disorientation at Pawtuckaway SP

CINDERSMOM said:

Roy is correct about all the herd paths (false trails) I think they are a reslut of people getting lost.

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Not always. When we were at the reflector OMW showed me an unofficial path down that was much shorter and probably easier than the real trail.

Maybe some folks can help her out on the trails, possibly to offer to gps the trails. This park probably suffers from less interest from volunteer maintainers that more popular hiking locations benefit from.

The park manager's name is Tara Mayo (soon to be Tara Blaney). She used to assist managing Monadnock SP where she became exposed to trail maintenance and development, and I know she has wanted to apply this interest to Pawtuckaway as she has settled into the park over the past few years.

I would suggest visiting her in person at the park during non-busy camping periods. The "frontside" of the park is soo busy that much of past managers time has been fully absorbed by that operation- thus trails suffer.

Tara is also planning to convert an abandoned toilet building into a nature center. May be another good project for people to be involved with.

I think I'd hate to see the back become like the front. There's a lot to be said for leaving some things alone.

Speaking of the online map (I agree it's deficient), has anyone ventured into that big blank area in the middle?
Years ago as rookie hikers, we drove to Round Pond (mapless) and did a great hike on an old road that had been partly flooded and required scrambling over a beaver dam and through the woods. We can't remember how we got there!

audrey said:

Speaking of the online map (I agree it's deficient), has anyone ventured into that big blank area in the middle?

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That's where the dragons are!

audrey said:

Speaking of the online map (I agree it's deficient), has anyone ventured into that big blank area in the middle?

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YES! Ray Loring and I explored a lot of that area in 2008 and did not really get too lost, either. All the unmarked trails/herd paths eventually led to marked trails. We did have a couple of tricky crossings, too. One of those was a beaver dam, if I recall correctly.

Hope all is well, Audrey

Marty

audrey said:

Speaking of the online map (I agree it's deficient), has anyone ventured into that big blank area in the middle?

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There are several geocaches there, of course geocachers have GPS to keep from getting lost

I've enjoyed hiking a nice loop from the campground up the Fundy trail to the Shaw trail and over South Mountain, returning by way of the Mountain trail without much trouble. Once I went over to Round Pond and got mixed up finding the Boulder trail, but I walked up the road to the next trail without much trouble.

One thing I remember was that the deerflies on the Fundy trail were the worst I ever encountered. They were bad enough to turn me around when I took a morning run up that trail.

Pawtuckaway

Wow, this thread makes me feel like I'm a woodsman or something. : ) Pawtuckaway is where I cut my teeth in the woods. Learned the trails, roads and herdpaths there a long time ago. Never knew any of them had names until recently. The only time I ever got confused, not lost, just confused was after sunset when I had taken Rocket in there and we missed a turn and bushwhacked down off of South Mountain. We quickly found the trail I was looking for, we were just further from our destination than we would have been if we hadn't wandered off trail.

Every time I go there I seem to cover some new ground. Lots to explore.

Someone commented about the deerflies. Once they start there they are the worst I have experienced in the state.

NOW is the time to go. I'm on my way there tomorrow morning w/ Wx7man in search of Hepatica, Bloodroot and Coltsfoot. Anyone interested?

Would consider leading a group next weekend 4/10 if there is any interest. Please PM.

KDT

Sardog is right. Visitors from away,far away, are the cause of Pawtuckaway disorientation. Go to Google maps and zoom in with the terrain view, and you'll see where the ship impacted. Geologists talk about ring dikes and exfoliation domes, but what do they know.