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There's still a foot-plus of snow on the trail. It's packed down, of course. Ledges are partially exposed. There's plenty of opportunity to get your shoes wet and muddy on the way in. Bring microspikes.

Anyone know if the Gray Knob water source is flowing/broken out? Wondering how much fuel to budget. (I know the caretaker tries to keep it open.)

I'm retiring my twenty-five year old telemark skis for skis that will handle New England backcountry trails a little better. I know I need: - metal edges - waxless base - decent control - warm boots I'm unsure about camber. My past experience was that double camber == bad turning. But...

Anyone know of a shop that rents nordic skis and boots in the corridor between Nashua and Plymouth (including Manchester and Concord)? Ideally it'd have size 13 boots too, but I'm coming up dry with just about anything. Here's what I've found: * REI Reading - doesn't rent XC (anymore) * Ski...

I'm looking for a packable, lightweight, and breathable rain jacket. There's lots of options, right? But I really need a size large-tall (6'3", 175#), which seems to be a tough find. Any suggestions from the tall folks here?

After reading the recent post about leaving a bike at 19 Mile Brook trail, I have to ask how one would leave a bike at a trailhead. I'm paranoid about my bike, having had one stolen as a kid. I assume you'd lock your bike, and that you'd bring only beater bikes. But that probably isn't going...

The family and I drove up to Crotched Mountain to hike Shannon's Trail to the radio tower. We got there and found that seemingly all the trails were closed to prepare the land for blueberry farming, or something along those lines. There were signs indicating that Shannon's Trail was closed...

I'm drooling at the richness, texture, and range of some of the photos in the Top 8 photos thread. Anyone want to share some tricks of the trade? I think most of us understand the primary rule is to take lots of pictures. And that the basics of composition is the rule of thirds, perspective...

[This is only tangentially hiking related, so feel free to move or delete as needed. I tried googling around, but didn't find anything.] On the way to the Ossipees, on Rt 28 north of Epsom Circle there is a strange hubcap-shaped structure visible from the road (see the attached photo). Anyone...

Among other things, the Cohos Trail Association is thinking about adding hostels to the trail (quote from CT newsletter below). Peter and Lainie Castine are proposing using an existing structure as the first hut. What do you think?

Someone recently gave me a book Your Money or Your Life. Normally I'm allergic to self-help books, but this one clicked for me. I was amazed at how little time I spend with family and hiking, compared to working. How do you FFTTers balance your life? 1) work 2) family 3) hiking and...

Not to make anyone feel guilty, but I'm curious what we're all doing for national trails day. Any takers?

[I didn't see this posted yet, so...] If you're interested in hearing more about the new AMC WM guidebook, you can grab NHPR's Exchange NHPR's Exchange for 10-May-07. Most of the podcast won't be news for regular VTFT readers, but I found the following interesting: - maps in this issue are...

Kim sent out an email today. He explains what has happened in the past few months and that he's reorganizing the TCTA. It appears some people have stepped forward to help share the load. Trail support will come from Coos county. (Location is big plus, IMHO.) There's talk of some future...

I noticed a bottle of Garlon 4 near a trail junction (not in the WMNF). Is it common practice to use herbicides on trails? I can imagine that it might be useful to keep some of the thicker growing plants back temporarily, but it seems surprising to me.

Any idea what this concrete box is? I fear it's the signal that housing development is coming to my favorite trails. :( I found it pretty much just at the edge of a woods road, near an unsigned trail. It's made of concrete. It's probably two feet tall and each concrete slab is about 3 foot...

The old Temple Mountain Ski area sign on NH Route 101 reads that there will be a meeting to determine if the area will become a new state park. You can read about it on the nhstateparks website. Any feelings about what this means for hiking? Or if you have the inside track for NH...

I found these by a southern NH trail. They are round, about the size of a small superball, and in a bright yellow shell. They look manufactured. I thought they were paintballs, but they seemed to be filled with a clear-ish fluid, not a bright yellow paint. Any ideas?

Heard on NHPR today: A cell tower is being built on Mount Orne. Orne is north of Bethleham and west of Jefferson. I was wondering if Pittsburg was going to get service, but it doesn't look like it. No idea if this is good or not, but it looks like more dead-air areas of the Whites will be...

Has anyone tried stablicers with trail runners? I've never worn them before, so I'm not sure if they'll stay on the shoe, if they flex, etc...