Hikers Who Moon Train Face Crack Down

[Skidsteer]

I got my last quote!!!!!

It really was perfect wasn't it?

[Lone Wolf]

Has nothing to do with the State of New Hampshire, it is a private business.

the mooning usually takes place within a NH state park, no?

[Bearpaw]

the ground ain't fragile. it's granite

I absolutely agree. The problem with the AMC is that they swear the surrounding granite mountains are too "fragile" to camp any where except their "hardened" campsites or huts, available for $15-62. Screw that. I stealthed quite a bit. And found that if you're cool with the college students who run the huts, you'll do just fine in the Whites.

But it really chapped my hide that if the Whites were so "fragile" that they had no problems building roads and the cog to the summit of Washington. I think a lot of the anger is directed at that sort of hypocracy.

Point for future hikers in this area: Don't moon the cog & be courteous to the folks working the huts and you should be fine. But the Whites are NOT the kind of fragile place many make it out to be.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I absolutely agree. The problem with the AMC is that they swear the surrounding granite mountains are too "fragile" to camp any where except their "hardened" campsites or huts, available for $15-62. Screw that. I stealthed quite a bit. And found that if you're cool with the college students who run the huts, you'll do just fine in the Whites.

But it really chapped my hide that if the Whites were so "fragile" that they had no problems building roads and the cog to the summit of Washington. I think a lot of the anger is directed at that sort of hypocracy.

Point for future hikers in this area: Don't moon the cog & be courteous to the folks working the huts and you should be fine. But the Whites are NOT the kind of fragile place many make it out to be.

Excellent post. Goes to the heart of this controversy.

[Miss Janet]

It really was perfect wasn't it?

...one of my few virtues!

[Kirby]

the mooning usually takes place within a NH state park, no?

No. Mount Washington is part of the White Mountain National Forest, anyone arrested for any crime on WMNF property goes to federal court, which is where these hikers ended up, I believe.

Just clarifying,
Kirby

[OregonHiker]

The AMC has a lot of balls to arrest hikers for mooing the cog.
The damn thing is a nuisance and spews horrible black smoke into the pristine air.
They should be ashamed of themselves for even running the damn thing.

And the black coke or whatever it is all over the fragile ground.
Mooning the cog is the least of the pollutants going on in this case.

how about: noise, air, garbage (including the coke), tracks laid above treeline, etc.

a bit of bare ass is a fine way to protest the whole idea of having a toy train up there.

If they wanted to put a windmill up there. then you'd see some bitchin. but this thing is much worse and what good does it do? hell they can drive up the other side!

The Forest Service will be doing the arresting.

[Lone Wolf]

No. Mount Washington is part of the White Mountain National Forest, anyone arrested for any crime on WMNF property goes to federal court, which is where these hikers ended up, I believe.

Just clarifying,
Kirby

the summit area of mt. washington is a state park. google it

[OregonHiker]

I absolutely agree. The problem with the AMC is that they swear the surrounding granite mountains are too "fragile" to camp any where except their "hardened" campsites or huts, available for $15-62. Screw that. I stealthed quite a bit. And found that if you're cool with the college students who run the huts, you'll do just fine in the Whites.

But it really chapped my hide that if the Whites were so "fragile" that they had no problems building roads and the cog to the summit of Washington. I think a lot of the anger is directed at that sort of hypocracy.

Point for future hikers in this area: Don't moon the cog & be courteous to the folks working the huts and you should be fine. But the Whites are NOT the kind of fragile place many make it out to be.

Ever been to Linclon Woods trailhead?

back around 1996 the FS started chrging for the trail head pass. Took out the tent pads and privy 3 miles in at the river junction. Meanwhile no service were brofided for the day hikers heading past, towards the falls. Was a toilet paper floer garde if you know what I mean

[OregonHiker]

the summit area of mt. washington is a state park. google it

yes you are right as always It is also near FS lands. Not sure if the entire cog railway is within the SP, but you have to cross FS lands to get there

[Yahtzee]

I say moon. If you get busted, so be it. Them's the rules. I'd still rather be the one doing the mooning than the one enforcing a mooning ban. Personally, I'd be embarrassed to ticket someone for showing a bare ass.

