North Maine Woods welcome On behalf of the many families, private corporations, conservation organizations and managers of state owned land, we welcome you to this special region of Maine. We’re proud of the history of this remote region and our ability to keep this area open for public enjoyment. In addition to providing remote recreational opportunities, this region is also the “wood basket” that supports our natural resource based economy of Maine. This booklet is designed to help you have a safe and enjoyable trip to the area, plus provide you with important information about forest resource management and recreational use. INSIDE Katahdin Ironworks Jo-Mary Multiple Use Forest Regulations......... p6 Information......... p10 Campsite Listing......... p11 Map......... p12-13 2012 $3 experience the tradition
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Transcript
North Maine Woods
welcomeOn behalf of the many families, private corporations, conservation
organizations and managers of state owned land, we welcome you to this special region of Maine. We’re proud of the history of this remote region
and our ability to keep this area open for public enjoyment. In addition to providing remote recreational opportunities, this region is also the “wood
basket” that supports our natural resource based economy of Maine.
This booklet is designed to help you have a safe and enjoyable trip to the area, plus provide you with important information about
Camping Only Annual Pass ..........................................$100 .............. $100
Special Reduced Seasonal RatesSummer season is from May 1 to September 30. Fall season is from August 20 to November 30. Either summer or fall passes are valid
between August 20 and September 30.
Seasonal Day Use Pass ...................................................$50 ................ $90
Seasonal Unlimited Family Camping .......................$220 .............. N/AFamily camping allows 2 adultsand their children between 15 and 21to camp for the season price of 2 adults.
Camping Only Seasonal Pass ......................................$60 ................ $60
Commercial Sporting Camp Visitors.........................$20 ................ $30 Per trip, for any trip over 3 days
Leaseholders and Internal Landowners of Record .....$40 ................ $40 May purchase 2 annual passes through the NMW office
Guest Passes for Leaseholders ....................................$60 ................ $60 May purchase up to 8 annual passes through the NMW office
Visiting Paticipating Businesses .................................$1 ................... $1 for meals and supplies, up to four hours limit
For Allagash Wilderness Waterway fees, see page 17 in this brochure. For Penobscot River Corridor fees, see page 22.
2012 Visitor Fees
Visitors traveling by vehicle will pass through one of the following checkpoints. Please refer to the map in the center of this publication for locations.
NMW Checkpoints Allagash 5am-9pm daily Caribou 6am-9pm daily Dickey 5am-9pm daily Fish River 6am-9pm daily Little Black 5am-9pm daily Oxbow 6am-9pm daily Six-Mile 5:30am-9:30pm daily St. Francis 5am-9pm daily Telos 6am-9pm daily Twenty-Mile 5am-9pm daily
Canadian Border Checkpoints Estcourt (register at gas station/gaz bar) 7am-5pm Mon-Fri US Customs 1-418-859-2501 Canadian Customs 1-418-859-2201
St. Pamphile 1-418-356-2411 7am-5pm Mon-Fri US Customs 1-418-356-3222 Canadian Customs 1-418-356-3151
St. Juste 1-418-244-3646 7am-5pm Mon-Fri US Customs 1-418-244-3026 Canadian Customs 1-418-244-3653
St. Aurelie 1-418-593-3426 6am-5pm Mon-Thu US Customs 1-418-593-3582 6am-4pm Friday Canadian Customs 1-418-593-3971
The schedule of operation for Canadian border checkpoints and both U. S. and Canadian Customs offices are subject to change at any time, so it is advised that you call the number listed for the crossing you intend to use for current information. U.S. Customs offices are closed during New Year’s Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving.
U.S. citizens are required to have a U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card to enter the U.S. Other travelers will need NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI identification. By Federal Law PL 99-570, there is a $5,000 fine for a first time offense of entering Maine without proper permission, plus an additional fine of $1,000 per person involved. This includes entry by foot or by water.
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Checkpoint Hours of Operation
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Use of New Technology Assists NMW Mission while
Reducing Costs and Helping to Keep Visitor Fees Stable
If you arrived at one of our staffed checkpoints after daily operating hours
or entered through one of the unstaffed electronic gates last season, you
are aware that we have been making some significant adjustments in
the way we operate. These changes have been implemented so we can
continue our mission of keeping the area open to public use by protect-
ing property through managing access. We are doing this with the use
of motion sensitive cameras, satellite internet service and telecommu-
nications at some entry
points. Supplementing
people with technol-
ogy has been occurring
at many businesses in
order to improve oper-
ations and to maintain
or reduce operating
costs. NMW has been
going through a similar
transition.
Night Time Entry and Motion Detection Cameras
Up until 2009, we staffed some checkpoints 24 hours a day seven days a
week- 6 Mile Checkpoint on the American Realty Road, Telos Checkpoint
and Caribou Checkpoint on the Golden Road. In 2009 we did not fill the
night shift employee positions, but instead installed motion sensitive
lights, live time recording cameras and satellite internet service. This al-
lowed us to monitor traffic between 9 PM and 6 AM for the above check-
points, plus Fish River and Dickey, from our Ashland office.
Camera images are sent via satellite internet to a central control room in
our Ashland office where one person watches all nighttime traffic. Tele-
phone communication is available at all locations which allows visitors
to call our office at night to register and enter or leave NMW or get as-
sistance in case of an emergency. Although this system may not be as
convenient as having someone at the checkpoints, it is less expensive
and so reduces the need to increase fees paid by visitors. With cameras
recording traffic 24 hours a day seven days a week, it also helps us keep
track of who is traveling in and out of the area should we have theft or
vandalism problems.
Automated gates
As a non- profit organization, North Maine Woods operates on a break
even basis. The amount charged for overnight camping is directly re-
lated to costs NMW incurs for maintaining campsites. The same is true
for the amount charged for day use. Day use fees offset costs for operat-
ing checkpoints which allow access into the NMW region. In an effort to
continue to allow access while keeping user fees low, we have installed
a number of automated, unstaffed gates in recent years which is a more
cost effective way to manage access.
Visitors entering the North Maine Woods on some low traffic access
roads may encounter automated, electronic gates. These gates are not
staffed, but have instructional signs, motion sensitive video cameras
and a telephone located in a small building next to the road. Signs in-
struct visitors to call the number provided which will connect them to
one of our employees who will help them self register and pay appro-
priate fees. Once this process is complete, permission will be granted
to enter. If someone wants to enter or leave NMW via one of the auto-
mated gates, it will simplify the process if they pre-register at a staffed
checkpoint or have season passes, L Passes or Guest Passes with them.
NMW staff monitors traffic at these locations 24 hours a day, seven days
a week and the cameras record all video for the year at each location.
Dickey Checkpoint was the first to be automated in 2005 and, following
several years of successful operation, more have been added at other
locations. In 2009, Seboomook Dam and Northeast Carry automated
gates were installed on roads leading into North Maine Woods from
Seboomook Township north of Rockwood.
In 2011, another automated checkpoint was installed on the so-called
Kelly Dam Road which enters the North Maine Woods from Route 201
a few miles north of Jackman. We encourage visitors to pre-register at
Bishop’s Store in Jackman prior to heading into the Kelly Dam Road as
pre-registering will streamline the process and reduce time required to
go through this process over the telephone at the automated gate site.
Visitors can expect to encounter additional conversions in the future as
we improve the operational aspects of the equipment and as road sys-
tems change along the NMW boundary.
Al Cowperthwaite, Executive Director
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Dickey Checkpoint
photo by Peter Freeman
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HistoryIn the early 1970s, user fees were initiated to help landowners recover part of the management costs related to accommodating public visitors to their lands. Before the North Maine Woods (NMW) organization was created, sep-arate landowners had their own regulations and fee schedules for use of their lands. Travelers might have passed through two or three checkpoints to get to their destinations and paid separate fees on each stop.
In 1971, with the agreement between landowners to form NMW, a day use sea-son registration for Maine residents was set at $2. Landowners also imposed a self assessment to fund the start up the North Maine Woods program.
The self assessment share was based on the owner’s percentage of acres with-in the designated North Maine Woods area. During the period between 1971 and 1986, these assessments amounted to nearly three quarters of a million dollars. Since then, increased usage, prudent management and modest fee increases have allowed the program to become self sufficient.
Although annual assessments have ceased, landowners still absorb many costs. They provide staff time on the various operating committees; donate professional services of draftsmen, soil evaluators, and others; donate use of construction equipment; and maintain thousands of miles of roads which re-ceive wear and tear from public travel.
