Wildcat closed for two weeks - good time for a winter hike

[JoshandBaron]

Only the gridiots will be hiking from now on!

The AMC has the Spring list now.

 

[DayTrip]

Only the gridiots will be hiking from now on!

This is right around the time of year I turn to the Catskills for hiking. How is it looking out that way with snow cover, mud, river levels, etc? Based on my last trip out there several weeks ago it looked like Spring was going to break pretty early out there.

 

[TCD]

I have wrapped up winter activities. A couple day earlier this week I was in central Quebec, where there is still a massive snow pack, skiing fresh powder. Now I'm home in the Adirondacks, traveling in south facing areas.

No use for spring; I always try to just throw a switch, and go right from winter to summer.

 

[Tom Rankin]

This is right around the time of year I turn to the Catskills for hiking. How is it looking out that way with snow cover, mud, river levels, etc? Based on my last trip out there several weeks ago it looked like Spring was going to break pretty early out there.

The southern Catskills are almost free of snow and ice. Winter seems to be hanging on in the high peaks, with lots of icy trails. I've seen descriptions of '5 miles of ice', 'river of ice', 'ice fest', etc. We did not get a lot of snow this winter. Therefore the stream levels are not very high, but a lot of rain is predicted for the next few days. In the afternoons, you will have mud!

If you do come, they are urging you avoid popular trails, and limit your interactions at gas stations, stores, etc. Restaurants and bars are closed, but some are offering takeout.

 

[peakbagger]

Cannon, Waterville Valley and Bretton Woods had announced continued operation with limited staff and services. The governor (who used to own and manage WV) had them close completely as apparently the "guests" were not following the rules in place and were abusing the staff. There is a small but significant portion of the population that just do not seem to get it and when one activity gets closed down they just go looking for another. It will be interesting to see the parking at the popular trailheads and snowmachine lots this weekend. One thing folks forget is the options for public restrooms are going to be awful slim.

 

[DayTrip]

The southern Catskills are almost free of snow and ice. Winter seems to be hanging on in the high peaks, with lots of icy trails. I've seen descriptions of '5 miles of ice', 'river of ice', 'ice fest', etc. We did not get a lot of snow this winter. Therefore the stream levels are not very high, but a lot of rain is predicted for the next few days. In the afternoons, you will have mud!

If you do come, they are urging you avoid popular trails, and limit your interactions at gas stations, stores, etc. Restaurants and bars are closed, but some are offering takeout.

Thanks for the update. I'm probably still 1-2 weeks away from heading out there for trips but looking forward to it. Had a great Spring there doing overnights last year.

 

[peakbagger]

Remember bare ground means ticks. Time for the permethrin on the pants, socks and shirt.

 

[OldEric]

FB post from Bayard Russell of Cathedral Mtn Guides:
Between the two hospitals closest to Pinkham Notch, Memorial Hospital in North Conway and Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin, we've got about 50 beds. In Carrol County, where North Conway is located, with a population of about 48,000 we already have 3 cases of COVID-19 unrelated to exposure to other known cases and travel. That means the disease is being transmitted within our community and there are likely many more cases we don't know about.
Two take-aways; coming up to the mountains is not a safe alternative to staying home, and our community is ill equipped to deal with the influx and the inevitable virus commuting alongside.
Let's just troubleshoot here for a minute. Say you come up from Boston and go skiing. You're being responsible, you think, and you don't stop on the drive, just pile out of your car in Pinkham and go ski, alone. No contact with anybody, all clean, until you crater and require a rescue. Suddenly, you are in intimate contact with as many as 20 volunteer rescuers and you're about to be loaded into an ambulance and taken to an ER in a small, rural hospital that's ill equipped to deal with you in a community that already has the coronavirus. The rescue team is going to treat you as if you have COVID-19, but we are already short on masks and may be carrying you in a litter, 6 of us at a time, bumping into each other and sweating. Almost every one of those volunteers will have a family or loved ones they are in inescapably close contact with. The circle of exposure to you, and from you to all of them, is much greater than just those hardy souls in front of you; and potentially much greater when you land in the ER.
We’re all hurting here. This is going to be a tough time for everyone, but the only way we can keep it under control is to stay home. It sucks, but this is the going to be the challenge of our era and it will require a little sacrifice. Please help to protect the vulnerable in our our rural communities - they are people here that I love that may die because of this just as there are in all of your communities. Let’s take this seriously and hope we can look back one day and say we overreacted.
Love to all and thank you.

