Trails for the Rangeley Area Coalition maintains eight local trails.
TRAC offers people “a slice of wellness and a way to enjoy the comradery of like-minded folks in the area,” said Trails for the Rangeley Area Coalition President Allen Wicken.
TRAC is a group of 40 local residents who develop, maintain and map a multi-use trail network for residents and visitors to the Rangeley region.
The coalition, founded in 1995, currently maintains eight local trails. The group obtains written permission from each landowner for the use of trails that often traverse private property.
“Currently we only have enough manpower to maintain the trails we have,” said member Thelma Thomas. But, “with new members, the number of new trails will continue to grow,” she added. TRAC meets on the first Tuesday of each month during the summer hiking season to plan trail work days, coordinate other special events and always welcomes new members. There are no dues to become a member of the group.
TRAC members bring a variety of hiking experience and outdoor experience to the group.
For example, Bill Eddy hiked the entire 2,164 miles of the Appalachian Trail in 1991 and now serves as the TRAC secretary. Ten TRAC members recently took a five-day canoe trip between Roll Dam and Umbazooksus Lake.
Trails have been cleared to 4-feet wide and 8-feet high and marked by TRAC members with a red trail blazes about every 100 yards. Several TRAC members participated in National Trails Day on June 7. This nationwide event, sponsored by the American Hiking Association, was a trail work day to clear, maintain or improve hiking trails around the country.
TRAC members worked on two trails on Saturday, June 7, the Aziscohos Mountain Trail and the Round Top Mountain Trail, which were chosen for this year’s National Trail Day projects. TRAC members checked trail markings and removed downed trees.
The Aziscohos Mountain Trail is 1.7 miles and features summit views of Azicohos Lake to the north and Richardson and Mooselookmegunic lakes to the south.
The trailhead is on Route 16, approximately 18 miles west of the junction of Route 4 and Route 16 in Oquossoc.
The trail starts out as a gentle climb, but the second half is steep and a climb to the summit will take approximately 90 minutes.
The Round Top Trail, according to Thelma Thomas, “is an easy trail for families and features a 2-mile loop.” The trailhead is located on Quimby Pond Road in Rangeley.
The trail offers a gentle climb up Round Top Mountain.
To find out more information about TRAC or trails in the Rangeley region, contact TRAC members Thelma Thomas at 864-5360 or Bill Eddy at 864-5782.
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