logs on Mt Eisenhower

Today I hiked Mt Eisenhower and there were several loads of logs stacked near the top. Does anyone know what they are for and how they got there? I'm guessing a helicopter must have downloaded them there.
Thanks, Skibones

I'm guessing it is to do needed trailwork on the loop trail, which has eroded badly over the years.

Would you please report on trail conditions on whatever trail you hiked? I'm itching to get up on the Southern Presidentials. Thanks!

happy trails

Yep. Most likely for bog bridges or for "retaining walls" on the sides of the trails.

David Metsky said:

I'm guessing it is to do needed trailwork on the loop trail, which has eroded badly over the years.

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That was what we suspected. Any reason why the Forest Service hasn't removed the fallen trees in the trails? There were at least four big one on the lower part of the trail. I'm guessing they're short crew and plenty of trails to work on.

skibones said:

That was what we suspected. Any reason why the Forest Service hasn't removed the fallen trees in the trails? There were at least four big one on the lower part of the trail. I'm guessing they're short crew and plenty of trails to work on.

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I could be wrong, but I think Edmands is an AMC maintained trail. The blowdowns could be there because the trail adopter has not headed up yet for trail work, or they need the professional trail crews to remove them if they are too large for the adopter. I don't see Edmands on the orphaned trail list, so somebody has it. The work that will involve the logs is outside the purview of the adopters duties and falls to the Pro trail crews and thus could explain why THEY did not remove them (and who knows if they took Edmands up to begin with.)

Brian

NewHampshire said:

I could be wrong, but I think Edmands is an AMC maintained trail.

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You are wrong!

Like you, I assumed that Edmands Path, as a blue-blazed trail leading to the AT, was AMC maintained. Unlike you I consulted the WMG, the source of all knowledge and wisdom in our hills. Edmands Path is maintained by WMNF.

Mohamed Ellozy said:

You are wrong!

Like you, I assumed that Edmands Path, as a blue-blazed trail leading to the AT, was AMC maintained. Unlike you I consulted the WMG, the source of all knowledge and wisdom in our hills. Edmands Path is maintained by WMNF.

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I stand corrected.

Brian

I believe that part of the AMC trail crew does a once-through across the Whites each spring to clear blow downs from both AMC and USFS trails, perhaps with a contract from the USFS for their trails? The AMC may be behind schedule a little this year?

Dr. Dasypodidae said:

I believe that part of the AMC trail crew does a once-through across the Whites each spring to clear blow downs from both AMC and USFS trails, perhaps with a contract from the USFS for their trails? The AMC may be behind schedule a little this year?

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They usually tell us, as volunteers, that the clearing crews will be done on average by the 15th of June.

Fisher Cat said:

They usually tell us, as volunteers, that the clearing crews will be done on average by the 15th of June.

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And training this year was the last week of May. Those kids move fast.

I had three large trees recently removed by the professional crew so they are out there.

The AMC blowdown patrol should finish up by June 21.

The real Answer

This is copied from this weeks "Nooks and Crannies" column in "The Mountain Ear" by Steve Smith. He talkes about trail maintanance and the big jobs in and around the whites.

Up on the Southern Presidentials, wood has been helicoptered in for use on an erosion control project on the north part of the Mt. Eisenhower Loop. “This section has seen bad erosion in recent years,” said Norkin. “There’s not a lot of usable rock up there, so we’ll be using cedar check dams to hopefully keep it from eroding any more.”

The name Norkin is referring to "Andrew Norkin of Denmark, Maine, AMC’s Director of Trails and Recreation Management in the White Mountains.

He (Steve Smith) has a weekly column on a variety of subjects pertaining to hiking in and around the Whites.

Happy Hiking...Walker
This weeks (June 19 08) Mountain Ear
PS. To hack past printings of the Mountain Ear, subtract 1 week from the date in the URL.

Here is a picture of the log piles on Eisenhower. There are three separate piles.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2420804650100164819JmjusG

They are a very short distance north of the summit on the loop trail.

The project will be completed within the next couple weeks.