Recent content by Colenso

I will put in a bit of experience from a so-called wilderness area in the Southern Appalachians, the "Shining Rock Wilderness." Because of wilderness rules, there are no trail signs. Result: a whole bunch of meandering and confusing herd paths especially around the most popular camping areas in...

tchazzard, I think you mis-read Rainman's report. He said the trail was adopted for maintenance. I was a former trail adopter for the section of the side trail from downtown Gorham to Mt. Moriah and didn't always get out there immediately after the snow was gone. I am not a huge fan of the AMC...

Well, I gather the problem in the Whites is that it is a battleground between continental weather systems coming in from the west and Atlantic Ocean systems not very far away to the east. I don't know so much about the other parts of the world, but it seems that North America has some very...

I always get a kick out of the "Scientific Forecaster Discussion" on wunderground.com. It is all about dueling weather models, not about actual dueling weather systems (a sort of "meta-level"). I don't usually look at the forecast for Gorham (still living "down South"), but the last time I...

That sounds great. I would probably opt for a single-day bushwhack in the latter part of June for the simple reason that I will be busy house-hunting in the first part of the month and I will not have all my backpacking gear with me at that point. I like the idea of a "moose-laden pond." That is...

What trilliums are those on that mountain? The only ones I have ever seen in the northeast are the painted trillium and the nodding red trillium (Trillium vaseyi, sometimes called Vasey's trillium). I don't doubt your statement, I am just curious. By the way, I am very fond of the Catskills. I...

"Ever fly over the poles, or all the way across the Pacific using only dead reckoning and a sextant? Builds character. And confidence." Thank you. I very much wish I had flown over the poles. I am very grateful that I have traveled quite a few places around the world. I am not saying this to...

Sardog1, I take it you are Norwegian or at least have a connection with Vinje. Thank you. This move from south to north is very difficult for me. I have all the cold-weather gear (snowshoes, real crampons (not microspikes), etc.) What I am groping for is an inspiration having to do with the...

I will also add that folks who hike the trails of the Smokies have no better idea of the bushwhacking experience than folks from far away, like New England. It is a parallel universe. I would estimate that no more than 20 people at most do this kind of bushwhacking in the Smokies. versus many...

I looked at some of your hiking pictures, Sherby. Great stuff! You are an explorer! Regarding Adams Slide, I am guessing the upper section has a lot of scrub. I can deal with that. I am familiar with conditions where it takes 3 hours to go 1 mile (though a different type of vegetation).

Also, regarding "lost trails," I'm interested in that. I'd like to do the Adams Slide route and the Ravine of Raymond Cataract. In doing a similar thing in the Smokies, I go to the old maps, for instance the 1931 or 1948 maps. There are for instance old CCC trails no longer maintained.

Mike P., I remember you from my earlier stint in the northeast. You always had friendly and helpful comments to make on the forums. Yes, the Daks have some famous slides and I have always had the Colden Trap Dike in the back of my mind. I have seen it from across the lake but never done it...

Hello, all, I would like at this point to introduce myself to this forum, which I have recently rejoined. I have a history in hiking northern New England and also in the Smokies. My whole aim and purpose is bushwhacking for its own sake, not as a means to the end of peakbagging. I've done...

This is just an aside--but I truly enjoy using map, compass, and altimeter to navigate. I've bushwhacked more than 30 years without GPS. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate GPS, but for many reasons I prefer the above tools. OK, end of digression! :)

Thank you for the reminder, peakbagger. The damage to vehicles is impressive, but the damage to the moose is something that will haunt you for a long time. If you have ever seen a wounded but not yet dead moose by the side of the road, you will be careful for a long time. I hope this isn't too...