 

[ChrisB]

FB post from Bayard Russell of Cathedral Mtn Guides:
Between the two hospitals closest to Pinkham Notch, Memorial Hospital in North Conway and Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin, we've got about 50 beds. In Carrol County, where North Conway is located, with a population of about 48,000 we already have 3 cases of COVID-19 unrelated to exposure to other known cases and travel. That means the disease is being transmitted within our community and there are likely many more cases we don't know about.
Two take-aways; coming up to the mountains is not a safe alternative to staying home, and our community is ill equipped to deal with the influx and the inevitable virus commuting alongside...

I think it's reasonable to respect the well being of those denizens of the North Country whose live we might impact.

The following is a post from Al Hospers, a Valley resident, occasional guide and professional musician who also maintains a climber's cam trained on Cathedral Ledge. I urge you to read and think about it...

I UNDERSTAND the NH Live Free Or Die philosophy. I GET just how independent and resourceful climbers are. I HEAR those who say that they've had problems in the past and have always self-rescued and would never put others in jeopardy. And SURE, nothing's going to happen, UNTIL it does!

Let me put a little bit of perspective on this... The virus is HERE. In fact, it's been here! We just didn't know it. And yes, it's where YOU ARE TOO! You may not realize it yet, but almost assuredly someone you know IS POSITIVE! Yup, this is NOT A HOAX. No matter what the news says, or has said. And no, this is NOT THE FLU. It's way worse. The only reason we aren't seeing the numbers that China saw and that Italy is seeing now, is because we haven't been testing. Not in big numbers yet. Let's not point fingers as to why that is the case, just accept that it is. There are positive cases in Fryeburg Maine in the schools, there is a case at the Attitash Grand Summit in Glen and there is a positive case of a Doctor at MEMORIAL HOSPITAL in North Conway. And that doctor has possibly infected an administrator at the local nursing home! How many people do you think those people have had contact with? I'll answer that rhetorical question - MANY!

Here's some other info for you:

Most if not all local guide services are CLOSED.
REI is CLOSED.
The bars and restaurants in the area are CLOSED. Yes ALL the bars!
All the schools are CLOSED.
Settlers Green is CLOSED
Even the local music store is CLOSED!


In these strange new times we are living through it's not just about you and your desire to hike. For better or worse, we are all in this together.

Visit Hosper's Climbing Newsletter for more...

cb

 

[maineguy]

FB post from Bayard Russell of Cathedral Mtn Guides:
Between the two hospitals closest to Pinkham Notch, Memorial Hospital in North Conway and Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin, we've got about 50 beds. In Carrol County, where North Conway is located, with a population of about 48,000 we already have 3 cases of COVID-19 unrelated to exposure to other known cases and travel. That means the disease is being transmitted within our community and there are likely many more cases we don't know about.
Two take-aways; coming up to the mountains is not a safe alternative to staying home, and our community is ill equipped to deal with the influx and the inevitable virus commuting alongside.
Let's just troubleshoot here for a minute. Say you come up from Boston and go skiing. You're being responsible, you think, and you don't stop on the drive, just pile out of your car in Pinkham and go ski, alone. No contact with anybody, all clean, until you crater and require a rescue. Suddenly, you are in intimate contact with as many as 20 volunteer rescuers and you're about to be loaded into an ambulance and taken to an ER in a small, rural hospital that's ill equipped to deal with you in a community that already has the coronavirus. The rescue team is going to treat you as if you have COVID-19, but we are already short on masks and may be carrying you in a litter, 6 of us at a time, bumping into each other and sweating. Almost every one of those volunteers will have a family or loved ones they are in inescapably close contact with. The circle of exposure to you, and from you to all of them, is much greater than just those hardy souls in front of you; and potentially much greater when you land in the ER.
We’re all hurting here. This is going to be a tough time for everyone, but the only way we can keep it under control is to stay home. It sucks, but this is the going to be the challenge of our era and it will require a little sacrifice. Please help to protect the vulnerable in our our rural communities - they are people here that I love that may die because of this just as there are in all of your communities. Let’s take this seriously and hope we can look back one day and say we overreacted.
Love to all and thank you.

