Beginning in the spring of 2021, I worked alongside three men rebuilding the Appalachian Trail in Maine. What follows is a photographic account of our trail work.
These images were compiled over two seasons. Some of the images are taken out of chronological order and some were taken at locations outside of the boundaries of the Appalachian Trail corridor. I wanted to tell the story of our crew and our experience of trail work. I hope my choices do that effectively.
The first section of this essay is composed of images taken at a training attended by our trail crew and Maine Appalachian Trail Club members, as well as Baxter State Park employees. The next section individually introduces the crew through shots taken of them out in the field. Finally, there is a sequence of shots that tells the story of our trail work.
The mission of the Appalachian Trail is twofold, to protect some of the last wild places in North America and to develop an infrastructure that allows us to travel freely through the wilderness. There is always work to be done out there, and it is good work. It is work that is both straight forward and challenging. My hope for this project is that you will enjoy it. Beyond that, I hope that it gives you the incentive to get out on the trail and discover its magic for yourself.
“Line Up”
Every spring people from all walks of life line up in America’s wilderness areas to begin their conservation careers. Pictured are a collection of land stewards learning the basics of trail work. Lester Kenway (front left) presides over this training.
“Looking Back”
Lester Kenway spent over 40 years building trails and teaching the craft of trail building in New England. He has inspired generations of conservationists and trail builders. This will be his last training before retirement.
“Passing the Torch”
Lester was the Trails Supervisor for Baxter State Park for 22 years before he moved on to other conservation roles. Here he instructs Brennan Turner, a former geologist who will become the park’s next Trails Supervisor.
“Team Work”
A Baxter State Park Trail Crew member and a Maine Appalachian Trail Crew member work together to get leverage over a heavy load. For many years the two organizations have worked cooperatively to maintain the Appalachian Trail in Maine.
“Rock Work”
The Maine Appalachian Trail Crew begins its field season at the exact point where a prior crew left off. With an estimated 80 year backlog of projects in Maine alone, trail work is never done.
“Jared”
Jared Clough has hiked all 48 of the 4,000’ or greater peaks in his home state of New Hampshire. He is both a poet and a thinker. A love for nature and a passion for helping others led him to trail work. His strength and kindness will become invaluable to the team before the season is over.
“Poker Face”
Just getting to know one another, Noah, Matt and Jared (unseen) play cards. Living and working in the wilderness is a remarkable experience. With few modern conveniences, we slowly revert back to our nature as social animals. At this point all of our cards are on the table, but trust still comes slowly.
“Sisu”
Noah Korpi hails from the forests of Northern Minnesota where he grew up paddling, hunting and fishing. The youngest member of team, perhaps he has something to prove. His curiosity and intelligence come second only to his fighting spirit. In Finnish, Korpi means Wilderness.
“Standing Water”
As a tropical storm blows across Maine’s Hundred Mile Wilderness, somewhere deep in the forest trail work is underway. In a flooded section of trail our crew leader Matt Kusper stands tall, stoic against the elements.
“Rigging”
Trail work is technical. Unable to use heavy equipment in the backcountry, we rely solely on mechanical advantage. Wire coils, winches, chainsaws and other specialty tools must be either packed in by crew or flown out to remote wilderness locations. A full loadout weighs over 500 pounds. This season the burden will be split between our four-person crew.
“Grip Hoist”
A grip hoist is a tool specially designed to move heavy loads by hoisting them into the air on a highline. Cranking the hoist is not for the weak of spirit. Here Matt cranks with max effort to move a load with a ton or more of force.
“On Belay”
On belay is a command used by riggers while controlling a load under tension. The next step in our staircase will be this 400 lb granite stone which we carefully lower down a steep slope using a friction brake.
“Grit”
Trail work is very challenging. Heat, humidity and biting insects test our nerves and make progress tedious. Through these struggles our true characters are exposed. With each passing day we grow to depend on one another.
“One Step at a Time”
Little by little we push forward, completing our first project. Here Noah meticulously adds the final touches to a staircase before we move on.
“Moving Forward”
Noah walks over a series of staircases we completed at our second project at Saddleback Mountain. Moving forward we will face new challenges.
“Borrow Pit”
Several feet below the forest floor, Matt smiles with pride over our efforts. Standing 6’3” tall, he is an imposing figure. However, he leads us with a playful spirit. He is seen here in a borrow pit we dug by hand in only a few days.
“Old Growth”
Noah admires a white pine that eclipses its offspring surrounding it. The tallest species of tree east of the Mississippi, giant white pines were cut in droves for masts on schooners. Very few large pines remain today.
“Timber!”
Water and wind are the enemies of trail maintainers. Here Matt clears the trail corridor of blow downs that block our way forward.
“Flush Cut”
Here Noah watches as Matt cuts a stump flush to the ground as we advance through yet another a tangle of blow downs.
“Ants Marching”
Jared and Matt carry cedar timbers out to the worksite. Each load weighs over 100 lbs. The work is physically challenging but we sleep well at night and grow stronger with each passing day.
“End In Sight”
Days away from the end of the season I shot this selfie when, as the first snow of winter fell, we danced together in celebration.
“Packing Out”
Exhausted from bearing a heavy load, Noah releases his pack and it crashes to the ground. He then sinks into bliss in the understory.
“Wrapping Up”
Jared dispassionately coils a wire cable onto its reel as we inventory our tools for the last pack out of the season. In a few hours the life we created together over the past few months would come to an abrupt end.
“Reverence”
Beginning as strangers and ending as family our season draws to a close. This picture captures the moment we left our last project. Gripped by strong emotions we fell into silence together.
“Legacy”
Next season, a new crew will pick up where we left off.
“A conservationist is one who is humbly aware that with each stroke [of the axe] he is writing his signature on the face of the land.”
― Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac
