Everybody Hikes Mount Major

[Slickcraft]

That is the name of an effort to preserve four large properties in the Belknap Range, three of the properties in Alton along the Mt Major trails and the North Straightback area. One property is in Gilford, Piper Mt area.

Here is a link to a Forest Society video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxcoqLBwERQ

And a link to an article:
http://www.forestsociety.org/howyouc...jects.asp#sp45

[mcdude]

More land "donated" to preserve the Belknap Range

Gilford contributing to purchase of 327 acres on shoulder of Piper Mountain

Published Date Thursday, 29 August 2013 02:37 - Laconia Daily Sun

GILFORD — Selectmen voted to approve a permanent conservation easement on a 327-acre tract of land in the Belknap Mountain Range last night after a recommendation from the Conservation Commission. The land will be owned by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust.
The Gage/Menighin/Cullinane parcel, which will cost the trust about $210,000, is currently owned privately and, according to Conservation Commission member Everett McLaughlin is just about its assessed value.
One-hundred and ten-thousand dollars will be the contribution of Gilford to the purchase, leaving a balance of about $240,000 in the fund for future land purchases.
The balance of the purchase price will come from a fund-raising campaign being conducted by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and the Belknap Range Conservation Coalition.
"This is an important acquisition," McLaughlin said. "We've been chasing this land for 10 years."
The tract is just west of the summit of Piper Mountain and is very close to Whiteface. It is part of the westerly view shed and just south of the Belknap Mountain State Forest. With the purchase, the Piper Mountain summit will be surrounded by conservation lands.
McLaughlin told selectmen an ecological survey research shows that the land is remote and pristine, hosts a variety of natural wildlife, and has a high likelihood of containing rare plants.
Moulton Brook — said it a tributary to Manning Lake in Gilmanton — runs through the parcel said McLaughlinwh noted its primary use would be the conservation of the watershed and recreation. The tract is also home to parts of four key Belknap Trails.
The latest addition is one of four parcels that comprise the larger project of conserving Belknap Mountain and its hiking trails. The other three are Roberts parcel that is adjacent to the Mt. Major Trailhead in Alton; the Jenson parcel that is west of the Mount Major summit in Alton; and the Hertel parcel that holds East Quarry Mountain in Alton.
In a separate action, selectmen also accepted the donation of 8.5 acres of land from the Carye Family Trusts that is adjacent to Lily Pond that will be put into permanent conservation.
Conservation Commission Chair Carol Hall said the parcel is partially wetlands and is a key buffer between the Walmart shopping center and Lily Pond.
She said the trustees of the Carye Trusts "stepped forward" and gave the land to the town for conservation.
Over the years, the Carye family has been "more than generous" to the town of Gilford said commission member Doug Hill, an attorney who helped facilitate the donation.
Selectmen said they were more than happy to accept the gift.

[wifi]

Wonder if the LRCT is planning on cutting off access (to large portions) after they buy it, just like they did at the Castle in the Clouds ?

[Slickcraft]

Alton is contributing to the SPNHF purchase of 3 properties in Alton and Gilford is contributing to the LRCT purchase in Gilford.

In Alton the town will receive deeded easements to the 3 properties guaranteeing perpetual public access including hiking, hunting and snowmobiling on maintained trails with consideration for expansion of the trail system. I would assume that the town of Gilford will receive a similar easement on the property in Gilford.

The Mt Major snowmobile club officers attended the Alton public hearing and voiced support for the SPNHF purchase.

BTW, in Alton in 2008 voters passed a warrant article to add more land use change tax funds to the conservation fund. The article contained the statement "A priority will be given to preservation of those portions of the Belkanp Mountain Range within Alton" It is from this fund that Alton is contributing to the SPNHF purchase.

