Author Archive: admin

Saddleback Mountain

MATC’s Position on Saddleback Ski Area Solar Project

Posted on by

Regarding the Saddleback Ski Area Solar Project

We encourage the owners of the Saddleback Ski Area (Arctaris Impact Fund) to move the location of its proposed grid-scale solar power generating facility to a location that would not impact the views from the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) on Saddleback Mountain.  At just over three miles away, the proposed 35-acre solar array would become the dominant feature on the landscape view looking north from the A.T.

Other than Katahdin, Saddleback offers the longest open ridge walk along the A.T. in Maine and about 1.5 miles of this section would have frequent views of the solar development.  Given the facility’s high contrast and reflective panels tilted towards the mountain, the array would draw visitors eyes towards them and create a negative impact on what is now a natural view of lakes, forests and mountains. 

Saddleback Ski’s stated objectives to move off fossil fuel and source with 100% solar electricity are admirable.  We believe Saddleback Ski can reduce its carbon footprint and lower its electricity costs through a less impactful alternative:

The Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) hold the position that development must be balanced against the recreational, scenic, natural and cultural resources of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.).  As stewards of the A.T. in Maine, part of MATC’s mission is to preserve the scenic integrity and minimize development impacts adjacent to the A.T.

Both the ATC and MATC support Saddleback Ski moving to 100% solar-sourced electricity and encourage them to seek alternatives that would have less impact on the views for the visitors to the Appalachian Trail and Saddleback Mountain.

Portland Press Herald Article
MATC/ATC Position Statement
View from Saddleback
The solar farm is proposed to the right of Saddleback Lake seen in the middle ground, to the right of the hiker.

Illegal Fire Ring

Illegal Fire Rings Concerning on AT

Posted on by

ILLEGAL FIRE RINGS: In Maine, campfires in the woods require a fire permit or a permitted campsite to be legal.  WIth the dry conditions this Fall, non-permitted campfires along the A.T. are especially concerning.  A frequent task for maintainers is to dismantle and disperse fire rings which not only encourage more camp fires in inappropriate locations but also encourage trash accumulation.  This particular fire ring just north of Orbeton Stream has been dismantled four times this season.

Photo by @Tony Barrett

4x6 Corridor

4-ft X 6-ft

Posted on by

4-ft X 6-ft: Trail maintainers are tasked with keeping a 4 X 8 foot corridor along the tread way for clear hiker passage. “One should be able to carry a 4X8’ sheet of plywood upright through the woods”.  That standard is a high bar to meet in some places.

Photo by Tony Barrett

An Ideal Time for Corridor Monitoring

Posted on by

THE FALL IS AN IDEAL TIME FOR CORRIDOR MONITORING: Simon Rucker, Mike Mahony, Mary Eagan and Kayla Gagner are happy to find a boundary marker without any digging. This section of A.T. corridor is just south of Long Falls Dam road.

Photo by Tony Barrett

Bog Bridging White Cap

Kudos to Maintainers

Posted on by

We received a nice note from a happy hiker….

I hiked from Gorham, NH to Caratunk, ME two weeks mid-Sept. and was very impressed at how well the trails were maintained. I was also impressed at how much planking there was along marshy areas, showing your respect of the underlying ecosystem. Please share my thanks to all the Trail Maintainers along these sections.

– LightWalker
MATC volunteer Brad testing the new bridging-near East Branch
White Brook Trail Work Trip

White Brook Trail Work Trip

Posted on by
Volunteers Improve the White Brook Trail on the AT in Maine – 9-19-2020

The current White Brook trail is an official Appalachian Trail side-trail. It goes up the south side of White Cap Mountain. The trail itself is a remnant of the original AT when it went up the White Brook from the KI road. There is a steep, badly eroded section that is 3 feet deep in places. A relocation of this section has been approved for a couple of years. It will do a 900′ foot bypass to the West of the current section.

What is Corridor Monitoring?

