AMC Closing Facilities for Irene

From the AMC:

AMC will be closing the following destinations on Saturday, August 28th through Monday, August 29th due to potentially dangerous conditions caused by Hurricane Irene: Highland Lodge, Joe Dodge Lodge, Cardigan Lodge, Mohican Outdoor Center, all 8 White Mountain Huts, & all backcountry shelters in the WMNF. AMC Reservations is contacting all guests with reservations at these locations.

Hmmm, will they be available for emergency shelter for the weary thru-hiker? Or will most of them retreat to towns? The smart ones anyways.

It makes sense canceling the reservations, they get enough yahoos on a fair weather weekend. Don't need any when things are gettin' crazy up in the hills.

Below is a posting from the AMC Bulletin Board Moderator. I couldn't find anything about closing the WMNF on it's site.

AMCmoderator

Posts: 86
Registered: May 2002
August 26, 2011 11:28:50 AM

Please note: the USFS is issuing a closure order for the White Mountain National Forest due to potentially dangerous conditions caused by Hurricane Irene as the storm passes through the area. The WMNF will close at 6 PM on Saturday, August 27th and will remain closed through Monday, August 29th.

All WMNF facilities will be CLOSED to the public including the trail system. This includes all backcountry shelters, which are being vacated.

The AMC will also close all eight White Mountain Huts, Joe Dodge Lodge, and Highland Lodge for this same period of time. The closings will continue through all of Sunday August 28th. The reopening of these facilities will depend on conditions following the storm.

Update 8/26/11, 11:32 a.m.: From the U.S. Forest Service:
Due to the threat of extreme weather associated with Hurricane Irene the White Mountain National Forest HAS BEEN CLOSED effective 6PM Saturday August 27, 2011 through midnight Monday August 29, 2011.

Current National Weather Service projections call for the weather event to reach New Hampshire on Sunday, August 28, 2011.

• This closure is to ensure public safety and effective emergency operations. The closure includes all trails, campgrounds, developed sites, huts, shelters, and ski areas.

• The storm event is expected to bring heavy rain and high winds which will make backcountry travel and camping extremely hazardous due to swollen streams, dangerous crossings, and potential flooding. Road systems will be vulnerable to wash outs and compromised road shoulders.

• High winds are predicted that will cause trees and limbs to blow down in campgrounds, along trail systems, and across roads.

• Ability to conduct Search and Rescue operations will not be possible Sunday during the height of the storm.

• Please dial 911 to report an emergency. Please report any storm damage to the Forest Service by calling (603) 536-6100. In case of a power outage, call (603) 536-3693

TDawg said:

Hmmm, will they be available for emergency shelter for the weary thru-hiker? Or will most of them retreat to towns? The smart ones anyways.

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I was wondering this myself - although maybe they don't want to leave them open and thereby encourage people to try to "ride it out"?

The thru-hikers are on my mind. My boss is currently about 2/3 of the way through the 100-mile wilderness (or she should be, based on her last journal entry and her average mileage). Not sure how much access some of them have to weather reports, or how easy it is to find shelter if they're in a more remote area.

The above AMC list of facilities is incomplete. I just got an email that all VMF (Volunteer Managed Facilities) will be closed as well. These include such places as Cold River Camp, Echo Lake Camp, and Three Mile Island. August Camp isn't affected as it's completed for the season as well be being held near Yoho NP, B.C.

I guess we all should all be preparing for the call to help clean up the trails next week.

erugs said:

I guess we all should all be preparing for the call to help clean up the trails next week.

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Was scheduled to help the Saco District carry lumber up to the top of Mt. Carrigain on Tuesday. The work detail might change.

Glad I'll be runnin 100 miles in the cascades this weekend. Hope the trails are not too devastated when I return. It will be hard to crack 8 hours on the pemi if it's one giant blowdown patch

Sasquatch said:

Glad I'll be runnin 100 miles in the cascades this weekend. Hope the trails are not too devastated when I return. It will be hard to crack 8 hours on the pemi if it's one giant blowdown patch

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Look at it as an opportunity to work the upper body

MichaelJ said:

From the AMC:

AMC will be closing the following destinations on Saturday, August 28th through Monday, August 29th

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Saturday is August 27th.

Official notice finally up on the WMNF site.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/publications/Hurricane_closure_posting.pdf

Forest Closure

Due to the threat of extreme weather associated with Hurricane Irene the White Mountain National Forest HAS BEEN CLOSED effective 6PM Saturday August 27, 2011 through midnight Monday August 29, 2011.

Current National Weather Service projections call for the weather event to reach New Hampshire on Sunday, August 28, 2011.

This closure is to ensure public safety and effective emergency operations. The closure includes all trails, campgrounds, developed sites, huts, shelters, and ski areas.

The storm event is expected to bring heavy rain and high winds which will make backcountry travel and camping extremely hazardous due to swollen streams, dangerous crossings, and potential flooding. Road systems will be vulnerable to wash outs and compromised road shoulders.

High winds are predicted that will cause trees and limbs to blow down in campgrounds, along trail systems, and across roads.

Ability to conduct Search and Rescue operations will not be possible Sunday during the height of the storm.

Please dial 911 to report an emergency. Please report any storm damage to the Forest Service by calling (603) 536-6100. In case of a power outage, call (603) 536-3693.

TDawg said:

Hmmm, will they be available for emergency shelter for the weary thru-hiker?

Click to expand...

An email I just received from the AMC notes that backcountry caretakers are being evacuated, and "AMC locations in the White Mountains will remain staffed to provide emergency shelter as required, but all visitors on Saturday will be advised to seek alternative shelter."

Tip of the hat to all authorities who obviously made the correct call in closing the WMNF and AMC facilities this past weekend. Just imagine if the storm remained category 1 or 2 for a few hours more on its trip north.

I am anxious (yet, apprehensive) about hitting my adopted trail section asap.
In the words of Mr Hooper, 'this was no dogfish'.