The Info on Mt. Cabot

[peakbagger]

I moved up to the area in 1987 with the prior couple of years in the midwest and previous to that at UMaine Orono. For those familiar with UMO its in its own world so I would not have heard of a proposed Kilkenny Wilderness. So I need to qualify my statement that I have not heard a Kilkenny Wilderness proposal since I moved up here.

I expect in 1983 there would have been significant local opposition to a designation as the Kilkenny's were part of the wood basket for Brown Co/JR pulp and paper mills in Berlin/Gorham, and the two mills in Groveton. The pulp and paper industry was still on a roll at that time. Things nosedived in the 90s and expect these days there would be less opposition. The Groveton Mills are gone, Berlin is a biomass burner with plenty of low grade wood from elsewhere and the Gorham operation is a much smaller strictly papermill buying purchased pulp from elsewhere. As an aside long before anyone of us were probably around was the establishment of the WMNF boundary. I have always felt that Brown Co had significant influence where the line was located along the ridgeline east of Bog Dam Loop valley and south of the Mahoosucs but have never seen a good reference on this obviously potentially contentious effort. Nature abhors a vacuum and now that Dillon is slowly selling their assets after stripping them, Yale under the guise of Bayroot is grabbing what they can and selling parcels with higher conservation value to the Mahoosuc Land Trust .

 

[jniehof]

https://books.google.com/books?id=h6QGZAzgX1AC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

I haven't read all 300+ pages, but there's no mention of the Kilkenny in the bill (which became the New Hampshire Wilderness Act of 1984, establishing the Pemi and Sandwich, and expanding the Presi/Dry River.) Searching for Kilkenny gives the letter from The Wilderness Society (244) in favor of designating the Kilkenny, Defenders of Wildlife (247) for the same, and one from the AMC (236) requesting that the Kilkenny not be excluded from the possibility of future Wilderness designation. So I stand corrected in that I've now heard of an effort, and obviously managing to permit future designation does have implications (i.e. essentially manage as if it were wilderness.)

I followed the process that lead to the 2006 expansions much more closely and don't recall the Kilkenny being in play there. The EIS for the latest forest plan revision notes "Four comments, or 0.03 percent of comments received, specifically addressed this Inventoried Roadless Area and recommended its protection as Wilderness."

 

[Mike P.]

Very possible it was a consideration in 1983. Is it still on the table as a topic of discussion at this point 37 years later? Personally I haven’t heard any saber rattling by the AMC. Last I knew they were trying to build another Hut inside a State Park.

Did they build the hut in Crawford Notch State Park? (or just outside? ) It's on a section of AT I've done once and for a view junkie/peakbagger, it has little attraction for me. I did get some good shots of a dramatic sky over Ethan Pond when I went on a day of changeable weather over the Willey Range & back on the AT from Zealand Hut. I had mixed feelings on the hut proposal, they wanted to have it be reachable by young families Vs. did we really need another full service structure out in the woods.

For AMC members looking to string together a few huts, I would have thought Zealand to Mizpah on the AT would be a long day, I'd have blue blazed it on the A-Z to Crawford Notch if I had ever done those two together. You would have to poll thru-hikers to get their thoughts but if I am staying at Liberty Springs, Garfield, and camping above Zealand Hut, Ethan Pond would be near my destination for an established campsite. (I would guess some would look for stealth sites instead while others might opt for "free" lodging at the huts with some work with the Croo. Of course in Covid-19 time, none of that is happening & if I'm social distancing over 2100 miles, with a loose knit group of similar people, I'm avoiding places like huts and shelters where weekenders stay.

 

[skiguy]

Did they build the hut in Crawford Notch State Park? (or just outside? ) It's on a section of AT I've done once and for a view junkie/peakbagger, it has little attraction for me. I did get some good shots of a dramatic sky over Ethan Pond when I went on a day of changeable weather over the Willey Range & back on the AT from Zealand Hut. I had mixed feelings on the hut proposal, they wanted to have it be reachable by young families Vs. did we really need another full service structure out in the woods.

For AMC members looking to string together a few huts, I would have thought Zealand to Mizpah on the AT would be a long day, I'd have blue blazed it on the A-Z to Crawford Notch if I had ever done those two together. You would have to poll thru-hikers to get their thoughts but if I am staying at Liberty Springs, Garfield, and camping above Zealand Hut, Ethan Pond would be near my destination for an established campsite. (I would guess some would look for stealth sites instead while others might opt for "free" lodging at the huts with some work with the Croo. Of course in Covid-19 time, none of that is happening & if I'm social distancing over 2100 miles, with a loose knit group of similar people, I'm avoiding places like huts and shelters where weekenders stay.

After much opposition The AMC withdrew their plan for another hut.

 

[Mike P.]

To stir the pot, with the increase in hiking as of late, if people keep being outside, if it's ever safe to lodge in close quarters again, I'd expect to see them try again.

 

[skiguy]

To stir the pot, with the increase in hiking as of late, if people keep being outside, if it's ever safe to lodge in close quarters again, I'd expect to see them try again.

The AMC already is in Financial Straits. The so called Charitable side of the organization spends most of their time implementing and forwarding their conservation effort. Which is certainly noble. The Achilles Heel of that is it's funded through the lodging program. Given the current situation I would imagine they are loosing money rapidly. If it continues they would most certainly have less time to comment on most certainly lesser issues as The Mt. Cabot Trail. The potential and maybe necessary issue would be a change in their business model. Or their recent cry out for donations will have to be delivered in a potentially large and on going way.

 

[surf88]

I WONT SAY MY ROUTE OF CHOICE

 

[Mike P.]

Is the Doublehead Cabin open in Winter? Thinking the view from there might be nice.

My choice would be not to do Cabot, period. If I was looking for something to do there, I'd stop at the Horn & send my son to Cabot so he can say he's been there. Been there solo, been there in all four seasons, been there from the old trail and the other two common ways now. I've seen a moose while on the trail from the hatchery

 

[David Metsky]

Is the Doublehead Cabin open in Winter? Thinking the view from there might be nice.

Yes, the Doublehead and Black Mountain cabins are popular ski destinations.

 

[skiguy]

This would have been a game changer. Looks as if The Forest Service was on board. https://www.newenglandskihistory.co...ntMjM-7q5Di8OfkMYeuUEYvD59MKYsLWWOWp7KeZzAcXg

 

[peakbagger]

Interesting link. The WMNF Declaration boundary is decidedly "notchy" in the Kilkenny area. There is big block of land in that area that forms a bulge into the WMNF boundary. Curious if the land owner who stopped the Mt Cabot trail issue ended up with that land after the ski concept folded?

 

[Grey J]

Glad they did not build it but those are really neat time capsule mid-century architectural drawings.

 

[Lost Dad]

There were many ski areas considered through out the WMNF that never came to fruition. The most interesting proposal in my opinion was a potential development in Evans Notch with a base in the Cold River Camp area and taking over many of the peaks in the area.

https://www.newenglandskihistory.com/cancelledskiareas/Maine/borderline.php

Other ski proposals fron NH can be found here:

https://www.newenglandskihistory.com/cancelledskiareas/NewHampshire/