Dave Rand & Dick Anderson Trail Blazing
Earl Raymond & Dave Rand Trail Blazing Herb Hartman Trail Blazing Herb & Dick cooling off by the brook Dick & Herb Trail Blazing
Earl & Dick putting up Blazes Arriving at Camp on Dave's ATV Ranger Will Barnum at Campsite Earl, Dick and Herb at Summit
Wednesday July 9, 2008
Dick Anderson, Earl Raymond, and Walt Anderson left Freeport at 7:30 a.m. with gear and tools in two vehicles, Dick’s sister’s Jeep and Dick’s Aveo, for the Lunksoos campsite and trail work in the area. We picked up Herb Hartman and his four berry pie and chicken soup in Augusta and continued north. A brief stop was made in Sherman to refuel and fill food coolers with ice. Continued on to Matagamon Camp Ground and met with Dave Rand with his pick-up and trailer carrying his ATV. It was VERY HOT & HUMID causing overheating with both vehicles on the way into the Lunksoos campsite!
-a post with blazes was set at the intersection of the Messer Pond-Orin Falls Road and the Cut Off (Haskell Rock) Road;
-the group continued on to the Caribou Release Site to park two vehicles not suited to rough travel;
-Walter Anderson rode on ahead with MFS Ranger Will Barnum who was coming in to approve Lunksoos campsite;
- road conditions are very difficult to the Lunksoos campsite;
-Dick, Dave, Herb and Earl got to Lunksoos late afternoon, just as weather front with strong rains and cooler air arrived. The four berry pie had been largely consumed on the way in;
- the fireplace was moved farther from the shelter to meet Maine Forest Service specifications, and a written MFS approval was given by the MFS ranger, who had visited the site earlier with Walter;
-the landowner recognition plaque was attached to the center of the back wall of the shelter;
- the Lunksoos shelter provided excellent protection from the storm’s wind and rain.
-supper consisted of Dick’s tasty, creamy chowder and many clams, potatoes, and Walt’s brownies;
-Dave, Earl, and Herb set up tents and retired for the night. Walter and Dick slept in the shelter. No-see-ums, black flies, deer flies were plentiful!
Thursday July 10, 2008
All awoke to coyote howls, many bird songs, and a beautiful, cooler, dryer day. Breakfast of hard boiled eggs, Dave’s homemade raisin bread w/ blueberry jam, and hot coffee. Day lunches prepared of ham and cheese sandwiches, apples, Earl’s numerous cheese crackers, and Walt’s Poland Spring water;
-Dave adjusted the exterior door hook on the privy so the door would close more tightly;
-Dick & Herb set a post with blazes at the intersection of the Messer Pond-Orin Falls Road and the trail to the Lunksoos camp site;
-Dick and Herb set a post with blazes at the trail’s south entrance to the campsite;
-numerous red maple shoots were pulled up from the center of the road (trail);
-Dick and Herb cleared a 350’ trail to a brook that is the campsite’s water supply. The trail starts 600’ south of the campsite. Towering, old-growth spruce, hemlock, and maple trees grace the shore land area along the brook, which is cold, gin-clear, and tumbling, with several inviting pools.
-Earl & Dave generally followed the flagging left by Dick, Earl & Fred Michaud a few years ago, from the Lunksoos campsite to the north summit of Lunksoos Mountain, a distance of one mile and returned to camp at 5:00.
-some brush was cleared to improve the spectacular view of Katahdin, across the Wassataquoik Valley, from the campsite;
-Walt remained at base camp (Lunksoos) to test radio communications with field parties;
-Radios worked well and teams returned in time for a cold beer and a sumptuous supper of Herb’s superb, meaty, chicken soup. All were sustained by Herb’s rum and Walt’s vodka.
-Beautiful, clear, cool night. Great for astronomy buffs. Fewer bugs.
Friday July 11, 2008
-More Coyote and bird calls this morning. Beans, bread, hard boiled eggs, and coffee for breakfast. Lunches prepared and the group set off to continue to clear, flag, and blaze along the trail from the campsite to the north summit of Lunksoos Mt. It was a fine day and everyone reached the summit by mid-late morning;
-A trail from the north summit to the south summit, the higher of the summits and from which cell phones work, was flagged by Dave and Earl (another 0.1 mile); Roxanne was called in Ireland and the group sang Happy Birthday to her; a pole with an IAT/SIA aluminum blaze was placed in the cairn on the south summit. Both summits offer spectacular views;
- Earl and Dave~recovered the flagging left last fall and adjusted and cut out a new trail~from the south summit down the sharp south face~and across the Col~between Lunksoos and Deasey mountains. The downhill trail is steep with a couple of ledges which the trail skirts with switchbacks. The distance from~the south summit to the base of Deasey Mountain is 0.4 mile. There was not enough time to finish the~remaining 0.8 mile to the top of Deasey Mountain.
-Returned to soak feet and replenish water supply at Lunksoos Brook;
-Supper was Walt’s American Chop Suey, Brownies with more beer, vodka and rum;
-It was a great night for sleeping!
Saturday July 12, 2008
-The group broke Camp early and set out at 7:00 a.m. on the Messer Pond-Orin Falls Rd. for Shin Pond;
-on the way out, a post with blazes and directional arrows was set at the intersection of the Messer Pond-Orin Falls Road with the Little Spring Brook Road.
-Four wheel drive and high clearance is a necessity on the Messer Pond-Orrin Fall road. Thanks to Dick’s sister’s 4x4 Jeep and Dave’s ATV we got out OK, although the entire muffler system on the Jeep was torn off.
-Arrived at Shin Pond for lunch and returned to Freeport at about 5:30PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Walter Anderson and Herb Hartman
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