Mount Tecumseh, 4,000 Footers Hiking List - On the same day that I publicized my Owl’s Head, Conserving Wilderness article, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) posted an article about some of the mountains on the White Mountain 4,000 footers hiking list may not be over 4,000 feet. Being over 4,000 feet is one of the requirements for a mountain to be on the list. While our articles focus on different mountains on the hiking list, they both suggest that the ...

Scenes of October, New Hampshire - The month of October is one of my favorite times of the year to be out shooting and exploring the White Mountains. As we came into the autumn season this year many, including myself, were unsure how the foliage was going to look here in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Well, it turns out the 2016 autumn foliage season was the best....[Continue reading] ...

Mt. Tecumseh Trail, New Hampshire - This photography focuses on trail work. Since 2011, there has been an excessive amount of stonework done on the Mt. Tecumseh Trail. Sections of trail where four or five stone steps would have done the job have been transformed into one hundred foot long elaborate, unnatural looking, staircases. Trail stewardship groups preach that low-impact trail work entails building stonework in such a way that it looks natural and blends into nature, and man’s impact ...

Sustainable Trail Work, White Mountains - Here in New Hampshire, all we hear about is environmental friendly and sustainable trail work. And how important it is to conserve the trails for future generations. As an environmental photographer, I support this approach to preserving the trail system. And up until a few years ago, I have always believed that the organizations maintaining our trails practiced what they preached...[Continue reading] ...

Trail Work, Poor Trail Blaze Removal Practices - In October 2011, Erin Paul photographed newly painted trail blazing along the Mt. Tecumseh Trail in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. And sometime in the spring 2012, poor trail stewardship practices were used to remove one of the trail blazes. The bark where the blaze was had been cut and peeled away from the tree, and a large wound where rot, fungus, and insects could enter the tree was visible. Most trail maintenance ...

Forest Disturbances, New Hampshire - As an environmental photographer, I am fascinated with all aspects of the forest, and understand why some photographers focus entirely on forest photography. The forest seems to be in a constant battle to survive and its very existence is similar to the human race.....[Continue reading] ...

Repaired Trail Blazing, Trail Maintenance - Some of the issues along the Mt Tecumseh Trail in Waterville Valley New Hampshire have been addressed and corrected by Forest Service. I commend Forest Service for correcting issues along this trail. And it is satisfying to know they are taking the needed steps to improve the White Mountains trail system...[Continue reading] ...

Mt Tecumseh Trail, New Hampshire - Today I hiked the Mt Tecumseh Trail in Waterville Valley to photograph a section of fairly new stonework. In October of 2011 I was asked to photograph this work, and at the time I questioned the quality of work, so I have continued to photograph it. The included photos show that the hillside is collapsing, and the steps are not holding up....[Continue reading] ...

Flagging on Birch Tree - Mt Tecumseh Trail (2012) Legitimate Flagging (survey tape) - On a trail inspection with a Forest Service assistant district ranger in 2012, a topic of discussion was survey flagging tape on trees along the White Mountains trail system. It needs to be pointed out that some of the survey flagging tape you see along trails in the White Mountains marks trees that are being used for research. Much of this flagging has no identifying marks ...