Corridor Monitoring Program
The Maine Appalachian Trail Club is extremely fortunate to have much of the AT in Maine surrounded by 34,000 acres of National Park Service land, but caring for and protecting that land is essential.
MATC Corridor Monitors walk the Trail and the corridor boundary lines looking for timber trespass, trash dumping, illegal motor vehicle crossings, and other encroachments that threaten the condition of corridor resources and reduce the quality of the AT experience. The surveyed boundary itself must be kept clearly visible so that neighboring landowners know where it is, and the regular inspection of boundary line monuments helps to protect against a need for very expensive re-surveys that could be required if monuments are lost.
Corridor monitoring offers an opportunity to get off the AT footpath and explore some incredibly beautiful areas that those who only walk the Trail never see. For those seeking something new in Trail stewardship, as well as a little excitement and a chance to satisfy an urge to explore, corridor monitoring may be just what you are looking for. At present, the sections listed below are available for monitoring.
If you would like to find out more about what is involved, two one-day Corridor Monitoring Workshops will be offered this summer: Elliotsville Workshop (just east of Monson) on June 7, and Sugarloaf Workshop on August 2.
To join a workshop or ask about a CM assignment, contact MATC Overseer of Lands Dave Field at 207-862-3674 or meeser3@roadrunner.com.
Also, I am offering something new this year. During the summer and fall, I plan to check a number of unassigned sections in the White Cap District (between route 15 and the Jo Mary Road). I would love to have company. If you are interested in spending a day with me, and learning about corridor monitoring, just let me know. I'll put you on a list and contact you before I head into the woods.
OPEN MATC CORRIDOR MONITORING ASSIGNMENTS (4/4/2008)
There are still some great opportunities for becoming involved in this relatively new, exciting aspect of caring for the Appalachian Trail in Maine. For information about corridor monitoring and upcoming field training sessions, visit the MATC website at www.matc.org/corridor.htm or contact Dave Field at 207-862-3674, or meeser3@roadrunner.com.
- Section 14. Crawford Pond to E. Branch Pleasant River. This is a very beautiful, easily accessible area that offers two very scenic ponds (Crawford and Mt. View) and Little Boardman Mountain.
- Section 15. E. Branch Pleasant River to West Branch Ponds Road. This section is in the big valley between Little Boardman Mt. and White Cap Mt. It is highly accessible and involves no climbing, but some wet areas.
- Section 16. West Branch Ponds Road to Summit of White Cap Mt. This is a really exciting section that includes climbing up along Logan Brook, through some old growth spruce-fir and finishes in the krummholz and open ledges of the White Cap summit. You can drive right to the start on the B Pond Road.
- Section 17. Summit of White Cap Mt. to the White Brook Trail. This section requires a hike to reach (either up White Cap from the north or up the White Brook Trail) but includes some really interesting terrain. I examined a bit of the boundary in October 2006 and found it to be well-cleared. This is a very short section.
- Section 18. White Brook Trail to Gulf Hagas Mt. This section also requires a hike to reach, but I can provide advice on short-cuts. The boundary line should be well cleared.
- Section 19. Gulf Hagas Mt. to Gulf Hagas Cutoff Trail. Accessible either from the Gulf Hagas area to the south or over a good but little-known trail from the north, the corridor boundaries down Gulf Hagas Mt. include some exciting terrain, followed by flat ground down along Gulf Hagas Brook.
- Section 22. W. Branch Pleasant River to Columbus Mt. This is a challenging section for someone who would like to make a big contribution to the monitoring effort. Fascinating terrain over the ledges around Chairback Mt. Easy access from the Gulf Hagas parking lot. I inspec ted part of this section from Columbus Mt. to Chairback two years ago and ATC surveyors renewed blazes and cleared lines up from the parking lot in 2006, so much of the section is in very good shape.
- Section 23. Columbus Mt. to Fourth Mt. Okay, I checked a long stretch along the south boundary three years ago and it's a real hell hole -- old, faded boundary lines and very thick spruce-fir regeneration. Access is not bad from the north and the section is relatively short. Needs loving care -- the sooner the better.
- Section 24. Fourth Mt. to Long Pond Stream Road. National Park lands extend only from Fourth Mt. to the T7R9/Elliotsville township line, so there is only a short section of NPS boundary to inspect. The rest of the section is on State-owned land, not all of which has surveyed boundaries. Good access to the Long Pond Stream Road from Greenville.
- Section 25. Long Pond Stream Road to Big Wilson Stream. This is a very pretty section through the lowlands of Bodfish Intervale, then up onto the ridge north of Boarstone Mt., then down to Big Wilson Valley. Excellent access from several starting points. The 2006 corridor monitoring workshop was on this section so some of it has recently been covered.