Posted on by

From Michelle Moody via MATC Facebook

Corridor monitoring…What is that you ask…I call it a walk on the wild side. It means following the property boundaries of a property. In our case, the Appalachian Trail in Maine. We are responsible for a section from Big Wilson Stream to Long Pond Stream in the 100 Mile Wilderness. Sometimes you get great views and sometimes you just enjoy the little things nature has to share with you. It’s like going on a geocaching hunt except you are looking to follow the survey line and find monuments marking the line or corners. Some are well hidden, some you easily seen. If you enjoy a wild walk, this may be just the thing for you to join in on. Great isolation. If not on the AT, maybe with your local land trust. It’s a great way to give back to those trails you love. Click here for more info on MATC’s work in Maine.

Photos by Michelle Moody
Bald Mountain Pond

Bald Mountain Pond Now Protected!

Posted on by

We have some BIG news to share. One of the Appalachian Trail’s most iconic stretches is now permanently protected. 

Cold, clear Bald Mountain Pond in Northern Maine welcomes paddlers and anglers from across the country. Hikers on the Appalachian Trail skirt the far shore, threading through century-old forests, taking in views of Mount Katahdin, and bedding down for a night in the sturdy hikers’ shelter just a few steps from the pond’s banks. Many thru-hikers even call reaching this spot the highlight of their journey. 

Photo by Chris Bennett, courtesy of The Trust for Public Land

The timber companies that once owned the pond and the surrounding forest historically allowed recreational access to the area—but that arrangement was more of a tradition than a guarantee. 

Photo by Chris Bennett, courtesy of The Trust for Public Land

When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity emerged to protect this extraordinary place, we teamed up with more than a dozen partners to permanently open access to this spectacular stretch of the Appalachian Trail. Now, a locked gate will never stop future visitors. The 2,620 acres surrounding Bald Mountain Pond’s rugged shoreline, and an iconic stretch of the Appalachian Trail, will remain protected from development and open to the public forever. 

Check out the new video celebrating this victory.

Appalachian Trail Guide in Maine

Posted on by
Appalachian Trail Guide to Maine

For Sale at the MATC On-line Store

Book and 7 maps:
$24.00 MATC Members (20% discount)
$30.00 Non-members

Book with no maps:
$12.00 MATC Members. (20% discount)
$15.00 Non-members

The Maine edition covers 282 miles from Katahdin in Baxter State Park to the New Hampshire state line in one planning guide and seven water- and tear-resistant maps. The pocket-sized planning guide contains background information, points of interest, and road-access directions. Each map is focused on the Appalachian Trail and overlaps with the neighboring maps. The surrounding area and additional side trails are also included. An easy-to-use elevation profile shows the ups and downs and the distance to the next campsite or shelter, side trails, and water sources. For added interest, maps indicate road crossings, waterfalls, and scenic areas. Maps are both water- and tear-resistant.

  • Map 1: Katahdin to South End of Nahmakanta Lake Published by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. Four-color, 1:62,500-scale topographic maps with 50 feet contour intervals. Revised in 2009.
  • Map 2: Nahmakanta Lake to West Branch of the Pleasant River Published by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. Four-color, 1:62,500-scale topographic maps with 50 feet contour intervals. Revised in 2009.
  • Map 3: West Branch of the Pleasant River to Monson Published by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. Four-color, 1:62,500-scale topographic maps with 50 feet contour intervals. Revised in 2009.
  • Map 4: Monson to the Kennebec River Published by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. Four-color, 1:62,500-scale topographic maps with 50 feet contour intervals. Revised in 2009.
  • Map 5: Kennebec River to Maine Highway 27 Published by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. Four-color, 1:62,500-scale topographic maps with 50 feet contour intervals. Revised in 2009.
  • Map 6: Maine Highway 27 to Maine Highway 17 Published by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. Four-color, 1:62,500-scale topographic maps with 50 feet contour intervals. Revised in 2009.
  • Map 7: Maine Highway 17 to Maine/New Hampshire State Line Published by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. Four-color, 1:62,500-scale topographic maps with 50 feet contour intervals. Revised in 2009.

Maps can also be ordered individually under the Maps tab above.

Shipping and handling (with or without maps):
$6.00 for 1 copy
$10.00 for 2-6 copies