What's up with Monadnock?

[pks4000]

I had heard White Dot and Cross were now open.?

 

[Steve-o]

That's the word around the campfire.
Parking is free at the HQ, until they open up some more trails.

 

[DaveSunRa]

I went up the White dot about three weeks ago on a Wednesday. My car was the only one in the parking all day. In fact I might go there early tomorrow for a fast hike.

 

[kerry13]

Dot and Cross trails are the only trails open. Word from staff at the Park yesterday is that they are hopeful the east side trails, Cascade Link, Red Spot, Spellman and Upper Pumpelly from where the Cascade Link meets Pumpelly will be open next weekend. Old Toll Road side will open once Parker and Lost Farm Trails are cleared.

 

[dr_wu002]

Dot and Cross trails are the only trails open. Word from staff at the Park yesterday is that they are hopeful the east side trails, Cascade Link, Red Spot, Spellman and Upper Pumpelly from where the Cascade Link meets Pumpelly will be open next weekend. Old Toll Road side will open once Parker and Lost Farm Trails are cleared.

The parking area by the gate for Old Toll Road was packed with cars yesterday.

White Dot and White Cross trails are open and quite clear. If there was a lot of damage on those trails it's not evident to me except for the remains of some large blowdowns.

-Dr. Wu

 

[dr_wu002]

Dot and Cross trails are the only trails open. Word from staff at the Park yesterday is that they are hopeful the east side trails, Cascade Link, Red Spot, Spellman and Upper Pumpelly from where the Cascade Link meets Pumpelly will be open next weekend. Old Toll Road side will open once Parker and Lost Farm Trails are cleared.

Anyone able to verify this? I checked the Mt. Monadnock website and there were no recent updates.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Steve-o]

Taken 2 days ago.
I may check it out again today. I'll be sure to get some current info, if I do.

 

[Steve-o]

I went there today.
There was no one in the park store today, so my questions were not answered, about new trail openings.
I did talk to a guy in the parking lot today that say's, That toll rd. and white arrow are clear of blowdown. Not sure if it's officially open yet. ( apparently that area was not hit as hard ).

Dr. Wu say's, the parking lot was packed last weekend.
Might be time to give it a look.

2-4 inches of wet snow yesterday.

As I expected, most of the melting snow off the branches landed on me, so there will probably be very little this weekend.

So, get out there! and have fun!

 

[kerry13]

My previous post on the status of the Monadnock trails is accurate. I am a volunteer at the mountain. I hike there several times a week and I have had a crew on the OTR side clearing trails on saturdays, for the last month. I discuss the status of the trails with the Manager weekly, so the information I posted earlier this week was current as of Sunday. I am not sure if the recent snow had any impact on the opening of the east side trails this weekend but I will post later this morning when I find out. I am quite sure the OTR side will still be closed as there are a couple more trails there that need to be cleared.

I agree that the OTR parking lot has been full every weekend, but the trails are officially closed on that side of the mountain. My understanding is violators risk a $200 illegal parking fine and $100 illegal hiking fine. The rangers have been very tolerant, but I have heard of a couple fines being issued. It seems that there are a lot of folks who can't read or just don't believe the signs apply to them. The postings are quite clear as Stev-o's posting indicates. The rangers have had to place tape across the trails now in addition to the signs and people still choose to go on closed trails. I was as disapointed as anyone that the mountain was closed and that there has been limited hiking. It doesn't matter whether I or anyone else agrees with the decision or not. I certainly have my opinion, but it doesn't matter. If the trail is posted closed, it is closed. Got a complaint, call Concord.

There is very limited staff at the mountain, especially in the winter and they can't patrol the parking areas and clear the trails. It is quite disconcerting for the trail crews when they are trying to remove precariously positioned widow makers and some hiker meaders along the trail. By failing to observe the trail closings all we are doing is protracting the trail clearing process, risking injury to oneself or the trail crew. Give the trail crews a break and observe the postings.

