I have never seen so many complaints about post holing as I've seen in the last several days. Just check newenglandtrailconditions.com! I'm not out to criticize or find fault with anyone; just curious why people do this to themselves. It's bad enough to go offtrail on snowshoes and sink in the powder while you try to get behind a tree. Why would you deliberately sink up to your waist with every step?

I've gone on hikes with just my spikes, but after determining from recent reports and asking people coming out of the woods if shoes were needed.
I can understand why some people just don't want to carry snow shoes. But is that worse than expending lots of energy floundering around? Who knows?

Personally I'd rather use snowshoes if I have them and need them than torture myself, but when I started out as a clueless teenager I didn't even know about snowshoes, and probably wouldn't have had a few hundred bucks for them if I did. I'd be willing to bet most people don't do it for long, but I'd also bet most people feel like "Who the hell are you to tell me what I should and shouldn't do on a hiking trail". I'm 100% sure that would have been my attitude if someone has chastised me for not having snowshoes. However, the first time we saw a couple guys on East Osceola using them (after we tortured ourselves breaking trail to the top) they jubilantly told us not only did it make life easier going up, but it was faster on the way down and a heck of a lot more fun to bomb along in them. That's all it took. The light went off and we went out and bought some the next day.

That said, my feelings are still that these are everyone's trails to use as they see fit. And not only are they trails, they are on a mountain, which isn't supposed to be a groomed sidewalk. It's supposed to be an adventure. I actually made this as a joke for another hiking page, but it's my true feelings also, so...

Here's my rage: Trails are a shared resource and these people selfishly abuse it.

One of greatest things about the surge in popularity of winter hiking is how everybody doesn't have to hard time. A well packed "sidewalk" can be accessible by almost any ambulatory individual: children, the elderly, people with legs that can't handle rough summer travel in the Whites. People who otherwise wouldn't ever see these sights. And the people who wreck the trails take that away from them.

If you don't have the ability to negotiate a chopped up trail in the winter you likely wouldn't be able to do it in the safer warmer months. Or shouldn't be there in the first place. The person that hoofed it up sinking in 6 inches or whatever of snow up 5 miles of trail has just as much right to be there as anyone in a wheelchair. If you can't make it,. You can't make it regardless of locomotion.

Maybe the chopped up trail keeps you in shape for all the rocks and boulders that will be there when the stuff melts .

Good to see this place up and running again!

Yeah, you uneducated, inexperienced college kids! Get a clue! Get snowshoes so the real "experienced and hard-core" hikers can have an easy, sidewalk of a track to bag their peaks. And don't forget, everyone gets a trophy while you're at it. Everyone under the sun, or at least with the internet, knows the Fire Wardens Trail is there. It's even on the Map Adventured map. I'd guess it wasn't post hiked because nobody in their right mind is going to kill themselves to posthole up crappy Mt. Hale and see some birch trees. But maybe that's just me.

Does it come as a surprise to anyone that this board, for all intents and purposes, is dead after reading the above post?

Say it ain't so...Say it ain't so....

The board has been dead for months. Nobody posts trip reports anymore, and that's the lifeblood of most forums it would seem. It's just quicker and easier to post on Facebook. It can take an hour to write up a detailed trip report that a couple dozen people might see and even the ones who do see it have probably been there and done that, so really all you're doing is sharing pics, which takes a few seconds on Facebook and the same people (plus many more) will see it. Doesn't show up on Trails-NH but that's about the only downside. I don't like it as well myself but this place (sadly) has been more like a blog for a few people than a forum that everyone shared their hikes in. I can still follow the hikes of people I know from here (except Beckie and Terry. Either of you on Facebook??) and keep up with fellow forumites I have hiked with in person and those I haven't met (yet). Nobody logs on to hear the opinions of the self proclaimed "hardcore hikers" who then delete their holier than thou posts, take their ball, go home for a few days, stew about it, and then come back and say, see, that post is why nobody uses the place any more! Maybe people who want to, or have to, or even just happened to post hole a trail for whatever reason don't need to be told they should be educated on the proper way to hike in winter like a seasoned hardcore hiker.

Maybe I could try once more and figure out the photo business; after all, Terry posted an illustrated report a month ago. I'm not on Facebook because I spend enough time on line as it is. I'm happy with the few reports that we have been getting (GG, Justjoe, etc), so I hope this place doesn't officially die.

This has been a very difficult winter for some. Someone I know has not been doing much either here or on their Youtube due to work. As for me, my aunt's health decline, extreme temps and winds, me being really sick (sinus infection with antibiotics and the side effects) has limited my hiking.

I don't care if this is a drift since I started the thread in the first place. One interesting observation, VVFT has been rather slow as well. Maybe it's Facebook or just the time of year. I'll be away next weekend, but perhaps I could try one more time with the pix. We had a pleasant afternoon a few weeks ago hiking to Lowe's Bald Spot. Prema had some shots of Adams that are so beautiful it will make you cry. I'll cry if this goes away .

I don't think the hiking Gods want me to post any more reports. I was just working on a couple and the power went out! I'm sure they're long gone now.

I concur with Becky, I love this site, esp GG trip reports. I figured out how to post
pictures, but I feel my hikes aren't worthy compared to where others are going.
For example I did Bald Knob in Moultonborough, last weekend, which I thought was fantastic
and gave me a workout. Exciting for me, for others, maybe not so. And I do alot of
flat hikes, in preserves. GG I am on facebook and notice you on OB Hiker, I'll connect.

Terry

Terry, Never say you're not worthy. What makes this site good is the variety, and your simple places could be good for GG and his girls or me and my granddaughters.