The Appalachian Trail (AT) is the longest foot trail in the United States and runs 2,178 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine, passing through 14 states along the way. In Maine, the trail comes out of New Hampshire's, White Mountains, through the Mahoosics, over the Height of Land, through the 100 Mile Wilderness, before reaching its Northern terminus in Baxter State Park.There are numerous creek and river crossings along the way, some small enough to walk across, some spanned by sturdy bridges. The Kennebec River Crossing is another adventure entirely.
At 70 yards wide and too deep to safely ford, the Kennebec River is the longest unbridged river crossing on the entire length of the AT. The Maine Appalachian Trail Club has contracted with David P. Corrigan of Fletcher Mountain Outfitters to provide a scheduled Ferry Service to AT Hikers. While not open to use by the general public, it is a site worth seeing.
The Ferry consists of a large, red canoe paddled expertly from one shore to the other carrying hikers and their gear. It's quite exciting to watch the Ferry in action, and anyone visiting the area for Maine whitewater rafting, hiking or fishing while the Ferry is running, should stop and see it in action. The Ferry is located on the Kennebec River where the Appalachian Trail meets the river at Caratunk, below the part of the river known for Kennebec river rafting. There is an area for cars to park off the road, allowing visitors to hike the short distance along the AT to see the Ferry.
The Kennebec River Appalachian Trail Ferry schedule for 2010 is as follows:
- May 28 – July 15 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. only
- July 16 – September 30 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- October 1 – October 11 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. only
What's a footlog? They come in a couple of varieties - logs that have been cut lengthwise and logs that have been chunked into 1-2 foot high pieces - but they have the same purpose, to keep feet above of muddy and damp sections of hiking trails. The long versions are usually laid 2 at a time down the length of the trail over large distances, through boggy or low lying areas. The stubby footlogs span shorts stretches such as where creeks cross the trail.
Anyone who has ever travelled I-90 through South Dakota knows all they will ever need to about billboards, large and small. Coming and going, I-90 sprouts billboards like weird rectangular shrubbery, and it can be a disconcerting journey for someone from Maine where billboards simply do not exist.
California dreaming? Who needs it! Maine is a state where visitors regularly state in awe "I had no idea this state is so beautiful!" Often they turn to natives and say, "Do you realize how beautiful your state is?" To which we reply, "Every day." 
n some states, it's said, there are two seasons, construction and winter. Maine is lucky enough to have 
If you're not one of those people with a 3 inch thick clump of lift tickets bouncing from your jacket, but rather a season's pass holder at one of the many New Englnd ski areas, you can do more than just put the pass in your recycling bin, you can use it help veterans and save money rafting!
As spring turns to summer and snow turns to runoff it's time to put away your skis and boards and get out on Maine's whitewater rivers and benefit a good cause.
Haven't seen any significant snow since the rain and subsequent freeze up last week. All 100 miles of The Forks Trail System are passable, but there are some tough sections. You can get through everywhere . . . just have to "bob & weave" to stay on snow and get around obstacles, on some parts. 
Northern Outdoors and The Herbert Grand Hotel have teamed up to offer a new Inn-to-Inn snowmobile package for the 2010 season.
Snowmobile adventures make for great 
Cruising north out of 
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