 

[dr_wu002]

I agree that the OTR parking lot has been full every weekend, but the trails are officially closed on that side of the mountain. My understanding is violators risk a $200 illegal parking fine and $100 illegal hiking fine. The rangers have been very tolerant, but I have heard of a couple fines being issued. It seems that there are a lot of folks who can't read or just don't believe the signs apply to them. The postings are quite clear as Stev-o's posting indicates. The rangers have had to place tape across the trails now in addition to the signs and people still choose to go on closed trails. I was as disapointed as anyone that the mountain was closed and that there has been limited hiking. It doesn't matter whether I or anyone else agrees with the decision or not. I certainly have my opinion, but it doesn't matter. If the trail is posted closed, it is closed. Got a complaint, call Concord.

There is very limited staff at the mountain, especially in the winter and they can't patrol the parking areas and clear the trails. It is quite disconcerting for the trail crews when they are trying to remove precariously positioned widow makers and some hiker meaders along the trail. By failing to observe the trail closings all we are doing is protracting the trail clearing process, risking injury to oneself or the trail crew. Give the trail crews a break and observe the postings.

With all due respect, NH's motto is "Live Free or Die" and I think that people are going to hike regardless if some government stooge closes the trails or not. Closed for blowdowns? Give me a break. This kind of pussy-footing is more like what I'd expect from Massachusetts State Parks and not New Hampshire. You don't see trails closed down with threats of fines in the Whites because of blowdowns. Mt. Monadnock staff charges $4 per person to hike there and what, a hundred thousand people hike there a year? I find it hard to believe that they're so short on resources.

-Dr. Wu

 

[kerry13]

With all due respect, NH's motto is "Live Free or Die" and I think that people are going to hike regardless if some government stooge closes the trails or not. Closed for blowdowns? Give me a break. This kind of pussy-footing is more like what I'd expect from Massachusetts State Parks and not New Hampshire. You don't see trails closed down with threats of fines in the Whites because of blowdowns. Mt. Monadnock staff charges $4 per person to hike there and what, a hundred thousand people hike there a year? I find it hard to believe that they're so short on resources.

-Dr. Wu

I suggest you contact senior mgt of NH Parks in Concord and air your concerns. I am a volunteer. I don't set policy or influence it in any way. I don't do enforcement. I pick up trash on the mtn, do trail work, tote litters for the injured when called and will perform just about any other menial job that no one else wants to do but needs to be done. I do not receive compensation or reimbursement for any of my expenses. I do it out of a love for the outdoors and especially the Mountain.

The original poster asked if anyone knew what was the status of Mt Monadnock. There were several guesses which were mostly speculative and certainly incomplete. I knew my information was reliable and up to date.

You are probably right in saying some folks think it is their right to hike where ever and when ever they choose. I just wanted folks to know that if they get caught hiking on closed trails it could be expensive. Get caught and be belligerent and I am sure it will be expensive.

As an update for those who care. I talked with staff at Monadnock this noon. As I noted earlier the east side trails will reopen as of Saturday
(2/21) morning. That includes Cascade Link, Red Spot, Spellman and Pumpelly from the junction with Cascade Link to the summit. The lower section of the Pumpelly is still officially closed as are the Dublin, Marlboro and Old Toll Road or Half Way House Trailhead trails.

 

[giggy]

what I thought was odd - was there is a sign on the guard shack that says if you don't check in with a ranger, you could be towed or prosecuted.

2 weekends ago, I arrived about 6:30 am for a nice quickie up and down. I was the first one in the lot - I left a note saying where I was going. I had limited time and was not wating around until 9am or whenever they F they get there....

then you get the spiel - we aren't charging but taking donations - so you bascailly feel like you got to pay - love the mountain - but not so into the paying.

I mean the ice storm was unfortunate - but I got a huge problem with folks telling me where I can hike and - not on a public mountain, 2 months after the storm....... Its monadnock - not the north face of the eiger.......

then again - I don't give a crap about anyone but myself......

 

[BobC]

Wow, I didn't realize Mt. Monadnock could stir up such strong emotions in people.

