Public Forum at the Rangeley School, March 20th

The High Peaks Alliance will present its third public forum on the issue “Keeping a Way of Life: Trails and Wildlife for Future Generations” at the Carrabassett Valley Public Library on Wednesday April 3, 2013 at 7-8:30 PM.  The purpose of the forum series is to get local people involved in helping shape the future of the High Peaks region.

            At previous forums held in Phillips and Rangeley, the Alliance introduced the idea of a High Peaks National Wildlife Refuge as a new conservation opportunity that can protect future public access for planned trail systems, hunting, fishing, and other wildlife-related activities.  In Carrabassett Valley, High Peaks Alliance will present a short slide show introducing the wildlife refuge proposal, Senator Tom Saviello will moderate a local panel focused on questions posed by the audience, and the forum will conclude with opportunity for audience comments. One topic of particular interest will be discussion of advance planning for the future of the four major regional trail systems serving snowmobilers, ATV riders, cross-country skiers, hikers and mountain bikers. The forum is co-sponsored locally by Maine’s High Peaks and the Flagstaff Area Business Association.

            High Peaks Alliance is a group of local hunters, snowmobilers, ATV riders, hikers, and guides, dedicated to protecting traditional public recreation access in Franklin County’s High Peaks region. Visit www.highpeaksalliance.org for more information about the Alliance and its activities, including the forum series and the People and Wildlife conservation opportunity.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT BY HIGH PEAKS ALLIANCE March 2, 2013

Keeping a Way of Life: Hunting, Fishing, and Trails for Future Generations

            The High Peaks Alliance will present its second public forum on the issue “Keeping a Way of Life: Hunting, Fishing, and Trails for Future Generations” at the Rangeley School in Rangeley on Wednesday March 20, 2013 at 7-8:30 PM.  The purpose of the forum series is to get local people involved in helping shape the future of the High Peaks region.

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Orbeton Stream Project seen from Mt Abraham

“Come hear about the Crocker Mountain and Orbeton Stream Conservation Projects on Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 7 PM,  Room C 23 Roberts Learning Center at the University of Maine at Farmington as part of Western Maine Audubon’s Fall Public Events Series.

Carole Haas, Executive Director of the Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust, will talk about both projects and provide an update on how much fund raising remains to be done to permanently preserve working forest and public recreational access to these two iconic properties in the High Peaks Region. Your support is needed to ensure the successful completion of these two projects. Come on out on September 12th to find our how you can help!”

The Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad provided free train rides to History Walk Participants.

Phillips, The first 20 miles of the Fly Rod Crosby trail was dedicated in Phillips on August 25^th. The Fly Rod Crosby Trail will eventually stretch 45 miles from Strong to Oquossoc and is based on the life and times of Maine’s first registered guide: Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby. Fifty people came out to participate in a guided history walk of the downtown area, short ceremony featuring Maine Senator Tom Saviello, guided hikes on the new heritage hiking trail and a free cookout at the Phillips Area Community Center.

Organizers would like to thank the event sponsors: Edmunds Market – who provided all the food for the cookout,  the Phillips Area Community Center (PACC), Star Barn Bed & Breakfast – who provided the grill, and the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad – who provided free train rides.

High Peaks Alliance would also like to thank the Davis Foundation, Franklin County TIF Program, Betterment Foundation, Maine Conservation Corps, Maine Department of Conservation Recreational Trails Program, generous individuals, volunteers and landowners for their generous contributions toward the success of the Fly Rod Crosby Trail.

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Dedication of the Fly Rod Crosby Trail in Phillips (Ben Godsoe and Tom Saviello)

2012 Summer interns: Quincy Mitman, Michael Phaelon and Jay Chenard relax after finishing mile # 20 of the Fly Rod Crosby Trail

Maine’s High Peaks Region will welcome its newest trail on Saturday August 25^th from 10am to 3pm as the Fly Rod Crosby (FRC) Trail is dedicated at the Phillips Area Community Center. The Fly Rod Crosby Trail is a project of the High Peaks Alliance and will eventually stretch 45 miles from Strong to Oquossoc. It is being developed in three segments of which Phillips to Saddleback Mountain is the first. The dedication will celebrate the completion of the first 20 miles.

The trail is based on the life and times of Maine’s first registered guide: Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby. Ms. Crosby was a famous fly-fisherwoman, journalist and the first person to market the Maine Woods as an early destination for tourism. Fly Rod lived in Phillips, where the first section of trail starts, and worked closely with the SR&RL, whose abandoned bed stretches north and west through Madrid and Sandy River Plantation. The trail stays close to the RR bed, than takes off into the back-country as it follows Orbeton and Hardy Streams around the western shoulder of Saddleback Mountain, finally ending at the ski resort.

The Fly Rod Crosby Trail is a project of the High Peaks Alliance (HPA), a small non-profit in northern Franklin County whose mission is: “to ensure and enhance public access to recreation in Maine’s High Peaks Region.” HPA is made up of local people who hunt, fish, hike, ski, bike, ATV and snowmobile. The group advocates for collaboration and cooperation in order to preserve public access to recreation for current and future generations. “This new trail wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of so many private landowners who gave permission for the trail to cross their land and wonderful effort by all of our volunteers,” said Ben Godsoe, who has been working on this project since 2010. “We are especially proud that we could offer a total of 11 jobs over 3 years to local youth to work on the trail.”

The first phase of the Fly Rod Crosby Trail stretches twenty miles from downtown Phillips to Saddleback Maine ski resort.

Schedule of Events:

History Walk:The dedication will kick off with a “History Walk” around downtown Phillips. The walk will leave the Old Gym on Depot Street at 10am and feature the Beal Block, Vose House and Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum.

Train Rides: For a small donation walkers can take a ride on the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad, which will be giving rides from 10:30-11:30am.

Short Ceremony: At 11:30am, Maine Senator Tom Saviello will help dedicate the trail at the Phillips Area Community Center (Old Gym).

Cookout: From 12 – 1pm there will be a cookout in the same location, music and lots of trail information available.

Guided Hikes: From 1-3pm there will be guided hikes on the Fly Rod Crosby Trail. One hike will follow the Sandy River through the forested Railroad Park in Phillips and then wind back to the trailhead (loop of approximately 1.5 miles). The other hike will start at Star Barn Bed and Breakfast (carpool leaves at 1pm from the trail head) and go to Orbeton Stream (Loop of approximately 3 miles). Hikes leave from the Phillips Area Community Center at 1pm.

Hike your own hike! There will be lots of free maps and trail information available at the dedication throughout the day. Please stop by and pick up a map so you can get out on the trail whenever you feel like it! You can also download the trail maps from our website for free (Click Here to download maps!).

Come on down to Phillips on August 25^th and help High Peaks Alliance celebrate the creation of the new Fly Rod Crosby Trail from Phillips to Saddleback Ski Area! Check back often to get updated information about the trail dedication.

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