Spent 5 days with the MATC trail crew on White Cap Mt. This was week 1 of a 3 week project building rock steps adjacent to Logan Brook LT. We had a small crew, only 3 volunteers along with the crew leader, assistant crew leader, and an intern. We left base camp near Dover-Foxcroft on Saturday morning and drove to the base of White Cap via the Jo Mary Road. We carried our gear 2 miles up the trail to our camp site. After setting up camp we returned to the van to pack up tools, food, and other gear. We spent the rest of the day quarrying rocks near the work site. Sunday was a cloudy day with some showers. We spent the morning removing roots and rocks in preparation for the construction of the rock steps. In the afternoon half the crew started construction of the steps while the other half set up a high line using the grip hoist to transport rocks to the trail. Monday was a sunny and hot day and we continued to build steps. Tuesday called for rain and we had a shower early in the morning but then were forced to call it a day around noon when thunder storms rolled in. Wednesday we broke camp, packed our gear and hiked back down the mountain. We drove back to base camp at Dover-Foxcroft.
I saw about 15-20 hikers each day. They were a combination of NOBO, SOBO, flippers, and section hikers. Almost every one stopped and thanked us for the work we were doing.
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After leaving Dover-Foxcroft on Thursday I drove to Baxter SP. I had reservations at Roaring Brook for Thursday and Friday nights and Abol on Saturday. I climbed South Turner Mt on Thursday. On Friday I went up the Hamlin Ridge trail to the Saddle trail to the summit of Katahdin. I had originally planned to go across the Knifes Edge and down the Helon Taylor but I was low on water as it was a hot and sunny day. I got a good sunburn on my legs. On Saturday I went up the new Abol trail to the summit. There were about 30 people already on top at 10:45 when I arrived. I ran into two NOBO's on the Table Land that I had met at Logan Brook on Tuesday. There were probably 100 people coming up Abol and Hunt Trails as I was going down.