- Section 26. Big Wilson Stream to Little Wilson Falls. Corridor monitoring doesn't get any better than this! Beautiful, relatively easy terrain with good access via the AT or other routes. Big Wilson Ledges, Little Wilson Falls are highlights.
- Section 27. Little Wilson Falls to Leeman Brook Lean-to. This section also offers an excuse to visit spectacular Little Wilson Falls, as well as Bear Pond Ledges and North Pond. Good access and gentle terrain.
- Section 28. Leeman Brook Lean-to to Maine Highway 5. More of the beautiful ledge country of Elliotsville and Monson. The western portion of the assignment is on State land, with no boundary lines, and the ATC boundary maintenance crew cleared and repainted a long section in the fall of 2007, so this would be a great "starter" assignment. Easy access.
- Section 41. Kennebec River to Outlet of Pierce Pond. This section covers low country with gentle terrain that rises up through beautiful forest along Pierce Pond Stream. Access up the west side of the Kennebec River to the Bowtown Road.
- Section 52. Bigelow Range Trail to Maine Highway 27. This section has been covered by one of our top monitors for several years and is know to be in good condition, but is now available. Much of it is on State land where there are no boundary lines to monitor. The boundary lines are all near Route 27 and the Stratton Brook Pond Road.
- Section 53. Maine Highway 27 to the Summit of North Crocker. This is a long assignment over good terrain, recently relinquished by the same monitor as for Section 52. Starts right at Route 27 for easy access.
- Section 55. Caribou Valley Road to Sugarloaf Mt. Side Trail. This section covers the spectacular terrain bordering Sugarloaf Cirque and the climb up Sugarloaf. A great opportunity for someone looking for a challenge! Good access via the Caribou Valley Road.
- Section 56. Sugarloaf Mt. Side Trail to Mt. Abraham Side Trail. This is a tough assignment, requiring quite a hike to reach either end and including some very steep terrain on the northern side of the AT, but it's a great area to visit and work on.
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What is a tract and what is the A.T. corridor?
A tract is a unit of land that includes the Appalachian Trail within its boundary. One tract is connected to the next tract, and the next, and so on. The connected tracts define the A.T. corridor through Maine, from Katahdin to the Mahoosucs. The A.T. runs north-south inside the corridor boundary. Don't assume the corridor is always 1,000 feet wide. Tracts vary in size and width. NPS, BSP, BPL and others own the A.T. corridor in Maine. The Maine Appalachian Trail Club looks after the corridor lands and the trail.
Are corridor monitoring sections and trail maintenance sections the same?
When the A.T. corridor was laid out across Maine, the tract and corridor sections did not coincide with trail maintenance sections. Some MATC designated corridor monitoring sections nearly coincide with trail maintenance sections, others don't. This is why there are 70 corridor monitoring sections and 90 trail maintenance sections on the A.T. in Maine.
Is maintaining a section of trail the same
as monitoring a section of corridor?
The two are very different jobs. Maintaining the A.T. is about assessing, planning and responding to conditions right on and immediately along the trail. The scope of trail maintenance is trail focused, period.
Monitoring is tract and corridor focused. Corridor monitors assess and respond to conditions beyond the immediate trail, all the way out to the boundary line of the corridor tract. It includes assessing activities that may be occurring just outside the corridor, or activities that may be intruding across the boundary line into the interior of the corridor.
Some examples are timber trespass, offroad vehicles, dumping, and other alterations of the tract from human activity. Changes in the natural environment from insects, disease, or forest fires can also be a part of the scope of corridor monitoring.
Can I be a corridor monitor, but not maintain a section of trail?
Certainly. While some trail maintainers also monitor the immediate corridor, others don't. If corridor monitoring appeals to your interests, there are plenty of corridor monitoring sections along the A.T. in Maine that are available for your care and contribution.
Corridor Monitoring activity means contracting to:
- Get off the trail with map and compass and go out across the tract.
- Walk on out to the boundary lines of the corridor section.
- Look for signs of intrusion into the corridor tract.
- Walk the boundary lines more often when activity is occurring next door.
- Report incidents and your annual activity in a timely fashion.
- Revisit and check up when adjacent activities or corridor incidents occur.
- Communicate with your A.T. District Overseer and Overseer of Lands
Does MATC have hands-on training workshops?
Yes, with Dave Field. Visit the
This was the spring corridor monitoring workshop, but all participants were veteran monitors, so, it was more like a CM work trip. We inspected the A.T. corridor boundary from the logging road that runs northerly from the height of land north of Borestone Mountain, following the boundary east and north above Bodfish Intervale for some distance, then followed the A.T. footpath back to the logging. We worked through steady rain all morning, then enjoyed a few breaks of sunshine in the afternoon. At least the black flies stayed home during the rain.
We were able to take digital photographs of all monuments except the first, which was elbow deep in a pool of water. Tim did a "Braille" reading and claimed that it was the correct monument for that location!
