Mount Major as a Hot Spot

With more than 80,000 people hiking Mount Major every year, the popular hiking spot has seen its share of excessive trash, damage to vegetation, trail erosion, disturbance to wildlife, and more. As a result, Mt. Major was chosen as one of 19 Hot Spots nationwide to be the focus of training from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. As a designated Hot Spot, Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers will teach Forest Society staff, partners and volunteers in how to communicate the principals of Leave No Trace to the public. The trainings and several other outreach and public service events will take place during a “Hot Spot Activation Week” from June 17-24, 2019. The goal of this week is to help educate hikers about how to reduce impacts to the environment while enjoying the amazing natural beauty of Mount Major. 

What is the Leave No Trace Program? 

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics in a national nonprofit organization that protects the outdoors by teaching people how to enjoy it responsibly. Their Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers are mobile educators that visit 48 states every year delivering Leave No Trace programs such as Hot Spots to over 15 million people each year. For more information, visit: www.LNT.org.

Special Thanks

Special thanks to Bob Holdsworth for assistance with the Leave No Tract Hot Spots Program. This program at Mt. Major wouldn't be possible without the support of staff from the Forest Society, Belknap Range Conservation Coalition, Lakes Region Conservation Trust, and the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

Thanks to the generous support provided by the Meredith Village Savings Bank Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Forest Society will also hire two trail stewards to assist with public outreach and stewardship efforts from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day. Trail stewards fulfill an essential role in making Mount Major a safe, clean, and enjoyable destination for all hikers.