File under FWIW, a couple of interesting posts on the LSHT Yahoo Group:

First one might be useful to tech savvy folks coming on tis trip (Plan A or Plan B)


Short - Live GPS enabled LSHT maps now on Maprika phone app. Download to your phone and try it out. You can use the map function to find LSHT maps on the app or search for LSHT. Please give feedback.

Thank you to Dave for providing higher resolution map images.

Verbose:
Last weekend I tried out out topo maps on Maprika and they worked very well while hiking the Eastside. Maprika is a app for Android and IOS that has geosynched maps and current location via GPS.

I loaded up the lower Eastern side up to Trailhead #10. They worked well but I could not see most of the elevation numbers and the FS roads labels were difficult to make out. I got a higher resolution map of Section 8 from Dave today, geosynched it, and uploaded it. This solved all the visibility issues. I will update the maps that I uploaded and add more as I get the higher resolution maps. Depending on time and availability I hoping to get this done by 2/24/13.

Battery life was easily maintained on the phone by shutting down some functions leading to 1/100 units per hour burn rate.
The next looks like two of the problems we've been having with planning on the trail are being removed:


Talked to FS today and heard some interesting updates about the trail closure and primitive camping during hunting season.
It seems the new Forest Supervisor in Lufkin doesn't agree with closing of trails because of the dead trees. However, because a Forest Order was issued, even though it was before he arrived, they have to find a way to walk it back. It's getting kicked up the the Southern Region Office in Atlanta, GA. to find a way to rescind the Forest Order. I bet it has to do with legal liability.
Dano, the Recreation & Wildlife Director over the Sam Houston & Davy Crockett N.F., will be meeting with Texas Parks & Wildlife. He will bring up the topic of Primitive Camping along the LSHT during hunting season. Since TX P&W manages the Type II hunting in the NF they have some say in the process. I hoping they would allow, at a minimum, camping at the LSHT Primitive Campsites during hunting season.
Time will tell.
Maybe snarky posts on that forum do have an effect.

As to this trip, (and I never thought I'd say this) unfortunately, the weather looks like its going to be great, so we might want to prepare to execute Plan B.