For more than 40 years, steps have been made to increase visitor comfort and satisfaction with the facilities. Improvements made in the campsite program include better maintenance of campsites along with the creation of new ones. Public communications, identified as a shortcoming, has been addressed with NMW’s own publications as well as articles in other publications, to enable our visitors to better understand our goals and objectives.
Visitor use has always occurred without any advertising by NMW, and this is thought to be due, in part, to the favorable experiences of our recreational users spreading the word after returning home from their visits.
Additional use is not promoted because the area is not like a park, commercial campground or other area designated specifically for recreational use. This benefits users by keeping the NMW from getting overcrowded.
All visitors help defray operating costs. Even the landowners and their staff members pay the regular user fees when visiting the area for recreation. NMW staff also pay their own camping fees.
NMW History and User Fees
PurposeFees for each activity pay for the management of that activity.
In general, all day use fee collections offset costs for operating the checkpoint facilities. Receptionists are available at convenient times for visitors to enter the area. Guidance, brochures and information are provided. Trash bags are provided to help control litter in the area. Receptionists also assist parties with emergencies and provide infor-mation to game wardens looking for sportsmen to relay emergency messages from home.
Camping fees collected are dedicated to maintaining and developing facilities used by campers. Our travel costs are similar to those of visi-tors. If all 300+ campsites were located on 20 acres as with most camp-grounds, NMW camping fees would be lower. Staff frequently travel 30 to 40 miles between campsites.
Fees from the bear bait site management program are dedicated in part to managing this program. NMW staff works with wildlife bi-ologists, game wardens, landowner foresters, guides and hunters to manage the locations of bait sites to minimize conflicts in our working forest.
Management contracts established over the years with the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, the Bureau of Parks and Lands, Jo-Mary Camp-ground, and members of the KI Jo-Mary Multiple Use Forest provide just enough income to offset costs for managment.
Under Maine law, NMW is established as a non-profit corporation. There are no stockholders, no profit sharing and no dividends. None of the fees collected at checkpoints are distributed to the landowners in this program. Income is budgeted to meet expenses and fees reflect this arrangement.
North Maine Woods is a non-profit corporation. There are no stockholders, no profit sharing and no dividends. None of the fees collected at checkpoints are distributed to the landowners in this program.
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Cam
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St. John River muskie fishing
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Find valuable, up-to-date information
on the WebWhether you are planning another trip or visiting North Maine Woods (NMW) for the first time, you will find an abundance of helpful information about
the NMW region on our website. Information on land use, regional history, rules and regulations, checkpoint hours of operation, user fees, camping
locations and safety can all be found at the click of your mouse.
Under the “Business Links” heading you can search a listing of many businesses that cater to a variety of outdoor activities including: cabin rentals,
charter services, guide services, outdoor products, vehicle shuttle services, sporting lodges, camps, or whitewater rafting. Our site provides
information on the St. John River canoe trip and two options for printing maps of the 3.5 million acre NMW region.
North Maine Woods also manages the one hundred eighty thousand acre KI-Jo Mary Multiple Use Forest located between Millinocket, Greenville and
Brownville. Our website contains all the information you will need for planning a trip to this unique area. Camping information is available as well as
information on these popular attractions: Gulf Hagas gorge, Katahdin Iron Works, the Hermitage, and the Appalachian Trail. Within the KI Jo-Mary
Forest is Jo-Mary Campground, also managed by NMW. It is a 70 site commercial campground with running water, flush toilets, laundromat and other
amenities not available at our remote campsites.
We also have a “Links” page that can direct you to a variety of Maine State websites where you can find information and regulations on canoeing, hunt-
ing and fishing and purchase hunting and fishing licenses. There are links to over two dozen other websites were you can find canoeable river water
flow rates, regional weather forecasts and other useful information.
New to our website are the North Maine Woods and KI Jo-Mary Campsite Guides. Each guide uses Google Earth to depict Authorized and Fire Permit
campsites thoughout each respective region; and once downloaded users can click on a campsite icon to pull up photos and a list of amenities for each
location. These guides were designed to assist you in planning your next camping trip while at the same time offering you a virtual tour of the region.
Another feature is the homepage “Bulletin Board” which allows us to post up-to-date information on what is happening in NMW. For example, during
the spring flooding in 2008, road damage information was updated weekly which provided an accurate list of road openings/closures as well as a map
depicting the location and types of road damage. The Bulletin Board
contains important news, information, and describes current condi-
tions within NMW.
Our website is one of the most frequently visited websites for people
considering a trip to northern Maine. Remember to check www.north-
mainewoods.org as we continue to expand on the quality and quan-
tity of information on our website.
www.northmainewoods.org
To provide the visiting public with high quality,
traditional outdoor recreational experiences
that are compatible with providing renewable
forest resources which sustain approximately
20% of Maine’s economy. Forest recreation,
when managed properly, is compatible with
harvesting forest products.
MISSION
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Cutting live trees is not permitted. You are welcome to use dead and down
wood for your fire at an authorized location. To prevent the spread of injuri-
ous insects, long distance movement of firewood is discouraged. Extreme
caution is always the rule. Remember a small fire is best for cooking. By
Maine law, there is a $50 fine for leaving any fire unattended. The steel fire
ring provided is the only place a fire may be built at authorized campsites.
Limits on camper trailer and vehicle sizes. Only single vehicles less than
28 feet in length, or vehicle and trailer with a combined length of less than
44 feet, and with a maximum width of 8 feet, will be allowed entrance. Large
vehicles within these limits may be required to travel at certain low traffic
periods through any checkpoint if requested by the checkpoint receptionist
on duty.
Bicycles, motorcycles, all terrain vehicles and horses are not allowed in
the NMW or KI Jo-Mary Forest at any time of year. This is necessary for log-
ging road safety and avoidance of fire hazards in hard to reach locations.
Through-traffic between Canada and Maine is discouraged via the pri-
vate road system in the NMW. These roads are privately built for the purpose
of managing the woodland area. Recreationists are encouraged to travel to
their desired destinations within the area and then return to the country
from which they entered. Parties entering at a Canadian border checkpoint
must leave via the same checkpoint. Through passage between the US and
Canada is allowed for camp owners and other visitors only when at least one
night’s lodging is spent within NMW.
Informationfor North Maine Woods and KI Jo-Mary Forest
Water supplies in the NMW and KI Jo-Mary Forest area are not test-
ed for safety. It is recommended that you bring in water from a known
safe source. You should not drink water directly from any stream or pond
without treating it to kill bacteria and other organisms. The safest way to
treat the water is to boil it for at least one minute at a rolling boil. While
other methods of treatment are available, they may not be totally effective
against all harmful organisms and are not recommended.
Biting insects are common most of the summer. Visitors should be
equipped with insect repellent at all times. The peak time for mosquitoes
and blackflies is from the end of May through July. Daily periods of in-
creased insect activities are during early morning and evening hours.
The weather varies greatly in northern Maine. May temperatures range
from 20 to 70 degrees on any given day, and snow may even fall. During
the summer, temperatures average 50 to 90 degrees. It is suggested that
visitors pack clothing for both extremes. Rain is unpredictable with the av-
erage seasonal amount between 35 and 45 inches. The temperatures begin
to drop below freezing in mid-September with daytime highs in the 50s. In
November it is common for temperatures to approach 0 with highs in the
40s, and snow can begin to build up. November hunters are cautioned to
camp near main roads and listen to weather forecasts.
There are very few stores or gas stations in the NMW or KI Jo-Mary For-
est. All supplies must be carried in with you.
A majority of visitors come to the NMW and KI Jo-Mary to enjoy peace
and tranquility. Although there are no rules regarding the use of genera-
tors, chainsaws, other types of motors and radios, we do ask that visitors
use common sense and be considerate of others.
All parties flying into the area must abide by the area’s rules and reg-
ulations. NMW Land Use and Camping permits are available from many
commercial bush pilots or you may obtain permits by writing to North
Maine Woods, PO Box 425, Ashland, ME 04732.
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Fireworks are prohibited in NMW. Although the State of
Maine legalized the use of fireworks in 2011, the new law
also requires that users of fireworks have landowner per-
mission. None of the private landowners and managers of
public land within North Maine Woods have agreed to give
permission or allow the use of fireworks. Fire hazard is the
major concern, but public safety and disturbance to other
recreationists and wildlife are also factors cited in their deci-
sion to prohibit fireworks in NMW.
