AMC -vs- the snowmobiles (Union Leader article)

[forestgnome]

How depressing. Well, does anyone know when the assault begins? Tomorrow looks like a beautiful day; have the machines yet assumed control?

I noticed that the machines are only allowed on the new route during daylight hours, but I thought the problem with the machines sharing the Base Road with autos was that the headlights of the machines would be confusing for auto drivers at night.

Anyway, I want to snowshoe Crawford Path and Edmunds Path one last time in winter. I don't want to even drive up there and witness the pollution if it has indeed begun.

Thanks to all on this thread for good information.

 

[Waumbek]

Most NH private landowners who allow the snowmobile corridor to cross their land open it up December 15th, conditions permitting. I think there's probably just enough snow in the Crawford area for snowmachines, but it's been a very erratic snow cover up here this year--more further south in Lincoln, for instance, than in Franconia--so whether other parts of the trail are sufficiently covered is a question. One big snow storm (maybe next week?) will do it for sure.

 

[Mike P.]

How will they enforce it, I don't know but I would not be surprised to see someone from AMC with a radar gun & computer keeping track & documenting night time travel. I almost always saw sled out at night around Fosters in Twin Mountain, daylight hour should be interesting.

If someone miscalculates their time or their sled breaks down with a minor repair they do in the field are they expected to camp out whereever they are, pull up at the Ritz for a room for the night, so find a place in north or south of AMC's property for the night?

Glad they don't tell me if I am too ambitious doing a day hike or I twist an ankle so I'm slower than expected that once it gets dark I have to stop walking. The sleds are sold with a headlight, I have to put one on.

Few people rail beds unless what goes through the property is just a spur, that is not the case in C-Notch. It's not a great place to cross the road either on a sled, it would be better off west of the notch in one of the long Eisenhower Interstate Straight aways. (Cold War Air Strips)

 

[dougbear]

Just great.
I joined AMC a little more than a year ago. I just upped to family membership and booked my wife and I a couple nights at the Highland Center in February. This is the first time I've used my membership for anything. Snowshoeing is the first outdoor activity Marie has taken a liking to. She's not going to climb a 4K' peak with me (ever again), and she's not going to paddle Umbagog with me, but she enjoys a couple hours in the snow. I figured the Highland Center would be great for the two of us: immediate access to trails she can manage, beauty, peace and quiet, and a level of comfort Marie can accept. This is as close to camping as she will ever get. I think that's the sort of thing AMC had in mind, a place where civilized people like Marie can get to know and appreciate the wild that people like me love.
Bad timing.

 

[sierra]

quiet

dougbear,
you've tried to create a wilderness experience in an artificial world. Its not bad timing, just a bad choice in where to do it. There are many fine inns in new Hampshire, where peace and quiet is there for the taking. The AMC and the highland center are the apitimy of a commercialized wilderness, your getting exactly what you paid for, imo.

 

[Rick]

I think that's the sort of thing AMC had in mind, a place where civilized people like Marie can get to know and appreciate the wild that people like me love.

And I agree. AMC had you in mind when they built their "wilderness" palace.
I do believe though, that wilderness is where you find it - It is an attitude, not a place.

 

[David Metsky]

I figured the Highland Center would be great for the two of us: immediate access to trails she can manage, beauty, peace and quiet, and a level of comfort Marie can accept. This is as close to camping as she will ever get. I think that's the sort of thing AMC had in mind, a place where civilized people like Marie can get to know and appreciate the wild that people like me love.

Keep in mind that the Highland Center is just a few dozen yards from a fairly major highway. This isn't a wilderness area, hasn't been for nearly 200 years. It's a nice place, don't get me wrong, but I think people are holding Crawford Notch to a higher standard than history indicates.

-dave-

 

[Puck]

I have always had traffic noise on the AZ trail to the col between field and Tom. It is from 18 wheelers, Harley's and cars without mufflers. Snow machines are quite compared to these.

 

[KayakDan]

DaveM makes a good point. Not that I am a big fan of the HC,but the fact is that there has been an Inn or Hotel of some sort in Crawford Notch for the past 160 years or so. Crawford Path was built for guided horse tours. The term "Wilderness" hasn't applied for a long time. When the railroad arrived in the Notch-wilderness no longer applied.

 

[Rick]

I do believe though, that wilderness is where you find it - It is an attitude, not a place.

To clarify what I meant, I can be out on a trail somewhere and enjoy where I am, what I am doing, who I meet and I am not be pestered, bothered or otherwise become uptight because I see or here a snowmobile, dirt bike, float planes (Adirondacks), jet-ski's, horsemen, hunters or anyone else who isn't hiking.

However, I have learned that sadly, there are many others get extremely angry or annoyed if they feel there is an intrusion by others into their "wilderness" experience.

 

[funkyfreddy]

I think that wilderness is more than a state of mind. It could be debated whether real wilderness exits in the NE anymore or even debate the meaning of the word wilderness. Regardless of this I find it sad that more people aren't willing to spend energy protecting what little of it there is left in the world.

As far as snowmobiles, atv's, and other motorized vehicles go - it's not just the "wilderness experience" that these diminish. We could talk about air polution, noise pollution, habitat loss, erosion, etc. We need to recognise the effects of human/mechanized/industrial activity and realize there are many places that need to be protected from them, that is if we desire their continued existance.

 

[ADackR]

To clarify what I meant, I can be out on a trail somewhere and enjoy where I am, what I am doing, who I meet and I am not be pestered, bothered or otherwise become uptight because I see or here a snowmobile, dirt bike, float planes (Adirondacks), jet-ski's, horsemen, hunters or anyone else who isn't hiking.

However, I have learned that sadly, there are many others get extremely angry or annoyed if they feel there is an intrusion by others into their "wilderness" experience.

i've stayed out of this thread and have only read the goings on.... i just have to say that this is the best so far. i agree rick, it seems once "a persons experience" is ruined by another in a form not of their liking, it's the other guy that's to fault and has to conform to certain ways.....

 

[Mike P.]

Does wilderness still exist in the East? IMO yes in small pockets which maybe debated is an oxymoron to true wilderness as that should be in large parcels of land.

There is plenty of wilderness to get yourself killed in the east, plenty to hide/retreat into if so inclined to do that Wander in update Maine off the 4k peaks & you should find plenty, most of it owned by paper companies.

 

[stopher]

There is plenty of wilderness . . .
. . . most of it owned by paper companies.

Just watch out for the fellerbunchers and forwarders.

 

[Stan]

At the risk of digressing too far away from the Whites I'd like to add that the areas Mike describes in Maine are not technically "wilderness" becuase of the disruption to that theme caused by the logging operations. Funkyfreddy expresses it well, wilderness as a state of mind. I have seen and heard more wildlife in those areas, except for bears, than anywhere else I've hiked in the Northeast.

As for fellerbunchers and forwarders, is that logging equipment or some sort of Stopher spam?

 

[stopher]

It's the only way to log. Fellerbunchers do the work of both choppers and skidders, only much more efficiantly. Forwarders are ATV log trucks -- pretty scary things to encounter in the woods when you're not expecting them.

I suppose some people consider all my posts to be spam.