Snow machines in Moosilauke?!?

[Scubahhh]

From a report posted today on New England Trail Conditions:

"Now for the bad news: when we were at the marker on the peak we spotted 2 snowmobilers roughly 200 yards away from us coming up from the direction of the carriage trail. I know snowmobiling is allowed on the carriage trail but they're only "allowed up to the turnaround located roughly 1000' below the AT crossing"... and based on my interpretation of the map these 2 were WAY past the "turnaround/barrier"... they were literally snowmobiling at 4700'. I acknowledge I could be mistaken and they could be allowed where they were but it looked like they were riding over vegetation and rocks... also when they spotted my friend and I at the peak they immediately did 180's and disappeared over the ridge. I'm going to do some more reading and figure out what is allowed and what isn't and alert the rangers if they were indeed way past the boundary and likely destroying fragile vegetation."

 

[peakbagger]

I expect that if someone snapped a photo and got a registration number that the operators would get a visit from the state of NH.

 

[andrewb]

I was sure I was seeing things today when I thought I spotted day or so snowmobile tracks near the top of Moose. I guess I was correct.

 

[David Metsky]

They're not allowed, but they sometimes go past the turnaround. The approach Dartmouth has taken is to work with the Asquamchumauke snowmobile club to use the snowmobilers to police their own. But if you do spot a snowmobiler up there the DOC would appreciate if you reported it to them and/or the authorities.

 

[yogi]

I hiked Carriage Rd. top to bottom on Saturday (3/29) and there was in fact a fairly fresh snowmobile track all the way to very near the top. Maybe a few tenths at best. Over scrub and rock. There was a US Forrest Ranger parked near the end of the lot when I returned at 1:00pm, and after taking off my snowshoes I started to walk over to let him know (if he did not already) but he drove off before I got there. I'm a snowmobiler, so this really pisses me off.