The Trail to Owl's Head Part (May 3, 2008)

[una_dogger]

Hey! I'm hoping you will be on the next adventure, Adventurous!

You guys had quite the epic adventure. As always great post - I look forward to reading about your next adventure!!! Congrats on getting #44.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Fine trip report and great effort on a dreary weather day. I joined PVSART buddies for a litter carry off Jennings Peak on Saturday evening (broken femur, I think), and was thinking at the time "why would anyone go hiking today in this lousy weather?" Then, I remembered that you guys were going for Owls Head, so glad to learn that you made it without any major mishaps.

For the BP bushwhack, I usually follow a due magnetic north from Black Pond going out, which usually brings me very close to the avoided Lincoln Brook crossing, then on the way home I always hike right up to that crossing, then back up about 20 meters and follow a due south magnetic bearing (I never carry a GPS except on search and rescue, but very interesting to see MichaelJ's line plots).

From the northwest side of Black Pond, always ignore the red blazes on trees, which lead in a curved path to the northeast and then east until intersecting the Fisherperson's Trail bushwhack about half way between the Lincoln Brook crossing and Franconia Falls; the USFS should remove these blazes

 

[Dave Bear]

That's great info Dr. and the route through early this winter was probably close to that but on a bit higher contour so it ran you into the middle of the section between the crossing and the bend. I thought it looked like more blazing this time then last, perhaps because the BW left it earlier last time and didn't hook northeast with it. It still would be nice to come out right off the bend in the trail and down onto the pond by the boulder and skip the blazing all together.

 

[Paradox]

Great report! Is that blood running down Micheal's leg in the stream crossing picture?

A stop at Half Baked and Fully Brewed for a great hot breakfast was the perfect ending to a wet weekend in the White Mountains.

It's a great place for good eats! I know the owner, she's good people!

 

[MichaelJ]

Great report! Is that blood running down Micheal's leg in the stream crossing picture?

Yes-in-deedy!
I've got some great war wounds from this hike.

 

[una_dogger]

Yes-in-deedy!
I've got some great war wounds from this hike.

Yeah...I took a stick in the eye, but nothing like what MJ went through!

Note to self...plastic safety glasses now belong in my daypack.

 

[Silverfox]

nothing like a good stick in the eye

people look at me funny for always having sunglasses on but one stick in the eye was enough for me....

 

[Craig]

Yes-in-deedy!
I've got some great war wounds from this hike.

I feel your pain. In February I sacrificed much blood to OH. I sprinkled it all along the Brutus BW on the way up and then left a large pool of it at the base of the BW.

Obviously, Apu was not satisfied with my sacrifice.

 

[una_dogger]

Obviously, Apu was not satisfied with my sacrifice.

LOL!

Craig! Nice to see you here....'bout time!

nothing like a good stick in the eye

people look at me funny for always having sunglasses on but one stick in the eye was enough for me....

I'm not so smmaaat (practicing my Yankee)...I took a stick in the other eye on Glen Boulder a couple weeks ago....ya think I'd learnt by now...

 

[forestgnome]

Please have some respect for a man that lived well and wouldn't have owned such an item as a gps. He barely left footprints and I'm sure he removed every bit on his last trip out there. I dare you to find a sign of his path there as it was not a statement to others but gracious love for the woods that put him on that journey.

Well, I didn't know the person died. May he rest in peace. However, his passing doesn't make the trash any less than what it is. What is the point about his lack of GPS? Many of us don't own one and still do not leave a nasty trail of plastic through the forest. In your original post, you did not state that he removed the flagging so why would I not assume that there are several trails of trash running from Mt. Liberty all the way down the slope? Sounds like you're just guessing that he removed it. You say he flagged several routes, but he would leave no more than foot prints. Huh?!!!

You dare me to find a sign of his path. I don't want to. That's the point. If he left flagging then I can't manage to avoid it. It would take me about five minutes to find a flagged trail that began on any summit, especially if know where it leads.

