Who are these people?

[Hillwalker]

Monday I hiked in the Castle Ravine trail from Bowman to ascend Emerald Bluff and then over to the Perch and up to the summit of Jefferson.

On the way in just about where the Link trail crosses the Castle Ravine trail someone has a huge base camp set up about 75 feet from the trail, and 50 feet from Castle Brook. There were about five big blue tarps strung up across the area. No one was present, just lots of gear and stuff.

Returning, on the way down the Castellated Ridge trail (Castle) you could see the blue tarps down in the valley beside the stream.

I talked to the RMC Trail Crew working on Israel Ridge trail and it wasn't them, nor would it likely be the AMC crew in that area of the Whites.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't legal, nor even remotely LNT.

Any ideas?

 

[David Metsky]

I'm pretty sure it wasn't legal, nor even remotely LNT.

Why wouldn't it be legal? The 200' rule is only applied in FPAs or Wilderness Areas, neither of which apply in Castle Ravine. Otherwise they are only suggestions.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain//recreation/camping/backcountry_rules_2006-07.pdf

 

[bikehikeskifish]

On Friday, we saw a few blue tarps rolled up just off-trail, in the area of Israel Ridge, where you see all the orange flagging ("RW"). We presumed it to be the trail crew's equipment.

I don't recall seeing these tarps set up on our way down. It's possible they were behind us though as we went up Castle Trail and only came down Israel Ridge Path.

Tim

 

[Lou Hale]

Boy Scouts

This is just a guess but it sounds like a boy scout set up. When I was in the boyscouts we often set up like that. With lots of two person tents and blue tarps lashed to near by trees. We always packed more trash out with us then we made too, we always practiced low impact if not LNT camping