Friends pick up trash left by large crowds checking out foliage in White Mountains
By Arielle Mitropoulos
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FRANCONIA, New Hampshire (WMUR) — Two local friends made it their mission on Tuesday to clean up the mess that was left behind over the weekend by massive crowds visiting New Hampshire’s White Mountains to catch a glimpse of the changing leaves.
“As soon as I saw the pictures, I said, ‘Oh, there’s going to be a big mess tomorrow,'” said Siobhan Smith, who lives in the area. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen crowds that big; it was definitely fully packed on the trail.”
Over the last week, photos of the crowds have emerged, showing lines of people on the highways and the trails trying to get a perfect view of the foliage.
Early Tuesday morning, Smith and her friend Noah hiked up Artist’s Bluff, picking up the trash that visitors had left on the trail.
“Just seeing the photos, and us working in the Notch and seeing all the people who’ve come through the tram, we’ve just realized that no one wants to go up there when there’s trash everywhere,” Smith said.
The two picked up two trash bags filled with garbage, including plastic water bottles, dirty diapers, and clothing, such as hats and sweatshirts.
Smith said that while the fall can be a beautiful time to visit New Hampshire’s White Mountains, it is important for anyone coming up to leave the community how they first found it, so the Granite State can remain beautiful.
“I think just having pride in our community and seeing how beautiful it can be without garbage is truly important,” she said.
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