Upcoming Pine Bend Brook, UNH, Potash, and Oliverian Brook Trail Closures - Kanc7

[RoySwkr]

It's pretty rare for a hiking trail to be closed during a timber project, so I don't know how it will be handled in this case. Given the very real danger of skidders crossing the trail, there may be some enforced closures.

Somehow I suspect that this will become the norm as the world becomes more lawsuit crazy, unlike the day in Wonalancet many years ago when they were logging up one of the trails and gave us a ride to the log yard on the back of the log truck

They used to let people drive plowed roads such as Sawyer River when they were logging, but now they tend to gate them.

 

[Jazzbo]

It's pretty rare for a hiking trail to be closed during a timber project, so I don't know how it will be handled in this case. Given the very real danger of skidders crossing the trail, there may be some enforced closures. I'll let you know if I can get any futher details.

According to the USFS report it's been something like 20 years since this area was logged. That's one of the reasons for the action. Early successional habitat needed for wildlife habitat created at that time has matured and more needs to be created. It's been a long time since the hiking in this region has been impacted and requirements for trail closure may be tighter for aforesaid reasons of increased risk for litigation since that time.

We can put this in perspective if we realize need for habitat management won't require further harvest for maybe another 20 years.

I'm cutting and pasting portions of Kanc7 Final Asessment here where they say it's been 20 years.

"1.8 Issues Used to Develop Alternatives
Issues were identified by the interdisciplinary team, through informal discussions with New Hampshire Fish and Game, a local outdoor club, and from extensive public comments. ......

........
3. Much of this area has been unharvested for 20+ years, and there is a need to create or enhance wildlife habitat, and to manage lands suitable for harvest using various silvicultural treatments to meet other Forest Plan objectives."

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

3. Much of this area has been unharvested for 20+ years, and there is a need to create or enhance wildlife habitat, and to manage lands suitable for harvest using various silvicultural treatments to meet other Forest Plan objectives."

I do not remember the 20+ years harvest along the Kanc, but I do remember the early 1970s when the current Garfield Ridge and Gale River trailheads and the perimeter road were not there; the Ghoul packhouse was just a little ways in from Five Corners, making this pack trip nearly 6 miles long (no one hiked Galehead as it was not on the NH4k list then). Likewise, Garfield was a 6+ mile hike from Five Corners. All of this road construction accompanied a major clear-cutting operation that was a big eyesore and incredibly disruptive to hiking. So, if the planned Kanc project is anything like the Rt. 302 project, it will be a huge mess, but at least no new access roads are planned to shorten the hiking trails to the Tripyramids.

 

[rocket21]

So, if the planned Kanc project is anything like the Rt. 302 project, it will be a huge mess, but at least no new access roads are planned to shorten the hiking trails to the Tripyramids.

I know that at least one person (I believe the letter is in the report) is requesting they create some room for parking for the Pine Bend Trail, but it has been dismissed. Perhaps some additional pressure would help encourage them to at least expand the shoulder of the road while they're dragging logs out of there so that winter parking is safer.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I know that at least one person (I believe the letter is in the report) is requesting they create some room for parking for the Pine Bend Trail, but it has been dismissed. Perhaps some additional pressure would help encourage them to at least expand the shoulder of the road while they're dragging logs out of there so that winter parking is safer.

Good point; some wider pull outs for some of these trails would not be asking too much.

 

[BlackBuffalo]

South of the Kanc was where I was going to hike next year, a hike or two in the areas proposed for logging. Hope I don't leave there with the same feeling I have most times I leave an area that's been cut. They may be legally in the right and I hope nature benefits, but I think this stinks.

DaveG.

 

[AndyF]

Good point; some wider pull outs for some of these trails would not be asking too much.

There is a pull out for Pine Bend Brook Trail? I couldn't even tell. I drove past it twice before finding the trail marker

 

[rocket21]

There is a pull out for Pine Bend Brook Trail? I couldn't even tell. I drove past it twice before finding the trail marker

Not that I've noticed. Apparently the reason for denying the parking area is that it would increase trail usage. Somewhat funny, really - having skidders out and about isn't an issue, but the chance of having a few extra folks use the trail on foot is.

 

[Jazzbo]

I do not remember the 20+ years harvest along the Kanc, .....

I wasn't hiking the Whites very much in late 80's so I have nothing to recall, but portion of the Treatment Unit #46 I visited off the Livemore Trail did appear to be about 15-20 years old. It looks to be evolving well beyond the early succession habitat. The map in Final Assessment shows this unit is pretty big almost reaching down to Kanc highway. I recall it being pretty barren of mature trees, but with lots of young birch, alders etc. well into process of beginning to dominate. This must have been the early successional habitat i.e. clearcut.