These rules apply to all road usersYour safety is important
Give all logging trucks the right of way! The roads in
this area were built to move wood products. For safety,
please give logging trucks the same respect provided
to fire trucks and ambulances. Logging trucks typically
travel on the crown of the road for stability. When you
see a truck coming from either direction, please pull
over to let it pass safely.
Obey posted speed limit signs. Maximum speed is 45
mph.
Lights on for safety.
Always travel on the right hand side.
Be prepared to stop at all times.
Never stop on a corner. Always give yourself at least 500
feet of visibility front and back.
Reduce speeds on freshly graded roads. You are more
likely to blow a tire or lose control because of loose
gravel.
Never block side roads. Even roads that seem
unused may be needed in emergencies.
Do not linger on roads or stop on bridges. Most bridges
in NMW are one lane.
Park vehicles well off the road.
Do not park in front of checkpoints. Use parking area
provided
All drivers must have a valid state or provincial
driver’s license.
All vehicles yield right of way to loaded trucks. All traffic
yield to equipment working in roads. Pass only after
operator’s acknowledgement.
for Industrial Logging Roads
Rulesof theRoad
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Camping inNorth Maine Woods
Camping permits are issued at the checkpoints upon entrance to the
North Maine Woods area. Camping is allowed at the more than 300
designated, marked camping areas for a two-week maximum time lim-
it per campsite. The North Maine Woods map in this publication shows
campsite locations. There are two types of campsites available for use:
Authorized Campsites: These campsites are marked on the NMW
map and are listed here for reference. While all campsites are rustic,
there are steel fire rings, cedar picnic tables and toilets at the autho-
rized campsites. Fires may be carefully built in the steel fire rings, and
many of the campsites have picnic shelters. A Maine Forest Service fire
permit is not required.
Designated Fire Permit Campsites: These are locations where over-
night camping is allowed but where building campfires requires a
Maine Forest Service fire permit. The locations of designated fire permit
campsites are shown on the NMW map. These campsites have fewer
facilities than authorized campsites. Although some fire permit camp-
sites are not as attractive as authorized campsites, fall hunters prefer
sheltered locations rather than windswept lake shore campsites.
Outhouse Update: North Maine Woods is currently using an active en-
zyme (Bio Quest SST-850) for the treatment of outhouse solids. We ask
that visitors do not dump lime, deodorizers, trash, or liquid materials into
outhouse openings. These foreign substances will either kill or greatly re-
duce the effectiveness of the enzyme.
Campsites on Google Earth: Campsite locations within the North Maine
Woods and KI Jo-Mary regions are shown on Google Earth. Visit our web-
site (www.northmainewoods.org) to download this new feature found
on the homepage. In addition to showing campsite locations, there pho-
tos and a written description of each campsite to help you decide which
campsite to visit.
Please carry your trash out. Do not leave trash at your campsite or
alongside roads and waters.
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TELOS REGION
Umbazooksus West T6R13 4 1 y y y
Umbazooksus East T6R13 2 1 y y
Kellog Brook T6R12 3 y y y
Indian Stream T7R12 2 y y
Indian Pond T7R12 6 2 y y y
Haymock Lake T8R11 8 y y y
Cliff Lake T8R12 5 1 y y y
Pillsbury Deadwater T8R11 2 y y y
Spider Lake T9R11 3 1 y y y
Little Pillsbury Pond T8R11 4 2 y y y
Coffeelos South T6R11 3 y y
Coffeelos North T6R11 2 y y y
TOTAL 44
CAUCOMGOMOC REGION
Caucomgomoc Landing T7R15 5 1 y y y
Caucomgomoc Dam T6R14 2 y y y
Henrys Island T7R15 1 y y
Rowe Thoroughfare T7R15 1 y y y y
Round Pond North T7R14 3 y y
Round Pond Inlet T7R14 1 y y
Lost Pond T5R16 2 y y
Russell Stream T4R16 1 y y y
Big Bog T5R18 4 y y y
5th St. John Bridge T6R17 1 y y y y
5th St. John Dam T6R17 1 y y
Wadleigh Pond Beach T8R15 1 y y
Wadleigh Pond T8R15 3 1 y y y
Wadleigh Pond South T8R15 2 y y y
St. Francis Lake T8R16 2 y y y
Baker Lake North T7R17 4 1 y y y
Baker Lake South T7R17 1 y y y
Boulet Campyard T7R17 2 y y
Turner Pond T7R16 2 y y y
Crescent Pond T9R15 2 y y y
Johnson Pond Island T8R14 2 y y y
TOTAL 43
Tow
nshi
p
Site
s
Shel
ters
Wat
er A
cces
s
Vehi
cle
Acce
ss
Cano
e Ac
cess
Cam
per A
cces
s
FISH RIVER REGION
Gleason Brook T13R7 1 y y y
Carr Pond T13R8 4 y y y
Fish River Falls T14R8 8 2 y y y
Fish Lake T14R8 5 1 y y y
Big Brook T14R10 3 1 y y y
Fox Brook T13R9 3 1 y y y
TOTAL 24
AROOSTOOK RIVER REGION
Munsungan Branch T8R8 1 y y
Mooseleuk Branch T8R8 1 y y
Lapomkeag Stream T9R7 1 y y
Houlton Brook T9R5 2 y y
TOTAL 5
ASHLAND REGION
Little Munsungan Lake T8R9 2 y y
Chase Brook Road T10R9 2 y y y
Munsungan Falls T8R9 3 y y y
Malcolm Branch T9R8 2 2 y y y
Mooseleuk Dam T10R9 3 2 y y
N. Br. Machias River T11R7 6 2 y y y
Machias Bridge T11R7 2 y y y
Machias River T11R7 1 y y y
Chase Lake T9R10 3 1 y y y
Ragged Mountain Pond T9R10 1 y y
Jack Mountain T11R8 3 y y
S. Br. Machias River T10R7 2 y y y
Pratt Lake T11R9 1 1 y y y
Island Pond T10R10 2 1 y y
Machias Lake Dam T12R8 3 1 y y
20-Mile Bridge T12R8 3 1 y y y
Little Clayton Lake T12R8 1 y y
Moosehorn Crossing T12R7 2 1 y y y
Upper Elbow Pond T10R10 2 y y
Peaked Mountain Pond T10R10 3 y y
Russell Crossing T11R8 3 1 y y y
Musquacook Stream T12R11 2 y y y
McNally Pond T11R10 2 y y y
2nd Musquacook Lake T11R11 6 1 y y y
Squirrel Pond T11R10 1 1 y y y
Beaver Sprague T11R7 3 3 y y
Weeks Brook T11R8 1 y y y
Smith Brook T9R9 1 y y
Big Hudson Brook T10R9 3 y y y
Munsungan Thoroughfare T8R10 2 y
Little Moosehorn T8R10 2 y y
Kelly Brook T11R14 5 y y y
Squirrel Mountain T11R13 2 y y
Ross Lake T10R15 3 1 y y y
Red Pine T11R16 3 y y y y
TOTAL 86
Tow
nshi
p
Site
s
Shel
ters
Wat
er A
cces
s
Vehi
cle
Acce
ss
Cano
e Ac
cess
Cam
per A
cces
s
ALLAGASH REGION
Little Falls Pond T17R11 1 y y
Fall Brook Lake T18R10 3 1 y y y
Little Black River Plt T19R12 2 1 y y y
Upper Little Black T19R12 1 y y
Little Black River T19R12 2 1 y y y
Chimenticook Stream T17R13 2 y y y
West Twin Brook #1 Allagash 1 y y
West Twin Brook #2 Allagash 1 y y
West Twin Gravel Pit Allagash 1 y y y
Blue Pond T13R13 2 y y y
Deadeye Bridge T18R13 3 y y
3rd Pelletier Pond T16R9 3 y y y
Ben Glazier T14R12 1 y y
Big Black River Road T15R13 2 y y y
Old Camp 106 T16R13 1 y y
Big Black Fall Site T15R13 1 y y y
Connors Cove T18R10 7 y y y
TOTAL 34
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RAGMUFF/SEBOOMOOK REGION
Lane Brook T2R4 4 1 y y y
Leadbetter Falls T2R18 4 y y y
Leadbetter Pit T2R18 3 1 y y y
Gilberts Crossing T2R4 3 1 y y y
Lane Brook (Boundary Rd) T3R4 1 y y y
Cheney Pond T3R4 3 y y
Penobscot Dam T4R4 4 1 y y y
Penobscot Pd (Ice Box Pit) T4R4 1 y y
