If you’ve every had the pleasure of hiking the Appalachian Trail over Pleasant Pond Mountain in Caratunk, you’ve enjoyed the result of the efforts of veteran trail maintainer Brad Viles. Trail maintainers are an essential part of the AT experience; the trail is a living feature and requires periodic maintenance to keep hiking it a healthy, safe, and pleasant experience.

Here’s a Day in the Life of a Trail Maintainer, in Brad’s own words, published in the Bangor Daily News.

All of the trail maintainers in Maine are volunteers and it’s only through their hard work and dedication that the Maine AT section and other trails continue to be an outstanding outdoor experience. Would you like the opportunity to help out? Contact the Trail Committee Co-Chairs, Peter Roderick at rode...@fairpoint.net or Keith Chapman at ppro...@maine.rr.com.