Horseshoe Canyon Campsite and Lean-to: This Kennebec District campsite along the beautiful West Branch of the Piscataquis River needs a maintainer! There are a couple of different ways to access this campsite, but none require a high-clearance vehicle. The shortest way to access it is about 0.2 miles on a maintainer trail, fording the river, and then 0.3 miles on the A.T. The lean-to is in good shape, and a new moldering privy was built in 2022. Privy maintenance for the new privy will involve “raking the pile”, , but it’s really not that bad (witnesses available upon request)- become an MATC […]
Read MoreAuthor Archive: Laura Flight
Maintainer Needed in the Baldpate District
Maintainer Needed in the Baldpate District AT Side Trail: Bemis Stream Side Trail: Gated bridge over Bemis Stream to the intersection with the AT. Bemis Road can be accessed via Route 17 south of Rangeley, ME. Approximately 3 Miles long. This section used to be part of the AT but was relocated many years ago. The southern end of this section starts at the gated bridge over Bemis Stream. This requires a 3 mile hike from the parking lot on Bemis Road. The section terminates at the intersection of tis trail with the AT, a distance of approximately 3 miles. […]
Read MoreCampsite Maintainer Wanted – Baldpate District
Bemis Mountain Campsite and Lean-to: This Baldpate District campsite in the Rangeley Lakes region needs a maintainer! If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle or ATV/UTV (a high-clearance vehicle isn’t enough), drive access is about 2.5 miles up a steep, loose gravel road with drainage dips. From there, walk access is about 0.4 miles with 330 feet of elevation gain on a flagged maintainer trail. The road can also be walked (1,050 feet of elevation gain), if you prefer or do not have a vehicle up to the challenge. The lean-to is in decent shape, and a new privy was built […]
Read More2022 Kennebec River Ferry Schedule
The official way to cross the Kennebec River is the canoe ferry.
Read MoreDave Field: “Loving the Trail”
MATC’s Dave Field was a featured author in the Winter 2022 edition of ATC’s “Journeys” magazine. Dave is a life-long volunteer on the A.T. and has witnessed and instigated many change over the years. The trail you know and love today is in in large part Dave’s doing. Please thank Dave for his dedication to and love of the trail! Check out the article: https://appalachiantrail.org/official-blog/loving-the-trail/
Read MorePrivies in the News!
While using a privy is typically and preferably a solitary experience, the how and why of privies deserve some face time. Check out this recent ATC article explaining the privy “Facts of the Matter.” The banner photo was taken by MATC volunteer Emily Zimmerman from the 2021 Sabbath Day Pond privy project! https://appalachiantrail.org/register-blog/privy-choices/
Read More2022 Annual Business Meeting
Save the date! The Maine Appalachian Trail Club’s 2022 annual meeting will be held on Saturday April 9th from 9-11am on…. you guessed it- Zoom! Again, we will miss seeing familiar faces and the stories of blow-downs, privies, and flat tires. And we’ll especially miss the coffee and doughnuts! But, with the latest news of COVID-19 this is the best we can do. We are planning on a 2-hour meeting to prevent screen fatigue and stick to the tasks at hand. Based on last year’s meeting we should be able to make it within the 2 hour time-frame. We’ll send […]
Read MoreTony Barrett in ATC’s “Volunteer Spotlight”
Please help us congratulate our very own Tony Barrett who is ATC’s featured volunteer for November! Currently Tony is on the MATC Executive Committee as well as a trail maintainer and chair of our Landscape Protection Committee. Please read the volunteer spotlight to learn about all of Tony’s contributions to the AT!
Read MoreSide Trail Closure on Barren Mountain
Details from the Monson Appalachian Trail Visitor Center: TRAIL CLOSURE ALERT: A pair of peregrine falcons with a young chick are nesting on the rock slide on the flank of Barren Mountain. If you hike near nesting peregrines, they may abandon the nest and their chicks may die. To protect this falcon family, the A.T. side trail leading to the Barren Slide has been closed. Breeding peregrines are endangered in Maine. Please respect the wildlife with whom you share the A.T. by obeying the closure.
Read MoreApril 17 Annual Meeting
The Maine Appalachian Trail Club’s 2021 annual meeting will be held on Saturday April 17 on… you guessed it- Zoom! We will all miss seeing familiar faces and regaling stories of 28-inch blow-downs, shoveling out privies, and flat tires. And we’ll especially miss the coffee and doughnuts! But, this is the best we can do given the circumstances. There will be a bit of extra business to conduct this year because there was no annual meeting in 2020, but we are planning on a 2-hour meeting to prevent screen fatigue and stick to the tasks at hand. For More Information.
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