Long Pond T3R5 4 1 y y y
Dole Pond T3R5 3 1 y y y
Dole Brook T3R5 1 y y
Hurricane Pond T5R20 1 y y
Hurricane Stream T5R19 2 1 y y
Snake Campsite T4R18 6 1 y y y y
Frost Pond Outlet T4R5 1 y y
Nulhedus Pit T1R4 1 y y
Little Lobster Lake T3R14 2 1 y y y
35-Mile Campsite Dole Twp 1 y y
TOTAL 45
ST. JOHN RIVER
Turner Bogan T8R17 2 y y
Flaws Bogan T8R17 2 1 y y
Flaws Bogan Camp T8R17 1 y y
Morrison Depot T9R17 2 y y
Southwest Branch T9R17 1 y y
Doucie Brook T10R17 3 y y
Knowles Brook T10R16 4 y y
Northwest Branch T10R17 2 y y
Ledge Rapids T11R16 3 1 y y
Moody Campsite T11R16 3 2 y y
Red Pine T11R16 3 y y y y
Burntland Brook T11R16 2 1 y y
Nine-Mile Campsite T12R16 2 y y
East Nine-Mile T12R15 1 y y y
Connor Farm T13R15 1 y y
Seven Islands T13R15 4 2 y y
Priestley Campsite T13R14 2 1 y y y y
Simmons Farm T14R14 2 1 y y
Basford Rips T14R13 1 y y
Big Black Rapids T15R13 3 1 y y
Ferry Crossing T15R13 2 1 y y y y
Boom Chain T15R13 2 y y
Seminary Brook T15R13 2 1 y y y y
Longs Rapids T16R13 2 1 y y y
Castonia Farm T16R12 2 y y y y
Ouellette Brook T16R12 2 y y y
Ouellette Farm T16R12 3 1 y y y y
Fox Brook T16R12 3 2 y y y y
Poplar Island Allagash 1 1 y y y y
TOTAL 63
OXBOW REGION
Lapomkeag Field T8R8 2 1 y y y
Millinocket Stream T8R8 2 y y y
Munsungan Stream T8R9 2 1 y y y
TOTAL 6
Tow
nshi
p
Tow
nshi
p
Site
s
Site
s
Shel
ters
Shel
ters
Wat
er A
cces
s
Wat
er A
cces
s
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cle
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ss
Vehi
cle
Acce
ss
Cano
e Ac
cess
Cano
e Ac
cess
Cam
per A
cces
s
Cam
per A
cces
s
www.northmainewoods.org | page nine
The Maine Forest Service protects hundreds of thousands of acres in the North Maine
Woods from wildland fire every year. It is everyone’s responsibility to be safe with
campfires, as well as report wildland fires that you encounter. Remember, when you
have a campfire, you must attend it at all times. It is important to put your fire dead
out before you leave your site for the day. A heavy wind and dry conditions can create
a large wildland fire from what once was an innocent campfire, and the person who
lights the fire is responsible for damages. Campers are reminded that it is unlawful
to burn prohibited items such as plastic, metal cans, bottles, and any type of trash.
Please carry your trash out.
Your actions will help ensure that the resource we all enjoy is preserved for this and
future generations. If you encounter a wildland fire, report it immediately. Informa-
tion that is helpful when reporting a fire includes: where the fire is (township, GPS
coordinates, nearest road), what fuel the fire is burning in, what type of fire behavior
is being exhibited, is there a water source nearby, and are there any camps or tree
plantations threatened. This information helps Maine Forest Service provide a quick-
er, more efficient response. To report a wildland fire, obtain fire permits, or to receive
additional information you may call:
Ashland Regional Headquarters
207-435-7963
Old Town Regional Headquarters
207-827-1800
Portage District Headquarters
207-435-6644
Allagash Unit Headquarters
207-398-3196
Aroostook Waters District Headquarters
207-435-6975
East Branch District Headquarters
207-463-2331
Moosehead District Headquarters
207-695-3721
Fire Emergency Number - to report fires after 6pm
1-888-900-3473
Maine Forest Service
page ten | www.northmainewoods.org
The KI Jo-Mary Multiple Use Forest is a 175,000 acre tract of forest land
located between Millinocket, Brownville and Greenville. At the request
of the forest landowners in this area, NMW contracted with them in
1986 to establish checkpoints and campsites to manage increasing
public use of their lands. Due to differences in operating costs and
landowner management objectives, the KI Jo-Mary user fees are slightly
different from fees assessed for use of NMW. Season registrations are
not interchangeable between NMW and KI Jo-Mary. In both cases, land
use fees help offset recreational management costs.
Recreationists traveling by vehicle will pass through one of these
checkpoints. Please refer to the map located on page twelve of this
publication. The following listing will inform you of operating hours.
All four checkpoints open the first of May and close mid October.
Jo-Mary Checkpoint : Open from 6:00am to 9:00pm Sunday
through Thursday, and 6:00pm to 10:00pm Friday and
Saturday.
KI Checkpoint : Open from 6:00am to 9:00pm seven days a
week.
Hedgehog Checkpoint : Open from 6:00am to 9:00pm seven
days a week.
Henderson Checkpoint : Open from 6:00am to 9:00pm seven
days a week. Henderson is an electronic, unmanned checkpoint
managed by Jo-Mary checkpoint staff.
Checkpoints and Hours of Operation
Maine Non Residents Residents
Under 15 and over 70 years of age Free Day Use Free Day Use
Per Day $6.00 $10.00
Day Use Season Registration $60.00 $75.00
Camping
Per Night $10.00 $10.00
Passage At Any Checkpoint After Hours
$20.00 per vehicle
Land Use and Camping Fees
Katahdin Ironworks Jo-Mary
General Information
ph
oto
by
NM
W s
taff
ph
oto
by
NM
W s
taff
www.northmainewoods.org | page eleven
KI AREA Number of Facilities
Name Location Sites Privies Tables Shelters
Silver Lake Field T6R9 8 3 8 0
Silver Lake #1 T6R9 1 1 1 0
Silver Lake #2 and #3 T6R9 2 1 2 0
Silver Lake #4 and #5 T6R9 2 2 2 0
Pleasant River #1 T6R9 1 1 1 0
Pleasant River #2 T6R9 1 1 1 0
Pleasant River #3 T6R9 1 1 1 0
Pleasant River #4 T6R9 1 1 1 0
Pleasant River #5 T6R9 1 1 1 0
Pleasant River #6 T6R9 1 1 1 0
High Bridge #1 T7R10 1 1 1 0
High Bridge #2 T7R10 1 1 1 0
High Bridge #3 T7R10 1 1 1 0
Big White Bk. #1, 2, 3, 4 T7R10 4 2 4 0
Pleasant River #7, 8, 9, 10 T7R10 4 1 4 0
Hay Brook Campsites T7R10 3 2 3 0
Pine Camp T8R11 1 2 1 1
Totals 34 23 34 1
HEDGEHOG AREA Number of Facilities
Name Location Sites Privies Tables Shelters
Long Pond - Vehicle Access T7R9 3 3 2 0
Long Pond - Water Access T7R9 1 1 1 0
Horseshoe Pond W. Bowdoin
College Grant 4 2 4 0
Trout Pond Lean-To W. Bowdoin
College Grant 1 1 0 1
Totals 9 7 7 1
JO-MARY AREA Number of Facilities
Name Location Sites Privies Tables Shelters
Gauntlet Falls #1 T8R10 1 1 1 0
Gauntlet Falls #2 T8R10 1 1 1 0
Crawford Pond TAR 11 2 1 2 0
Long Pond TAR 11 4 1 4 0
Big Pleasant Pond TAR 11 2 2 2 0
Johnston Pond TAR 10 5 1 5 0
Little Jo-Mary Pond TBR 10 4 1 4 0
East Branch Pleasant #1 TBR 11 1 1 1 0
East Branch Pleasant #2 TBR 11 1 1 1 0
East Branch Pleasant #3 TBR 11 1 1 1 0
East Branch Pleasant #4 TBR 11 1 1 1 0
East Branch Pleasant #5 TBR 11 2 1 2 0
Pratt Brook TAR 10 1 1 1 0
Johnston Brook T1R11 1 1 1 0
Totals 27 15 27 0
The KI Jo-Mary Forest is not your everyday camping
area. The sites are primitive and well spread out. You will
be able to find solitude, fishing, hunting, hiking, fresh
air, clean water, good times and many other outdoor
activities if this is what appeals to you. The KI Jo-Mary
Multiple Use Forest landowners are trying to encourage
and preserve this type of experience.
