New regs in the Sandwich wilderness?

[Jasonst]

Upon entering the Sanwich range wilderness on Saturday on a hiking path, I noticed a regulation on a sign that I hadn't seen before. The gist is: "camping is allowed at hardened sites OR 200 feet from a trail." This is the first time I have seen the concession for camping at a hardened site. Anyone know if this is new policy, or simply particular to the Sandwich range?

 

[David Metsky]

I think it might be related to the old shelter sites, now that the shelters have been removed. It would be only for the Sandwich Wilderness area. There is some info here but it looks like it could be updated. Their statement about camping within 200 feet of the trail being legal seems at odds with the official WMNF page.

-dave-

 

[Jasonst]

Dave
I thought that too, but the sign looks fairly new - in fact, I could smell the cedar (fresh) from the sign above it. If this sign was put up this year or last, there wouldn't be need to post this since the shelters were removed 3-4 years ago. I was puzzled and re-read the signs 3-4 times. Curious...

 

[MichaelJ]

The WODC website has for several years had the statement on it:

"Contrary to recent information, there is no prohibition on camping within 200 feet of trails in the Sandwich Range Wilderness."

 

[David Metsky]

If this sign was put up this year or last, there wouldn't be need to post this since the shelters were removed 3-4 years ago. I was puzzled and re-read the signs 3-4 times. Curious...

My impression was that the WODC was trying to get a ruling to allow camping at the old, hardened sites, which would otherwise be against the normal Wilderness Area rules. And it sounds like they finally got the ruling after several years.

As to the 200 feet rule, they would problaby know best. I thought there was a formatting problem on the official rules page, but perhaps the 200' rule really only applies to Caribou, Great Gulf, and Dry River, but I know I've been warned about it in the Pemi by rangers.

I think contacting the WODC and/or the FS would help get to the bottom of this.

-dave-

 

[bigmoose]

Yesterday, Sunday, 6/20, there was a young couple camping virtually on the Pine Bend Brook Trail at the top of N. Tripyramid...180 feet above the sacred 4,000 ft. mark...even had a fire going on the Western outlook rock, trying to dry out their stuff from soggy Saturday. They'd hung their wet stuff from clothesline draped through the trees. The young woman's clothes were on said clothesline, not on her body, which made for an interesting View from the Top as she scrambled to cover up, not expecting visitors coming up from the Sabbaday Brook Trail.
Do the "relaxed" rules in the Sandwich Wilderness apply here??

 

[MichaelJ]

My reading of the 2004/2005 backcountry rules has them legitimate in what they were doing. SRW is not listed as having a no-fires policy or a 200' camping distance. This is my *opinion* and not verified with any state or federal agency.

The way in which the regulation is written is very clear, especially since Presidential/Dry River is repeated in both sections:

Restrictions in Congressionally Designated Wilderness:

Caribou-Speckled Mountain
Great Gulf
Presidential/Dry River
Sandwich Range
Pemigewasset
No motorized equipment or mechanical transport (wheelchairs are an exception)
Hiking and camping group size must be limited to 10 people or less

Caribou-Speckled Mountain
Great Gulf
Presidential/Dry River

No camping, wood or charcoal fires within 200 feet of any trail except at designated campsites

Whether what they were doing was polite, practicing LNT, etc. is another story. Building a fire on a lookout rock is definitely *not* LNT.