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View Full Version : Cog vs. Auto Road


jdw
07-01-2005, 11:44 AM
So there's been a bit of slagging off of the Cog in recent posts which got me wondering...

Why is the anomosity so much more directed toward the Cog rather than the Auto Road?

I really don't care for the cog much at all and, as such, I've never used the Cog and have used the Auto Road on several occasions. I just trying to quantify my reasoning behind this and was wondering what others' takes were.

The pollution of the Auto Road would seem to be greater than the Cog due to sheer numbers. I've looked for data on this, without success. The cost of the Cog is prohibitive for me at $50+ a pop. The Road isn't exactly free, but splitting the trip with a handful of other skiers still leaves beer money... In terms of detracting from the summit experience, for me, the sheer numbers of people are a big factor and the Road is certainly a much greater contributor. From afar, the Cog's path is much more visible.

I think what it boils down to is that the Cog's effects are more tangibly offensive - the soot, chunks o' coal, construction equipment, the frickin' toot that can't be escaped. The pollutants from the Road are Maine-bound very quickly. I don't hear the cars on the Road until pretty much within 100 yards of the road, etc.

In a perfect world (that was completely centered around me, of course :)). There'd be no motorized traffic to the top at all, but that's just not happening. Just to be sure, I'm not debating at all whether either should exist (that's been done over and over), rather why one over the other if given the choice.

Did that even make sense? Friday before a long weekend and shell scripts running slowly will lead to incoherence...

awf170
07-01-2005, 11:57 AM
personally i hate both, thats why if i do a hike up there i dont go to the top, or dont even do mt washington

Jolly J
07-01-2005, 02:45 PM
When we were climbing down the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, in the distance I could hear the Cog Whistle. I mumbled "**** you cog"

JayTux
07-01-2005, 03:51 PM
the cog is pretty annoying, but I guess I hate the auto road more because it birngs up so many more people...but they need the auto road for bringing up the observatory staff during the winter, at least I dont think there's a trail that the snowcat could go up...

:)