No party will be allowed to camp more than two weeks
in one location. No trailer, tent or other equipment is to
be stored on any campsite. Items left unattended for
more than three consecutive days may be removed at
the expense of the owner.
Camping is allowed only in the authorized campsites
shown on the map on page twelve. The checkpoint re-
ceptionists will gladly assist you in choosing a location
when you register. Fees will vary according to the num-
ber in your party and the length of your stay. A fireplace,
picnic table and privy are located at each campsite.
There is no running water or electricity. Campsites are
maintained weekly.
Campsite reservations are not required, but recom-
mended for Friday and Saturday nights. For the areas
served by the KI and Hedgehog checkpoints, call KI
checkpoint at 207-965-8135. For the area served by the
Jo-Mary checkpoint, call 207-723-8944.
If you are not able to honor your reservation, please call
the checkpoint early enough in the day so others might
enjoy the campsite.
You are welcome to use dead and down wood for your
fire at an authorized location. Extreme caution is always
the rule. Remember a small fire is best for cooking and a
DEAD fire is the best when unattended. All outside fires
must be within the steel fire rings provided at the au-
thorized campsites. Building your own rock fireplaces is
not permitted. By Maine law, it is illegal and punishable
by a fine to have an unauthorized cooking or warming
fire, or to leave any fire unattended.
Please carry your trash out. Do not leave trash at your
campsite or alongside roads and waters.
Camping in the KI Jo-Mary Forest
You will find solitude, fishing, hunting, hiking,
fresh air, clean water, good times and many
other outdoor activities if this is what appeals
to you. The KI Jo-Mary Multiple Use Forest
landowners are trying to encourage and
preserve this type of experience.
T 2
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rs.
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........
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LE
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hw
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page twelve | www.northmainewoods.org
AR
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www.northmainewoods.org | page thirteen
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AMC Maine Woods, Inc.**
Pine State Timberlands, LLC
Cassidy Timberlands, LLC*
North Woods Maine Timberlands, LLC**
Greentrees, Inc.*
Katahdin Forest Management, LLC
McCrillis Timberland, LLC*
Prentiss & Carlisle Company, Inc.*
The National Park Service
Silver Ridge Land Company*
*Lands managed by Prentiss & Carlisle Management Co.
**Lands managed by Huber Resources Corp.
Landowners
within the 175,000 acres
of KI Jo-Mary
and
Managers
ph
oto
by
Bill L
ea
ch
Gulf Hagas
page fourteen | www.northmainewoods.org
By Matthew LaRoche, SuperintendentAllagash Wilderness Waterway
Nestled deep in the Maine woods near the northwest end of Chamberlain Lake sit the rusting hulks of two large boilers. These boilers
provided the power that operated an engineering marvel from more than a century ago. Engineer Fred Dow oversaw construction of this
steam-powered, mechanical, log-moving apparatus.
The problem: How to get the vast quantity of pine and spruce logs from the shores of Eagle and Churchill lakes, which flow north down
the Allagash River, to Chamberlain Lake where they could be driven down through Telos Cut, Webster Stream, the East Branch of the
Penobscot, and eventually to the lucrative Bangor lumber market.
Hence, the idea of a tramway was conceived. The tramway is essentially a miniature railroad pulled by a 6,000-foot-long cable loop. The
steel “trucks” attached to the cable carried logs across the 3,000-foot-long isthmus separating Eagle and Chamberlain lakes. As the logs
dropped off at the Chamberlain end, each empty truck looped underneath to a lower track and returned to Eagle Lake for another load.
Allagash Tramway Restoration
Gaining Steam
Most of the parts for the construction of the tramway were boated up
Moosehead Lake to North East Carry during the summer and fall of 1901.
That winter, H.N. Bartley hauled what remained of the parts at Greenville,
particularly the 6,000 feet of continuous cable. It was an exhausting job
using horse teams and skids, and by the time the teams reached Smith’s
Halfway House on the West Branch of the Penobscot, they cut the cable
into two separate sections for easier hauling.
When construction was complete, the tramway posed two problems.
When the system was fired up and put in gear, workers discovered that
none of the 7/8 inch bolts that held the 600 trucks and 600 clamps to
the cable were tight enough and the whole system slipped. This occurred
because the threads on each bolt did not reach far enough down the bolt
shaft to tighten the nuts as much as necessary. The only way to overcome
the problem was to remove all 4,800 bolts and lengthen the threads with
a hand die.
When this was finally accomplished and the system was again put into
operation, workers watched nervously as the logs crawled onto the trucks
but did not move at nearly the speed they had expected.
Continuing to watch in dismay, they were relieved to find that as the first
of the logs passed slowly over the height of ground along the route of
the tramway their weight helped pull the cable along and increased the
overall speed.
When loaded and under a full head of steam the tramway moved
at a rate of about 3 miles per hour. The system could move a half
million board feet of logs per day, running from 4:00 a.m. until
8:00 p. m. It worked remarkably well for more than six seasons,
hauling 100 million board feet before its use was discontinued.
The Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW), with the help of many
volunteers, is in the process of restoring a 25-foot-long section of
the tramway. The section to be restored is located at the Cham-
berlain end, right next to the boilers, engine, and drive wheel.
Everything is lined up for the restoration of a section of the tram-
way this summer and fall. Materials were brought in last winter.
Two volunteer groups have committed to the restoration effort.
Roger Morneault will be heading up a crew that will clear and
grub the 25-foot-long rail bed, getting it ready for another group
headed by Steve Barns who will do the actual reconstruction of
the 22-gauge upper and lower tracks. Roger told me, “I never thought
that this would happen in my lifetime.”
Once restoration of the 25-foot-long section of the tramway is completed,
the vision is to level the drive mechanism, connect the steam pipe, and in-
stall a belt between the engine and drive wheel. The parts are all lying on
the ground right where they were when the tramway was in operation.
A static display of the tramway as it looked in 1903 is possible. All that is
needed is continued volunteer support and a few thousand dollars.
There has been tremendous support for the tramway restoration effort.
The timbers were donated by Viking Lumber: 100 miniature railroad
spikes were forged at the Windsor Fair by a group headed by Bob Brann:
Cianbro Corp. cut and donated the steel for the spikes: the late Tom
Thornton donated $2000: and Rick Denico, a local camp owner and AWW
Advisory Council member, has been working behind the scenes helping
to line up donors.
The steam-powered tramway system for moving logs is a testimony to
those who came before us, their ingenuity and willingness to take on any
problem.
If you would like to help with future restoration efforts at the tramway,
please give Matt Laroche a call at 695-3721 x4 or send an email to:
Throughout the North Maine Woods and beyond, the distinct shape of a taper-
ing metal tower with a square wooden cab on top has long been a landmark set-
ting certain mountain tops apart from others. Over the course of the next several
years, many of the old sentinels will be removed, making way for new communi-
cation towers and cleaning the mountain tops of a long unused system.
The threat of a forest fire devastating the vast forest resource stretching across
the State of Maine has always been a concern to both the industrial land own-
ers and the people of the state of Maine. In 1891, Maine was the first state to
pass legislation regarding forest fire protection. In 1905, M.G. Shaw Lumber in
Greenville built a fire tower on top of Moose Mountain establishing the first fire
tower lookout system in the nation. The idea of a fire lookout tower made such
good sense that other industrial owners continued building fire towers. After
devastating wildfires that burned over 98,000 acres in 1908, the state created the
Maine Forestry District and charged it with establishing a fire protection system.
As part of the system, the state took over the privately built and manned fire
tower system and began to add to it. For the most part, the fire towers that North
Maine Woods visitors picture are steel structures that look relatively similar to one
another. Some of the fire towers in the area, like the one on Depot Mountain in
T14 R16 WELS in far western Aroostook County, began as large logs arranged like
tee-pee poles with a lookout platform at the top. To say the least, they wouldn’t
meet today’s safety regulations! There were other towers around the state that
utilized rock foundations, had wooden staircases
or were even fully enclosed.
