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SavageLlama
05-18-2005, 14:26
This could be good news for IAT hikers...




Appalachian Trail to be rerouted on Quimby land
By Misty Edgecomb
Bangor Daily News
May 14, 2005

Ever since natural cosmetics millionaire Roxanne Quimby started buying up land in rural Maine, local people have wondered about her intentions for the forestland's future.

Now, at least one answer has been provided: Quimby has agreed to reroute a portion of the International Appalachian Trail through her properties in T5 R8 and T3 R7, along the eastern border of Baxter State Park.

The 1,300-mile trek that begins at the Appalachian Trail's terminus in Baxter and extends through New Brunswick, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador to the edge of the continent, loops down to Millinocket then follows Route 11 north - not the most appealing of hikes, IAT founder Dick Anderson of Freeport said this week. While hikers can travel through the park as an alternative route, it is not encouraged, because of the high demand for Baxter facilities, particularly during the summer, when most IAT through-hikers make their journeys.

Instead, Anderson hopes to shift the official trail north and east onto Quimby's land, following the East Branch of the Penobscot River - offering hikers access to the wild and seeking "a less dusty path to the border." About 100 miles of the trail run through Maine, before the IAT crosses into Canada near Fort Fairfield.

"You can hear the various waterfalls as you walk along the trail," said Anderson, who visualized the trail 10 years ago and is now known as its "chief promoter and ambassador."

Last weekend, Quimby's science director, Bart DeWolf spoke at the IAT's annual meeting in Shin Pond, giving hikers a taste of the ecology along the likely trail route.

Deasey Mountain in T3 R7, a 2,000-foot summit with a view of Mount Katahdin, would likely be included, as would the waterfalls and rapids that characterize the stretch of the East Branch of the Penobscot that runs through T5 R8, he said Wednesday.

Rare plant communities and perhaps even some small patches of old- growth forest are believed to exist in the township. Atlantic salmon swim in the river, deer spend the winter in sheltered "yards" of mature trees, and bald eagles fly overhead, DeWolf said.

A number of existing campsites operated by Maine Forest Service along the state-protected riverbank in T5 R8 would also be available to IAT hikers.

When Anderson contacted Quimby and her employees to pitch the idea, they decided that a trail fit well with their concept of "quiet recreation," DeWolf said. "It's a beautiful place for the trail."

Nothing is final, however, because several other landowners hold property between the two Quimby parcels. Anderson is negotiating for trail access, and talking to state officials about their possible involvement.

"We're talking to everybody. It's going to be a little while," Anderson said. "It took 75 years to build the Appalachian Trail - we're doing pretty good."

# # #

PKH
05-18-2005, 15:04
Well that looks like good news. If you havn't done any road walking you cannot understand the hatred I conceived for Maine route 11 while walking south in the heat last summer.

Cheers,

PKH

Tramper Al
05-18-2005, 21:34
Any help that the IAT in Maine can get to re-route off busy roads is a good thing, of course.

My impression, though, is that Quimby's land is mainly just East of Baxter, within Penobscot County, so there will still be miles of IAT road walking left beyond her domain. Still, it's nice to hope that other landowners eventually follow her lead on this.

Even if it is said that hiking the IAT through Baxter is "not encouraged", it is a wonderful route and can be done. It does require making reservations in advance for each backcountry campsite between Katahdin and the park gate at Matagamon, but this is well worth the effort in my opinion. The IAT hiker is no less entiled than any other Baxter user willing to plan in advance. Much harder for the IAT southbounder, of course.

TakeABreak
05-19-2005, 04:09
First, I think this is great news and I hope it does work out.

Second, having not hiker further than Katahdin, in Baxter. I wonder just how hard it would be to stealth camp on that route. Don't get me wrong, I do not advocate breaking the rules but sometimes it is a necessary evil. I just wish that baxter would take into account that thru-hikers can not always say exactly when they will be at a certain spot, and if you were will to camp away from designated spots, it looks they work something out here.

Tramper Al
05-19-2005, 10:49
First, I think this is great news and I hope it does work out.

Second, having not hiker further than Katahdin, in Baxter. I wonder just how hard it would be to stealth camp on that route. Don't get me wrong, I do not advocate breaking the rules but sometimes it is a necessary evil. I just wish that baxter would take into account that thru-hikers can not always say exactly when they will be at a certain spot, and if you were will to camp away from designated spots, it looks they work something out here.