[bclaker]

Could this be the reason the Forest Society is planning to purchase Mount Major lands?

http://www.nhbr.com/June-14-2013/For...n-in-the-wind/

[mcdude]

Originally Posted by wifi

Wonder if the LRCT is planning on cutting off access (to large portions) after they buy it, just like they did at the Castle in the Clouds ?

the video found here http://www.forestsociety.org/howyouc...major-belknaps talks about keeping the area accessible for snowmobiles. It isn't just the LRCT. They are in partnership with the Society for the Preservation of Forests (who recently acquired the Morse Farm on Alton Mt.) and the Belknap Range Conservation Coalition http://belknaprange.org/

Hiking Mt. Major Blog http://mtmajorbelknaps.blogspot.com/

[VitaBene]

There sure were a lot of cars parked at the trail head yesterday

[RLW]

Originally Posted by mcdude

the video found here http://www.forestsociety.org/howyouc...major-belknaps talks about keeping the area accessible for snowmobiles. It isn't just the LRCT. They are in partnership with the Society for the Preservation of Forests (who recently acquired the Morse Farm on Alton Mt.) and the Belknap Range Conservation Coalition http://belknaprange.org/

Hiking Mt. Major Blog http://mtmajorbelknaps.blogspot.com/

mcdude, I just noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

I see you haven't posted very much since you joined the forum and it is great to see your input and as usual it is wonderful input. RLW is putting this in, in jest and a big LOL.

[nhboat61]

We plan on hiking to the top this weekend.. What trail is best to take?

A 4 weeks ago we attempted the blue trail and we had to turn around and never made it to the top. It got to difficult.

Any suggestions ?

[upthesaukee]

Go up the orange (?) trail, which I think is also called the Brook trail, and then come down the blue trail. Up near the top, on your way down, there are a few spots, as I remember it, that are best done with small steps on your fanny .

Or you can go back down the way you came up, or you can go down the back side of Mt Major, which is the "D" snowmobile trail. Follow the D trail to Jesus Valley road, turn left and follow it out to rte 11 and then back to the Mt.Major area.

[jrc]

The orange and yellow trails are much less steep but longer. So either will work. The orange has one short section that is steep, pretty much no steep spots on the yellow. The yellow is moist and buggy but not an issue this time of year.

If you didn't like ascending the rocky sections of blue, I highly suggest that you do not descend on the blue. Steep sections are always scarier on the way down.

[Slickcraft]

You can see a map here, then click to get the high resolution and then zoom in:
http://belknaprange.org/belknaprangemap.htm

So the loop around is blue to start and then the yellow brook trail connecting back to blue west of Major and then east on blue to the summit.

Yes going down the main trail is steep in parts. You can return the way you came up or take the boulder trail. Look at the map at the kiosk in the parking lot.

BTW a $50 donation to the campaign will get you a very nice two sided map. The entire Belknap range on one side, Mt Major and Gunstock trails on the other side.

[mcdude]