Like I said it was heavily cris-crossed with herd paths, moose scat, browsed hobble bush. I was in a hurry so I didn't take any snapshots. TU46 clearcut probably didn't disrupt trails much as the unit extends down slope practically to the road and didn't cross any trails. The only reason I noticed it was I noticed a pronounced herd path going off Livermore Trail down where it begins to bend north. I followed it and it led to the TU46. When I returned to the trail it became obvious there was big opening in the tree canopy visible from the trail, but not real obvious. This clearcut must not have been very obtrusive at the time plus Livermore Trail is not heavily used by peakbaggers.

I don't mean to come off like I'm for clearcutting, but maybe I am as I am firmly in favor of providing habitat for mammals trying to subsist in the forest. I should note that I haven't studied the texts in as much detail as I'd like. I find the format of the reports to be pretty dry that only a policy wonk could enjoy reading. Nor do I want to print the report out in it's entirety as this would neccessitate additional clearcutting.

I agree it would be nice to have better parking for Pine Bend Brook Trail as part of the deal. I think the deal is cast however. I'm sure FS would have added this had it occurred to the commenters at the time.

 

[Stan]

I agree it would be nice to have better parking for Pine Bend Brook Trail as part of the deal. I think the deal is cast however. I'm sure FS would have added this had it occurred to the commenters at the time.

I expect that notice requesting public comment is published, probably in obscure places like the federal register, in the fine print of a nearby local newspaper and probably to a mailing list of stakeholders. Perhaps VFTT can get on such a mailing list, preferably electronic, for publication here. There would likely be a lot of intelligent response.

As for hiking in the area. I've always thought it was a good area to spot game and have explored the area expressly for that purpose. It has also been a favorite area to hike or xc ski before or after a weekend in the Whites. Last winter I led a group on a bushwhack in pursuit of fresh moose tracks ... unsuccessful but it was an exciting workout.

If indeed it is closed, probably for reasonable rationale, get over it. It's not like there's no place else to go on Saturday night.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

There is a pull out for Pine Bend Brook Trail? I couldn't even tell. I drove past it twice before finding the trail marker

The state plows try to push back the snowbanks enough to allow vehicles (perhaps four or five max?) to be outside the white side lines.

 

[psmart]

I expect that notice requesting public comment is published, probably in obscure places like the federal register, in the fine print of a nearby local newspaper and probably to a mailing list of stakeholders. Perhaps VFTT can get on such a mailing list, preferably electronic, for publication here. There would likely be a lot of intelligent response.

Actually, all WMNF projects are posted for public review at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/projects/projects/index.php

If you don't want to monitor the page yourself, you can subscribe to receive automatic notification of all comment periods and decisions.

I also posted a heads-up on VFTT when the FS put the project out for public comment in January. Although these documents do take some time and energy to digest, the public comments do make a difference. I can post details on changes for Kanc-7 if anyone is interested...

 

[forestgnome]

OMG! Please tell me that the reason for closing the trail is not because of the danger of a hiker being hit by a skidder crossing the trail. How fast and quiet is a skidder?

 

[RoySwkr]

I know that at least one person (I believe the letter is in the report) is requesting they create some room for parking for the Pine Bend Trail, but it has been dismissed. Perhaps some additional pressure would help encourage them to at least expand the shoulder of the road while they're dragging logs out of there so that winter parking is safer.

I asked for that in my previous comment based on the logging truck traffic, their response was that since the mill in Lincoln closed all the trucks would head E

 

[rocket21]

OMG! Please tell me that the reason for closing the trail is not because of the danger of a hiker being hit by a skidder crossing the trail. How fast and quiet is a skidder?

Considering some people get hit by trains, you never know

 

[psmart]

Kanc-7 is under way

From the WMNF web site:

Hiker / Visitor Alerts and Current Conditions

Caution: Beginning the week of October 18th, the Kanc 7 East timber sale will have logging truck activity. Please use caution on the Forest System road just west of the Downes Brook Trailhead (FSR 511), as well as on the Mt. Potash Trail where it crosses the logging road. These locations have been signed to alert hikers of truck activity.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Did not get a chance yet to read the entire report but Mt. Potash is one of my favorite day hikes when I'm up in the WMNF. Hopefully the affect is minimal.

 

[andrewb]

Did not get a chance yet to read the entire report but Mt. Potash is one of my favorite day hikes when I'm up in the WMNF. Hopefully the affect is minimal.

I'll say Potash is my absolute favorite "short" hike. I really hope they don't ruin the area or take away access...