Report by Earl Raymond:
IAT WORK TRIP OCTOBER 14-15, 2008 WASSATAQUOIK
TORRY SYLVESTER, BILL DUFFY, DAVE RAND, HERB HARTMAN, ERIC HORSCHAC & EARL RAYMOND
Earl left FALMOUTH at 6am, picked Herb up in Augusta @ 7 AM and arrived at 9AM in Medway where we just missed Tory, Dave, Bill & Eric. Continued on into Wassataquoik campsite and all worked on the completion of the floor and roof of the lean-to and the final touches on the privy. Finished construction projects and cleanup after lunch. Torry and Eric left for home.
The remainder of the trail crew, four men and a dog, waded across the Wassataquoik and worked on the trail to the beaver dam and a short distance up the hill to the wagon tracks of the Keep Road. Bill carried the puppy across the river.
The trail to the beaver dam follows southeasterly along the river through open hardwoods and some very large old trees. The top of the beaver dam is sticks and can be crossed, carefully, with out getting wet. The trail will probably have to be modified when the beaver abandons the dam.
Returned, crossing river, to the campsite and had supper. The weather was mild and Bill and dog decided to be the first person and dog to sleep in the lean-to.
Up and after breakfast and breaking camp crossed the river at 8:00 AM.
Finished the clean up, clearing and blazing of the remainder of the mile to the gravel road and the trail around the nose of Deasey. The trail for the last half-mile generally follows the old Keep Road and one section cuts into a beautiful trail along the river. Some of the Keep road is impassable without a lot of clearing and other sections are quite open. These open areas were incorporated into the trail because of easy maintenance.
This part of the trail was flagged by Paul Messier, Roger Gilmore, Dave & Earl on the return from Deasey Mt. two weeks ago but it needed a lot more work.
Hiked the almost two miles on the new trail around the nose of Deasey Mt to where it cuts down hill to the fire trail. Flagged a proposed new trail following the contour to the fire warden camp. About half way there is a ledge overlook to the East with a view of Sugarloaf, Chase Mt and the East Branch Valley. The purpose of the new trail is to cut off about one half mile of trail and 300 feet of elevation down and then 450 feet back up on the fire trail to the warden camp. In addition to the “up down” the fire trail is very muddy in places and has become washed out and difficult to hike.
Hiked back the three miles plus to the crossing and on to campsite. Dave & Bill left and Herb and Earl drove to the back gate of Katatahdin Lake and installed an IAT post on the Gardner Road at the intersection with the gate road.
BACK TO Falmouth @ 8 PM.
The weather was beautiful and the work trip was very successful with all tasks completed.
See pictures below taken by Bill Duffy.
 \Bill Duffy and Eric Horschak put the final touches on the Wassataquoik Lean-to ridge-cap.
Torrey Sylvester drives home the last screws along the drip edge of the new lean-to.
Dave crosses the “dry” beaver dam on the new Wassataquoik to Deasey trail.
Earl Raymond fords the Wassataquoik River (air temp – 38; water temp – colder!)
Earl re-shoes after the crossing.
Herb Hartman adds an IAT/SIA blaze to a tree on the new trail
A view down the new Wassataquoik to Deasey trail.
Dave, Earl and Herb admire a large birch on the Wass-Deasey trail
Earl uses his Swedish brush hook to clear a blow down from the trail.
Bill’s dog “Trip” explores the old Keep Road which the new trail follows for a time.
A view of the Wassataquoik River from the new trail.
Herb, Earl and Dave fill up at a clear stream on the trail
Herb, Earl and Dave pose in front of a large erratic.
The old Fire Warden’s Cabin on Deasey Mountain.
View of Sugarloaf and Mount Chase from a sunny ledge on a new section of the trail.
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