So, I'm not supposed to go hiking because I might become injured and then be sent to a hospital which is overloaded? This has got to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever read on this website, and I've been here for about 17 years.

 

[Mac]

I have wrapped up winter activities. A couple day earlier this week I was in central Quebec, where there is still a massive snow pack, skiing fresh powder. Now I'm home in the Adirondacks, traveling in south facing areas.

I was in the Chic Chocs this weekend past. Arrived just after 20 inch snowfall, gorgeous skiing and snowshoeing. Drove back to Halifax on Monday. Local day hikes for me for the foreseeable future (maybe some cycling). Social distancing always.

 

[Mac]

Lot of resorts out West doing the same thing. By the end of March there won't be too many places to go a whole lot.

20 left in North America www.skicentral.com

 

[dailey7779]

I headed over to Wildcat yesterday morning and they have signs posted with the following,

Caution! this is your decision point
Ski area is closed
No patrol, no maintenance for recreational use, no services
All access is at your own risk
No sledding
Unmarked hazards may be encountered at any time (including construction, heavy machinery, man-made objects, variable conditions, avalanches, & other hazards)

Uphill access information:
Visit our website at skiwildcat.com/mountain-stats
Information about closure status, please visit skiwildcat.com

 

[MikePS]

Sorry I don't see the ridiculous. How many global pandemics have we encountered in the last 17 years? To err on the side of caution to protect our friends in the mountains seems like the right way to go IMHO. People will all make their own decisions but old eric presents a valid reasonable point of view, I would hate to see hikers compared with the spring breakers on the Florida beaches. Listen to Dr. Fauci, think about the worst possible outcomes of your decisions. Hope everyone stays well and safe.

 

[ChrisB]

So, I'm not supposed to go hiking because I might become injured and then be sent to a hospital which is overloaded? This has got to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever read on this website, and I've been here for about 17 years.

Yeah baby, it's all about YOU!!!!

You mght want to give this a read before you take a hike.

cb

 

[maineguy]

Yeah baby, it's all about YOU!!!!

You mght want to give this a read before you take a hike.

cb

Oh please! Like this article is going to tell me something I haven't already read or seen from so many news outlets. I am going to be driving from an area with maybe a couple of infected persons ( a large area) to a virtually person-free area and hike. With any luck, the closest I will get to anyone is a safe distance on the trail. I just don't see any danger to myself or to others. From the looks of trail reports, neither do plenty of others. If you are worried, then stay home.

 

[JoshandBaron]

Sorry I don't see the ridiculous. How many global pandemics have we encountered in the last 17 years?

AIDS, Zika, MERS, H1N1, SARS, Ebola...

 

[ChrisB]

AIDS, Zika, MERS, H1N1, SARS, Ebola...

Actually very few of these were "global," in the sense that they easily jumped continents to spread by community infection.

Like the U.S. and NYC, Italy was slow to impose Draconian measures to limit movement and contact.

Now such measures are being discussed for NH. (Exeter Hospital CEO, state and local leaders urge governor to order shelter in place )

Not sure how they will/would/might limit travel into our state. But a hike will probably be considered non-essential travel/activity.

Given the lack of comprehensive testing, we really don't know how many cases exist in any given area. Maineguy believes his turf has few if any. I hope he's correct.

Our governor just banned gatherings of 50 or more, so I guess my Over-50 Meetup hikes are a thing of the past!

 

[Salty]

I headed over to Wildcat yesterday morning and they have signs posted with the following,

Caution! this is your decision point
Ski area is closed
No patrol, no maintenance for recreational use, no services
All access is at your own risk
No sledding
Unmarked hazards may be encountered at any time (including construction, heavy machinery, man-made objects, variable conditions, avalanches, & other hazards)

Thanks for the correction to my interpretation of their policy, Chris!

 

[skiguy]

What’s ridiculous is that someone from Maine desperately needs to go to New Hampshire to have Outdoor Fun when they could just give it a break for a week or two for the common good. Not to mention doing something local is well within reason. What I’ve seen in the MWV is a lot of Community Support and cooperation widely in the nature for the common good. If everyone were to do that everywhere we might just get through this sooner than later.