WhiteHouse landing

[weary]

if it is so blatantly illegal and the ATC, NPS, MATC all know about it, why in 9 years has nothing been done about it?

The lawyers say he or an employee have to be caught in the act of painting the blazes or posting the illegal signs -- something difficult to do in such a wild place.

The owners say they have no idea how the trail got there.

If that is accurate the blazes must have been painted by some rogue thru hikers, who just happened to have some blue paint in their packs.

Weary

[ozt42]

What I don't understand is why people bitch about WHL with it's VERY minimal impact on the trail but don't say a word about rainbow lake camps and Nahmakanta lake camps. Both of the lake camps are fishing camps that you can drive to. The trail crosses their private gravel access roads three times between the south end of rainbow lake and the south end of nahmakanta lake. NLC has a network of blue blazed side trails to various small ponds in the area all of which depart from the AT. Of the dozen or so day hikers I passed in July all but 2 of them were guests at one of the two fishing camps and were hiking with canoe paddles to one of the small ponds. Both camps are more expensive than WHL (about $100 per person per night compared to 50-75 depending on beer intake at WHL). Both camps have signage right on the trail. The only difference I see is that WHL actually caters to hikers while the fishing camps would rather not have large groups of smelly obnoxious people dirtying the linen.

I can't wait until the AMC opens the camps they just bought to the public and begins improving roads into them. Not because I like having a fairly decent patch of woods thrown open to the yuppies from out of state but because it will gfive people something to REALLY bitch about...

[camojack]

Yeah, it was, O.F.!! For a guy with a sixth grade education, Wolf did OK in spelling. Impressive vocabulary, too! That "Hooked on Phonics!" must have sold well in Rhode Island around 40 years ago!

Attachment 2241

[Lone Wolf]

What I don't understand is why people bitch about WHL with it's VERY minimal impact on the trail

cuz like i been sayin, WHL doesn't kiss the sensitive thru-hiker's asses and treat them special. i woulda closed my doors to thru-hikers long ago. just allow section hikers only.

[weary]

What I don't understand is why people bitch about WHL with it's VERY minimal impact on the trail but don't say a word about rainbow lake camps and Nahmakanta lake camps. Both of the lake camps are fishing camps that you can drive to. The trail crosses their private gravel access roads three times between the south end of rainbow lake and the south end of nahmakanta lake. NLC has a network of blue blazed side trails to various small ponds in the area all of which depart from the AT. Of the dozen or so day hikers I passed in July all but 2 of them were guests at one of the two fishing camps and were hiking with canoe paddles to one of the small ponds. Both camps are more expensive than WHL (about $100 per person per night compared to 50-75 depending on beer intake at WHL). Both camps have signage right on the trail. The only difference I see is that WHL actually caters to hikers while the fishing camps would rather not have large groups of smelly obnoxious people dirtying the linen.

I can't wait until the AMC opens the camps they just bought to the public and begins improving roads into them. Not because I like having a fairly decent patch of woods thrown open to the yuppies from out of state but because it will gfive people something to REALLY bitch about...

When the National Park Service bought the trail corridor in Maine excluded from the purchase were a number of existing uses and roads. I assume that what the businesses on Nahmakanta and Rainbow are doing is legal, since no one at MATC has questioned the roads.

In contrast, the side trail to WHL is blatantly illegal. That's the primary difference.

BTW the camps that AMC owns are already open to the public. Basically, what you see now is what you will get.

Weary

[Lone Wolf]

then go in and take all the blazes off and post volunteers at the junction to deter whoever tries to re-blaze

[rickb]

Does the ALDHA Companion mention this illegal trail, or comment on the vandalism? Or just not a big deal?

Seems like other places have been de-listed for less.

[Just a Hiker]

If you don't like the place, don't go there.

Just Jim

[Lone Wolf]

Does the ALDHA Companion mention this illegal trail, or comment on the vandalism? Or just not a big deal?

Seems like other places have been de-listed for less.

It's listed as Maher Trail/Maher Tote Road/WHL Wilderness Camp
it says the trail to the boat landing may change during the 07 season. sounds like they're using existing trails/roads

[rickb]

It's listed as Maher Trail/Maher Tote Road/WHL Wilderness Camp
it says the trail to the boat landing may change during the 07 season. sounds like they're using existing trails/roads

Sounds like they are giving hikers a heads up to look for another option-- the illegal blue blaze.

[Lone Wolf]

It's listed as Maher Trail/Maher Tote Road/WHL Wilderness Camp
it says the trail to the boat landing may change during the 07 season. sounds like they're using existing trails/roads

Both the Companion and Wingfoot give explicit direction to the camp

[Tim Rich]

I'm willing to bet your talking outta your tail end.

