Trail ribbons

[SilentCal]

Recently I noticed a lot more colored ribbons being tied to trees and saplings along the trail.

1. The first righthand switchback on the Falling Waters Trail after the Shining Rock viewpoint. Orange Tape that went off into a distance. I think maybe it goes to a outlook over Walker Ravine but I did not check it out.
2. Garfield Trail- from the last switchback all the way to the summit I noticed Lime green ribbons along the trail. I think maybe it's for wintertime to help folks stay on the path and not wander to Garfield Pond.
3. Hancock Notch Trail - About a half Mile in from the hairpin, I noticed Blue and Yellow ribbons that seemed to intersect the trail and continue uphill on the right and toward the brook on the left. I have no clue what this could be.

Anyone else notice these and have any explaination for them??

 

[thetrailboss]

I also noticed Orange tape on the Osceola Trail this weekend.

 

[Schuyler]

Hi SC!

Magic and I saw orange ribbons on the trail up to Mt. Nancy this Monday. They all had numbers on them and appeared to be assosiated with water bars and othere possible trail work needing to be done. Did your ribbons have numbers? We were guessing that the numbers were some sort of codes referrring to different types of repairs??

Peace,
Sky

 

[MtnMagic]

The numbers are the codes for the trail maintenance: stone or wood waterbars, scree wall, etc. We saw 3-4 dozen. Our dues at work.

SC: Norcross pond is beautiful and the hike up to Nancy was steep. Didn't notice it on the way up, we never stopped talking so it went by unnoticed and really quicky. Noticed it on the way down as 10-12' from each other our boots were above our heads.

Isn't it time again to meet for a autumn hike!
__________________
I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.
--LBJ

 

[David Metsky]

As MtnMagic said, flagging is the standard way to mark trails for trail crews. You usually write the task and particulars (8' water bar, sidehill cribbing, rock steps, etc) on the flagging, or mark them with task numbers for look up.

Bushwackers sometimes mark their routes, but are always supposed to remove the flagging on the way down. Other uses include property lines and other private land uses. A lot of trails in the Whites run through private land, however none of the trails listed below would fall into that category. No trails that I know of are flagged to keep people on the trail, either summer or winter.

-dave-