The Forestry District began installing steel struc-
tures in 1913. Initially, most towers had an open
observation platform at the top that was even-
tually replaced with a cab structure. Inside the
tower cab, the watchman had a hand cranked
phone, maps, a map table and a brass sighting
aid called an alidade. Maine was again a leader
in fire technology when the Forestry District de-
veloped a “panoramic alidade.” Watchmen drew a
circular map at the tower that was then sent to
draftsmen in Augusta. The draftsmen refined the
Maine Forest Service
Fire Tower Project
Some of the fire towers began as large logs arranged like
tee-pee poles with a lookout platform at the top. Others
utilized rock foundations, had wooden staircases or were
even fully enclosed. The Forestry District began installing
steel structures in 1913.
www.northmainewoods.org | page nineteen
map to show a horizon profile around the edge of the map as well as
regular scaled map features like lakes, ponds, streams and town lines on
the main body of the map.
All told, the Maine Forestry District put up 143 towers across the state.
While not all of the towers would have been operational at one time, in
1959 102 towers were staffed for the summer season. In addition to the
towers, watchman’s cabins and lightning shacks were constructed nearby
and at least 1,700 miles of telephone wire was run to connect each tower
to a dispatcher of some sort – be it a sporting camp, logging depot or op-
erator – who had phone connections further into civilization. The phone
system was eventually replaced by a radio repeater system in the 1950s
and 60s. The role of the watchman evolved to include relaying messages
from patrolmen on the ground to supervisors and dispatchers in town.
Many of the Maine Forest Service radio repeater antennas are still at-
tached to fire towers.
The watchmen and women who manned the towers were a sturdy, in-
dividualistic group with some truly amazing stories. These folks would
spend many long, often lonely, days, weeks and months by themselves
in what were very remote locations. They were known to stay in a tower
during lightning storms plotting fire-starting lightning strikes until they
absolutely had to come down and take refuge in a lightning shack. Some
of them developed a number system to play checkers in the evening using
their radios. Others had to order a month’s worth of groceries at a time over
the radio. If the watchman’s camp was on a lake, Forestry pilots like the leg-
endary Charlie Robinson would buzz the tower and drop off their groceries
at the camp. If the camp wasn’t on a lake, like at Deboullie, the groceries
would be bundled together, attached to a parachute and dumped out of
a canister hooked to the side of his pontoon. And yes, occasionally, after
the days ran together, a watchman would need to come out of the woods
because the squirrels were starting to make sense to him.
The demise of the tower system began in the 1950s when aircraft and pi-
lots became more available to perform fire detection through regular air
patrols. The state first began using aircraft in 1927, again, leading the na-
tion in fire fighting technology. The Maine Forestry District became the
Maine Forest Service, a bureau within the Department of Conservation, in
1973. By that time, only 13 towers were functioning. In 1991, the last of the
towers, including Norway Bluff, Allagash Mountain and Burnt Mountain in
the northern region, closed. Aircraft was doing a majority of the fire detec-
tion while the watchman’s role was more as a radio relay point for Forest
Rangers on the ground. The towers were retained by the Maine Forest Ser-
Alidade system was used to pin point location of forest fires
The alidade system consisted of a round map with a hill profile along the edge that matched what the
watchperson would see out the tower windows as well as compass degree marks. The map would be
orientated on a map table to coincide with the view and cardinal directions. The map table would be
the height of the bottom of the tower windows. Between the profile and the center of the map would
be a regular flat map showing lakes, streams, roads, etc. The map was covered with a round piece of
glass the same diameter as the map table.
The alidade is in two parts that slip together to make one unit in a cross (+) shape. One of the
pieces (say the - of the +) would have a vertical piece on each end. On one end, the piece re-
sembles a peep site with a small hole in the upright to site through. The other end has a verti-
cal brass wire. When someone spotted a smoke, they would spin the alidade so that the brass
wire end was toward the fire. The watchman would then fine tune exactly where the wire end
was aligned to by using the peep site to line up the origin location of the smoke with the brass
wire. When they were done lining things up, the horizontal piece of the brass wire end would
act like a compass needle and would be pointing to (or between) a degree mark.
The watchman would call the degree reading in and a dispatcher would draw a line, or run a string, from the tower location along the azimuth on
a wall map. The watchman could also figure out, based on the flat map below, if the bearing was intersecting a campsite or logging operation.
As soon as smoke was spotted, neighboring towers would also try to plot the smoke, figure an azimuth and allow the dispatcher to triangulate
the fire location.
continued on page twenty
page twenty | www.northmainewoods.org
The Forest Society of Maine works to conserve the recreational, cultural, ecological, and economic values of forestlands throughout Maine—
helping to keep recreational opportunitiesavailable for people like you.
To learn more about Maine’s land trust for the North Woods,please contact FSM today!
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vice as a back up system with alidades, maps and a radio plug in. To this day,
the fire tower network has been a system the state and it’s citizens have been
proud of. The system, with it’s sharp eyed watchmen and women, worked in
detecting widfires early and helping to reduce fire size and save lives.
Following a tradition of utilizing the best new technology, the Maine Forest
Service now detects lightning strikes through a satellite based monitoring
system that plots individual strikes on a map. The map is used to help direct
and concentrate air patrols. At the same time, every year the general state of
the fire towers has continued to decline. The fire towers are subject to harsh
weather and without ongoing maintenance, they have become dangerous
for the pubic and a liability to the landowner. At most, there are approxi-
mately 30 towers with cabs and 19 steel frames left standing. Most areas of
the state have reliable road networks and almost instantaneous communica-
tions through radio and cell phone. The old towers are ready to come down.
In 2011, the tower at Moose Mountain by Greenville was removed ending
a 106 year history of a tower being on the mountain top. Occasionally, the
towers will be replaced with regional, multiagency communication towers
that will help firefighters and emergency responders get to those in need in
less time. Other towers will simply be removed, returning the mountain top
to the wind and the elements and the squirrels who occasionally make sense
if you listen to them long enough.
M. RaffordTrucking and Construction Inc.
PO Box 526 Ashland, ME 04732Shop 435-2024 Home 435-6530
General Trucking & Construction For more on Maine’s Fire Tower heritage,
visit Maine Memory Network at www.mainememory.netand search Looking Out: Maine’s Fire Towers
or visit Maine Fire Lookouts at
http://www.firelookout.org/towers/me/me.htm
To purchase a replica panoramic map from a variety of towers around
the state, including Norway visit the Maine State Archives at
http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/and look for Fire Tower Maps in the maps section of the online store.
continued from page nineteen
Fire Tower Project
www.northmainewoods.org | page twenty one
Over the life span of the tower system, hundreds of people were employed to man the towers and many
people hold fond memories of walking up to a tower to visit an aunt or uncle, brother, sister or crazy
cousin. In the North Maine Woods, Norway Bluff was one of the last manned stations and many people
remember walking up and visiting with Bob Alexander, its last watchman.
In addition to being one of the last manned stations, the Norway Bluff tower and the Weeks family of
Masardis have a unique tie as well. The Chief Warden in the 1910s was a year-round employee of the
Maine Forestry District. He hired seasonal patrolmen to be stationed at camps throughout the woods and
watchmen to man the towers. Norway Bluff Tower was built in 1914 under Chief Warden J.B. Bartlett.
Chief Warden J.B. Bartlett, Ashland:
During the past summer there has been built on Norway Bluff, Township 9 Range 9, a 24 foot steel look-
out tower; a camp built on the side of the mountain for the watchman; four miles of telephone wire
hung to connect with the Maine Forestry District wire at Munsungan Lake, giving the man on Norway
Bluff lookout telephone connection with Oxbow Plantation. There has also been hung on the lower
end of the Aroostook River telephone line three miles of wire ; connecting with Libby Hotel, at Oxbow
Plantation giving the lookout man on Norway Bluff connection at two places. (Report of Forest Commis-
sioner Maine 1914)
Two years later in 1916, Charles L. Weeks became the Chief Warden covering the Aroostook and Big Ma-
chias Rivers and continued to work for Maine Forestry District for a full career. Link worked seasonally for
his father at the MFD while also farming in Masardis. Born in 1891, Link was fatally shot by a hunter he was
guiding in 1941 at his brother Harold’s sporting camp located on Spectacle Pond in T9 R8 WELS, just east
of Norway Bluff. Also pictured is John Hall, another farmer from Masardis who was often contracted to
haul the steel tower pieces up local mountains for the MFD. We know he hauled both Norway and Scopan
towers using his horses and bob sleds.
