LolOriginally Posted by shades Of Gray
WALK ON
You said a mouthful!
Amen to that, Terrapin! I sure wasn't ready for it and I'd done 1000 miles. Next time, and yes there will be a next time... I'll take it slower and go with a buddy so I'm not so afraid of falling.
i love the 100-mile-whatever-you-want-to-call-it; it's as close to wilderness as the a.t. gets.
i didn't know a/b whl on my first hike in '01; but on my second hike in '03, i happily stopped there and enjoyed myself thoroughly.
"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive." -TJ
A good example of an "illegal" sign is the sign marking the blue blaze trail to Monson, specifically the one that says "Shaw's" with an arrow. Not many complaints about that one.
Let him put up a sign, hikers go there anyway.
Kirby
Yeah, but Shaw's is considered part of the AT community, so they are exempt from all the BS being tossed at WHL.
I stayed at WHL last June and I really enjoyed it. Well worth the side trip IMO.
kirby "gets it"
i agree. unfortunately its the maine atc that decides. i guess shaws existence doesnt threaten the 100 mile mystique.
im a pisspoor poet. but i wrote this while staying at whl.
There’s a place in the deep woods
Of northernmost maine
Just off the Appalachian trail
On pemadumcook lake,
midst the moose’s refrain
Eagle’s cry and loon’s sad wail.
It’s a paradise place, a haven and respite
It’s a place to regroup and restore.
It’s a welcoming place
To refuel and refit
And to rest your body so sore.
So don’t miss this place
Don’t hurry on past it.
For its not the beginning or ending
The real goal of this walk
Is to enjoy the journey
And places like White House Landing
U.S. Marines.
no better friend. no greater enemy.
I don't know, but I suspect that if White House landing had put up a simple sign that said White House Landing with an arrow, no one would have said anything.
Instead they posted a dozen blaze orange signs tacked to as many trees, and refused all efforts by MATC to work out a compromise.
AS for your specific comment, Kirby, I don't remember the "illegal" sign marking the blue blaze trail to Shaw's. But the blue blaze is mostly on public highways where MATC or ATC has no jurisdiction.
Weary
You don't have to, you know. You can still carry all your food if you want. Is it that important that everyone hikes the way you want them to?You can slack pack the entire 100 mile wilderness if you want to.
Frosty
The MATC is kind of egomaniacal. Prostrate yourself, forehead on the floor before the Mighty Ones, and you are fine. It is only when you do not worship them as gods do you get into trouble.
It's a State of Maine thing. Lived in Maine for close to 20 years. Beautiful land, bloated gov't from the top down.
The 'real" Maine State Motto: The Way Life SHould Be (but isn't, not here).
Frosty
Hey, Frosty, that's a bit extreme. First MATC has no enforcement powers of its own. They enforce 99.99% of the time only by persusion. In my 35 years as a member, there may have been one or two others, but I can only think of only two instances where the club has called in National Park Service rangers. About 12 years or so ago, a couple christianed a brand new leanto with 10 inch high black graffitti. And after a half decade or more of trying to work with White House Landing, the club finally notified the ranger at Harpers Ferry.
Weary
That wasn't my point at all....point being, it is no more of a wilderness than anywhere else on the AT.
geek.
Egomaniacal?
Could not be further from the truth. If "egomaniacal" means to selflessly maintain and protect some of the most remote trail for everyone to use, then I guess it would apply. Attend an executive board meeting or a work trip to see that if "prostrate adulation" were offered, it would not be recognized nor would they know what to do with it. They would, however, know what to do with respect. The MATC does, much like many of the other maintaining clubs, have some "great" ones but great in the sense that they have contributed (and continue to do so) so much to the trail. We will continue to do our jobs so that the trail is available for all when they wish to hike it.
Life is what happens while you are making other plans. John Lennon
I apologize, I was unaware of any attempt to compromise with WHL.
When you get to the junction for the blue blaze, there is a sign declaring Shaw's with an arrow.
I know Ray Ronan maintains a section in that area, he might be able to confirm or deny this, but I'm pretty confident there is one. I don't care, it was helpful for me, as I intended to blue blaze to town anyway.
The MATC, from what I understand, simply needs some young blood. I'm not aware of any reach out effort by the club to high schools in Portland. Maybe I'm missing something.
Kirby
Don't know
Hi Kirby, The sign for Shaw's was news to me as it is farther south than I maintain. Regarding attracting young people, MATC is not alone in finding this difficult. Maine AMC is ahead of us but still has trouble due to strict guidelines for those working with minors.
Life is what happens while you are making other plans. John Lennon
It's unfortunate some people think expressing themselves in the manner they have is appropriate. How it helps MATC or newbies is beyond me, nor can I fathom what those who persist with it hope to accomplish.
I would think if the service providers mentioned were to work with Mainetainers, appropriate signage could be put on the AT, especially if those service providers were willing to help pay for it.
Seems I recall sporting camps being listed on signs along with other points of interest many years ago. No doubt there are examples in WhiteBlaze's sign gallery or in the private collections of hikers reading this thread.
white house landing
As I said earlier I didn't go to WHL when I got to the cross trail.
When I got to the blue blaze for Monson, I simply continued on to the next road crossing. Seeing a sign does not require you to take action. The following year I rehiked the section from Caratunk to Monson. Since I'd left my car at Shaw's and had his son shuttle me to Caratunk, when I got to the blue blaze I took it. It was convenient to have it marked.
Maybe different hikes should have different signage. We could have people waiting on the trail before the hikers get to the signs and change the signs according to the hikers needs and sign preference.
Well, I'm not sure what it is you are trying to say. Except for some ancient state lands that were mostly rediscovered 35 years ago, the trail in Maine is owned by the National Park Service. NPS doesn't allow commercial signs on its lands. MATC recognizes that the Maine AT provides some of the wildest trails remaining in the East. We try to maintain that wildness.
Are you saying, we shouldn't fight to maintain what little wildness remains?
Weary
No, I don't advocate giving up the fight. Generally I argue in favor of maintaining and even enhancing wildness where possible and desireable.
Land ownership has changed since the days to which I referred and perhaps new standards apply. It is important people who read and post here understand why things are done as they are.
Private individuals don't have the right to create trails and put up signage as they see fit. Any such changes need to be proposed to the proper authorities and approved. If the changes requested don't meet the existing standards, then they must be denied.
People ranting here year after year about MATC only serves to fill the heads of a new crop of hikers with nonsense and benefits neither MATC or hikers who depend upon their continued efforts.
Of course service providers have an interest in their customers being able to find their establishments. There are many ways they can go about making themselves known while still complying with NPS's standards.
i wasnt there when whl first butted heads with the matc. but why cant matc put their own directional sign up, just like all the other routered white lettering on maroon wood, directing the hiker to whl's landing? it is a valid hiker resupply point in my mind. the only reasons for not doing it that i can see would be 1. hard feelings over past battles or 2. the desire to maintain the myth of the 100 mile wildnerness.
U.S. Marines.
no better friend. no greater enemy.
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