Hitch 2: TrACS goes backcountry...

Hitch 2 Report
Saco Ranger District
6/27/2011 – 6/30/2011
Miles Surveyed: 8.5
Service Hours: 40
Prepared by Alice Webber

After a well earned and much needed break, the White Mountain TrACS team returned to the field early Monday morning bright-eyed and eager to hit the trails.

Monday, June 27: Basin Trail:
The team met with Jana Johnson at the Saco Ranger District to discuss the previous hitch and efforts needed to move forward. From there followed a long drive North, winding along rt. 113 between Maine and New Hampshire to reach our day’s destination of Wild River Campground. The Basin Trail begins at the parking lot and heads into the Wild River Wilderness. The team surveyed 2 miles to the Blue Brook JCT. After the hike and drive home, preparations for the upcoming backcountry trip commenced.

Tuesday, June 28: Rocky Branch Trail:
Today marked the start of the first TrACS backcountry adventure. After packing, prepping and driving to the JCT Jericho Rd, a 2 mile hike up Rocky Branch brought the team to Rocky Branch Shelter #2, home-base for the remainder of the hitch. Beginning at the Shelter JCT and ending at JCT Jericho Rd, the team surveyed the final 2 miles of Rocky Branch to make the most of the dwindling daylight.

Wednesday, June 29: Rocky Branch Trail:
The potential advantage of backcountry TrACS-ing on longer trails is that more service hours may be spent surveying, and fewer time spent traveling to beginning and end points. The team was able to spend 8.5 out of 10 hours surveying Rocky Branch, and completed the remaining 4.35 miles. These final miles took the team through overgrown, swampy areas and across 6 dangerous river crossings. The river claimed three victims that day: a watch, a blackberry, and a pair of pants.

Thursday, June 30: Rocky Branch Trail:
Accompanied by a cool breeze and speckled sunlight, the team broke down camp and headed back home to Bartlett. The documents and records of Rocky Branch Trail were corrected, organized and compiled. Also, a new excel sheet what created for extra sign inventory to better streamline information of unrecorded signs on trails.