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Memorandum of Understanding for New Trail Section Signed

In early March Elliotsville Plantation Inc. and the IAT/SIA Maine Chapter signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allows the IAT/SIA to construct and maintain a new section of trail in T3 R7 and T3 R8 in the area east of Baxter State Park.
 

This trail section will be about five and one-half miles long and will incorporate sections of two historic trails; the Deasey Mountain Fire Lookout Trail and the original Appalachian Trail. The original Appalachian Trail, along the Wassataquoik Tote Road in T3 R7 and T3 R8, existed in the eighteen hundreds and was one of the original trails from the East Branch of the Penobscot River to the summit of Katahdin.
 

The new section of trail will also provide access to the Deasey Mountain fire lookout, which was recently named to the National Historic Fire Lookout Register. IAT/SIA Maine Chapter members have been working to restore this fire lookout for the last three years and plan to complete the restoration in 2007.
 

The land,upon which this section of trail is located, is owned by Elliotsville Plantation Inc. (EPI), whose owner, Roxanne Quimby, has been a strong supporter of the IAT/SIA. Over the last few years she has purchased much of the land between the east boundary of Baxter State Park and the East Branch of the Penobscot River. The land will be maintained in a wild and natural state and be available to hikers and other kinds of non-motorized recreational activities.  
IAT/SIA Board members and volunteers will develop the IAT/SIA trail section in T3 R7 and T3 R8 in 2007 with the assistance of a Maine Conservation Corps team. It is planned that the trail will be open for use in 2008.