Charles L. Weeks, Chief Warden, Aroostook and Big Machias Rivers:
We changed the floor on steel tower on Norway Bluff and put a good substantial railing on it. We have
ordered the material needed, and made arrangements for hauling of the same in early winter, that the
house may be erected on tower next summer. We also painted the tower. (Report of Forest Commissioner
Maine 1917)
According to the 1919 Forest Commissioner’s Report, “The Maine Forestry District, in the past year, expe-
rienced one of the most dangerously dry seasons since its establishment in 1909. The territory between
Millinocket and Ashland, supervised by John E. Mitchell of Patten, Thomas Griffin of Millinocket and
Charles L. Weeks of Ashland, three Chief Forest Fire wardens, proved to be the most dangerous section for
forest fires in the Maine Forestry District. The particular reason for this we believe is that there were more
lumbermen and sportsmen in the woods in that particular section than in any other part of the State.” The
watchman at Norway Bluff Tower spotted 13 fires that year.
Today, almost 100 years later, Charles’ great-great-grandson is involved in the removal of the tower. Todd
Weeks, from Masardis, has been a Forest Ranger since 1985 and has long been stationed at Brown Brook
camp at Mile 35 on the Pinkham Road west of Ashland. Todd has walked up to the tower many a time and
is instrumental in its removal. Known for his quiet voice, cleverness with equipment and fire, and constant
grin, Todd has been a cornerstone for the Maine Forest Service’s Aroostook Waters District. And why not –
he and his family have been with the Service almost as long as its been around!
Norway Bluff Tower and the Weeks FamilyBy Amanda Barker, Maine Forest Ranger, Ashland District
Norway Bluff tower in T9 R9 WELS near Munsungan Lake 35 miles west of Ashland is scheduled to be removed in the spring or summer of
2012 ending a 98 year stand on the Bluff. The Maine Forest Service will be using one of its UH1B Huey helicopters to lift first the cab and then
the steel tower off the Bluff. The cab and tower will be landed in the old Pell & Pell camp yard on the Pell & Pell road and then transported by
lowbed to the Ashland Logging Museum. The Museum has plans to restore the cab and a short section of the steel tower. To donate time or
money to the project, please contact Bob Sawyer, Museum president at [email protected] or 435-4100.
Clockwise from top: Todd Weeks
visits a fire tower; Watchman Bob
Alexander; Link Weeks and John
Hall atop the Norway Bluff fire
tower circa 1918 or 1919; Bob
Alexander waves from the cab of
a fire tower.
Upper West BranchThe Upper West Branch and Lobster Lake area offer pleasant canoeing
and camping. Canoeing groups usually put in at Roll Dam Campsite,
Penobscot Farm or Lobster Lake. It is a leisurely three day trip to Umba-
zooksus Stream or five to seven day trip to the take out at the former
site of Chesuncook Dam. Paddlers encounter quick water only from Big
Island to Little Ragmuff and (at very low water) Rocky Rips. Lobster Lake
is a popular camping spot for canoeing and fishing groups. Groups us-
ing Lobster Lake should be aware that high winds can cause danger-
ous waves. Caution is recommended in the use of small watercraft.
Chesuncook LakeChesuncook Lake is the third largest lake in the state, with a flowage
length of 29 miles. High winds can cause dangerous waves. Be care-
ful. Chesuncook Village is a popular stopping spot for canoe groups. In
bygone days, the village had over 100 year-round residents, a school,
post office, stores, church, hotel, boarding house and an organized
town government. Today the village boasts two sporting camps, a
modest store, several seasonal camps and a church that has Sunday
services during June, July and August.
Lower West BranchThe Lower West Branch offers easy access for camping and fishing
groups. The “Golden Road” is a primary land management road used
for the transportation of forest products and runs parallel to the river
for 10 miles from Abol to Ripogenus Dam. Ripogenus Dam to Big Eddy
contains very severe rapids runable only by an experienced team in
page twenty two | www.northmainewoods.org
a whitewater craft. It is recommended that groups wishing to run the Lower West
Branch make arrangements with a whitewater rafting company.
Big Eddy to Ambejejus is mixed flat water and rapids with several falls and stretches
of heavy rapids. Canoe groups who wish to run the Lower West Branch should be
experienced and use extreme caution due to the many rapids and falls. Several por-
tages are also required. Refer to the AMC Canoe Guide.
CampsitesCamping is allowed only at sites designated by the Bureau of Parks and Lands. All
sites are primitive, many accessible only by watercraft. All sites have a fire ring, table
and outhouse. Fire permits are not required; however, fires must be contained in
fireplaces provided, fire pans or portable stoves. Visitors are limited to no more than
7 consecutive nights. The Bureau of Parks and Lands may authorize an extension
on a day to day basis. Tents or other equipment cannot be left unoccupied on any
site more than one night and sites must be vacated by noon on the last day of the
permit. If you are not interested in primitive camping there are commercial camp-
grounds or camps in the West Branch area.
Camping Fees: Under 10 years of age is free. $4.00 per night per person for res-
idents. $8.00 per night per person for non-residents. Plus a 7% lodging tax.
Organized GroupsGroups of more than 30 people are prohibited. Groups of more than 12 people are
restricted to using designated group campsites. Group campsites are marked by a
on the map. Trip leaders of boys and girls camps licensed by the Department
of Human Services are required by law to obtain a permit from the Department of
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in advance of the trip.
Penobscot RiverLeisurely Flat Water, Exciting Rapids and Comfortable Campsites
ph
oto
by
Pe
ter F
ree
ma
n
Seboomook Dam to Roll Dam 2.5 milesRoll Dam to Penobscot Farm 5.5 milesPenobscot Farm to Lobster Trip 2.5 milesLobster Trip to Ogden Point 3 milesOgden Point to end of Big Claw 4.5 milesLobster Trip to Halfway House 8 milesHalfway House to Big Island 2.5 milesBig Island to Pine Stream 6 milesPine Stream to Chesuncook Village 3 milesChesuncook Village to Chesuncook B 16 milesChesuncook B to Ripogenus Dam 3 milesRipogenus Dam to Big Eddy 2.5 milesBig Eddy to Horserace Brook 4 milesHorserace Brook to Abol Bridge 5 milesAbol Bridge to Nevers Corner 2 milesNevers Corner to Debsconeag Falls 3 milesDebsconeag Falls to Passamagamet Falls 4 milesPassamagamet Falls to Ambajejus Lake 2 miles
DISTANCES
www.northmainewoods.org | page twenty three
Conservation EasementsIn 1981 the Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands accepted a perpetual Conservation Easement from Great
Northern Paper Company. The easement encompasses 8,090 acres along the shores of the East and West Branch of the Penobscot
River and Lobster Lake (approx. 12 miles of the lake frontage and 67 miles of river). The easement transfers to the State of Maine
substantial development rights and gives the State the right to regulate and manage recreation activities within 500 feet of the
high water mark. The recreation management plan calls on the Bureau of Parks and Lands to maintain and enhance present
recreational opportunities and maintain the natural character of the corridor. In 2002 the Department of Conservation, Bureau
of Parks and Lands accepted a renewable Conservation Easement of limited duration on portions of Chesuncook and Ripogenus
Lakes and Brandy and Black Ponds from Brookfield Power. The easement protects 2,365 acres and 80 miles of lake frontage from
development and gives the State the right to manage recreational activities within 250 feet of the high water mark.
photo by Peter Freeman photo by PRC staff photo by Andrew McPar t land
page sixteen | www.northmainewoods.orgpage twenty four | www.northmainewoods.org
By Breanna Thibodeau
The day started with some lawn mowing up at Simmon’s Farm with my Grandparents,
who work for North Maine Woods and help out with the upkeep of the campsites.
I occasionally give a hand when I can, and this day the plan was to head up in the
woods, cut some grass, and then head down to Glacier Lake and test my luck with
some muskie fishing.
I wasn’t expecting much, taking into consideration all of the other failures I’ve had
with muskie in the past. It ranged from rod snapping to trying to wrangle one with
bare hands with zero luck, and this time I was bound and determined to reel one in.
On arrival, my friend and I hopped in a canoe and motored up the lake. Hours went
by with no luck and we decided to send out one last cast. Being so frustrated with my
bad fortune and the fish, I started to reel the line in as fast as I could so that we could
get out of there and head home. As the lure got closer, I felt the line completely stop
on a dime and thought to myself, “Oh great, stuck on bottom”. This was the last thing I
needed and I decided to give it a jerk anyway just to see what would happen.