One I'm not a woman, and two I used the data book to plan my sections and didn't spend a lot of time planning them.

If you would like to ask me how I went about planning my sections just ask. It's easier than you making ill informed suggestive statements about someone you don't know or have never met.

Hey 7Sisters, didn't you stay at WHL the very same evening I did in July 2005?

[TJ aka Teej]

It's listed as Maher Trail/Maher Tote Road/WHL Wilderness Camp
it says the trail to the boat landing may change during the 07 season. sounds like they're using existing trails/roads

I wrote that, it's my section. In '06 the AT crossed the Maher Tote Road, and the path that led to WHL started by walking down the old forest road a half mile or so. The "blatently illegal" trail being complained about by Weary (ever been there, Weary?) was walk down a road that intersected the AT, followed by a walk through a logged area to the shore of the lake.
I'd never been there until last year, and they were (until then) the only service provider I hadn't visited at least once each year. The folks at the forest gate (it's their land) gave me a hand-out with directions, never mentioned it was "blatenly illegal," and told me to tell the family they said "hi". When I talked with the folks at the forest gate again this year they still were giving directions to WHL. Since it's their land, and they don't seem to mind WHL having a trail on it, the only conclusion I can come to is this: AMC employees like Weary are waging a disinformation offensive because they see WHL as competition, and want it to go out of business so the AMC can buy it. YMMV.

[7Sisters]

Hey 7Sisters, didn't you stay at WHL the very same evening I did in July 2005?

Nope absolutely not. I felt then the same way I feel now and walked past it.

[Lone Wolf]

I wrote that, it's my section. In '06 the AT crossed the Maher Tote Road, and the path that led to WHL started by walking down the old forest road a half mile or so. The "blatently illegal" trail being complained about by Weary (ever been there, Weary?) was walk down a road that intersected the AT, followed by a walk through a logged area to the shore of the lake.
I'd never been there until last year, and they were (until then) the only service provider I hadn't visited at least once each year. The folks at the forest gate (it's their land) gave me a hand-out with directions, never mentioned it was "blatenly illegal," and told me to tell the family they said "hi". When I talked with the folks at the forest gate again this year they still were giving directions to WHL. Since it's their land, and they don't seem to mind WHL having a trail on it, the only conclusion I can come to is this: AMC employees like Weary are waging a disinformation offensive because they see WHL as competition, and want it to go out of business so the AMC can buy it. YMMV.

well there you have it. much ado about nothing. as i suspected

[weary]

....The folks at the forest gate (it's their land) gave me a hand-out with directions, never mentioned it was "blatenly illegal," and told me to tell the family they said "hi". When I talked with the folks at the forest gate again this year they still were giving directions to WHL. Since it's their land, and they don't seem to mind WHL having a trail on it, the only conclusion I can come to is this: AMC employees like Weary are waging a disinformation offensive because they see WHL as competition, and want it to go out of business so the AMC can buy it. YMMV.

Actually, the people at the gate are employees of a contractor employed by the owners, which include AMC, a private timber company and the State of Maine -- and maybe the Nature Conservancy.

The owner of the trail corridor is the National Park Service, which has rules requiring approval of intersecting trails. I have never heard the position of AMC one way or the other -- possibly because I am not an employee, never have been an employee and my only contact with AMC is the Maine Chapter for which I edit a newsletter. To the best of my memory recollections, the Maine Chapter has never discussed the violation.

This is strictly an AT issue, not an AMC issue. AMC land mostly lies well to the south.

But since you bring up AMC, TJ, have you noticed that AMC has not tarred the roads, or built a 200-bed Highland Center in the wilderness that you told White Blazers a few years ago was eminent.. If the accuracy of the Companion in any way reflects your misconceptions about the area and AMC plans, I would urge thru hikers to try to get one of the last copies of Wingfoot's Thru Hikers Guide, which would clearly be the most accurate guide currently available.

Weary

[Tim Rich]

Nope absolutely not. I felt then the same way I feel now and walked past it.

That's right, I remember. My bad. We caught back up with you at the pay phone at the end of the 100 mile. It was the other section hiker we met along the way, the guy who was doing a 200 miler in Maine.

[Lone Wolf]

ain't no pay phone at abol bridge

[Just a Hiker]

Wolf, there is that goofy ''Pay Cell Phone'' at the camp store. It steals my money every time. But their microwave cheeseburgers make the loss worth it! Take care!

Just Jim

[attroll]

Does the ALDHA Companion mention this illegal trail, or comment on the vandalism? Or just not a big deal?

Seems like other places have been de-listed for less.

Yes The Companion does mention this in the book. So I guess they support the illegal trail blazing that Bill has done or maybe they do not know that what Bill has done is illegal. I persoannly think that ALDHA should remove them from The Companion.