[Kirby]

the summit area of mt. washington is a state park. google it

Good point, I had no idea. I thought one of the articles posted said the hikers were sent to federal court though?

Kirby

[rickb]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bearpaw View Post
I absolutely agree. The problem with the AMC is that they swear the surrounding granite mountains are too "fragile" to camp any where except their "hardened" campsites or huts, available for $15-62. Screw that. I stealthed quite a bit. And found that if you're cool with the college students who run the huts, you'll do just fine in the Whites.

The AMC has no problem with the Forest Service Regulations that allow for wide spread off-trail camping in the Whites. I think most members do support the idea that off trail camping in the immediate vicinity of roads and hardened shelters and Huts would create something of a blight, however. Sort of a gypsy encampment feel. Or above tree line. Apart from resource protection issues who wants to pass a dozen scout groups frolicking in the campsites on those beautiful ridges. But even that is allow, if there is a good snowpack.

Campsites with a caretaker are not $15.00.

[Yahtzee]

If the AMC is that brutal, pick yourself up a copy of the Stealth Camping in the Whites pamphlets that are usually floating around late VT and early NH.

Never had too much trouble with the huts myself, but the AMC rep is so bad, my expectations weren't all that high to begin with.

Off topic: The book Not Without Peril is a fantastic read about fatal/near fatal hikes in the Whites.

[The Old Fhart]

Lone Wolf-
"the mooning usually takes place within a NH state park, no?"

"the summit area of mt. washington is a state park. google it"

The summit of Mount Washington is a State Park but that isn't where the mooning takes place. The Mt Washington State Park is only 59 acres. If you click on the Delorme Topo USA map, below, you will see that where the Cog tracks cross the A.T. (dotted red line) is clearly on WMNF land. If you mooned at the summit you would be in the State Park but I've never heard of that happening.
Attachment 3059(Click image to see full size map)

[woodsy]

Anyone who moons the cog is a pervert.

[Cosmo Rules]

Not Without Peril is my favorite book, after My Side of The Mountain.

[fiddlehead]

dude. has nothing to do with the AMC. it's the state of NH. showing your dumb ass protests NOTHING. it's just showing your dumb ass. the ground ain't fragile. it's granite

The AMC was running the place last time i mooned the cog.
Sounds like it possibly has changed since then. fine with me.
Whoever is in charge should think about removing that dumb ass toy train!



The ground is not granite where the AT crosses the cog. There are plants there that are very fragile.

Showing my dumb ass is up to me isn't it? (not much different than fording the Kennebec in my view) In one you are hiking the way hiking the AT was meant to be. In the other, you are protesting an eyesore and pollutant in my own way. Be it legal or not. Probably the 1st time i ever bended the rules i think.

Long live the two traditions (i mean controversy's)

[Sly]

Mooning the trail is silly. That should stop. Hikers who have hiked 1,800 miles(or 350ish) should be able to find better things to do with their time above tree line in the whites.

Kirby

It only takes a few seconds to actually moon the cog, but you end up laughing the rest of the day. It's a blast... choo, choo... If you make it that far, you ought to try it first before criticizing.

[The Old Fhart]

Fiddlehead-"The AMC was running the place last time i mooned the cog.
Sounds like it possibly has changed since then. fine with me....."

The Cog has been private since the 1860s and the AMC has never had anything to do with it. Try to get your facts straight.

Fiddlehead-"....Showing my dumb ass is up to me isn't it? (not much different than fording the Kennebec in my view)..."

Wrong again. Whether you cross the Kennebec or not isn't illegal, mooning the Cog is illegal and you could get arrested for it.

If you truly wanted to protest the Cog you wouldn't do something so sophomoric and ineffectual as mooning, you would be writing letters and putting your face to your protest, not acting like a coward and running away after making an arse of yourself..