I want to just throw in that I agree with Post'r Boy *and* Pete Hickey.
It's sad Pete has had to bear witness to the disrespect of creating new trails inappropriately.
However, existing, official trails are, in fact, trails. They are maintained; they are cleared. And I know that the only thing I hate more than having to circumnavigate an uncleared blowdown is seeing from the condition of the woods that it's been happening for months or longer and the way around is carving a new path. That's poor forest management.
I have no problem with doing little bits of maintenance; I've pulled significantly-sized falls off the trail. Cutting the branches off a blowdown will save many a hiker's clothing and buttocks. Should we be out there lopping every tree in site? Deciding for ourselves what the corridor should be? No. But the fact is, it's a trail, it's going to have people passing on it, and blowdowns left in place end up creating far worse problems for hikers and for the forest.
It's sad Pete has had to bear witness to the disrespect of creating new trails inappropriately.
However, existing, official trails are, in fact, trails. They are maintained; they are cleared. And I know that the only thing I hate more than having to circumnavigate an uncleared blowdown is seeing from the condition of the woods that it's been happening for months or longer and the way around is carving a new path. That's poor forest management.
I have no problem with doing little bits of maintenance; I've pulled significantly-sized falls off the trail. Cutting the branches off a blowdown will save many a hiker's clothing and buttocks. Should we be out there lopping every tree in site? Deciding for ourselves what the corridor should be? No. But the fact is, it's a trail, it's going to have people passing on it, and blowdowns left in place end up creating far worse problems for hikers and for the forest.