White Mountain National Forest Open as of Tuesday 8/30/2011

[cooperhill]

Back to our originally scheduled program (hopefully).

The Forest Service has posted a list of trailhead (not trails?) that are closed (along with the list of campgrounds). I'm not sure if this is related to access or actual trail damage.

EDIT. So is the trail closed or just the trailhead. Minor point? Maybe but I was told that the UNH, Dry River, Sabbaday trails were closed.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/conditions/cmpgrnds_trails_09032011.pdf

I also saw this picture of damage on the Wilderness trail which blew me away. Photo from ScenicPhoto NH (Erin Paul Donovan).

http://scenicnh.photoshelter.com/ga...OikAs/I0000QvZJmr7JGuM/2#.TmLLXQPHHMk.twitter

 

[TrishandAlex]

I also saw this picture of damage on the Wilderness trail which blew me away. Photo from ScenicPhoto NH (Erin Paul Donovan).

http://scenicnh.photoshelter.com/ga...OikAs/I0000QvZJmr7JGuM/2#.TmLLXQPHHMk.twitter

Good Lord!!

 

[--M.]

Back to our originally scheduled program (hopefully).

The Forest Service has posted a list of trailhead (not trails?) that are closed (along with the list of campgrounds). I'm not sure if this is related to access or actual trail damage.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/conditions/cmpgrnds_trails_09032011.pdf

I also saw this picture of damage on the Wilderness trail which blew me away. Photo from ScenicPhoto NH (Erin Paul Donovan).

http://scenicnh.photoshelter.com/ga...OikAs/I0000QvZJmr7JGuM/2#.TmLLXQPHHMk.twitter

Great stuff, cooperhill, and I've especially appreciated the post-storm trail assessments (including Chocorua)! I'm wondering about some favorite trails and destinations:

==How did the recent Tuckerman Ravine work fare?
==Anything new in Huntington Ravine? [edit: Thanks, bobandgeri!]
==Wildcat Valley Ski Trail?
==RMC territory? It seems the Andro escaped, with only a modest rise in volume? [edit: found this: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nh/nwis/uv?site_no=01054000: nowhere near as dramatic as the Pemi, Saco or Swift.]
==Any update on the Kanc./Swift River/Nanamocomuck?
==Wild River Campground & Road? I've seen the updates from last week, but nothing since.​

Thanks all who're helping clean up!

 

[bobandgeri]

I've seen a report from somebody hiked Huntington Ravine on Friday. No report of any damage.

 

[una_dogger]

DougPaul is a sandwich

DougPaul- I attempted to reply, but my IPhone "autocorrects" your username as "souvlaki"...I found this so funny that I forgot what I intended to say...but thought you should know -- you are a sandwich

 

[vegematic]

==Wild River Campground & Road? I've seen the updates from last week, but nothing since.[/INDENT]

As of Friday the Wild River Rd is still gated. The suspension bridge that carried hikers, snowmachines, and the Highwater Trail across the Wild River at Hastings is gone. There is now, in its place, a "natural bridge" of dozens of trees that caught in the cables and brought the bridge down. I'm guessing that the bridge further up the Wild River that carried the Moriah Brook Trail is likely also gone but I haven't heard for sure.

I hiked Speckled Mtn via the Spruce Hill Trail and it was fine. It is a bit overgrown in places but no significant storm damage.
-vegematic

 

[cooperhill]

There is a good listing of trail closures on NETC. As the notes state, sometimes the trail conditions are unknown. I think most of the "trailhead closures" are due to access issues.

WMNF Closures

 

[carla]

Wild river road still closed as of Sunday 9/4

Conforming: Sign still posted at 19 mile brook trailhead on Sunday 9/4 that Wild River Rd is closed...

As of Friday the Wild River Rd is still gated. The suspension bridge that carried hikers, snowmachines, and the Highwater Trail across the Wild River at Hastings is gone. There is now, in its place, a "natural bridge" of dozens of trees that caught in the cables and brought the bridge down. I'm guessing that the bridge further up the Wild River that carried the Moriah Brook Trail is likely also gone but I haven't heard for sure.

I hiked Speckled Mtn via the Spruce Hill Trail and it was fine. It is a bit overgrown in places but no significant storm damage.
-vegematic

 

[Jay H]

Anybody know how is the trail to Sandwich Dome from Rt 49 doing? I am seemingly going to be in the neighborhood this weekend fro FOT48 and am free on saturday, might consider hiking this just under 4k peak...

Jay

 

[TDawg]

Anybody know how is the trail to Sandwich Dome from Rt 49 doing? I am seemingly going to be in the neighborhood this weekend fro FOT48 and am free on saturday, might consider hiking this just under 4k peak...

Jay

From NETrailConditions.com

 

[Jay H]

Thanks TDawg, I just hope TODAY's rain doesn't wash out the washouts I know the rivers here in NY/MA/CT are about to go over Flood stage again, if not already...

Jay

 

[una_dogger]

Thanks TDawg, I just hope TODAY's rain doesn't wash out the washouts I know the rivers here in NY/MA/CT are about to go over Flood stage again, if not already...

