I was looking at the 1984 WMNF map and found an Osseo route(picture linked below) that starts at a similar location to the current Osseo trail, but goes over Whaleback, meeting and taking the old Osseo. I know the new Osseo was built in the 80s, but did it go through a pretty quick and substantial reroute after being built? The map doesn't have much detail, does anyone know more about the route? Did it hit any sweet slides on the way up to Whaleback?
1984 Osseo Route?
- Thread starter dokipen
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sierra
Well-known member
The old route started nowhere near the current route. It started off route 112 near the entrance of a condominium complex. The route is still used today by people who like older routes, off the beaten path. I did it in the early 90's and it was fairly easy to follow, but there were places where you had to look. I have no idea how easy it is now to follow, but I know people still do it. It meets the current Osseo trail just before the junction of the FRT and the FST.
Did you bother looking at the image I posted. I've hiked old osseo from the condos. I'm talking about a different route, the one shown in the image.
JoshandBaron
Well-known member
Using a global imagery layer should answer your slide question.
kltilton
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My guess is the 1984 map shows the current route, but looks inaccurate based on the mapping methods of the time. This was the pre-GPS era.
Yeah, I think the map is simply wrong. The trail doesn't go anywhere near whaleback summit now.
JoshandBaron
Well-known member
GPS aside, the map shows it going over Whaleback and on the wrong side of the drainage it ascends on the current route. If anyone wants to see the entire map: White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire-Maine : 1984
Here is caltopo MapBuilder overlay. It's very clearly a completely different route, but probably just completely wrong.
If it's Steve Smith, I already asked him. He says he hiked the tail in 1983 and it was the same as now and that this is just some sort of mistake.
Sherby
Member
Btw, is the access from the condos still good? Did Whaleback & Coolidge 10 years ago and never returned and now I'm helping a friend doing her NH100.
JoshandBaron
Well-known member
Yup, did it a couple of months ago.
1983 is hardly that long ago. Not sure if it is relevant but here is a map from the 1946 AMC Guide. It shows a trail leaving Camp 3 and what seems like a direct line over Osseo Peak and then onto The Francs. Albeit it is quite primitive cartography compared to current mapping and even to 1983. My question is Camp 3 where the present day Lincoln Woods is now. If so it might put The Osseo Trail more inline with the Map the OP posted at the beginning of this thread.
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JoshandBaron
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Camp 3 is probably the condo trailhead. Lincoln Woods was camp 4.
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Great research on your part. Well done! Where was the map printed in your attachment if you don't mind me asking?
JoshandBaron
Well-known member
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Camp 3 is the condos. This is the normal old osseo route. The reason Steve hiking it in 1983 is relevant is because the mystery route I posted is from a 1984 map, right after the trail was rerouted to it's present route.
Awesome! Looks like you answered your initial question. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. It is always a really interesting part of history from that particular part of the woods. I need to upgrade my Library a bit after following this thread.