If he removed the flagging, great! Why illegally flag it in the first place? What about the time b/w flagging and removal? What about the law?

You didn't state that he removed it in your post. You left us thinking that there are several trails of plastic trash on the trees through our beautiful Wilderness. Some people like to find their own way. It's part of the joy of bushwacking. Not seeing Hand Of Man (HOM) is another. It just plain sucks to be out in designated Wilderness and see flagging left by a hiker.

 

[Dave Bear]

I respectfully decline to respond to your discussion. Happy trails and bushwhacks!

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I think that this might be the first time that Forestgnome and I agree on something!

I have been constantly removing other people's flagging on White Mountain trails, especially between Field and Willey, over the years, and will continue to do so. On this issue, I am a disciple of the Waterman's.

 

[una_dogger]

Well, the only thing I will say for now about all of this flagging debate is that I was shocked to hear that the USFS will cut down a tree in the Wilderness Area that has illegal paint blazes on it. I think of all those trees that are blazed a hideous orange early on in the BP Whack, and I feel like going out there with a file and sanding the paint off them to save them from the USFS!

I am certain that FN meant no disrespect to anyone in particular, just expressing his views on flagging and other non-natural traces in the Wilderness Areas. And Dave, that was a beautiful tribute - I wonder if Joe knew the profound impact he had on you and Chris and I'm sure others who he shared his love of the woods with. I am grateful we have a friendly forum here where ideas, emotions and opinions can be exchanged freely. I often learn new things as a result of issues being raised.

During my work with The Institute of Ecosystem Studies, we often used flagging tape in our plots in the Catskills, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Bear Brook EF in Maine, etc etc. Of course we had all the required permits to do our work. It was a source of frustration sometimes for us when we revisited sites to find our flagging removed, and other forms of "vandalism". I wonder if the deflagging vandals were in fact, well intended "No Tracers"?

Carry on!

 

[forestgnome]

I'm sorry if I sounded snippy, but flagging by hikers is a bummer. I'll be in the area this summer looking for the big guy in the avatar. If there's any flagging I'll take care of it, as usual. Sorry for thread drift.

happy trails

 

[Tom Rankin]

I'm sorry if I sounded snippy, but flagging by hikers is a bummer. I'll be in the area this summer looking for the big guy in the avatar. If there's any flagging I'll take care of it, as usual. Sorry for thread drift.

happy trails

If you are allowed to flag, then the flags should be labeled as such. Simple enough...

 

[Dave Bear]

I myself don't condone leaving flagging but know at one time it was an accepted practice. No, I am not positive that Joe removed all of what he had flagged. I am sure he would have done any flagging in a scarce and discreet nature from all I have heard of his travels. If I travel his path I will remove any I find myself as I am sure he would never wish for this to be his legacy! He was, from what Chris has told me very humble and avoided hiking anywhere with alot of people. He would look for oppurtunities during seasons and inclimate weather just to satisfy this need. This nice old man would be apalled that so much attention was being given about him. So I will leave this subject except to journey on some of his pathes. I am a diciple of no one as we all have our human faults!

 

[dug]

Great hike, great company, and I'm glad to say I'm not the only one still feeling it two days later:

Only hike I ever had that tired out my lab was Owl's Head. The last walk out on the Wilderness Trail she was about 3-5 yards behind me, walking. I rarely saw nothing but her butt, or her turned around waiting for me, most hikes. She was exhausted and barely moved for about two days.

In fact, while waiting in the parking lot for my mother who was about 30 minutes behind, I took my dog down to the river because she loves the water and I could have a cold one and clean her off. My dog got to the edge, looked at me, walked back up the hill, climbed into the car and fell asleep.

 

[una_dogger]

Don't be too fooled! She's always laying down inside!

She was very tired after seymour and the seward range as a day hike last fall, actually, we both were!