WMNF Bridge Status

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David Metsky

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New FS page
With this and the road conditions page, the WMNF is taking a active role in getting important timely information out on the web. This is a good sign.

-dave-
 
RoySwkr said:
And I'm very pleased the the Forest Service is ahead of the hiking community for once

Yes, I think there is a change there. 20 years ago, USFS staff in the WMNF
were primarily trained in forestry. Now, I think there's a growing component of staff with backcountry rec training and real interest in it. Whether or not this is by choice doesn't matter. The shift is evident in the the big public center (largely redundant, I think) USFS built in the Pinkham Notch north of Pinkham AMC and in the recently-opened public center at Exit 32 in N. Woodstock.
 
Having crossed over the Wild River at 5000cfs, and knowing it hit 10,000cfs this spring, I'm not surprised Spider Bridge didn't make it, but I'm saddened as the options for getting across the Wild at high water are pretty limited, and the feeder brooks can easily rise enough to make it impossible to get up or downstream to another bridge or crossing.

As for the suspension bridge over the Dry River ... is that the one in the Wilderness area? Could this mean the end of that bridge (and I hadn't gotten in there yet)?
 
Were all of thease brides damged due to the heavy rains and melting snow pack of a few weeks ago and the on going weekend rains ? I had heard of a few and seen one but not all of them . In fact i drove by the Dry river Bridge and really did not notice much not long ago.
 
Dagnabbit -- I was hoping to be the first to post about Spider Bridge's destruction. We paddled the Wild both days this weekend, and snuck in a hike to Spider Bridge Sunday morning. Despite what they said, span 1 is solid and span 2 is still supported.

Wonder why they haven't posted a sign back at the trailhead if they're serious about keeping folks away.

MichaelJ, you can always cross at the Moriah suspension bridge back towards the Wild River Rd and use the Highwater Trail to head up-valley.
 
Just remember that the Highwater Trail crosses the Moriah Brook just after the Moriah Brook Trail veers off to the right. Also, Cypress Brook just before the Spider Bridge, so both of those crossings are between the Moriah Suspension Bridge and Spider Brook and are difficult in high water. I always wonder why the Highwater Trail is named that when it is difficult to use at high water!
 
I've seen Cypress Brook as impassable as any raging river, back when I thought the Highwater Trail was the safe way out of the valley. D'oh!

That day, even Spruce Brook would have been death to try and cross. And that was only *half* the water of this spring.
 
RGF1 said:
Were all of thease brides damged due to the heavy rains and melting snow pack of a few weeks ago and the on going weekend rains ? I had heard of a few and seen one but not all of them . In fact i drove by the Dry river Bridge and really did not notice much not long ago.

I think the bridge referred to here is the footbridge a few miles up the trail. The Dry River is one of the hardest to get across, not very wide, but fast and deep.
 
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