Designated campsites in the Whites

This past week, July 2 through 5, I climbed several mountains in the Crawford Notch area of the Whites. While there, I noticed a few campsites, particularly three on the Isolation Trail, which had signs indicating they were somehow designated or official. Yet there was no note of them either on the AMC map set nor in their most recent White Mountain Guide (27th Edition). Is this the result of some official policy or a mere oversight? Is there someplace where such campsites are listed, in case one wanted to plan an overnight hike? Such information would be very usful for people, like myself, who don't possess local knowledge of the area,

Thanks,

porky

I don't think that all primitive campsites are shown on the maps, especially in wilderness areas. The Forest Service probably determines where many of these sites will be and they may be changed overtime due to over use.

Woody

These campsites are designated in the Great Gulf and Dry River Wilderness Areas. There are sites along the Great Gulf trail (they were on one generation of the map, then removed), Davis Path, Dry River trail, and the Isolation trail in various places. They do move and are occasionally shut down, so that's probably why they aren't on the maps, but I haven't heard a definative answer to that.

In the Wilderness Areas it's also legal to go 200' from any trail and set up camp. These designated campsites are nice and places like VftT are a good place to learn about them.

-dave-

The actual location of the sites can change. Also, some get closed down due to overuse or other factors. If you read it in a book, and planned on going to a spot only to see it was closed, one might a) Stay there anyway, or b) get ticked off.

It would be nice if the current locations were posted on the WMNF web site...

Doug

I go Pogo.

I have to agree with Doug Paul's comment. If some entity (USFS? AMC?) is going to designate campsites, they should serve notice that they are there. Then again, if the campsite is closed, this should be noted publicly as well. What if I, based on my discoveries of last week, planned a backpack for autumn utilizing one of those campsites and when I arrived, they had all subsequently been closed? Do I use them anyway? Turn around and walk home? Stealth camp where ever I want? If the answer is to stealth camp, then why designate campsites at all? And would I not, to respond to Dug's comment, have reason to be ticked off about the closings under these circumstances?

Obviously arguing over it in this forum is unlikely to change the situation, but we don't therefore have to justify it. If there is something that should be known publicly, it should be announced publicly. Rumor is a lousy form of communication.

Just my prickly opinion,

porky

porky said:

Obviously arguing over it in this forum is unlikely to change the situation, but we don't therefore have to justify it. If there is something that should be known publicly, it should be announced publicly. Rumor is a lousy form of communication.

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Perhaps a polite request is worth a try.

Doug

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"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo

The campsites are designated by the USFS. The AMC has been specifically requested not to show locations on maps or guides so they can be undesignated if they are overused without people relying on a 4-year-old book.

porky said:

What if I, based on my discoveries of last week, planned a backpack for autumn utilizing one of those campsites and when I arrived, they had all subsequently been closed? Do I use them anyway? Turn around and walk home? Stealth camp where ever I want?

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If you use them anyway they will give you a ticket, they were closed for a reason.
Going home is legal.
As Dave says, there are plenty of legal campsites that aren't officially marked, just arrive early enough to find one since by their nature they aren't visible from the trail.