Within seconds, the tip of the pole began jerking and snapping, as well as myself in
excitement. Neither of us had thought to bring a net or pliers, so all we knew was
that we were going to have to haul that thing over the side of the boat with our bare
hands. After almost flipping the canoe over from our clown show out in the middle of
the lake, my friend volunteered to stick a hand in the water and take hold of the fish.
We finally got it into the boat and immediately took off back to the camp, threw the
fish into the vehicle and brought our trophy back to show everyone. The muskie was
fairly small for its kind, but 38 inches is good enough for me, until next time.
NMW employee’s granddaughter catches first muskie
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My name is Benjamin Fullerton. I am 14 years old. I live in Greene, Maine.
I would like to share my moose hunting story. My exciting moose hunt-
ing adventure began on June 18, 2011 when my name was drawn in the
Maine Moose Lottery. After spending the summer planning the moose
hunt, with my cousins Randy Brooks, Ronnie Brooks, Robbie Brooks,
Hunter Brooks, my grandfather Gilbert Field, and my sub-permittee Alvin
Brandt, we set off for Priestly Campsite on the St. John River, which is lo-
cated in Zone 1.
I had a September permit so I was able to hunt September 26th through
October 1st. We chose to scout the area the weekend before the hunt. On
that Saturday, we were eating lunch when a huge bull walked into a bog
next to the campsite. He came back again that night around 6 o’clock so
we decided we would search for him the first two days, once the season
opened.
We did not see much the first couple of days we were there. It was almost
80 degrees both days. On Wednesday it was really cold so we decided
to drive. We were pulling onto a side road and about a mile up we saw a
cow so we quickly jumped out of the truck. We heard a grunt and before
I knew it a monster bull walked out into an opening. I pulled up and fired
at him with the .270 I was using. He did not go down. He ran! After he was
gone we started to follow his trail.
The bull was bleeding internally so he was only bleeding drop by drop on
the trail. We followed the trail from about 7am to 10:30 am. He had run
quite far. After a while, we found him lying down, so I fired my last shot,
to put him out of his misery. He was so big. After we were done taking
pictures and such, Randy and I gutted him. There was a large amount of
blood due to the internal bleeding. After he was gutted, we realized we
were in the middle of the woods, at the bottom of an 800 yard hill. He was
too big to carry so we had to quarter him into pieces to get him out. It
took 6 hours with the help of everybody there.
After that was all said and done, my moose came to the weight of 1100
pounds. The rack had a 50 ½ inch spread. The burrs were so big that the
tagging station had to tag my bull in the ear. It was hard to leave the park-
ing lot, because everybody wanted to see my moose. I can honestly say
that that was probably the most incredible moment of my life, to see my-
self with my big game. It was an adventure I will never forget.
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Moose River Lumber Jackman spruce and fir lumber
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Pride Manufacturing Milo hardwood hardwood bolts, handles
Red Shield Old Town hardwood pulp
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www.northmainewoods.org | page twenty threewww.northmainewoods.org | page thirty one
Comstock Woodlands Operations Manager Ralph Ouellette has been in the log-ging business for several decades. When we interviewed him he recalled when he was young, he and his brother would load their truck with hay on weekends and make a delivery to logging camps in the area around their home near Fort Kent.
The hay was to feed the horses used for logging and he said they usually also de-livered a couple of live pigs which were used to feed the logging camp crew. Ralph explained many of the changes that have taken place in the Maine woods since the 1950s and he provided a collection of photos that show those changes.
2000s
1960s
1950s
1940s
1930s
In today’s forest, machines like processors and forwarders help increase production and reduce environmental impacts.
Skidders, introduced in the 1960s, are still in use today.
A cherry picker loads wood in 1951.
Chainsaws were in use in the 1950s.
A tractor pulls sleds of wood in 1956.
Trucks started hauling wood in the 1940s.
Workers load wood by hand onto a horse-drawn sleigh in the 1940s.
Workers buck wood by hand.
Wood was moved by river until the 1970s.
A worker drives a one-horse sledge of pulp in the 1930s.
Workers used bucksaws to cut trees in the 1930s and 40s.
page thirty two | www.northmainewoods.org
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Before the First Tree is CutBefore the first tree is cut the forester responsible for the specific tract of forest pre-
pares a harvest management plan. The harvest plan takes into consideration any
sensitive areas containing vernal pools, eagle nests, and special old or dead trees
called “legacy trees” which provide homes for birds or wildlife. Also considered are
any Land Use Regulation Commission zones and riparian zones around water bod-
ies or along brooks and streams. The plan includes instructions for the harvesting
contractor on what tree species and sizes to harvest.
After this step is taken, the forester submits a harvest notification to the Maine For-
est Service and receives a forest harvest confirmation sign which is posted at the
harvest site. This posting states the landowner or land manager’s name and notifi-
cation number which can serve as a tracking tool for an inquiring public or regulato-
ry agency. This notification also serves to trigger an end of year reporting obligation
by the landowner or agent which, when the data is rolled up with all other harvests
in Maine, serves to provide an annual statewide harvest estimate.
Ninety five percent of the private forest lands within the North Maine Woods are
independently certified for sustainable practices by a third party. All long term forest
management plans of certified landowners are reviewed by a team of independent,
professional inspectors who review past harvest practices, long term plans and con-
duct on the ground inspections of the properties. Interviews are conducted with
forestry staff and harvesting contractors as well.
There are two certification programs utilized by landowners in North Maine Woods:
the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Both have rigorous performance standards to measure land management practices.
Some landowners are certified to both standards.
SFI is unique in having a state by state implementation committee responsible for
several programs that help landowners achieve certification. These programs in-
clude a substantial training infrastructure for loggers and foresters as well as a pro-
cess for the public to inquire on site specific practices they question. At each North
Maine’s Wood gate there is an SFI poster prominently displayed with the number
(888) 734-4625 which gives you access to an SFI representative and allows you to re-
port concerns you may have, confidentially. (Copies of Maine’s SFI Implementation
Committees progress report are available in the offices as well.)
These three steps, planning, notification and third party certification assure that har-
vesting crews follow specific directions on how each forest tract is to be harvested in
a sustainable manner. And don’t forget your ability to weigh in as well!
ph
oto
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The Maine Professional Guides Association and the Department
of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife have teamed up to put together a
series of videos of catch and release techniques. This project is in
response to the fact that, over the past few years, the practice of
catch and release has increased significantly in the angling com-
munity but the knowledge needed to successfully release a fish
alive has not grown at the same rate. These five videos, featuring
Environmental Educator Emily Maccabe and ten year old fishing
enthusiast Emily Douglas, are intended to teach anglers of all
ages and experience levels the best fish handling practices for
every step of a fishing trip.
that should be brought along on any fishing trip to ensure
that fish are caught and released as simply as possible.
needed to catch the hook firmly in the fish’s mouth and
ensure that it stays on the line.
New Videos Demonstrate How to Release Fish
a line out of the lake and into a boat or onto the shore.
including how to remove the hook, how to properly hold a fish and sup-
port its weight, and how to gently release the fish back into the water.
consider when deciding whether or not to keep a fish.
These videos are being shown at various public events and can be found online
at the Maine Professional Guides Association’s YouTube channel http://www.
36 campsites located on the west branch of the Penobscot River and Abol Stream
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www.landvest.comStewardship For Your Timberland Investment
LandVest
Katahdin Forest ManagementWhere can you find huge expanses of forestland containing lakes, rivers, fish, wildlife and endlessscenic views that you can enjoy all for less than
a night on the town?
The privately owned forestland that North Maine Woods manages public recreation on is where!
Katahdin Forest Management is proud to continue the long tradition of public recreation on its lands in
partnership with North Maine Woods.
We are the Maine Operations of Acadian Timberwww.AcadianTimber.com
Our rental cabins:www.katahdinforestcabins.com
Russell Pond OutfittersJoin us at Russell Pond Camps for:
Hunting: Bear over Bait, Trophy Deer, Moose, GrouseFishing and Summer Rentals
Call us to book a full guided adventureor to reserve a camp for that special get
away. Advance reservations required.Remote Camps Located 70 Miles
from Greenville or Millinocket.www.russellpondcamps.com
Russell Pond Camps
PO Box 1417Greenville, ME 04441
866-552-2038
KATAHDIN OUTFITTERSCanoeing and Kayaking Adventures
Allagash • St. John • Penobscot River ExpeditionsTransportation and Vehicle Shuttle
Canoe and Kayak Rental and OutfittingPO Box 34, Millinocket, ME 04462