Disgraceful trails - Letter to the Editor

The folks on Whiteblaze posted this and it was too good to pass up

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20170609/OPINION04/170609327/0/mobile?template=mobileart

Mt. Jackson, too....

My first reaction is to wonder if that letter is real or a spoof? While there are not many actual mountains in Alabama (home of the writer), the northeastern part of the state has some rugged terrain as the southern reaches of the Cumberland Plateau begin to peter out. There are steep ravines and gorges, waterfalls, and some good rock climbing. Hard to believe someone, allegedly an experienced hiker, would be shocked and appalled to find ROCKS on mountain trails. I guess she wants a literal stairway to heaven.

WOW While I have long considered Jackson/Webster among the most bone jarring trails in the Whites, takes more out of my back and knees than anything else I can think of, this has got to be a spoof!

It's not a serious comment. Whether it's meant to be satirical or is just a poorly constructed thought, I don't know. If we assume it's legitimate, I can offer that having worked in support for many years, 'reports' like this are submitted by incompetent users. It's fair to say that some trails in the whites are in rough shape, but to state that "the trails in the White Mountains are a disgrace" is fallacious. I think it's best to assume the comment is illegitimate, intended as trolling in the same vein as 'moving the deer crossing'.

I'd reccomend as an alternative she try Huntington Ravine Trail on her next trip.

Because I'm nosy, I found her on FB. Doesn't seem like the sarcastic-trolling-letter-to-the-editor type....

I came across that letter earlier. I found it to be simply amusing. Personally, I don't put much weight into an opinion from someone, who lives in a part of the country. That when you try to take a nice canoe trip, you immediately hear banjo's playing and these inbred weirdos emerge from out of know where, will ill intent.

sierra said:

I came across that letter earlier. I found it to be simply amusing. Personally, I don't put much weight into an opinion from someone, who lives in a part of the country. That when you try to take a nice canoe trip, you immediately hear banjo's playing and these inbred weirdos emerge from out of know where, will ill intent.

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Funny, I know lots of people who refer to northern NH that way. Heck, some refer to ALL of NH that way.

dug said:

Because I'm nosy, I found her on FB. Doesn't seem like the sarcastic-trolling-letter-to-the-editor type....

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That's my assessment too. Which leads me to say, in the voice the kids are using these days, "Really?"

I plan to write a letter to the UL corroborating her assessment, and reminding folks across the country that the Whites are not worth visiting. Rough trails, nothing to see, basically no fun to be had at all. Just don't bother. It would be great if we could get the word out on FB too. Who's with me? Again, the message is rough trails, dangerous, meager outlooks, no fun at all. Don't come. Photos from the summits of Passaconaway, Zealand, Owl's Head, etc. strongly encouraged.

hikerbrian said:

That's my assessment too. Which leads me to say, in the voice the kids are using these days, "Really?"

I plan to write a letter to the UL corroborating her assessment, and reminding folks across the country that the Whites are not worth visiting. Rough trails, nothing to see, basically no fun to be had at all. Just don't bother. It would be great if we could get the word out on FB too. Who's with me? Again, the message is rough trails, dangerous, meager outlooks, no fun at all. Don't come. Photos from the summits of Passaconaway, Zealand, Owl's Head, etc. strongly encouraged.

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When you say "reminding folks across the country" does that include folks from Massachusetts? Just to clarify for us who live in New Hampshire.

What's wrong with folks from Massachusetts?

Dingo said:

What's wrong with folks from Massachusetts?

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There from Massachusetts!

Nothing wrong with that. -- A recent transplant

(I never understood the whole NH vs. MA thing. Seems silly to me.)

I took a friend who had hiked in the Northwest for many years up Webster Cliffs trail one day. At some point he stopped and was looking on either side of the trail. We asked him what he was looking for and his response was he was looking for yellow banner tape announcing the closure of the trail due to its rotten condition. He spent a season around here and his general comment was the northwest forest service staff would condemn most of the trails in the whites as unsafe to travel. We went to visit him that fall and must admit the PCT near Mt Adams to Whites Pass in Oregon was built and graded much nicer then the AT in the whites. Some of the switch backs and sidehilling was quite impressive and apparently the soils can not form mud (at least in September).

Dingo said:

Nothing wrong with that. -- A recent transplant

(I never understood the whole NH vs. MA thing. Seems silly to me.)

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Really just being "Snarkey". I should talk I'm a transplant from New Jersey. Could be worse I guess. I could be from Alabama.

skiguy said:

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When you say "reminding folks across the country" does that include folks from Massachusetts? Just to clarify for us who live in New Hampshire.

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Yes, absolutely. And that includes folks from the Granite State, too, who may not realize how fraught with peril the entirety of the WMNF is. You're one of them? Well, let me tell you, the Whites suck. Horrible, horrible place. Don't go there. Aweful.

Actually, perhaps my original scope was too narrow: considering the number of Quebecois I recently encountered on the Franconia Loop, it seems we may need to take this campaign international!

And as an aside, yeah the weight people attach to arbitrary man-made lines in the sand is rather funny sometimes. I've gotten stink eye from rangers as a result of (I can only assume) my MA plates, when in fact I've lived the majority of my life as a NH resident. And don't even get me started on trying to surf in RI with CT plates...

Having been south of the Mason/Dixon line for a bit now, I have seen that there is a difference in trail building and maintenance between the two areas. The primary trail up Mt. Mitchell is described as one of the most difficult trails in NC. However, I would rate it moderate if it was in NH. And if the author of the letter had been comparing the AT in the south with the north, there's no comparison. The parts that I've been on here have grades of no more than about 5-7%, slab along long ridgelines, and have switchbacks where needed. The AT is also well groomed in the south with stones larger than a fist generally being removed to the side. Even the best engineered trails in NH, sometimes having been designed for horse travel, are more difficult than nearly all trails in the south.

I have no doubt that someone who had never hiked anywhere north of Virginia received quite a surprise in NH.

Some of the comments have me thinking....

How much of the trails have to do with New Hampshire's geology...I mean, we are talking granite here and has gone through a bit of ice from time to time in our history. How much has to do with age? Some of these trails are older than states out West.

dug said:

Because I'm nosy, I found her on FB. Doesn't seem like the sarcastic-trolling-letter-to-the-editor type....

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Is there any indication that she actually wrote the letter? Someone could easily sign her name to a letter as a joke or annoyance. I'm still on the side of "it's a joke/hoax".