Income for the CT

[cohostrail]

In the Coos County region there are three different trails groups operating that maintain paid-overnight shelters -- the AMC, of course, the Randolph Mountain Club with its four shelters on the north slope of the Presidential Range, and Mountain Recreation, with its system of walk-to, ski-to yurts in Millsfield, Errol and Dixville. Each organization funds its operation to a fair degree with income derived from overnight fees at shelters.

I think it is something to consider, pulling interested people from near and far, to study the concept of a point-to-point rustic hut system on the Cohos Trail and perhaps nearby trails and rivers. The idea would be to boost the income generating power of the Cohos Trail Association so that it is fully capable of managing the big trail and providing much improved services for hikers and other nonmotorized recreators, such as wildlife watchers, bird watchers, leisure walkers, XC skiers, snowshoers, dogsledders, fishermen, kayakers, canoists, trail bikers, road bicyclists, ice and rock climbers, extreme sporters, etc.

In doing a bit of research into this some years ago, I discovered that hikers wouldn't make a system of huts in northern Coos work. There would not be enough traffic and not enough income generation to support such a system. But if the whole universe of nonmotorized recreators were in the mix, then the system might very well be viable financially and generate enough income to sustain itself and even increase the nonencumbered budget that the association works with, so it could use funds for other projects and services.

If you have an interest in looking into the concept of a hut system on the CT, please get in touch with us. Email
[e-mail] or [e-mail]. Or call Peter and Lainie at 603-538-6777 or Kim Nilsen at 603-363-8902.

percypeaks

[1hiker]

It would be great to have the CT self-funding. But I have a few questions (my apologies if this is not the place for them).

Would this require staffers collecting fees, cleaning the huts? A hut system would need to have a pretty good income to break even, after paying out wages. Maybe it could be based on the honor system. But I wonder if this could lead to a creeping AMC-ism, where the public (perhaps with good reason?) wonders about the purpose of the club. (Even if it does, maybe that's a good problem to have?)

Another question - for non-hikers to enjoy a hut system, wouldn't it need to be close roadways? Would it essentially be a hostel? Would it be competing with local B&Bs and State Parks?

On the plus side, this would be pretty innovative. I think just that the attempt would get the CT recognition. If it works, it might become a case study for Harvard MBAs.

[percypeaks]

Say 1hiker,

A hut system on the Cohos Trail would really something like a hostel system in Europe, designed to attacted nonmotorized recreators of all sorts.

Therefore, the hut compounds would, for the most part, be near roads or accessible old logging lanes. A few might be near the rivers, such as the Upper Ammonoosuc. And several might be mountain huts that could be approached on foot andr on mountain bike.

Because most would be accessible, there would have to be a roving caretaker or two who would check on several huts each day or every other day. The huts would, like the AMC system, be booked in by pre-registration so that there would be some order to the chaos. If there were empty bunks, a caretaker could make arrangements with the new guest to pay for the overnight, I suppose.

Anyway, it's too early to get into specifics, but the idea of a hostel system is sound, I think. We just have to study the devil out of it to see if it would be feasible.

percypeaks