Fire on the AT in Shelburne NH

[peakbagger]

Could be an expensive spring hike for a hiker. https://www.conwaydailysun.com/berli...b92a4e137.html The Centennial Trail is the AT at the beginning of the Mahoosuc trail section. The local news has not released details but reported that a person of interest has been identified and it was probably a warming fire. Temps were below freezing overnight despite daytime temps up in the seventies.

The woods are pretty open in the area and its popular for folks driving up to head up the trail late in the day and setting up a campsite. When the area was privately owned, camping was restricted to authorized campsites. The nearest campsite is about 4 hours north at Trident Col (and a bit of an introduction to overconfident backpackers to the Mahoosucs) Since it has been protected, its officially in the WMNF and I cannot find any specific camping regulations for this area. The woods are rocky hardwoods with a deep duff so once a fire starts it is hard to put out as the fire gets down and under rocks. NH does not have aerial firefighting equipment as normally the woods are quite fire resistant except for in the spring until the trees green out. Usually, its takes rain event and the soonest one is next Monday.

The trail is currently closed, the former AT route from the trestle in Gorham is still open and bypasses the fire.

[rdljr]

Still listed as burning and having crossed the AT. I have not been able to find any good maps of the damaged area but I know my summer loop has been postponed at this time. I can understand making a fire to warm up, but I will never be able to understand not putting it out completely.

[peakbagger]

The trailhead for the Centennial Trail is on Hogan Road (a dirt logging road. A few miles in on Hogan Road past a hydroelectric plant is the trailhead for the Mahoosuc trail. The section of the Mahoosuc trail up to junction with Centennial trail is a nice hike with a spur to Leadmine Pond and very nice views on open ledges south and east. Its a nice detour. The local paper indicates its almost out.