Jay

Coming down in buckets in Boston!

 

[peakbagger]

I looked at streamflow conditions for most of the river basins for the whites. Some of the rivers are higher than normal but nowhere near during Irene. I find the inroduction map (its on the predefined menu if it doesnt show up) on the following link to be real handy, if a spot is black or blue the water flow is very high relative to long term flows.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nh/nwis/rt

If you look up the specific station, the graphs default at 7 days, you can change it up to 120 days but 21 days will catch Irene's impact.

Depressingly Vermont's stations are mostly black currently meaning high water flows.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

That last 5% (95th percentile and beyond) where it is black encompasses an awful lot of (seldom seen) water. Keeping in mind that about 68% of the values fall within 1 standard deviation and 95% within 2 standard deviations.

Black usually means you don't want to be crossing it. Dark blue, maybe, with caution, and light blue means conditions are normal.

Tim

 

[Dave Bear]

That last 5% (95th percentile and beyond) where it is black encompasses an awful lot of (seldom seen) water. Keeping in mind that about 68% of the values fall within 1 standard deviation and 95% within 2 standard deviations.

Black usually means you don't want to be crossing it. Dark blue, maybe, with caution, and light blue means conditions are normal.

Tim

Not to knit-pick but green is actually normal and light blue is above 75% of the 30 years of recorded reading for the day of the year so you could still get wetter than normal. In the past I managed a damn dam so I had looked at these daily.

Thanks to all for updating with great information!

As for you copyright critics, get a room! There you can amuse each other with your undying wit, correspond in perfect punctuation and grammar to your hearts delight and let average people share as much information in a reasonable and acceptable manner as possible! No one is trying to steal credit for literary work here! Now you can change subjects to run-on sentences you feel should be outlawed. Ha Ha!

 

[Dave Bear]

It will be interesting to see how areas did fare during Irene as we can get out on the open trails. As much as it is a misfortune that she came through before the Flags on the 48 weekend it also is a good oppurtunity. This way it is more likely that groups will encounter conditions that could be tricky or dangerous instead of solo hikers. Looking forward to seeing next week's trip reports and pictures! The sun is finally shining on New England! Looking forward to seeing flags flying high and hope those pricks don't try something new this year! Be safe all!

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Not to knit-pick but green is actually normal and light blue is above 75% of the 30 years of recorded reading for the day of the year so you could still get wetter than normal. In the past I managed a damn dam so I had looked at these daily.

You are correct, of course. Green is "Normal" (25-75%). I meant to convey that light blue OR LESS (green), is still well inside two standard deviations and thus likely to be passable without too much difficulty. Or at least at times of relatively low levels.

Green, at 75%, in May, could well be challenging, while dark blue in September may be very passable (May 9th has a mean of 856 cfps while September 9th is 136 cfps.) I always thought it would be a handy thing to put a gauge reading the trail conditions for reference - especially if the crossings were difficult.

For example, right now, the Pemi in Lincoln is at 492 cfps (92%) and in Plymouth it is at 990 cfps (95%). Owl's Head becomes challenging about 600-700 cfps in Lincoln (crossings after the Black Pond bushwhack).

Tim

 

[Dave Bear]

Tim, You are also correct in that the information is relative to the date of the year so it is not a clear indicator of the overall year. My point was just that if someone is familiar with how things are this time of year they will be slightly a bit above that norm. So a trail that usually is rock hoppable on a crossing could require taller footwear or gaiters. Not trying to flex brain matter just clarifying that point.

I believe the information to create your own graphic or table is available the way the USGS site is set up so you could create a year in view and establish a gauge height and/or flowrate in cfs that would be your own threshold for caution. Where I had worked our very serious flowrate was 27000 cfs and I have worked side by side with National Guard troops sand bagging Main Street to save the bridge abutment and send the water through my workplace. Cool experience and concerning at the same time.

I still believe our best indication of relative conditions has always been each other! Folks at Pinkham and even out in the huts often have a false sense of trail knowledge because few of them actually get out on the trail as much as this community! The USFS has limited resources to keep things as up to date as our population but it is easy to catch them deep in the woods doing there job. I feel bad that they have had to endure the ongoing wet weather to try to get us up to date and we get the sunshine! C'est la vie!

 

[RoySwkr]

I believe the information to create your own graphic or table is available the way the USGS site is set up so you could create a year in view and establish a gauge height and/or flowrate in cfs that would be your own threshold for caution.

I actually wrote a piece for Appalachia about this many years ago for river running but the principle is the same for hiking

* Use water flows from days you were there or that others have correlated to judge what levels you wish to go at

* For advance trip planning, use historic data to judge the probability that a particular date will have acceptable levels

* Adjust plans as necessary if when the day comes the water level is too high

 

[Dave Bear]

Thanks Roy, I'm sure it would be an interesting read! It would be nice to have a few more gauge stations in the north country for places like Little River and Gale River but all that comes at a cost. Still is well appreciated when others share info and pics in trip reports or threads.