I think that BSP might actually be one of the harder places to 'stealth camp', as the rangers keep pretty close tabs on who is hiking and sleeping where. From a practical standpoint, as one who visits Baxter regularly, I would be loathe to risk being banned from visiting the park, even temporarily. If you were caught doing so, please deny any knowledge of or affiliation with the IAT!

While it may seem annoying to have to stick to an intinerary when you're a carefree long distance hiker, we're really only talking about maybe 3 nights. If you get to your designated site earlier than you expected, it's not a bad place to be.

PKH
05-19-2005, 11:24
Making Baxter reservations make a lot of sense if you are doing a northbound IAT hike - not very restrictive at all. But it is not very feasible when coming south. Having to try and make reservation dates over a six to eight week period is a real pain, and takes a lot of the joy out of most of the hike. It can be done of course - I overtook one hiker in Quebec who had to severely restrict his daily mileage in order to be at Baxter on certain dates.

Technically and officially, Baxter State Park doesn't seem to recognize the IAT at all. Last summer when I was trying to organize a final day's campsite so I could climb the mountain, I was told in a tone of quite remarkable bitchiness,
"We don't have an IAT here". Oh well.

Cheers,

PKH

SavageLlama
05-24-2005, 20:39
another article about the ME re-route and other changes with the IAT..


ROADS NOT TAKEN
Bangor Daily News
May 23, 2005

Hiking trails, as the name suggests, should meander through the woods or cross mountaintops, not parallel paved roads. The International Appalachian Trail, which stretches 1,300 miles from the end of the Appalachian Trail atop Mount Katahdin to Cap Gaspe, Quebec, and then jumps across the water to Newfoundland and Labrador, is slowly living up to its name.

Recently, trail officials announced that 10 miles of the hiking path in Maine may be rerouted to the woods east of Baxter State Park. Currently, those who hike the trail are directed to head back south after climbing Mount Katahdin and to walk along a road to Millinocket and along state roads to Patten. Alternatively, IAT trekkers can hike through the northern part of Baxter State Park, although reservations are required.

Under a proposed agreement with Roxanne Quimby, the founder of Burt's Bees cosmetics, 10 miles of the trail would be located on her land in T5 R8 and T3 R7 along the eastern border of Baxter State Park. This will make for much more scenic hiking and should encourage other landowners to consider allowing the trail, which is now traversed by a dozen hearty souls a year, to cross their land. The trail can't be re-routed until the landowners between the Quimby parcels also allow access.

Much of the land in the area is in flux with Ms. Quimby possibly swapping land with another owner in the area. The state, Trust for Public Land and Baxter State Park are also involved in the deal that aims to add acreage around Katahdin Lake to the park.

While this is being sorted out, the IAT is growing elsewhere. At a ceremony nearly six years ago when the northern terminus of the trail was officially dedicated, IAT founder Dick Anderson stood on the cliffs overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Eons ago, he said, this tip of Quebec was connected to Newfoundland. Maybe, he said, the trail could bridge that gap again.

Three years later, a group of hikers in Newfoundland and Labrador, the easternmost Canadian province, decided to create a trail leg, which they estimate will stretch for 600 miles along cobble beaches and through bogs. A few intrepid hikers already have forged their own trails to make the journey.

Now, Mr. Anderson is encouraging the continuation of the trail in Scotland, which was once connected to eastern Canada.

While this remains a distant dream, a real trail exists in New Brunswick and Quebec and one is emerging in Newfoundland and Labrador. Maine is the missing link.

# # #

SGT Rock
05-24-2005, 20:43
AT routed to Scotland? That will be some kind of water crossing :eek:

MOWGLI
05-24-2005, 20:45
AT routed to Scotland? That will be some kind of water crossing :eek:

Yeah, but I hear there's some might fine Scotch waiting for you across the pond.

dperry
05-24-2005, 22:35
AT routed to Scotland? That will be some kind of water crossing :eek:
I can't wait for the people to tell us that we're wusses if we don't ford it. :D

Something tells me that Steve Longley will not be interested in the canoeing concession for this one.

The Hog
05-25-2005, 06:49
This is a great step for the IAT. I've canoed the E. Branch of the Penobscot, and it's one beautiful piece of water - lots of Class III rapids and a bunch of waterfalls. Lots of portages, too, but it's worth it!