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September, 2005
Maine Trail Crew Needs YOU
By Lori Safford
For those of you who have hiked the AT up White Cap Mountain and wondered why the heck there weren’t some nice, sturdy rock steps winding up and around that steep stretch about ½ mile from the top--(If you also wanted someone to carry your pack and feed you grapes, too…well, sorry, try golf.)—go back: the steps are done. Yup, this July, eight of us spent a week as volunteer members of the Maine Trail Crew quarrying, grip-hoisting, steadying, rolling, and drilling rocks to build a right-fine staircase going up White Cap.
To be honest, we didn’t make the steps for you hikers’ ease and enjoyment, though several paused on their ways up and down to say “thanks” to us; the stairs help conserve the treadway and mitigate erosion along the trail. That’s, in general, what trail maintenance is for, to help minimize destruction to Maine’s, that is, our, blessed wilderness. Working on the crew affords not only an opportunity to truly be a steward for our precious woods, but also gives you a chance to enjoy being in the woods, and hang out with some new folks, not to mention getting in shape.
For the White Cap trip, we hiked all our food, tools, group gear, and personal necessities up about 2 miles to the Logan Brook lean-to where we made camp for the week. Then, each morning at 7AM, after breakfast and stretching, we hiked another mile up White Cap to the work site. White Cap Mountain is the highest point on the Trail between Bigelow and Katahdin, located in the middle of the renowned “100-Mile Wilderness”. White Cap’s open summit supports rare arctic alpine plants that are found on only about a dozen peaks in Maine.
Besides erecting 22 steps, we enjoyed an incredibly close lightening storm—I believe we set a world record for eight people scrambling down a mile to the lean-to while lightening struck points all around us—ate scrumptious propane-heated gourmet meals every night, played many rowdy games of hearts, helped two porcupines find a different campsite, and, well, just had one heck of a great time. Knowing we did our part to help maintain Maine’s Appalachian Trail definitely contributed to all of us feeling good—exhausted, a bit sore, but oh, so gratified, especially those of us who use the Trail on a regular basis.
So, why not YOU, next summer? To volunteer, call 540-961-5551, or visit the MATC web site: www.matc.org
Email nick [at] noumbrella [dot] com with your questions, comments and concerns.
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