From the Baysider - 12/19

ALTON — The Alton Board of Selectmen met on Wednesday, Dec. 11, and discussed conservation easements near Mount Major, police grants and the Emergency Management 911 Notification System.
The board was missing members Bob Daniels and Cydney Johnson during the meeting.
The board discussed three parcels in town that are being proposed to become conservation easements. The three plots include a 75-acre parcel near the Mount Major trailhead, 100 acres between Mount Major and Straightback and a 450-acre parcel near the end of Reed Road.
Russ Wilder, the head of the Belknap Range Conservation Coalition, Tom Howe, of the New Hampshire Forrest Society (NHFS) and Earl Bagley, the Chairman of the Alton Conservation Commission (ACC), discussed the three parcels.
Howe explained that the three access agreements would cost $230,000 and would come from the land use tax. Howe explained the main reason for putting the parcels into conservation would be to remove the development rights from the parcels.
Chairman Loring Carr questioned the language on what activities were allowed. Howe explained that mountain biking, ATVs or horseback riding could be allowed, but aren’t guaranteed. Howe said it was important to establish a minimum that is guaranteed that includes hiking, walking, snowshoeing and snowmobiling on the trails.
Member Dave Hussey asked about putting a zipline on the property, and Howe said the NHFS could consider any proposal.
Howe said without conservation, any of the private landowners could wake up and say I’m done with the public using my property. Howe reported that 98 percent of the property is privately owned in the area around Mount Major.
Howe said concerns over the parking area, trash and toilet facilities could be addressed in the future if the NHFS takes over the parcels.
Bagley talked about the fire department having to perform rescues and said the fire department could be up much more often than it is now.
Carr suggested that language be added to the agreement that allows for the ACC to meet annually with the NHFS. Carr also suggested that the ACC should be consulted about any major changes to the trails.
The actual acreage of the three parcels is 468 acres, 107 acres and approximately 75 acres. The third parcel hasn’t been surveyed.
The total fundraising goal for the project is $1.8 million and Wilder reported that $940,000 has already been raised. Howe reported that the total purchase price for the three parcels is $1,050,000.
Howe said that the third parcel isn’t a done deal, but a contract has been created for all three parcels with the three owners. Howe said he could get a guarantee from the director of the NHFS about the third parcel. He said the NHFS has closed on every major project it has committed to.
The board voted by a 2-1 vote to approve the $230,000 for the easements, with Hussey opposing over concerns that the deal could fall through, and Carr and member Marc DeCoff voting in favor.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

That is the name of an effort to preserve four large properties in the Belknap Range, three of the properties in Alton along the Mt Major trails and the North Straightback area. One property is in Gilford, Piper Mt area.

Here is a link to a Forest Society video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxcoqLBwERQ

And a link to an article:
http://www.forestsociety.org/howyouc...jects.asp#sp45

In its Autumn issue, the NH Forest Society (SPNH), has a multi-page spread of Mt. Major—including a long essay on "Voices of Mt. Major" / "Protecting the EVERYBODY Mountain". It's the most information-packed issue I can remember.

Articles also appear on SPNH' Conservation efforts, "Hiking the Belknap Range", "Something Wild", NH radio broadcasts of the Monarch butterfly and America's finest songbird's leisurely return-migration from NH. (Wood Thrush).

Photographed and discussed are the many volunteers who keep SPNH' forested purchases open for hikers, the SPNH easements that block Northern Pass and the rough-hewn NH citizens who don't sell out to developers, but donate land for conservancy.

SPNH' Autumn issue is a superb one, and can be read here:

http://forestsociety.org/news/forest-notes.asp

[Slickcraft]

On pages 10-11 of the SPNHF magazine Dave is recognized as "Forest Society's Conservationist of the year". http://forestsociety.org/pdf/fn20134.pdf

Anyone who has a Belknap Range trail map can thank Dave. Over many years he produced a series of maps often updated to show new trails that he had blazed and GPS mapped.

Dave is a founding member of the Belknap Range Conservation Coalition http://belknaprange.org/ and he personally stepped in to save a key Mt Major parcel from development. In the fall of 2012 the 75 acre parcel at the Mt Major trail head was on the market and a developer had strong interest. Dave stepped in and, with his own resources, purchased the parcel thus allowing the SPNHF time for the current program to be organized. Otherwise the existing Mt Major tails would no longer have had a public accessible trail head.

I have known Dave for many years and, in addition to being Conservationist of the year, he is the nicest person you would ever hope to meet.

[ApS]

The brand-new issue of SPNHF covers a lot of ground: Northern Pass, how wood pellet boilers will succeed oil for heating, how to "read" a forest recovering from the Hurricane of 1938, new NH hiking trails being developed, and how trees "talk" in winter, and how some birds benefit.

The Hurricane of 1938 started the science of "reading downed trees" (and why it is so difficult to fell a tree uphill) can be accessed here:

http://northernwoodlands.org/article...hurricane-1938

The other articles can be found here.



During WWII, a Concord sawmill was operated by women:

http://www.turkeypond.com/

[mcdude]

From https://www.forestsociety.org/news/p...ase.asp?id=790