Wilmington in the news

Couple of really nice articles about Wilmington in the local paper

Seems like the town has never been more busy this summer.  The cars parked at the flume at times are crazy.

http://www.suncommunitynews.com/articles/the-sun/wilmington-wild-forest/

http://www.suncommunitynews.com/articles/the-sun/wilmington-super-says-wild-forest-plan-delivers/

Hiking in the high peaks has been crazy crowded this summer.

There is some talk an even an editorial in the paper advocating requiring a hiking permit.  Some moron showed up with two tour buses  for a group hike.   Got arrested for guided without a lisence.

In France you buy an expedition permit which provides free rescue skiing off piste, hiking, climbing etc.  if you get hurt without it and need evac you get a big bill.

What hike was the guy trying to do with the tour buses?

With everybody and their brother wanting to be a 46er I think the DEC should assign peak reservation times.
"You have a reservation for 2 on the summit of Marcy for 3PM to 3:13PM, don't be late!"
The trails to the big peaks (Marcy, Algonquin, Phelps, Gothics, Giant, etc) are getting to be conga lines.
I don't go on the weekends anymore and I tend to stay away from the 4Ks except the more remote ones. F'n tourists.

I heard it was Marcy

They were on Algonquin.

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2016/08/group-67-people-ticketed-algonquin-peak.html

Crying about the damage done to my woods.

PeeTex wrote

With everybody and their brother wanting to be a 46er I think the DEC should assign peak reservation times.
"You have a reservation for 2 on the summit of Marcy for 3PM to 3:13PM, don't be late!"
The trails to the big peaks (Marcy, Algonquin, Phelps, Gothics, Giant, etc) are getting to be conga lines.
I don't go on the weekends anymore and I tend to stay away from the 4Ks except the more remote ones. F'n tourists.

Living here we love the money tourism brings in but you reach a point usually mid August where you just want these poeple to go home.

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One way to perhaps control how many are hiking a particular trail would be to decide how many cars should be able to park at a trail head and then post no parking signs outside that zone with high fines and aggresive enforcement.  Or hire high school and college students to chat get  fee at trail heads and only allow so many hikers per every 15 mins to start up the trail.

Back to Wilmington I think there is plenty of capacity for more trail use and the town is really starting to come into its own.  I like the idea of trying to connect all the trails to the town center.  If Hardy could be somehow connected with a trail that would be awesome.

Peter Minde wrote

They were on Algonquin.

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2016/08/group-67-people-ticketed-algonquin-peak.html

Crying about the damage done to my woods.

I can't tell you the number of times I have hiked up and down Algonquin telling people to get out of the woods beside the bedrock trail and get back on the hard surface trail. They don't want to walk on the rock because they are afraid of slipping and they don't want to walk through the mud because they are wearing the wrong foot wear (usually tennis shoes - or even flip flops). The trails are just getting wider and the damage is incredible.

Jeff,
One article suggested that they advertise more of the other trails and opportunities in the park. At first that sounds like a good idea but selfishly I hate it. These are the areas I will go when the HPs are a zoo.  

Coach Z wrote

There is some talk an even an editorial in the paper advocating requiring a hiking permit.  Some moron showed up with two tour buses  for a group hike.   Got arrested for guided without a lisence.

In France you buy an expedition permit which provides free rescue skiing off piste, hiking, climbing etc.  if you get hurt without it and need evac you get a big bill.

Not arrested. Just ticketed for 250 for each of three offenses I think.  

Small price to pay for a weekend where the trip profit was estimated to be upwards of 10 grand.

New Hampshire has a similar get out of rescue free(small fee) card system.  

You can also get up to 15 days jail time for each of the offenses.

This reminds me so much of what I read (and confirmed in person) about peekamoose blue hole this summer. I hiked Algonquin and wright in the late nineties and felt like, even back then, it was a lot more crowded then suited my tastes. It's also striking to me how city people (a generic description I know) seem to just do their #2s right out in the open the minute they hit the woods. Even if I wasn't familiar with basic leave-no-trace principles and the DEC rules on the subject, I would never consider dumping in the open anywhere near a trail. That is a crazy aggressive act. I don't get it at all.

I have seen piles of it next to streams above camping areas where people will draw water from. I have seen people pissing it the streams as well. Disgusting.

I taught all my kids and all their kids proper LNT procedures.

Brownski wrote

just do their #2s right out in the open the minute they hit the woods.

Ah, so, get brown on ski ?

Snowballs wrote

Brownski wrote

just do their #2s right out in the open the minute they hit the woods.

Ah, so, get brown on ski ?

Very good

It's really nasty.  Even my pooch won't poop on trail. He always goes at least a few feet, usually more, into the woods to take care of number 2.

Too many damn people.

We really need to take a step back on our breeding.