it only takes one bad ATV or bike rider to give his group a bad name in other outdoor communities.

What percent of ATV riders require rescue, are injured requiring medical treatment, rescued or require policing to assure that riders ride responsibly? If I am a neighboring property owner, what makes more noise, ATVs or hikers? There may be a small group of hikers hiking intoxicated, it's more of a camping issue at places like Tripoli Rd., are they as dangerous as the few (I love picking on a friend who sleds with his wife & are like the vast majority of ATV and sledders, responsible) snowmobilers and ATV riders riding intoxicated.

North Woods Law episodes seemed about equal (likely for TV interest) in hiker rescues, ATV violations, youthful or no helmets & trespassing, animal or bird rescues and poaching. I had forgotten the name of the show so in looking it up, I came across this story too.

https://www.unionleader.com/news/co...cle_51f7c345-8222-5c5a-be38-9508c93ec22d.html

Before I had children, I used to look at the Globe, Union Leader, Glen Falls & the Monitor (when they were all free without membership too) every Monday to see who got hurt. Once the snow started to fly, it varied from year to year. Some years sledders had the most fatalities, sometimes it was downhill skiers who lead the season and some years hikers & climbers.

I'm sure I've spent far more money in NH than I've cost the state. but none in Durham or on Fireworks either,

 

[peakbagger]

A few comments on Mikes Post.

ATVS are statewide and there are legal trails in southern NH. Lots of railroad and trolley tracks ripe for rail trail use. Sadly lots of ATVs on private and public land illegally.

Berlin is actually just on the SW fringe of Ride the Wilds. The center of the trail network is probably Nash Stream. Berlin has Jericho Lake State Park which is the most dense part of the system but many out of staters do not realize how big northern NH is until they have had to drive to Pittsburg from Gorham. Plan on an hour plus. There are at best two F&G officers assigned to the region.

Its a lot easier for a TV crew to drive to an ATV accident compared to a hiker rescue up on mountain. Someone has to lug a camera and equipment up the mountain while they can drive near to most ATV accidents.

NH F&G has publicly stated to the legislature several times that they do not have the staffing or budget to do what is needed to manage Ride the Wilds. The only help they get is volunteer and in theory Berlin, Gorham and Lancaster have paid police resources. All the other towns are constables and state police coverage. At least in Gorham, ATV enforcement is way down in priorities, its a tourist town and the police know that many businesses rely on the bucks. Warning and blue light flashes seem to be about the extent of their policing unless its special event.

Since you brought it up, No need to enforce hikers accessing the former Mt Cabot trail as they are not breaking any laws.

 

[Mike P.]

North Woods law did do a couple of rescues, One was on Garfield I believe, I forgot where the other was, may have been Lakes Region. When I saw the episode, I forgot about the event and had to look it up. It was several months previously. Another issue with rescues is that are usually well covered so they can date a TV show that you are hoping people will believe is in near real time. Illegal fishing, riding, animal rescues, either happen often or are less covered.

Bring brought cameras up Everest to look for Irvine & Mallory & IMAX so the Whites would be doable. For rescue footage in a 3-5 minute clip, you probably only need a minute tops of a litter carry. That you can get well within 1/4 mile of the trailhead. (The SAR folks may want you to put the camera down and help carry....)

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I believe they are less-covered... the particpants have to opt in to the show, so you aren't going to get anything outrageous. For the short stint I watched it, there were a handful of wildlife rescues, or nuissance animal relocations (or shooing at least).

Tim

 

[Mike P.]

I believe they are less-covered... the particpants have to opt in to the show, so you aren't going to get anything outrageous. For the short stint I watched it, there were a handful of wildlife rescues, or nuissance animal relocations (or shooing at least).

Tim

I meant more covered when they actually happen in the media. The newspapers cover them, locals who get the paper comment about them, we cover it, I suspect when a rescue happens it is covered in the FB Groups also. Therefore if they are on North Woods Law, someone may recognize the shows are somewhat dated.

IMO, Reality TV works better if you are thinking it's close to live time, watching people buy real estate several years ago isn't a exciting if you think you might be able to get a deal like that too.

I think I saw the same episode twice, people fishing without a license, kids riding ATV's on private commercial property - had to have parents pick them up, and a hawk rescued.

 

[peakbagger]

I will be curious how they cover the F&G officer in a ATV that was hit by another ATV while running a speed trap on an ATV trail. Reportedly there was film crew filming it for the show.

NHFG has to approve every episode before airing and can require edits. Its big PR campaign for them so you are not going to see a state employee cast in a bad light. The crews follow the officers for quite awhile and shoot lots of video, it then take awhile to edit so plan on around several month to year lag. No doubt they are not going to show an officer complaining about a lack of resources on air.

 

[Mike P.]

A friends son is going to college this year in hopes of becoming a ranger. He's loved the outdoors for years and is an Eagle Scout. He's watched the Northwoods shows for a few years since they started. I'm sure it didn't hurt his choice.

 

[Andrew]

I believe they are less-covered... the particpants have to opt in to the show, so you aren't going to get anything outrageous. For the short stint I watched it, there were a handful of wildlife rescues, or nuissance animal relocations (or shooing at least).

Tim

I signed the release on 2 occasions but was filmed 3 times. It was the less exciting content that I knew would not make it to production. Twice with Matt Holmes who was the officer who got injured by ATV, Matt is a classic and salt of the earth decent guy. It was exciting footage of him coming to me to ask if I had a trailer he could borrow to recover a dead moose, us driving to Jericho Mt State Park and me helping him to hook the trailer to his truck. Next was the great stocking question where Matt stopped in with a hatchery truck asking about getting in through gates at Moose Brook to unload. Lastly was running into CO Eric Fluette at LL Cote's and discussing how the spring park openings were going while being filmed. I laid on as much drama in all 3 cases but did not make the cut!

 

[skiguy]

I will be curious how they cover the F&G officer in a ATV that was hit by another ATV while running a speed trap on an ATV trail. Reportedly there was film crew filming it for the show.

NHFG has to approve every episode before airing and can require edits. Its big PR campaign for them so you are not going to see a state employee cast in a bad light. The crews follow the officers for quite awhile and shoot lots of video, it then take awhile to edit so plan on around several month to year lag. No doubt they are not going to show an officer complaining about a lack of resources on air.

I don’t think you’ll find them complaining off air either. The Multiple officers I’ve spoken with about funding always respond with integrity and a positive attitude. Many times acknowledging that funding can be a challenge but they say they make it work to the best of their abilities. They all like their jobs and will come out and say unsolicited that it is a privilege to have the job.