The most satisfying weekend on the calendar for this hiker is undoubtedly the mid-May Appalachian Trail maintenance trip. It's hard work, lugging the chainsaw and tools along through the woods, clearing out blowdowns, swamping, clipping brush, building bog bridges. It's usually buggy, too, and oftentimes it rains.

No matter.

It's so, so satisfying to open the trail for the season, to make a clear foot path for the many hikers that will walk through from now until autumn.

My good pal and fellow MATCer Dana maintains a 3.3 mile section of the A.T. at West Carry Pond, and has since 1995. I've been maintaining the adjacent 1.8 mile section to the north at East Carry Pond since 2004.

Last weekend we assembled a rag-tag group of folks and headed on up to do some good work, have some good fun and camp for a couple nights in the luxurious comfort of our favorite gravel pit.

Ahhh...

Gravel pit camping, a fine Maine tradition.
Carey Kish photo

Trail maintenance ain't all work... Happy hour in camp after a day on the trail.
Carey Kish photo

A fine time was had by all, clearing about 60 blowdowns, bucking up several dozen sleeper logs for future bog bridge construction, and clipping back much of the encroaching trailside growth.

Moving those blowdowns on out.
Carey Kish photo

Trail crew hiking along the inlet to East Carry Pond.
Carey Kish photo

Stan, MATC section maintainers Gordon and Craig, Fran.
Carey Kish photo

All of this amid the spendid backcountry scenery of the A.T. as it winds through this remote area east of the Bigelows.

All good.

Wilderness views down East Carry Pond.
Carey Kish photo

West Carry Pond from Arnold Point.
Carey Kish photo

If you haven't tried your hand at trail maintenance, well, you really are missing out. With National Trails Day coming right up on Saturday, June 7th, you've got a perfect opportunity to get in on the fun and give a little something back to the trails we use and love.

Go for it and enjoy!

You a trail maintainance groupie? Gonna get out there on National Trails Day, and maybe beyond?

Trail maintenance: Good for trail, good for you! You try?!
Carey Kish photo