 

[dr_wu002]

I suggest you contact senior mgt of NH Parks in Concord and air your concerns. I am a volunteer. I don't set policy or influence it in any way. I don't do enforcement. I pick up trash on the mtn, do trail work, tote litters for the injured when called and will perform just about any other menial job that no one else wants to do but needs to be done. I do not receive compensation or reimbursement for any of my expenses. I do it out of a love for the outdoors and especially the Mountain.

The original poster asked if anyone knew what was the status of Mt Monadnock. There were several guesses which were mostly speculative and certainly incomplete. I knew my information was reliable and up to date.

You are probably right in saying some folks think it is their right to hike where ever and when ever they choose. I just wanted folks to know that if they get caught hiking on closed trails it could be expensive. Get caught and be belligerent and I am sure it will be expensive. .

I wasn't directing anything at you... and it's wicked awesome all the volunteer work that you do there, not taking anything away from that. I'm kind of a wimp too -- if I see a sign, I'm inclined to turn away. But I also have to agree with Giggy -- it's been two months now and they still have threatening signs and stuff and most of the trails closed. It's not fault of volunteers at all but, in my opinion, slow and mismanaged government. I'm not interested in talking to some bureaucrat about it... I need to talk to a real human!

Thanks for the info about the trails opening... I don't think the website is going to reflect this change by tomorrow.

-Dr. Wu

 

[BobC]

If you've hiked Monadnock then you know that it can attract a different "clientele" than many other mountains. Lots of people that would just love to sue someone if they got lost or hurt on a blowdown-filled trail. I see these signs as an unfortunate but necessary "CYA" measure.

 

[dr_wu002]

If you've hiked Monadnock then you know that it can attract a different "clientele" than many other mountains. Lots of people that would just love to sue someone if they got lost or hurt on a blowdown-filled trail. I see these signs as an unfortunate but necessary "CYA" measure.

That's actually kind of what I figured. It's a locals mountain but there are probably more people from Boston hiking there on the weekends. Last weekend I saw everything from crampons and ice axe (way overkill) to tennis shoes (icy in some spots). 90% of the people were wearing microspikes. Seriously, if you weren't wearing 'em you looked so out of place it seemed like you had underwear on your head and a pecker growing out of your eye.

It still seems dumb to me. Put up a warning sign stating that the trails are in very poor condition and rec'd that you better stay away if you can't handle that. Sorta like the signs in the Presis.

-Dr. Wu

 

[DougPaul]

Signs indicating that a road under repair is legally closed, travel at your own risk are fairly common. Seems to me that this might be appropriate in a case like this.

Also, I'd hazard a guess that most of the non-hikers/beginners take the White Dot and White Cross trails.

Doug

 

[brianW]

If the trail is posted as closed. It is closed period! Hiking/skiing/mt biking on closed trails is just wrong. The powers to be has deemed it necessary to do so, just respect the decission and go elsewhere to hike. On a side note the NH motto doesn't state "Hike Free"

 

[Steve-o]

If you've hiked Monadnock then you know that it can attract a different "clientele" than many other mountains.

Yesterday I passed a couple guy's heading up white Dot.
One of them decked out with work boots, jeans, and a hooded sweatshirt.
Nothing else. Except perhaps a 16 oz. bud can.

Monadnock has always been there when I needed a quick fix.
And, I will abide by they're rules.

There are plenty of of other places to hike and explore if you can't handle it.

 

[Quietman]

This was posted previously by the Park Manager, looks like it needs to be repeated...

Plus staff is having their time wasted by folks not honoring the "No Public Entry" postings at access points and getting into pissing matches about why they should be excepted, even to the point of letters of complaint making it to Concord, which take up even more of the managers time. I don't understand why people can honor a closed sign on any other establishment, but not when it comes to hikers. People need to understand that the absolute worst damage from the ice storm was focused in the Jaffrey, Rindge, New Ipswich area. The trails are unrecognizable, and the few who have snuck into the park have already damaged vegetation while trying to follow trails.

What else needs to be said?