OSI Trails Blog: Katahdin Region Spring Update

Steve Kasacek | OSI Director of Trail Development & Education

The OSI Katahdin Region Trail Crew (Crew) kicked off at the beginning of May and my stoke levels are high for our 2025 season! Crew Manager, Kevin Stewart, and I led a brief training to acquaint the new employees with our practices, worksites, and team. Many returning crew members bring their knowledge and skills back, helping our new hires learn and grow.

We are welcoming new operators to the team, Von Perry and Jon Winans. Both bring years of experience on machines with some time on trails. We are excited to continue growing the local capacity in the Katahdin region with folks like them.

Elyssia Smith, our long-time Crew lead, returns for her fourth season. Jumping into a machine this season, Elyssia will be operating and crew leading our team at Hammond Ridge. With new and returning crew members our team is excited to jump into the work.

We’ve already kicked off new construction on two sites, Hammond Ridge at the New England Outdoor Center outside Millinocket, Maine and Peavey Brook Outdoor Center (PBOC) in Patten, Maine. We have additional existing trail rehabilitation funding for Hammond Ridge and hope to break ground on a new exciting project in the north end of the region if time permits.

At Hammond Ridge Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funding secured by OSI is helping us build a new beginner bike-optimized trail out of the Knife Edge Brewery trailhead. Wannigan, the new singletrack with an emphasis on fat-bike groomability, will be about 1-mile and create a 1.5-mile loop with Golden Road back to the trailhead.

Additionally, RTP funding will allow us to harden the Saddle ski trail up to the Hammond Ridge ski trail and extend a short singletrack to the bottom of Lower Ripogenus. This means riders can stay off the gravel road going up or down the hill, avoiding vehicles completely, a win-win for everyone visiting New England Outdoor Center.

Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) storm relief funding from the 2023/24 winter storms is being put to use fixing washouts, replacing culverts, and adding more fun factor to Golden Road. Similar improvements to Moose Bone, Blue Ox, Lower and Middle Timber Haul, and MillBilly will also occur with this funding.

At PBOC we enter phase 3 and our third year assisting Elliotsville Foundation Inc. (EFI) at this property. EFI’s vision for trails is slowly coming to life, phase 3 will introduce nearly 2 more miles bringing the total built to over 5 miles by the end of the season.

If you are exploring the Katahdin Area Trails networks, be sure to (safely) say hi to these hard-working folks. Most trails will be blocked off during active construction so please respect these closures while still sharing your stoke!